dannmann's NYT crossword puzzle ramblings

wednesday, january 23, 2008
henry hook / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: i was all outta sorts with this one!



theme:

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in the "notes of record" category
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while i'm sure some will rave about this puzzle, i, for one, was left feeling unsatisfied, incomplete, and a bit off-kilter... oh, hell, it's prob'ly just me...


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in the "most googled" category
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in the "cool mutiple word answer" category
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1A "and _ bed" SO TO

15A delete X-OUT

20A "she's like the wind" singer, 1988 PATRICK SWAZE (listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C0-I_vDc34&feature=related)

36A aster MICHAELMAS DAISY (michaelmas daisy is a frost hardy, bushy, wild aster... growing best in boggy, moist conditions... especially one blooming on or about michaelmas [which is the feast of st. michael the archangel celebrated yearly on september 29])
45A tabby HOUSE CAT

55A like some days of summer, in song LAZY, HAZY, CRAZY (LISTEN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuMGeW1N9EI&feature=related)

26D "bye" SEE YA!

33D winter carnival structure ICE PALACE

37D on the line AT HAZARD


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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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17A not an orig. IMIT.

42A half-oz. TBSP.

43A part of the dept. of homeland security since 2003 F.E.M.A. (federal emergency management agency)

44A agent, for short REP. (representative)

39D fighting tigers' sch. L.S.U. (school... louisiana state university)

48D film lover's cable choice A.M.C. (american movie classics)

58D employee cards and such, briefly I.D.'S (identity [cards])


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in the "other" category
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9A some spanish surrealist paintings MIRO'S (joan miró ferra was born in barcelona, and at his parents’ insistence he was trained as a bookkeeper, but he rebeled and studied art and founded "agrupació courbet", a group of young artists who opposed themselves to conservative traditions in catalan art)
14A like some traffic, for short THRU
20A "she's like the wind" singer, 1988 PATRICK SWAZE (listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C0-I_vDc34&feature=related)

24A c's in shop class? CLAMPS
30A ginger _____ ALE
31A _____ and span SPIC
35A soul singer corinne bailey _____ RAE
49A hadrian's predecessor TRAJAN (marcus ulpius nerva traianus, commonly known as trajan was a roman emperor who reigned from 98 to 117ad)
51A musical based on a t. h. white novel CAMELOT (the 1960 musical camelot, by alan jay lerner and frederick loewe, is based on t. h. white's literary version of the legend, 'the once and future king' which consisted of five books: the sword in the stone, the witch in the wood, the ill-made knight, the candle in the wind, and the book of merlyn)
55A like some days of summer, in song LAZY, HAZY, CRAZY (LISTEN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuMGeW1N9EI&feature=related)

58A she said "don't get mad, get everything!" IVANA (born ivana marie zelnícková is a former olympic athlete [on the 1968 czechoslovakian olympic ski team] and fashion model also noted for her celebrity brand and marriage to [and subsequent divorce from] mogul donald j. trump)

62A to say in spanish? DECIR

63A la citta eterna ROMA (the eternal city... rome)

66A cannon of "heaven can wait" DYAN
1D michael of r.e.m. STIPE (john michael stipe is the lead singer of the american rock band r.e.m. stipe has become well-known (and occasionally parodied) for the "mumbling" style of his early career and for his complex, surreal lyrics, as well as his social and political activism)
3D travis who sang "t-r-o-u-b-l-e" TRITT (born james travis tritt)
5D bettor's option EXACTA (the bettor must pick the two horses which finish first and second, in the right order)
9D its motto is "manly deeds, womanly words" MARYLAND
11D longtime "hollywood squares" regular ROSE MARIE (born rose marie mazetta)
12D tv planet ORK
29D mendes or longoria EVA
38D sister magazine of jet EBONY
50D title girl with a gun in a 1989 aerosmith hit JANIE (LISTEN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVKdLQnfSJs)

54D english drama critic kenneth TYNAN (kenneth peacock tynan was an influential and often controversial british theatre critic and writer)

58D employee cards and such, briefly I.D.'S

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in the "damn-brand-new-t'-me" category
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in the "your mileage may vary" category
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keep on keepin' on...

dann
all elements of the puzzle (grid layout, clues, and answers), NYT, NY Times, and The New York Times logo are ©2008 The New York Times
1. "and _ bed"5. personification of desire9. some spanish surrealist paintings14. like some traffic, for short15. delete16. call off, as in an emergency17. not an orig.18. field unit19. perilous20. "she's like the wind" singer, 198823. understanding24. c's in shop class? 27. something detested30. ginger _31. _ and span34. square35. soul singer corinne bailey _36. aster41. raiser oftarzan42. half-oz.43. part of the dept. of homeland security since 200344. agent, for short45. tabby49. hadrian's predecessor51. musical based on a t. h. white novel55. like some days of summer, in song58. she said "dont get mad, get everything!"60. attention getter61. any minute now62. to say in spanish?63. la citta eterna64. superboy's girlfriend65. spirited mount66. cannon of "heaven can wait"67. property attachment1. michael ofr.e.m.2. "jeez!"3. travis who sang "t-r-0-u-b-l-e"4. public relations effort5. bettor's option6. rise rapidly7. willa gather's "one of _"8. hasenpfeffer, for one9. its motto is "manly deeds, womanly words"10. resort island near majorca11. longtime "hollywood squares" regular12. tv planet13. what a mess!21. wayfarer's refuge22. high spots25. cellular biology material26. "bye"28. rope fibers29. mendes or longoria31. stylish32. tootler33. winter carnival structure37. on the line38. sister magazine of jet39. fighting tigers' sch.40. despite expectations46. dermatologist's case47. caribbean's _ islands48. film lover's cable choice50. title girl with a gun in a 1989 aerosmith hit52. veranda53. a high flier may fly in it54. english drama critic kenneth56. obdurate57. sailor hailer58. employee cards and such, briefly59. dog doc