saturday, february 02, 2008
natan morel last / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: i didn't get stung too badly here, thanks to some very good guesses!


theme: none

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in the "notes of record" category
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natan, another great puzzle!


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in the "other" category
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no time t'day!

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. "the county chairman" playwright, 1903 4. hershey brand 8. tree14. spinners, for short15. southern university whose campus is a botanical garden16. interstice17. having the most pizazz19. cap and bells wearer20. convict22. meter readers?23. kind of batting stance24. nos.25. reddish-brown26. al-_27. big bang creator28. fifth qtrs.29. enforce the rules31. italian mine32. has as a foundation33. "rugrats" dad36. easter-related37. "_ now the very witching time of night": hamlet38. norm of "this old house"41. coup d'_ (survey made with a glance)42. part of a moonscape43. no longer under consideration44. tetris objectives45. like clayware46. seemingly silent types49. burns50. "she's gonna blow!"52. ferris bueller's girlfriend53. spoils54. where the utricle is55. like haunted houses, compared to ordinary houses56. good-looker57. the wildcats of the big 12 conf.1. hoelike cutting tool2. neighbor of somalia3. brewed drink4. checks5. two-time figure-skating olympic gold medalist protopopov6. snapped7. ecstatic8. option for wings9. smeltery input10. paraphrase, say11. a jiffy12. decides13. least spotted18. british p.m. when the u.s. constitution was signed21. quality that's hard to express22. event for a king and queen26. father of harmonia27. former giant robb _ 30. gymnastics move32. butt33. 1979 film with sequels ii to vi34. prophet of thebes, struck blind by athena when he accidentally saw her bathing35. drew on36. popular dish in an asian cuisine38. guide39. zyzzyva, e.g.40. malignity42. protein-rich paste44. certain softball pitch45. amendment that prevents being subjected to double jeopardy47. oscar-winning french film director _ clement48. article in hoy51. robert morse tony-winning role

friday, february 01, 2008
doug peterson / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: i got roughed-up pretty badly over this one!



theme: none


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in the "notes of record" category
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doug, i had a love/hate thing goin' on with this one... i loved most of the long/multi word answers... and i hated that my first guesses were way off!


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in the "your mileage may vary" category
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51. tickled the most PINKEST... funny stuff!
8. ape wrestlers GRAPPLE... GROAN! to ape [mimic] wrestlers


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. temper8. ape wrestlers15. be negative about17. hobbes in "calvin and hobbes"18. went to a lower level19. prefix with 6-down20. body part above la bouche21. frames found in frames22. clubs: abbr.23. senora's step24. "a little _ the mightiest julius fell": shak.25. actress kimberly of "close to home"26. give away27. intimate28. tahini base29. well activity32. domesticates33. dramatic beginning34. with 44-down, cajun dish with giblets35. polynomial components36. subject of some conspiracy theories37. prez's first name on "the west wing"40. shot near the green41. little piggies?42. staff note43. ad follower44. playboy's plea?45. she's dangerously fascinating46. they're not easily overturned49. stereotypically smarmy sorts50. without much wind51. tickled the most?1. for one2. not at all sunny3. fit to be tried?4. id output5. mordant6. suffix with 19-across7. going by8. fred of "the munsters"9. hosts10. brand in a bathroom11. linguist mario12. before being delivered13. unfrequented14. chief goals? 16. smart22. exclusively23. british meat pie25. actress gray and others26. _-crowd (attendance booster)27. make like pac-man28. they're bound to work29. "heads up!"30. it stocks blocks31. less lax32. prepare for a shower, maybe 34. foundations, often36. aggressively ambitious37. basso hines38. hosts39. "who _?"41. august42. belarus's capital44. see 34-across45. longtime columnist who coined the term "beatnik"47. cloverleaf composition: abbr.48. second-century year

thursday, january 31, 2008
paula gamache / will shortz
ny times online premium crossword puzzle
















difficulty factor: not bad at all, except for the southwest corner



theme:

BREAK...

16A ...BREAD
22A ...OPEN
37A ...WIND
49A ...RANKS
59A ...APART
10D ...FREE
33D ...EVEN


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in the "notes of record" category
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the past three days have been full of lawyers, doctors and aggravation for me, but paula, this was a very bright spot in my week! thank you!


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in the "most googled" category
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hmm... maybe... 20. n.b.a. center who has pitched for mcdonald's, pepsi and visa YAO MING or... 37D WAHINES (the maori and hawaiian word for "women") or... 58A "ich LIEBE dich" (which is german for "i love you")


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in the "cool mutiple word answer" category
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16A * not just stupid BRAIN DEAD
19A kerosene LAMP OIL
20A n.b.a. center who has pitched for mcdonald's, pepsi and visa YAO MING
22A * setting in sherlock holmes's "the man with the twisted lip" OPIUM DEN
37A * perplexed state WIT'S END
49A * informers RAT FINKS
59A * dessert made from a product of a 10-down APPLE TART
3D "ditto" SO AM I
4D blunders SLIP-UPS
5D "well, _!" LA-DI-DA
33D * fairy tale meanie EVIL QUEEN
42D cigarette box feature FLIP TOP
46D "how foolish _!" ...OF ME
53D squelch SIT ON


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in the "abbreviations, truncations, etc." category
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9A homes for mil. planes A.F.B'S (air force bases)
13A object of a manhunt, maybe A.W.O.L. (absent without leave)
14A score just before winning AD-IN (in tennis... advantage in [-court], or server's advantage)
36A daily or weekly, e.g.: abbr. ADV. (they are both... adverbs!)
39A 1970's polit. cause E.R.A. (equal rights amendment)
45A co. with a triangular logo AOL (america online)
65A major rtes. HWYS. (highways)
66A ivy league school in philly PENN (pennsylvania state university)

as fly-away-girl was quick

to note... in a comment posted in yesterday's blog... that should be the university of pennsylvania... thanks for the heads-up, fly-away... and you've earned your "attention to detail" merit badge!

27D they replaced c rations M-R-E'S (meal, ready-to-eat)
30D short holiday? X-MAS (Christmas... i loathe this truncation!)
34D put back in STET (latin, "let it stand"... used by proofreaders to instruct the writer to disregard a change the editor had previously marked)



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. throw5. it may be found in a cone9. homes for mil. planes13. object of a manhunt, maybe14. score just before winning15. skylit courts16. * notjust stupid18. where william the conqueror died19. kerosene20. n.b.a. center who has pitched for mcdonald's, pepsi and visa 22. * setting in sherlock holmes's "the man with the twisted lip"24. the hots25. snow _26. les trois mousquetaires, e.g.28. strain31. "eat at _"34. shopaholic's delight35. canyon part36. daily or weekly, e.g.: abbr.37. * perplexed state39. 1970s polit. cause40. early sixth-century year41. partner of aids42. come clean, with "up"43. slippery swimmer44. "the _ report," 1976 best seller45. co. with a triangular logo47. grill49. * informers54. seven sisters grads57. major italian tourist site58. "ich _ dich" (german words of endearment)59. * dessert made from a product of a 10-down61. satyric looks62. sleeper _63. this and that64. "finnegans wake" wife65. major rtes.66. ivy league school in philly1. cellist casals2. "that's _!" (director's cry)3. "ditto"4. blunders5. "well, _!"6. _ hugo, 1975 isabelle adjani role based on a real-life story7. through8. granatelli of auto racing9. bits10. * orchard part11. "tres _"12. did a number15. stimulated17. 1890s gold rush city21. completely strange23. music download source27. they replaced c rations29. pretense30. short holiday?31. shade of green32. garfield's housemate33. * fairy tale meanie34. put back in37. some luau dancers38. resort island ese of valencia 42. cigarette box feature45. ocean rings46. "how foolish _!" 48. planetary shadow50. be in force, as a rule51. author zora _ hurston52. popular japanese beer53. squelch54. milan's teatro _ scala55. collateral option56. individually 60. church perch