January 2, 2011
ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz
This Sunday’s first-of-the-year acrostic draws an amusing quotation from Living Out Loud by Anna Quindlen, an American author, journalist, and opinion columnist whose New York Times column, Public and Private, won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992. “A book that brings a most refreshing message home with substance as well as style...Quindlen integrates memories of her childhood and observations of adulthood in such a way that make her just the sort of friend you wish you'd kept in touch with.” — Boston Herald
The quotation: FOOTBALL IS A GAME IN WHICH TWO TRACTORS APPROACH EACH OTHER AND COLLIDE I HAVE CONTEMPT FOR A GAME IN WHICH PLAYERS HAVE TO WEAR SO MUCH EQUIPMENT MEN PLAY BASKETBALL IN THEIR UNDERWEAR WHICH SEEMS JUST RIGHT TO ME
The author’s name and the title of the work: ANNA QUINDLEN LIVING OUT LOUD
The defined words:
A. President of the Senate under Nixon, AGNEW
B. Bygone cinema offering, NEWSREEL
C. Joe who wore pantyhose in a TV commercial, NAMATH
D. Mineral like hornblende or actinolite, AMPHIBOLE
E. Common keyboard arrangement, QWERTY
F. Worker in a stadium or arena, USHER
G. Setting for a famous patriotic photo (2 wds.), IWO JIMA
H. “Of course”, NATCH
L. Lottery loser, maybe, DRAFTEE
J. Wound deeply or jaggedly, LACERATE
K. Observable range, EYESHOT
L. Detroit Tiger who won the 1961 A.L. batting crown (2 wds.), NORM ASH
M. Supply for Spalding or Wilson, LEATHER
N. Bay State town where John Updike wrote “Rabbit, Run”, IPSWICH
O. Participant in the sack of Rome, VISIGOTH
P. Accuse of official misconduct, IMPEACH
Q. Team clad in Madonna blue and papal gold (2 wds.), NOTRE DAME
R. Combatant in the Valley of Elah, GOLIATH
S. Sea creature with three hearts, OCTOPUS
T. Rising trend on Wall Street, UPTICK
U. Socialize at a banquet or nightclub (hyph.), TABLE-HOP
V. Maker of the Capri, Cosmopolitan or Continental, LINCOLN
W. Be too strong for the competition, OVERMATCH
X. Darkened area in a total eclipse, UMBRA
Y. Diminutive, abnormally small, DWARFISH
The full paragraph of the quotation: I do not like football, which I think of as a game in which two tractors approach each other from opposite directions and collide. Besides, I have contempt for a game in which players have to wear so much equipment. Men play basketball in their underwear, which seems just right to me.
Barack Obama playing university basketball at Punahou in 1979
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Click on image to enlarge.
Puzzle available on the internet at
