01.23.11 — Cryptic Crossword

Thomas Eakin's art students bathing, 1883.  

This picture was used for the painting The Bathhole  

————————

Sunday, January 23, 2011

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz

A fairly friendly cryptic crossword for this Sunday’s second puzzle. Go ahead, take the plunge!

Across — 1. I.R.S. agents wildly making claims (9), ASSERTING, anagram of irs agents; 6. Gets ready to shoot birds in a barnyard (5), COCKS, pun; 9. Dangerous agent added to Italian city lawyer’s retinue (9, 6), ANDROMEDA STRAIN, and Rome DA’s train; 10. Mother was introduced to one of today’s leading playwrights (5), MAMET, ma met Mamet; 11. Board openings in no way complete things for auditors (9), KNOTHOLES, sort of pun, K not holes; 12. Young lady holding unoriginal ceremonies near the end (4, 5), LAST RITES, read trite within lass; 14. Food common at dinner or after one (5), PASTA; 15. The first person in diplomacy silently understood (5), TACIT, I within tact; 17. Sort of stem from “Cheers” conversation (9), ROOTSTALK, pun; 19. Skip around tavern yard and barely get wet? (6-3), SKINNY DIP, skip around inn and yd; 21. Shankar’s ending a blast with Indian music (5), RAGAS, r and a gas; 23. Note: credit card’s wrong, and you were right (1, 5, 9), I STAND CORRECTED, anagram of note credit card’s; 24. Bulletin board items required payment for speakers (5), TACKS, pun; 25. Parent led travels for a distant world (3, 6), RED PLANET, anagram of parent led.

Down — 1. Spook with a large tentacle (5), ALARM, alarm with an arm; 2. Stomach acidosis strangely mixing pain and pleasure (15), SADO-MASOCHISTIC, anagram of stomach acidosis; 3. Bird list contain nothing, ROOSTER, Zero within roster; 4. Improve the condition of creakiest athlete (3-6), ICE-SKATER, anagram of creakiest; 5. Nicaragua now carries Peruvian fertilizer (5), GUANO, guano within Nicaragua now; 6. Heard of tomato sauce? Join the rest of us (5, 2), CATCH UP, pun; 7. Actor who portrayed Henry VIII’s show of mirth in dance (7, 8), CHARLES LAUGHTON, laugh within Charleston; 8. Principal of school and head of staff listen for dangerous fish (4, 5), SANDSHARK, S and S hark; 12. Tough job assignment: unfortunately, that’s life (4, 5), LATE SHIFT, anagram of that’s life; 13. One of today’s leading playwrights reportedly blocked at the opening (9), STOPPERED, homophone of Stoppard; 16. People renting properties with a number of bugs (7), TENANTS, tenants and ten ants; 18. New ruler as strange as something in a dream (7), SURREAL, anagram of ruler as; 20. Delaware company restricted room furnishings (5), DÉCOR, abbreviations of Delaware, company and restricted; 22. Expressing regret in response to an Egyptian president (5), SADAT, well, just sad at.

Jump!

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.