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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Puzzle by Kenneth J. Berniker, edited by Will Shortz
This last Wednesday crossword of this cold February features an interrelated group of four TRIPLES (36A. 20-, 26-, 46- and 56-Across, homophonically speaking) -- KNICKS NIX NICKS (20A. Hoopsters turn down singer Stevie?), LOSE LOU’S LOOS (26A. Misplace comic Costello’s privies?), METE MEET MEAT (46A. Apportion hamburgers to track runners?) and WRITE RIGHT RITE (56A. Compose the appropriate ceremony?).
Other -- BURN-OUTS (9D. Rat race casualties), ELEMENTS (38D. Things on a table), ESKIMOS (40A. Yup'ik), OH MY and IT’S OK seem a pair (28D. “Heavens!”, 22D. “No harm, no foul”), STRIATE (44D. Make furrows in), the Shortzesque twin-clued RAVIOLI (7D. Filled fare) and TACO (24A. Filled fare).
Mid-size -- ACELA (65A. Speedy Washington-to-Boston link), AVILA and IVANA, ASTRAL (50D. Like some planetarium projections), AT ONCE (6D. On the double), CANCEL (10D. Alternative to “Continue” in an online order), EVINCE (47D. Show clearly), ITALO, LIMIT (37D. The sky, it‘s said), LYSOL, MAGPIE (48D. Heckle or Jeckle of cartoons), METAL, NAVEL, RAN AT, RANKS, RIVET, TINES and TALK TO (5D. Have a word with).
Short stuff -- AMEN, AMOK, ARIB, ARNE, CALI, ELEC, ENL, ETH, IBEX, ILES, HRE, INK and INT and INTO, KILT, LIP, LEOS, NEAP and REAP, NOOK, NYSE, ONE and OTE, OPEC, OROS, OVER, PEKE, RACY, RATS, REEK, SAKI (31A. “The Square Egg“ author), SAD and SAS and SESE and SEE and SPEE (67A. German admiral who went down with the Scharnhorst), STEM, TABU, TACO, TATI, TIM, WIEN, WIPE and Doo WOP.
... and now for this puzzle's VIM and VIVID (51A. Get-up-and-go, 3D. Like some imaginations), a little more Heckle & Jeckle!
Click on image to enlarge.
Puzzle available on the internet at
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Remaining clues -- ACROSS: 1. Fix firmly; 6. Bust ___ (laugh hard); 10. Colombia’s second-largest city; 14. Walled city of Spain; 15. “Forbidden” perfume brand; 16. Service closer; 17. Focus of some contemplation; 18. Control tower word; 19. Cozy corner; 23. Singing the blues; 25. Taxonomic suffix; 34. Keen on; 35. Maximilian I’s realm: Abbr.; 42. Like a petty officer: Abbr.; 43. Martinique et Corsica; 45. Org. with a closing bell; 52. Candidates for witness protection programs; 53. Secretary Geithner; 60. Austria’s capital, to Austrians; 61. Kind of tide; 63. Grp. Including Nigeria and Venezuela; 64. “Mon Oncle” star; 66. Chinese toy, for short; 68. Custodian’s supply. DOWN: 1. Admiral and others; 2. The first Mrs. Trump; 4. T.V.A. output; 8. Alpine goat; 11. In a frenzy; 122. 13 popes, so far; 13. Tattooist’s supply; 21. Airline in the Star Alliance; 27. Pee Wee Reese, for the Dodgers; 29. Top prizes at the Juegos Olimpicos; 30. Zaire’s Mobutu ___ Seko; 31. Part of many musical notes; 32. Former Minnesota governor Carlson; 33. Piper’s wear; 39. “Get it?”; 41. Cause of a turnover: Abbr.; 49. Haile Selassie’s land: Abbr.; 53. Sticking points; 54. Author Calvino; 55. Like most golf woods, nowadays; 56. Towelette, e.g.; 57. Need a bath badly; 58. Take in; 59. Blue; 60. Doo-___.
