The Letter E, Erté
-----------------
Sunday, February 28, 2010
EASE-E DOES IT, Puzzle by Yaakov Bendavid, edited by Will Shortz
The title of this crossword seems to mean that E is eased into eight identically pronounced words in the stead of an A, e.g., substituted for A in WEAK, TEA, PEAK, FLEA, HEAL, REAL, DEAR and MEAT, resulting in changed meanings for eight familiar phrases with clues justifying the new phrases.
NOT FOR THE WEEK OF HEART (22. Inappropriate on a honeymoon?);
AROMATIC TEE (36A. Item at a golf boutique?);
PEEK SEASON (55A. Summer next door to the nudist camp?);
FLEE COLLAR (71A. What a pursued perp might do?);
A TIME TO HEEL (90A. The point when Fido’s master starts walking?);
REEL MEN DON’T EAT QUICHE (103A. Bit of advice when packing anglers’ lunches?);
FRANKLY MY DEER (15D. Buck’s candid conversation opener?);
HAMBERGER MEET (54D. Dating service in a northern German city?).
Other -- ART FORM (99A. Film or sculpture); BASE PAY (66A. Datum on an employment contract); CAMELEERS (87A. Desert drivers), FILED IN (25D. Entered, as a classroom); FORESEE (71D. Divine); FRED ALLEN (40A. “Imitation is the sincerest form of television” quipster); GARRETS (82A. Struggling artists’ places); IVORIES (92A. They may be tickled); LOCKERS (33A. Health club lineup); REELECT (48D. Sent back to the Hill, say); REFRAME (4D. Change the focus of, as an argument); SCALERS (56D. Dental hygienists, at times); SEEDILY (44A. With a run-down look); SO-AND-SO (44D. Scoundrel); STYMIED (62A. Hampered); THE FIRM (86D. John Grisham best seller) USER FEE (26A. Parkgoer’s charge).
Six-letter -- ADESTE, ALBUMS, ASSISI, ATONED, ATTIRE, AVERSE, BLAISE, BLEATS, ROADIE, ZADORA, PROBES, BOGART (78A. Frequent gangster portrayer), DIRECT, EASTON, FEASTS, IMPEND, MORELS, OFF AIR, PROBES, ROADIE, SCORED, SHORT U (80D. Thumb‘s middle?), TERCEL, TORQUE, ZADORA (61A. “Butterfly actress, 1981).
Five -- ALLES, ALGER, ALICE, AMEND, ARRET, BALDS, CENTS, EPEES, ESTOS, HTEST, ITSOK, LOOIE, MYLAR, NAFTA, OBIES, PRESS, REDOS, REPRO, RERUN, SILTS, SLEET, STIES, STINT, STOKE, TOMEI (42A. “Before the Devil Knows You‘re Dead“ actress), WALES, ZAIRE.
Short stuff -- AFC, AHA, ALEE and ALI, ALOP and ATOP and ATOM, ANNE and ANTE and ANTS, APSE, ARE, BREE, CAL, CAME, CIG, DRAG, DRUM, EGOS and ENOS, ETC, GERM, IAGO, INTL, LEO, LON (81A. Chaney of “The Phantom of the Opera“), MANX, MASC, MESS and MOSS, MIEN, MOE, MOOS, MTS, NAH, NANU, NARA and NEAR, NCIS, NOSE, OCTO, ODIE, OMAN, ORE, OVA, PENH, RANI, RATE, RHEO, ROVE, RTES, SAKI, SDAK and SKED, SOUS, SPRY, SSN, TAKE, THOU, TRES, UGH, XRAY, YORE, YSER.
Easy does it!
Click on image to enlarge.
Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games.
If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery.
Remaining clues -- ACROSS: 1. ___ miss; 5. Oil holder; 9. It’s often vaulted; 13. Pact of ‘94; 18. Mrs. Shakespeare; 19. Shakespearean schemer; 20. Bummer; 21. Stop overseas; 27. Italian home of the Basilica of San Francesco; 28. Mark Harmon action drama; 30. One side in the Pro Bowl: Abbr.; 31. Some bank deposits; 43. Shade of green; 45. Sperm targets; 46. Camera-ready page; 48. Microphone tester, perhaps; 49. Stub-tailed cat; 53. Phnom ___; 57. Solar sails material; 58. Set right; 60. Things often put in twos; 65. Develops an open spot?; 67. Some space missions; 68. Über ___ (above everything: Ger.); 69. “Falstaff” soprano; 70. Late-late-night offering; 73. Eastern noble; 77. River deliberately flooded in W.W. I; 79. Annual awards announced in New York’s East Village; 82. Struggling artists’ places; 84. ___-chef; 85. Explosive event of ’54; 93. Filthy quarters; 94. Mountain treasure; 95. Idea’s start; 96. City near Bethlehem; 108. Possible flight delayer; 109. Proceeds; 110. Grand; 111. Itinerary segments: Abbr.; 112. These, in Madrid; 113. Convention handout, for short; 114. Showed; 115. Lows. DOWN: 1. TV alien’s word; 2. Son of Seth; 3. Kick in, say; 5. Face-to-face; 6. Bank quote; 7. Zero-star restaurant review?; 8. Baseballer and O.S.S. spy Berg; 9. Carol opener; 10. Basketball tactic; 11. Pseudonym of H. H. Munro; 12. Teamwork thwarters; 13. “Uh-uh”; 14. The Who’s “Who ___ You”; 16. Onetime Toyota model; 17. Outfit; 23. Like some TV interviewers’ questions; 24. Land with a red dragon on its flag; 29. W-2 datum: Abbr.; 31. Made it home safely; 32. “There there”; 34. Dog in a cat comic; 35 Nev. Neighbor; 36. On; 37. Go all over; 38. Yemen neighbor; 39. Loom; 40. Dinners likely to have leftovers; 41. Some major changes; 47. Alternatives to foils; 50. Crooked; 51. Former Japanese capital; 52. Airport security measure; 57. Pronoun designation: Abbr.; 59. Bearing; 61. 1990s war locale; 62. Agile, for a senior; 63. Los ___ Reyes Magos; 64. Days of old; 65. Flock sounds; 66. Mathematician Pascal; 68. Rags-to-riches author Horatio; 69. iPod heading; 72. Sarge’s superior; 74. Direction at sea; 75. Narrow margin; 76. Like many conglomerates: Abbr.; 78. One of the housewives on “Desperate Housewives”; 83. 2001 biopic; 84. Be sparing; ; 87. Smoke; 88. Disinclined; 89. Gourmet mushrooms; 90. Made up (for); 91. It’s measured in pound-feet; 93. Feed; 97. Line at a picnic?; 98. Neb. Neighbor; 99. Accelerated bit; 100. Prefix with mom; 101. Current: Prefix; 102. Quagmire; 104. “The West Wing” chief of staff ___ McGarry; 105. McKinley and Washington: Abbr.; 106. And other things: Abbr.; 107. “So that’s it!”.
