The smallest coin in U.S. history owes its existence to two of the biggest gold rushes. That coin is the gold dollar, a mere pipsqueak physically, but a giant in terms of history, rarity and value.
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Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Puzzle by Doug Peterson, edited by Will Shortz
The monetary halves of SAND DOLLAR (17A. Disk-shaped sea creature), PASS THE BUCK (24A. Shift blame to another), SOFT-SHELL CLAM (35A. Chowder ingredient), BLOOP SINGLE (49A. Hit that just clears the infield) and FORMULA ONE (58A. Auto-racing designation) constitutes the interrelated group of this worthy Tuesday crossword.
Other — ANECDOTE (38D. Short reminiscence), CHARIOT (2D. “Ben-Hur” racers), 39D. MARIANAS Trench (deepest point on Earth’s surface), MONSANTO (3D. Global agricultural company), ROSETTA (1D. Stone discovery site), SEGMENT (42D. Orange part, e.g.).
Mid-size — ALEUTS, A-MINUS (11D. Pretty good grade), AMPERE, ATLAS, CALEB, CHILI, COSMIC, GUMUP, LIRAS, MEDIC, MENSCH and MENSA, NARCS, OATHS, ORE-IDA, RASPS (65A. Horseshoers‘ tools), SNEAKY, TESLA, TONIER, TRAPS, TWANG, TWO-CAR, UNCUT, WALLS, WATER.
Short stuff — ACH, AMAT, AMEN, ANAS, ASP, ATTN, AUEL and AWL (46A. Leatherworker‘s tool), CAMS, CIG, DAM, DUPE, ERS, ETD, EXES, FUR and GRR, HTML, INFO, LINE, MELL, NEA, OED, OHOH, ONA, PEST, PHD, RCMP (1A. Dudley Do-Right‘s org.), SEWS, SHY, STAN, UCLA, ZACH.
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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.
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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 5. Banjo sound; 10. Video recorders, briefly; 14. Anticipatory cry; 15. Tend to, as plants; 16. “So true!; 19. Bit of dialogue; 20. Oral hesitations; 21. Bruins’ sch.; 22. High-I.Q. crew; 23. Actress Carrere; 27. More posh; 29. Approx. takeoff hour; 30. Bashful; 31. Routing abbr.; 32. Immeasurably vast; 40. Tater Tots brand; 41. Santa ___ (hot California winds); 43. Exclamation in Berlin; 47. Current unit; 53. Short smoke?; 54. Turkish money; 55. Jean who wrote “The Clan of the Cave Bear”; 56. Hydroelectric project; 57. “He loves,” in Latin; 61. “Scrubs” actor Braff; 62. Not abridged; 63. Baseball great Musial; 64. Ones who’ve been though divorce court; 66. Pain in the neck. DOWN: 4. Advanced deg.; 5. King of garage; 6. Mason’s creations; 7. Muscular Charles; 8. Union with 3+ million members, in brief; 9. Junkyard dog’s greeting; 10. Novelist Carr; 12. Stand-up guy; 13. Deceitful; 18. Hornswoggle; 22. Battlefield doc; 25. Rival of Edison; 26. WWW code; 28. “For more ___ …”; 32. Hot dog topper; 33. U.K. lexicon; 34. Sound of thunder; 36. Golf hazards; 37. Wields a needle; 43. In flames; 44. Part of a book where you’re unlikely to stop; 45. Poet who originated the phrase “harmony in discord”; 47. Indigenous Alaskans; 48. Pell-___; 50. Courtroom rituals; 51. Feds who make busts; 52. Ruin, informally; 58. Stole material; 59. “Not ___ bet!”; 60. African slitherer.
