Summer setting solstice on a shrine rock at an Anasazi Ruin, photo by J Krebhiel
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When Days Are Long, Puzzle by Fred Piscop, edited by Will Shortz
On or around June 21 each year, the rays of the sun will be perpendicular to the Tropic of Cancer at 23°30' North latitude. This day is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.
On this day, the earth's "circle of illumination" will be from the Arctic Circle on the far side of the earth (in relation to the sun) to the Antarctic Circle on the near side of the earth.
June 20-21 is start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere but simultaneously the start of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. It's also the longest day of sunlight for places in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day for cities south of the equator. More — Geography About.
If you subscribe to The New York Times on-line Premium Crosswords, you are probably familiar with the monthly bonus puzzle. For the month of June, the title of this warm and friendly crossword is “When Days Are Long” featuring nearly 40 clues with the word “long“.
Across — 1. “Go take a long walk off a short PIER!”; 9. Longtime speaker of the House SAM Rayburn; 12. World’s longest mountain range, ANDES; 17. “Ars longa, VITA brevis”; 24. Long in the TOOTH (old); 28. Sidelong glances, LEERS; 33. Nabokov’s longest novel, ADA; 36. “Long Walk to Freedom” author Nelson MANDELA; 39. Adam of “The Longest Yard”, SANDLER; 44. Weapon with a 90-centimeter-long blade, EPEE; 45. i.e., for long, ID EST; 48. Mr. DEEDS (film character whose first name is Longfellow); 51. Long-plumbed wader, EGRET; 59. Its longest river is the Yangtze, ASIA; 60. “Long TIME, no see!”; 61. Hawaiian “so long”, ALOHA; 65. “LATER, alligator!” (“So long!”); 68. “What TOOK you so long?”
Down — 1. “The Longest Day” singer Anka, PAUL; 2. Long division word, INTO; 3. Make a long story short?, EDIT; 5. Geena of “The Long Kiss Goodnight”, DAVIS; 6. Long letter of the New Testament, EPISTLE; 8. The Beatles’ “The Long and Winding ROAD”; 11. Mao’s Long MARCH; 15. Sonora “so long”, ADIOS; 25. Long hauler, SEMI; 26. 440-yard long path, perhaps; OVAL; 27. Long, flowing locks, MANE; 29. “Piece of cake!”, EASY (this clue doesn't contain "long" but is notable in that it appears as an answer in the June 21 crossword also by Fred Piscop); 30. Long E, in Greek, ETA; 33. “For a long and healthy life” dog food brand, ALPO; 38. Risk growing a long nose, like Pinocchio, LIE; 43. Long-neck clam, STEAMER; 46. Lead-in for long aor now, ERE; 47. Prize for winning the long jump, perhaps, MEDAL; 48. DIANE Chambers (Shelley Long’s “Cheers” role); 49. Long answer on an English test, ESSAY; 52. Long GREEN (moola); 54. Long-STEM roses; 62. Long. crosser, LAT.
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Puzzle available on the internet at
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