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Sunday, July 25, 2010
DIAGRAMLESS, Puzzle by Fred Piscop, edited by Will Shortz
Fowl designations used idiomatically, e.g., DUCKED THE ISSUE (13A. Equivocated), CHICKENED OUT (32A. Turned yellow), GAVE IT A GOOSE (51A. Floored the accelerator) and WENT COLD TURKEY (70A. Dried out quickly) are the interrelated group of this clever Sunday diagramless crossword. BAD EGGS (28A. Rotten so-and-sos) — not included.
Other across — 1. 500 sheets, REAM; 5. 2010 N.B.A. champs, LAKERS; 11. Melvin known as the King of Torts, BELLI; 12. Lacking principles, AMORAL; 16. Morale-boosting grp., USO; 17. Deck out, ADORN; 18. Study intently, PEER AT; 22. Orbiter until 2001, MIR; 23. Camera type, for short, SLR; 24. Trevi toss-in, once, LIRA; 25. Bunk framework, BEDSTEAD; 31. Command after “ready”, SET; 35. State on a bay: Abbr., DEL; 37. Countless, A LOT OF; 38. Actor Alejandro or Fernando, REY; 39. Young seal, PUP; 41. 11-Across’s profession, LAW; 42. Earn, NET; 44. Schooner filler, ALE; 47. Big bang, REPORT; 49. “Go team!”, RAH; 55. Cote sound, COO; 57. Touched up, AMENDED; 58. Campaign fund, WAR CHEST; 61. Keep watch over, TEND; 62. Where shepherds keep watch, LEA; 63. Vacation rental, CAR; 64. Bars, legally, ESTOPS; 67. Fresh-mouthed, SAUCY; 69. Sit in a cellar, say, AGE; 74. Of a main line, AORTAL; 75. Old-time politico, Kefauver, ESTES; 76. Fancy-chancy, SWANKY; 77. 1.0 equivalents, DEES.
Down — 1. Made a tape of, RECORDED; 2. Bugling beast, ELK; 3. The Rays’ div., A L EAST; 4. Piano student’s reference point, MIDDLE C; 5. Co-star of Haley and Bolger, LAHR; 6. Call from the flock, AMEN; 7. Fish in a garden pool, KOI; 8. Medevac destinations, briefly, ERS; 9. Talk like a tough guy, RASP; 10. Turn on a pivot, SLUE; 13. Boneheaded, DUMB; 14. Holy scroll, TORAH; 15. Fished with pots, EELED; 19. Attention to detail, RIGOR; 20. Present a case, ARGUE; 21. “Mm-mm-good!”, TASTY; 26. Listing in a how-to, STEP; 28. Go all-in, say, BET; 29. Quotation book abbr., ANON; 30. Put on the shelf, DEFER; 33. Mild smoke, CLARO; 34. Act the bootlicker, KOWTOW; 36. Like tabloid headlines, LURID; 40. Best of the early Beatles, PETE; 43 Dash gadget, TACH; 44. Playground shooter, AGATE; 45. Causes to limp, LAMES; 46. Triple jump, e.g., EVENT; 48. Add to dishonestly, PAD; 50. Cornmeal concoctions, HOE CAKES; 52. Fund, ENDOW; 53. “To your health!”, SALUD; 54. Put up, ERECTED; 56. Siouan speakers, OSAGES; 60. Deuce beater, TREY; 65. Wasabi PEAS (spicy snack); 66. Rare cause of April baseball postponements, SNOW; 67. Overcharge, slangily, SOAK; 68. One on your side, ALLY; 71. Lilting syllable, TRA; 72. UPS unit: Abbr., CTN; 73. 66, famously: Abbr., RTE.
More? Eat CROW, wise as an OWL, looking like the cat that swallowed the CANARY, doing a SWAN song, the COCK of the walk, as mad as a WET HEN, naked as a JAYBIRD, proud as a PEACOCK, happy as a LARK, like a BAT out of Hell, and crazy as a LOON!
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