Pandora. 1873, Alexandre Cabanel
------------------
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Puzzle by Alex Boisvert, edited by Will Shortz
X gets a workout in today’s Xword. Extra X’s make for X-MEN IN BLACK (18A. Mourning comic book mutants?), PARLOR X-GAMES (24A. Event that includes Snowboarding Charades and Motocross 20 Questions?), X-RAY BAN (39A. Result of a phobia of medical pictures?), PANDORA’S X-BOX (51A. Curious peson’s video game console?) and X AXIS OF EVIL (62A. Diabolical graph line?), accompanied with clues for CHI (4A. X), CDX (4D. XLI x X), TEN (65A. X). What's to X-plain?!
Other — ANKLE BITER (29D. Rug rat), MELISSA (9D. Etheridge who sang “Come to My Window”), NAPKINS (44D. Table cloths), OMERTA and RAT (16A. Mafioso’s code of silence; 17A. One who breaks the 16-Across) and WATERPROOF with RAIN (3D. Safe for the 40-Down; 40D. Precipitation).
Six-letter — AMBLES (8D. Moseys), ASSAIL (28A. Set on), EASING (50D. Facilitating), EVENLY (55A. In a fair manner), HOMBRE (5D. Dude), IAMBIC (7A. Like Shakespeare’s sonnets), (16A. RASSLE (49D. Have a backwoods brawl), SENSES (69A. Has a premonition of), SAFARI (48A. Travel in the bush).
Five — North Africa’s ATLAS Mountains, DIRTY, EWOKS, ICE AX, LITHE, OBAMA and OMEGA (55D. The end), REVUE, STRAP and XENON (56D. Gas used in flash lamps).
Short stuff — ABC, ALEC, AMES, ANKA, BAUM, BRAT, CAKE, DEF, DOCS, DUES and DUNE, ECON, EGG and EGO, EPEE, EXES (57D. Former flames), EWES (60A. Barnyard females), IKEA, “I’M A Gigolo”, INCA, ION, ITCH, KEY, LAYS, LEG, Poet MAYA Angelou, NAPS, ORYX and OXEN, OWED, OYS, PAL, PORE, PRAY, RAN, RYE, SNUG, SOW (1A. Barnyard female), TBA, TEXT, TIME, WAVE.
-----------------
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 — 13. TV schedule abbr.; 14. Nonfiction films, for short; 20. Ed with the 1967 hit “My Cup Runneth Over”; 22. Toto’s creator; 23. Bending easily; 27. Source of perspiration; 34. Speak with folded hands, say; 37. “You Are My Destiny” singer, 1958; 38. Classic Fiat model; 42. Integral; 43. Business major subj.; 45. Tina’s “30 Rock” co-star; 50. Cousin of a foil; 57. Endor natives in “Return of the Jedi”; 61. “The great instructor,” per Edmund Burke; 66. In a fair manner; 67. Sci-fi novel made into a 1984 cult film; 68. Word before booster or tripper; 70. It may get whipped in the kitchen; 71. Fled. DOWN: 1. Part of a football helmet; 2. First president whose name ends in a vowel other than E or Y; 6. Glacier climber’s tool; 7. It’s charged; 10. Imp; 11. Desire; 12. Birthday order; 15. Cozy; 21. Nickelodeon opening; 25. Large African antelope; 26. Poet Angelou; 30. Acronymic store name; 31. Potato chip brand owned by PepsiCo; 32. Club bill; 33. Member of an empire founded by Manco Capac; 34. Bud; 35. Bread for a Reuben; 36. “Happy Days” network; 41. Refreshers; 47. Send a quick update, in a way; 52. “Be Kind Rewind” co-star Mos ___; 53. Outstanding; 54. Vaudeville offering; 58. Breaker, e.g.; 59. Plow pullers; 63. Jewish laments; 64. Relay part.
