Sunday, August 22, 2010
FILM NO-R, Puzzle by Patrick Berry, edited by Will Shortz
Nine film titles missing the letter R to pun film noir to be film no r, forming new film titles accompanied by justifying clues, constitutes the interrelated group of this Sunday crossword. The missing R was last seen HERE.
AGING BULL (19. Film about a corrida participant put to pasture?)
THE GUMBALL ALLY (23. … a candy-sharing confederate)
PETTY WOMAN (28. … a small-minded lady?)
A THOUSAND ACES (44. … an embarrassingly one-sided tennis match?)
BEDKNOBS AND BOOM STICKS (67. … decorative furniture elements being blown off with dynamite?)
MY FIEND FLICKA (93. … a demonic horse?)
OLIVE TWIST (112. … drink garnishes?)
MULHOLLAND DIVE (121. … a seedy Hollywood bar?)
FIST BLOOD (126. … skinned knuckles?)
As crosswords do, this one assumes everyone is familiar with Raging Bull, The Gumball Rally, Pretty Woman, A Thousand Acres, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, My Friend Flicka, Oliver Twist, Mulholland Drive, and First Blood. Not a lot of noir there!
Other — DRAMA CRITIC (16D. Bomb detector?), DISINCLINES (69D. Renders reluctant), INGESTION (84D. Swallowing of food, e.g.), PIED PIPER (3D. One whose music is easy to follow?), with the remaining seven letters or less.
Oldest known illustration of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. It is from a painted glass window in the Marktkirche (Market) Church in Hamelin, created by Augustin von Moersperg in 1592.
Seven — CATTALO (31D. Hybrid farm animal), CUTLASS (97D. Sailor’s sword), DIARIST (83A. Record keeper), DOLPHIN (10D. Intelligent swimmer), FIREMAN (57A. One who keeps things from going up?), FRACTAL (59A. Geometric shape whose perimeter has infinite length), GIBBERS (80A. Speaks nonsense), HOLY SEE (13D. Papal office), LOESSER (24D. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” composer), NETTLES (95D. Plants with stinging hairs), NECKTIE (52D. Upscale restaurant requirement, maybe), REFER TO (81D. Mention), RIVIERA (56D. “To Catch a Thief” setting), RUBBISH (6D. “What nonsense!”), YEW TREE (94D. English churchyard sight).
Left: Duffield, Derbyshire. This ancient Yew tree lies in the churchyard of St Alkmund's parish church. It has been described as "centuries old in 1798" and is still going strong.
Six — ANGLES, ARENDT (51A. Political theorist Hannah), ASSISI (64D. St. Clare’s home), AVALON, AVERSE, CLANCY (91A. “Rainbow Six“ author), GUFFAW, HANDEL (13A. “La Resurrezione“ composer), LESSEE, LEVERS, LORAIN, NEEDLE (103D. Conifer leaf), NEROLI oil (perfumery ingredient), OVERLY, TERCEL, TIN EAR (120A. Inability to appreciate music).
Five — ADMIN, ALBEE, ALIVE, ANDRE, ARIAS, ASSES, BURPS (67D. Consumer reports?), CAULK, CILIA, Western star Lee Van CLEEF, DITTO, ELIAN, ELLIS, ENOLA, LYNN, METAL, NOTRE, PESCI, PLIES, RELIC, ROLFS, ROSIE, SADLY, SIMON, SMYTH, TITUS, TRALA, TRIES, TOTAL.
Short stuff — ADA (9D. 1969 literary heroine who says “I like the words damozel, eglantine, elegant. I love when you kiss my elongated white hand”), ADDS, AGHA, ALAR, ASH, AVON and AVOW, BRIO, CAB, CHE and CUE, DOLE, DOOM, DYE, EASE, EAT, ENNA, ESME, EYE, GAP, GUYS, HES, HOC and HOT, IBM, ILIA, IMDB (111D. Web site for cinephiles), IRAE, IVE, LANE, LEDA, LOP, LSAT, MOD, NATL, NEMO, NEST (128A. Home in the sticks?), NIB and NUB, NTH, OLAF, OREO, OTIS, PAPA, PATS, RCA, SAL and SAN, SASH, SEI, SETH, SLAM, SLUR and SURE, TALE, TEA, TIC, TERR, TOIL, TORI, TYPO, UHF, UNIT, USE, WAS, VILE.
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Click on image to enlarge.
Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.
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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. “Come to ___!”; 5. Of wrath, in a Latin hymn; 9. Throws in; 21. Mount ___ (volcano in Mordor); 22. Too; 25. Lake Erie city west of Cleveland; 26. As bad luck would have it; 27. Vivacity; 30. “Casino” actor Joe; 32. TV producer MacFarlane; 34. 1942 Harry James hit “___ My Guy”; 35. Bowler’s assignment; 36. ___ Day & the Knights (band in “Animal house”); 38. The mythical tree Yggdrasil, for one; 40. Finback whale; 41. Museum piece; 43. Cut off; 48. David Sarnoff’s company; 53. “Evita” narrator; 54. The Beatles’ “___ Got a Feeling”; 55. Some solos; 62. The Colosseum was completed during his reign; 63. Paramecium’s propellers; 65. Part of N.F.L.: Abbr.; 66. Base; 76. Army division; 76. “Lying thief,” e.g.; 77. ___ Dame; 78. Actress Perez; 87. Practices, as a trade; 88. Helpfulness; 89. Lunch, e.g.; 92. California city name starter; 98. Continuity problem; 101. Center of a daisy, e.g.; 102. Shuffleboard stick; 103. Pixar title character; 104. Recitation by Scheherazade; 106. “Time ___ …”; 108. Yukon, e.g.: Abbr.; 110. Makes an effort; 115. Work like a dog; 117. Rhenium or rhodium; 124. Antipathetic; 125. ___ Cakesters (Nabisco offering); 127. Tenant; 129. Weather-stripped item; 130. Sicilian province. DOWN: 1. Gentle touches; 2. Turkish title; 4. What intersecting lines create; 5. Maker of the Roadrunner supercomputer; 7. Wing-shaped; 8. Novelist Bret Easton ___; 11. Founder of an Oahu plantation; 12 Tommy of ESPN; 14. Acknowledge; 17. Name in 2000 newspapers; 18. Country singer Shelby; 20. Fellas; 29. Bygone Toyota; 33. Afternoon meal, across the pond; 36. Count ___ (2004 Jim Carrey role); 37. Singer/songwriter Amos; 39. Ad ___; 42. Exam for would-be attys.; 44. Univ. overseers; 46. Part of a TV dial; 46. “What he said”; 47. Where Excalibur was forged; 49. Make watertight; 55. Beasts of burden; 58. Sharpie tip; 60. Author Malraux; 61. Flagged vehicle; 68. ___ Gay; 70. “The Sandbox” playwright; 71. Central point; 72. Hip 1960s teen; 72. “New and Improved!” might appear on one; 74. Song syllables; 79. Carlisle Cullen’s wife in “Twilight”; 80. Boisterous laugh; 82. ___ volatile; 86. Hustle; 86. Paper slip?; 90. Personal quirk; 96. Indian mulberry product; 100. Hand brakes, e.g.; 104. Unqualified; 106. Registering a pulse; 107. Electronic game fade of the 1980s; 109. Gives deep massage therapy; 113. What lotus-eaters enjoy; 114. “I’d be glad to!”; 116. Russian figure skater Kulik; 118. Major publishers of romance novels; 118. Helen of Troy’s mother; 122. Wanting to be near one’s fans?; 123. Last in a series.
