Thursday, October 28, 2010
Puzzle by David J. Kahn, edited by Will Shortz
WHAT IS A / GHOST’S FAVORITE / DESSERT and BOOBERRY PIE AND / I SCREAM (17A. With 27- and 35-Across, a Halloween riddle; 43A. With 60-Across, the answer to the riddle) are the interrelated group of this humorous pre-Halloween Thursday crossword.
Other across — 7. George Washington and others, BRIDGES; 14. 16. “The poison of life,” per Brontë’s Rochester, REMORSE; 19. Set apart, ISOLATE; 20. Online store option, REORDER; 23. Bar at the bar, ESTOP; 25. Poet’s Muse, ERATO; 33. Prefix with comic, SERIO; 41. Bottle spirit, GENIE; 48. Soft drink brand, FANTA; 49. Fresh, SAUCY; 54. Sniffler’s supply, KLEENEX; 58. Bibliophile’s concern, EDITION; 61. Dovetail with, FIT INTO; 64. Yankee manager who wore #37, STENGEL.
Down — 4. In the center of, AMIDST; 5. Math groups, COSETS; 6. Be told about, HEAR OF; 9. “That issue is in the past”, I’M OVER IT; 11. Reach for rudely, GRAB AT; 12. What you will, ESTATE; 13. Mind, SEE TO; 18. Lock, TRESS; 24. QBs, often, PASSERS; 35. Pre-election activity, DEBATING; 42. Debbie who won three swimming gold medals at the 1968 Olympics, MEYER; 43. Picaroon, BANDIT; 44. Like some job training, ON-SITE; 45. Washington city, river or tribe, YAKIMA; 46. Nurses take these, PULSES; 47. Top-of-the-world topper, ICE CAP, 48. Feudal domains, FIEFS.
Short stuff — ASH crossing ASHE and AVE crossing EAVE, ASP, BAT, BRIM, CHAO, DOL, EELS, ENE and EYE, ENOL, GEE (27D. “Whaddaya know!“), GOT, HEY (28D. “Whaddaya know!“), INS, MAC and MEA and MIA and MOE, MAWR, MIX and MINE, MTV, NEAT, OLE, ORR, REST, RIO, ROTE, SERIO, SIR, TEN and TIN, TRE, VEE, XED, X-MEN.
What type of music do ghosts prefer?, SPIRITUALS
What do you call the ghost of a door-to-door salesman?, A DEAD RINGER
When do ghosts usually appear?, JUST BEFORE SOMEONE SCREAMS
What’s a ghost’s favorite breakfast?, GHOST TOASTIES WITH BOOBERRIES
Why are so few ghosts arrested?, IT’S HARD TO PIN ANYTHING ON THEM
What’s a haunted chicken?, A POULTRY-GEIST
What do you call a ghost in a torn sheet?, A HOLY TEARER
What did the little ghost have in his rock collection?, TOMBSTONES
What did the mother ghost say to the baby ghost?, DON’T SPOOK UNTIL YOU’RE SPOOKEN TO
One more?
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Puzzle available on the internet at THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.
Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Bucko; 4. Berlin cry; 14. Burning issue; 15. ___ Greene, “The Godfather” gangster; 21. “Punk‘d“ cable channel; 22. Club for swingers; 32. Coral reef dwellers; 34. Check out; 38. Be sociable; 42. Go for the gold?; 50. Seat holders; 51. Italian TV channel; 62. “Tell ___ story”; 63. New York or Wisconsin, in D.C.; 65. African menace; 66. Base ___. — DOWN: 1. Bryn ___ College; 2. “Off the court” autobiographer; 3. Elaine ___< George W. Bush’s only labor secretary; 7. Spilling point; 8. Staff symbol; 10. Capital of the U.S.?; 26. Kia model; 29. Ring cry; 30. Sign of a winner; 32. Bomber pilot in “Catch-22”; 36. Chemical suffix; 37. “My dear fellow”; 38. War stat; 39. Barnard’s ___ locale in “Great Expectations: 40. Crossed (out); 41. Understood; 52. Learning method; 53. Hydroxyl compound; 55. In order; 56. Projecting edge; 57. 2000 Hugh Jackman movie; 59. Component of bronze.
