Question Box

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New York Times crossword June 16 / Constructed by Mel Rosen

Apologies for the late post. Had a rare weekend shift at work and didn’t even get to look at this marvelously constructed riddle-within-a-puzzle-within-a-puzzle until about 6 p.m.

The extensive editor’s note gives the instructions for the title’s “Question Box,” which uses circled letters to answer the four-part trivia question spread throughout the grid. First you have to solve the 10 starred clues; then you have to place those 10 answers in the central box so they interlock in crossword fashion.

Solvers get a lesson in animal dentistry in this puzzle.

Solvers get a lesson in animal dentistry in this puzzle.

In a nutshell: IF A GIRAFFE HAS FOURTEEN (23 Across) MORE THAN A WALRUS AND (34 Across) A SQUIRREL HAS HALF AS (82 Across) MANY AS A PIG, WHAT ARE THEY (98 Across)? The answer is TEETH. (At this point I’d like to make some kind of veterinarian/dentistry joke, but I’m kind of pressed for time. Use your imagination.)

The starred clues were pretty run-of-the-mill words, though I’ll quibble with “*Some boat covers” being T-TOPS (1 Across). I know convertible cars can have T-tops – but boats? Guess I don’t get out on the water much.

Filling in the “Question Box” came remarkably easy to me, though I wouldn’t necessarily expect the same result next time I have to try it. Basically, I listed all the words on a separate sheet of paper, and then I looked for two words starting with the same letter that could anchor the box from across the top and down the left side.

Twitter friend @afaul1971 summed it up pretty well when he tweeted that the grid was “a remarkable constructing feat” but with a lot of bad fill.

Twofers Dept.: The doubled clue “Wallops” yields both KO’S (28 Across) and THUMPS (29 Across). And a “Shul reading” comes from the TORAH (59 Across), which is kept in an ARK (“Shul fixture,” 99 Down).

Philly Shout-Out Dept.: Few people realize that SUNOCO (“Company whose logo has a diagonal red arrow,” 93 Across) is headquartered here in Philadelphia. I’m also going include in this category the answer TRAPS (“*Sandy spots, maybe,” 54 Down), which refers to golf. As I write this, Justin Rose has just won the U.S. Open at the Merion Golf Club, which is just across the Philly city line.

Whoops! Dept.: You’ll see a few places where my initial answers, upon further consideration, required some revisions. “Partition into multiple bits” was not BREAK UP, as I originally wrote, but CARVE UP (81 Down). “Three-part” is not TRINITY but TRINARY (33 Across), which provides the R for the unusual entry SIEUR (“French lord,” 16 Down). I never thought about the root of the title “monsieur” until I saw that – it literally combines the words “mon sieur,” or “my lord.” I had lightly entered POSH for “Exorbitant” (6 Across) but later realized it was simply HIGH. Maybe if I watched more tennis I would have gotten the H from HAAS (“Tennis great Tommy,” 6 Down). And a “Cliche, often” is an ADAGE (88 Down), whereas I had first written TRITE. (Not that my answer was wrong, generally speaking. It’s just wrong in this grid.)

Need some solving tips and tricks? I’ve posted some here. Feel free to ask questions or leave comments below. You can also visit my Facebook page, or tweet me @crosswordkathy.

Fast One

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New York Times crossword June 9 / Constructed by Elizabeth C. Gorski

Anyone watch the Belmont Stakes yesterday? I have to say it wasn’t high on my list of priorities due to the lack of a Triple Crown candidate. But getting the news alert about Palace Malice on my phone put me in an equine state of mind – and that was extremely helpful in solving the self-referential theme answers in today’s puzzle, which all related to SECRETARIAT (“95-Across who made the covers of Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated in the same week,” 64 Across).

Today's puzzle honors equine royalty

Today’s puzzle honors equine royalty

It so happens that today is the 40th anniversary of the SUPER HORSE (“Time and Newsweek’s cover description of 64-Across,” 95 Across) winning THE TRIPLE CROWN (“What 64-Across won on June 9, 1973,” 46 Down). As a bonus, the crossword comes with a connect-the-dots element in case you’re not sure what a horse looks like. Just kidding. The picture is actually very well done and easily created by following the directions in an editor’s note: “(C)onnect the circled letters alphabetically from A to S to get an image related to the puzzle’s theme.”

So, do I hear any AHAS (“Puzzle solvers’ cries,” 32 Down)?

Related theme answers: CELEBRATED (“Like 64-Across, in sports annals,” 31 Across); SIRE (“Bold Ruler, to 64-Across,” 98 Across); WREATH (“Victory wear for 64-Across,” 90 Down); HOMESTRETCH (“Straightaway for 64-Across,” 37 Down), which I initially entered incorrectly as BACKSTRETCH; and ALL-TIME RECORDS (“What 64-Across holds in the three legs of 46-Down,” 13 down). Indeed, Secretariat was – as the title says – a “Fast One.”

This makes two Sunday puzzles in a row from Elizabeth C. Gorski, one of my favorite constructors. Her crossword last week, called “Stir Crazy,” was fun but its theme – “The Color Purple” – came out of nowhere; the book and movie are both many years old. But today’s theme is both clever and timely, though I found it a bit on the easy side.

Say What? Dept.: Never heard of the word PALP (“Insect’s feeler,” 1 Across), which I got from crossing words. Also correctly guessed at the final letter in KEYTAR (“Hybrid musical instrument with a shoulder strap,” 15 Down), assuming that the item was part guitar, part keyboard. The crossing word that would have given me the R was also unfamiliar: OMER (“Biblical dry measure,” 38 Across). Ancient bakeries are not my strong suit.

Two Of A Kind Dept.: “Dumbwaiter part” is a PULLEY (1 Down), while a “Dumbwaiter item” is a TRAY (53 Down).

Job Creation Dept.: Saw a few occupations in the grid, including the punny CHEFS (“Pan handlers,” 58 Across), JANITOR (“Key employee?” 6 Down), MAID (“Cleaner,” 68 Down), TAMERS (“Circus employees,” 48 Across) and WIG MAKER (“Expert with locks?” 10 Down).

Philly Shout-Out Dept.: “The Eagles, on a scoreboard” are PHI (75 Across). Let’s just hope they actually score some points this year. Last season was a disaster.

Need some solving tips and tricks? I’ve posted some here. Feel free to ask questions or leave comments below. You can also visit my Facebook page, or tweet me @crosswordkathy.

Stir Crazy

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New York Times crossword June 2 / Constructed by Elizabeth C. Gorski

You’ll be seeing red – and blue – by the time you’ve finished today’s colorful and challenging puzzle. Though I wasn’t crazy about the title, constructor Elizabeth C. Gorski still had me marveling at her creativity.

I realized something clever was afoot when I ended up with E-R-_ for 8 Down, which was clued as “Flubbed it.” The past tense meant it couldn’t be ERR – but ERRED would require the word RED to be squeezed into a single square. Not an impossible thought, right? I checked the crossing clue at 22 Across, and the letters I had already entered there made it seem just as clear that the word BLUE would also have to be crammed into that same square to complete the phrase TALKED A (BLUE) STREAK (“Chattered on and on and on.”)

Surely it was no coincidence that RED and BLUE might fit into a single box. But what was the theme? I scanned the clues and got my answer at 116 Across – “Alice Walker novel … or a hint to 12 squares in this puzzle”: THE COLOR PURPLE.

You'll be seeing red – and blue – after solving this puzzle.

You’ll be seeing red – and blue – after solving this puzzle.

Which brings me back to the title: “Stir Crazy” apparently refers to mixing red and blue to make purple. For me, however, the phrase mostly conjures up thoughts of the Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor comedy of the same name. A title like “Purple Prose” might have been too big a hint, and I guess technically random words don’t constitute “prose.” But “Stir Crazy” was kind of lame. Maybe something about a painter’s palette? Other suggestions?

Other theme answers: (BLUE) IN THE FACE (“Extremely exasperated,” 35 Across) crosses with (RED)EEM (“Exchange for cash,” 35 Down). MY (BLUE) HEAVEN (“1990 Steve Martin/Rick Moranis comedy,” 38 Across) crosses with CO(RED) (“Prepared, as apples for baking,” 27 Down). SEA (BLUE) (“Aqua,” 44 Across) crosses with (RED) BARON (“Snoopy’s archenemy,” 45 Down). DRESS (BLUE)S (“Formal military attire,” 62 Across) crosses with SH(RED)S (“Tatters,” 51 Down). And (BLUE) BOOK (“Final exam handout,” 61 Across) crosses with FAVO(RED) (“Likely to win,” 37 Down). Do they even use blue books anymore?

More: (BLUE) PERIOD (“Phase associated with Picasso’s ‘The Old Guitarist’,” 65 Across) crosses with (RED) HOT (“Super-popular,” 65 Down). (BLUE) BEARD (“Brutal castle dweller in folk tales,” 86 Across) crosses with (RED) AS A BEET (“Visibly embarrassed,” 86 Down). And (BLUE) BOY (“Thomas Gainsborough masterpiece, with ‘The’,” 88 Across) crosses with PAI(RED) (“Matched [up],” 70 Down).

The last ones: AM I (BLUE)? (“1929 Ethel Waters hit whose title is a question,” 90 Across) crosses with C(RED)O (“Belief system,” 84 Down). SOMETHING (BLUE) (“One of four items worn by a bride, traditionally,” 102 Across) crosses with BIG (RED) (“Nickname for Secretariat,” 83 Down). And (BLUE) ANGEL (“Navy pilot putting on a show,” 114 Across) crosses with SHO(RED) UP (“Strengthened,” 98 Down). The Blue Angels haven’t been putting on any shows recently, however, because of federal budget cuts.

Working On The Railroad Dept.: It may be shaped like a bullet train, but you can’t compare the ACELA (“Amtrak bullet train,” 106 Down) with the speed and efficiency of its counterpart in Japan.

Liner Notes Dept.: In addition to the aforementioned Ethel Waters clue, there were quite a few musically inclined entries in this grid. They include SAM COOKE (“‘You Send Me’ singer,” 1 Across); LOST LOVE (“Theme of many a country song,” 33 Across); MOONDANCE (“Title song of a 1970 Van Morrison album,” 55 Across); OLETA (“Adams with the 1991 hit ‘Get Here’,” 9 Across); and STEVEN (“Tyler of rock,” 18 Down).

Non-Glass Menagerie Dept.: The grid featured a trio of interesting animals – BULBULS (“Songbirds in ‘The Rubaiyat’,” 87 Down), an OSTRICH (“Seven-foot runner,” 9 Down) and a PIT BULL (“Relentless fighter,” 96 Down).

Other Fun Entries Dept.: NO CAN DO (“Fuggedaboutit!’,” 56 Down), LORELEI (“Rhine siren,” 10 Down) and TOE LOOP (“Skating move,” 94 Down).

Repeat That? Dept.: The doubled clued “Sleuth, in slang” yields GUMSHOE at 21 Down and TEC at 85 Across.

Philly Shout-Out Dept.: I’ll go back to SH(RED)S for this category, but with an altered definition. Skateboarders in Philly have been banned for years from the shredding mecca known as Love Park, but a couple of weeks ago they got a new public space for practicing ollies and the like: Paine’s Park.

Need some solving tips and tricks? I’ve posted some here. Feel free to ask questions or leave comments below. You can also visit my Facebook page, or tweet me @crosswordkathy.

Made-For-TV Movies

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New York Times crossword May 26 / Constructed by Joon Pahk and Jeremy Horwitz

Today’s funny puzzle wasn’t hard to figure out, but the constructors get big points for cleverness. The title is a literal reference to the theme, which combines film titles with the names of television shows to create witty “Made-For-TV Movies.” So a “TV movie about … where I can easily get a cab?” is TAXI STAND BY ME (23 Across). And a movie about “… where to go in Togo?” is the very amusing OUTHOUSE OF AFRICA (30 Across), combining the Hugh Laurie show with the Meryl Streep film.

Others: A TV movie about ”… a Hispanic ‘hip hip hooray’?” is THREE CHEERS AMIGOS (47 Across); “… trying to get a friar to violate his vow of silence?” is SAY ANYTHING, MONK! (62 Across); “… a singing group that meets for bacon and eggs?” is BREAKFAST GLEE CLUB (83 Across); “… Skywalker’s trendy hygiene products?” is COOL HANDSOAP LUKE (97 Across); and “… giving a pipsqueak the brush-off?” is GET LOST, SHORTY! (111 Across).

Checkered Flag Dept.: As I write this, the ladies and gentlemen are about start their engines for the Indy 500. So 99 Down was an especially appropriate clue today: “Surname appearing nine times in a list of Indy 500 winners” – UNSER.

Tell Me More Dept.: “Hellhound of Norse mythology” is GARM (52 Down), which I figured out from crossing clues. I’d never heard of it, so I looked it up – and it sounds like a pretty fearsome beast, with ”four eyes and a chest drenched with blood.”

Parlez-Vous Francais? Dept.: There were quite a few French words in this grid – MERCI (“Comment that might get the response ‘de rien’,” 77 Down); ROIS (“Old French line,” 76 Across); ENTRE (“___ nous,” 102 Down); and ETE (“French word with two accents,” 29 Across), which should have marks over both E’s. The words mean “thank you,” “kings,” “between” and “summer,” respectively. Also in this category is GAVOTTE (“Baroque French dance,” 13 Across), which I was not familiar with.

Say Who? Say What? Dept.: I would have clued RHEE (43 Down) using a reference to Michelle Rhee, an education activist who’s the former chancellor of public schools in Washington, D.C. This puzzle clued it as “Syngman of South Korea,” which I solved and later looked up: Syngman Rhee was the first president of that country. Also new to me was the term CAIRENE (“Yasir Arafat, by birth,” 115 Across), which I got from crossing entries. It means a native of Cairo.

Haha Dept.: “Parliament constituent?” is NICOTINE (105 Across). “Concave object of reflection?” is an INNIE (91 Across), as in belly-button. Get it? Navel-gazing? “Ones going to Washington?” are TAX RETURNS (3 Down). And “Has an adult conversation?” is TALKS DIRTY (73 Down).

Other Fun Entries Dept.: ELM TREE (“State symbol of Massachusetts,” 116 Across), BEEHIVES (“Retro dos,” 83 Down), HOT BATH (“Relaxing soak,” 21 Across) and OLE MISS (“Alma mater of Eli Manning,” 22 Across).

Philly Shout-Out Dept.: “Specter of the Senate, once” is ARLEN (61 Across). The longtime Pennsylvania senator, who died last year, lived here for decades.

Need some solving tips and tricks? I’ve posted some here. Feel free to ask questions or leave comments below. You can also visit my Facebook page, or tweet me @crosswordkathy.

Befitting

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New York Times crossword May 19 / Constructed by Jean O’Conor

One of the first tweets I saw when I woke up this morning was from @That_Smoke: “The NYT crossword puzzle was easy enough to do in ink. #sadtrombone.”

So it was with a heavy heart that I went to my corner market to buy the paper, wondering what disappointment awaited. (For those of you who have not discovered the genius of Sad Trombone, click here.) Turns out that “Befitting” was among the easiest puzzles of the year so far, though I will say I enjoyed its theme answers much more than the nonsense in last week’s “Simply Put.”

“Befitting” is an aural clue alluding to the fact that each theme answer tweaks a common phrase by using a “B” sound: “Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic?” are TENNIS SERBS (23 Across), while “Let Justin take care of everything?” is LEAVE IT TO BIEBER (65 Across).

Others: “Tour guide’s comment at the primate house?” is THAT’S A GIBBON (28 Across). “Sign for tourists visiting the Bolshoi?” is BALLET PARKING (33 Across). “Tropical paradise for Barbie and Ken?” is BALI OF THE DOLLS (51 Across). “Passed security at the troubadours’ convention?” is SHOWED BALLAD ID (84 Across). “Prepare to go canoeing?” is GET OUT THE BOAT (97 Across). “Stadium binge?” is a HOTDOG BENDER (107 Across). And “Fortunetellers’ protest demand?” is SIBYL RIGHTS (116 Across).

All in all, not a bad debut for constructor Jean O’Conor, a retired speech-language pathologist and grandmother from small-town Vermont. You can read more about her in the NYT’s Wordplay blog.

Unusual Entries Dept.: “Hyperbolically large” is GINORMOUS (25 Across). “No longer fizzy” is GONE FLAT (4 Down). “Like Nasser’s vision” is PAN-ARAB (74 Across). “Salad ingredient” is TUNA FISH (13 Down). “Google hit units” are WEB PAGES (90 Down). “Like steppes” are TREELESS (27 Across). And “Jordanian port” is AQABA (34 Down).

Doubled-Up Dept.: “Ran” was the clue for both FLED (45 Down) and its neighbor BLED (46 Down). Figuring those out helped me get FBI (“Cry before ‘Open up!’,” 45 Across), which I don’t think I ever would solved otherwise. That, in turn, led me to I SPY (“Children’s game with letters,” 47 Down), which had also stumped me because I never played it as a kid. The answer is usually clued in reference to the TV show starring Bill Cosby and Robert Culp.

First-Name Basis Dept.: “Drudge of the Drudge Report” is MATT (1 Down). “Ghostbuster Spengler” is EGON, a bizarre entry that I knew from countless basic cable reruns of the classic movie from 1984. “Soap actress Sofer” is RENA (50 Across). “One of the Dionne quints” is EMILIE (5 Down). And the cheesy clue “’60s White House name” (55 Down) – which I complained about a few months ago – yields ABE, for 1860s president Abraham Lincoln. #sadtrombone.

Need some solving tips and tricks? I’ve posted some here. Feel free to ask questions or leave comments below. You can also visit my Facebook page, or tweet me @crosswordkathy.