New York Times, June 7

I can’t believe how long it took me to figure out this puzzle.

Me, a proud owner of a 5-speed Mazda 3. Me, who has never owned an automatic in her life. Me, who had half the theme clues solved but still had trouble getting my mind in gear … a-ha!

The first part of this puzzle revolved around deducing the words — not letters — that fit in the seven circles. The answer to 33 Across (“Teacher’s question at the start of show-and-tell) yielded WHO’S (FIRST), which crossed nicely with 5 Down (“Witnessed”), SEEN (FIRST) HAND.  In the other corner, (FIFTH) ACTS (38 Across, “Endings for Shakespeare”) meshed with SAKS (FIFTH) AVENUE (15 Down, “It opened in Manhattan in 1924″). 

This whole time I’m thinking, “Shifty? Like the Shift key on the keyboard?” Anyway, long story short (too late), this shifty business is a 5-speed gearbox. But in this day and age of fully automatic everything, I wonder how many solvers got the reference. I’m sure quite a few young drivers have never seen, much less driven, a stick shift.

The central circle, of course, represented NEUTRAL: 67 Across (“Doesn’t care either way”) is TAKES A (NEUTRAL) STANCE, while 48 Down was the amusing ODOR (NEUTRAL)IZER (“It freshens the air.”) The final circle, at 103 Across, was REVERSE.

And I wonder if puzzle constructor Jeremy Newton got a bonus for fitting in the name of his client in 94 Across: NY TIMES (“Big Apple daily, in brief.”)

Questions or comments? Twitter me @crosswordkathy

Merl Reagle, June 7

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but in this puzzle, Merl certainly gives you SLOTS TO THINK ABOUT (92 Across, “What gaming fans have, in Vegas?”).

From PEACHY KENO (23 Across, “Really swell, in Vegas?”) to POKERHONTAS  (72 Across, “First Native American to own a gaming parlor?”), the theme answers incorporate various games of chance and gambling terms to form clever plays on words.

I loved PAIR OF DICE LOST (35 Across, “‘Your throw didn’t win,’ in Vegas?”), and while I thought 54 Across (“Big food supplier, in Vegas?”) would have to be PROCTOR AND GAMBLE, the real answer — GAMBLE SOUP COMPANY — was more entertaining. 

But the clue that made me smile most actually was 76 Across, “Name of the inflatable pilot in “Airplane!” I have seen that movie more than 100 times, can recite nearly all of the dialogue, and can clearly picture the beatific smile on the cockpit dummy. Yet I still had to fill in a couple of crossing answers before I figured out it was OTTO. Kudos to Merl for using a clue more original than the name of Bart Simpson’s bus driver.

Questions or comments? Twitter me @crosswordkathy