10.01.09 -- Compass Rose

Replica of a 32-point compass rose from a chart by Jorge de Aguiar (1492), the oldest personally signed and dated Portuguese nautical chart

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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer & Rebecca Young, edited by Will Shortz

COMPASS ROSE (18A. With 55-Across, direction indicator), ELOP HTRON (6D. Toymaking center?), SOUTH PARK (33D. Long-running TV series set in Colorado), TNIOP TSEW (27A. Its motto is “Duty, Honor, Country”) and EAST ENDER (45A. Cockney, e.g.) are the interrelated group of this Thursday crossword.

Mid-size entries include A A MILNE (56A. “Mr. Pim Passes By” playwright); ABC NEWS (8D. “Nightline” presenter); ACTED UP (8A. Raised Cain); CATALOG (17A. Something made to order?); 31A. “The COLBERT Report”; ELEANOR (60A. “The Lion in Winter” queen); IN A PILE (15A Heaped together); LEG REST (7D. Recliner feature); MELROSE (54A. Place name popular in the 1990s); PETER PAN (51A. Story that begins “All children, except one, grow up”); PRICIER (61A. Like penthouse suites vis-à-vis other apartments, typically); SADNESS (62A Melancholy); SATCHEL (1A. Paper carrier); SKEETER (63A. Picnic pest, informally); SOPRANOS (19A. Women who get high?); T-STRAPS (41D. Features of some sandals); TUNED IN (41A. Hip to).

Six-letter -- DIAPER (12D. Something needed for a change); HASTEN (26D. Get the lead out); O’BRIEN (28D. Pat of “Knute Rockne All American”); OUT-ATE (35A. Defeated, as at a Nathan’s hot dog contest); PAMELA (43D. Bobby’s wife of “Dallas”); PESTER (14D. Nag); RIFLED (44D. Ransacked); SBARRO (34A. Fast-food chain whose logo features a modified Italian flag); SLIMES (42D. Slanders really badly); TEETER (40D. Could fall either way); UNSURE (13D. Dubious).

Five -- BERTH (48A. Ship’s resting place); BESOS (48D. Spanish kisses); CROON (9D. Sing like Andy Williams or Russ Columbo); HELEN (25A. Euripides play or its heroine); PARER (30A. Apple gadget); PER SE (29D. As such); PRUNE (30D. Trim, as a topiary); SPREE (42A. Jag).

Short stuff -- ADDS, ALE, AMIE, ANA, ARE, CPAS, EKG, EMP, ENRY, ERR, ETCS, GILA, HERE, HILO, IMF, ISNT, KNOB, LAIN, LIT, NEE, NICE, PONE, PUT, RAN, SAY, SIC, SSRS, TAT, TIEA, TOMS.

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Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

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Remaining clues -- Across: 21. Lay; 22. Med. Readout; 26. “Catch!”; 32. Cold war grp.; 39. “___ It Time” (1977 hit); 47. Been abed; 49. “I have an idea ..”; 50. Global finance org. Down: 1. Attack signal; 2. Santa ___; 3. Bit of art on a chest, in slang; 4. Balancing pros; 5. Hawaii county seat; 10. ___ River, N.J.; 11. Titus or Tiberius: Abbr.; 20. It may be red or brown; 22. Series conclusions: Abbr.; 23. Remote ancestor?; 24. Arizona’s ___ Mountains; 36. Puts on; 37. How to ___ knot (Boy Scout’s lesson); 38. One of eight English kings, to a 45-Across) 51. Soul food side dish; 52. Le Havre honey; 53. “Well done!”; 55. Split; 57. Pie-eyed; 58. Name tag?; 59. Give all for one or one for all, e.g.?