Puzzle by David Pringle
PUTONESFINGERON (37A Identify exactly…or a hint to this puzzle’s theme) is the supposed hint for four “theme” answers, each of which starts with a finger: 17A 3” x 5” aids for speakers INDEXCARDS, 23A Corporate office staffers MIDDLEMANAGERS, 47A Fonzie’s girl on “Happy Days” PINKYTUSCADERO, and 58A Head of a cabal RINGLEADER. This handful of digits excludes the thumb; however, the anatomy lesson includes 6D Main artery AORTA, 43A It might be slapped after a good joke KNEE, 54D Edge CUSP and 49D Arm bones ULNAS.
This otherwise barebones puzzle is spineless, but normal, including such rabid standards as AMOK, ATE, AXE, AXELS, CAPO, CEDES, CODED, CREE, DECO, DEMO, ECOL, EKED, ENNUI, ENOLA, ERLE, ERST, ESE, EVE, FOE, GRAZES, IDEAL, IOWAN, IRAN, IRE, ISLET, LEMUR, LUX, ODORS, OFA, OGRES, OKS, OLE, ONE, OTIS, POD, REDO, REEKS, RIM, SIGNS, SLAM, SPA, SPIKE, STAG, SUE, UFO, URN, USER, VANES, WOKE and oh yes, TESS and MESS! That’s a lot of ordinary fill. For uniqueness and/or deformity, there stands alone the oft-misspelled ALLAN (42A Edgar _____ Poe), which would be cause to celebrate, except that today should be reserved for William Shakespeare’s 443rd birthday (or the 391st year of his death) -- check out Shakespeare and the NY Times Crossword.
For more insight into today's selection of entries and clues, be sure to read Madness...Crossword and Otherwise. All in all, this puzzle was a sweet little Monday exercise!
Illustrations:
Above -- The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn.
Below: This drawing of the anatomy of the hand was made by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) c.1510. The copious notes, written from right to left, indicate Leonardo’s fascination with the sophisticated mechanics of the hand. The 600 drawings by Leonardo in the Royal Collection were acquired by Charles II in the late seventeenth century. The Royal Collection © 2006 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II -- also, 43A KNEE, 49D ULNAS, 54 D CUSP, 6D AORTA, and after puzzle 17A, 23A, 47A, 58A together -- four fingers of a hand.
NOTICE: The New York Times Crossword in Gothic will no longer carry a full copy of the puzzle due to receiving notice from a representative of The New York Times which states in part: “…you've included each day's puzzle (clues and all) on your blog, which violates the Times' copyright. Theoretically a reader could print out the puzzle from your blog rather than subscribe to it online… remove the puzzles you have posted now and refrain from posting any others.”
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