David and Goliath -- Gustave Doré
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Saturday, February 9, 2008
Puzzle by Shannon Burns, edited by Will Shortz
GIGANTISM (35A. Growing problem?) crossed by URBANIZED (21D. Built up) anchor this Saturday stumper -- well, I felt a little more like Goliath than David, but why lose your head over a crossword puzzle.
A small army of men march, swim, slither and fly about in today’s puzzle: AQUAMAN (2D. Founding member of the Justice League); WIREMAN (12D. Electrician); THINMAN (39D. Classic 1934 novel set in Prohibition-era New York City, with “The”); IDEAMEN (43D. Madison Avenue types); along with a few hidden in ATOMANT (27D. Hanna-Barbera character) MENU (9D. Dish describer); REMEND (14D. Set right again); RAMEN (26A. Asian bowlful); and ELEMENT (64A. Factor).
Mustn’t leave out the other fellows: SCROOGE (38D. Pinchpenny); PATERS (10D. Some prayers); Former major-league pitcher JAE Seo (19A.); ELIE (40A. French mathematician Cartan); ARI (29D. Agent Gold on HBO‘s “Entourage“); JIM (60D. “The Gift of the Magi“ hero); SENATOR (63A. Cicero, e.g.); SANJOSE (1D. Latin American capital); ONEGAME wonder (athlete known for a single great play) (24D.); Capo DEI capi (Bologna boss) (31D.); DORE (55D. “Paradise Lost“ illustrator) -- and I think it's fair to include CAL (4D. Title robot in an Isaac Asimov short story).
Behavior gets a nod with ETIQUETTE (8D. Post codes?); SARCASM (1A. It can really bite) and SCHMALTZ (45A. Mush) are a nice couple. AQUARIA (15A. See 33-Down) and SALTWATER (33D. With 15-Across, sites for some corals) might be where AQUAMAN has his BEDSTAND (30A. Night table).
Quite a few more seven-letter entries: EMPOWER (8A Warrant); TEATIME (16A. Late afternoon, typically); NULLITY (17A. Nothingness); INTERIM (18A. Temporary); DUBUQUE (20A. Home of Clarke College); ROADBED (53A. Foundation with ties), so it‘s a railroad; COMFORT (57A. It doesn‘t help much when its cold); IWOJIMA (59A. Where Mt. Suribachi is); EGALITE (61A. Middle third of a famous motto); DERIDES (62A. Puts down), actually that goes fairly well with sarcasm and schmaltz; RULEOUT (3D. Prevent); FARSIDE (42D. The moon has one); and RANPAST (44D. Zipped by).Six-letter entries include ADROIT, CANADA, CREWEL, SAUNAS, SITUPS, and SPICES. Five-letter, ABIDE, ENTER, KAFIR, and MAYBE. Four-letter, ARID, OMOO, ORTO, PERU, SATE, TREN, and WEAR. Three-letter, ENE, FLA, ION, ONT, SKA, STA, and SAP (56A. Dummy).
This crossword is a rich tapestry of clever and challenging words and clues woven into a Goliath of a puzzle.
David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
-- 1 Samuel 17:49
A slingshot will do!
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Puzzle available on the internet at
THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Across: 22. Plymouth-to-London dir.; 28. Hot spots; 32. Key word; 41. Grain sorghum with stout, leafy stalks; 47. It covers six time zones; 23. 1847 tale of the South Seas; 25. One of the losers in the War of the Pacific; 34. Home of Waterloo: Abbr.; 38. Pick-up and drop-off point: Abbr.; 49. Sport; 51. It’s pulled by una locomotors; 52.N Plasma component.
Down: 5. Lacking interest; 6. Basic exercise routine; 7. Fence-sitter’s answer; 33. Glut; 45. Zip providers; 45. Clever; 47. Yarn variety; 50. Bear; 54. … outrageous fortune, ___ ,,,”: Shak.; 58. State with the lowest high point (345 feet): Abbr.
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