07.18.08 -- TMI

Friday, July 18, 2008

Puzzle by Mike Nothnagel, edited by Will Shortz

Lots of gnarly, twisty unclear (not to be confused with nuclear) entries and clues in this Friday crossword, some seemingly interrelated, tried to give me a meltdown, but my core held up -- I‘ll now need a doctor‘s note to get through security.

Two full-across entries have crossword company -- MUCHTOMYCHAGRIN (56A. “Unfortunately …”) lies above SAIDNOTO (60A. Denied) and SNAPSAT (62A. Replies to irritably); CIRCADIANRHYTHM (17A. It helps you sleep at night) is directly over JETLAG (20A. 17-Across disrupter).

The long entries going down seem to describe an actor in a role -- KEVINBACON (27D. “Diner” co-star, 1982), GAYFRIENDLY (10D. Inclusive, as some resorts), ENTRYLEVEL (11D. Like many low-paying jobs), FIREMARSHAL (22D. Person with a burning resentment).

Coy clues -- SIDETWO (1A. Music lovers flip for it), DOGEAR (8A. Turndown?); EXITRAMP (14A. Way off); WALLET (45A. Presidential portrait site?); JEEPS (33A. Private modes of transportation?); PAL (15D. Familiar).

Stuff unlikely to reach common conversation -- IXIA (2D. Showy flower of the iris family); TRAJAN (5D. Emperor before Hadrian); SNAKILY (43A. How some roads ascend a mountain); OCH (9D. Glaswegian “Gee!”); and at least in my daily YAK (19A. Tie up a line, perhaps), TMI (57D. “I didn’t need to know that,” informally).

ASSAILS (28A. Goes after) and AWASHIN (41D. Completely overrun by) head the seven-letter group which includes EARLDOM (32D. English jurisdiction); NAPSTER (18D. Onetime foe of the recording industry) and WADEDIN (6D. Began energetically).

ICANSO (16A. Determined response) leads off the six-letter entries which include ARMADA (46D. Force commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia); 25. String BIKINI; DIRGES (8D. “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” and others); INMOST (44D. Closest to the center); MONISM (51A. Belief that all things are made of a single substance); PROAMS (59A. Some charity events); SUNLIT (61A. Sunlit).

The remainders across: 21. Unoccupied (not open, but FREE); 22. Rage inducers (the benign FADS); 23. Antoinette after whom the Tony Awards are named); 30. Avouch; 31. Some dolls can do it (not weep, NEST); 35. Teased; 37. Enzymes end; 38. Chorus “instrument” in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” (those quotes around instrument, read ANVIL); 39. “Pokemon” genre; 40. Hard to find, in old 13-Down; 42. Like some ‘39 New York World’s Fair buildings; 47. T-bar or Z-bar; 48. Sister of Lazarus, in the Bible; 49. Mideast leaders; 51. Belief that all things are made of a single substance; 53. Redwood National Park sight.

Down: 1. Pres. Appointee; 3. Benedict of “The A-Team”; 4. “You get the idea”: Abbr.; 7. Passes over; 12. New York stadium name (ASHE, not it’s anagram SHEA); 13. See 40-Across; 24. Indian chief and 25. Popular Mexican tourist destination (RAJA and BAJA); 26. “Molly IVINS Can’t Say That, Can She?” (1990s best seller); 28. Evaluate; 29. Jazz (up); 34. Section of a hockey rink in front of the goal; 36. Prefix meaning “10”: Var. (desperate fill, desperate clue); 48. Biotite and lepidolite; 49. Boosts, with “up”; 50. Whiz; 52. Grover Cleveland was once its gov.; 53. Offspring of Chaos, to Hesiod; 54. Rock guitarist Ford; 55. Speed unit; 58. Econ. Class topic (GNP -- certainly not GOP with a zero in the subject).

"Too much information" -- that’s that other TMI!

-----------------

For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.

Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games

If you subscribe to home delivery of The New York Times you are eligible to access the daily crossword via The New York Times - Times Reader, without additional charge, as part of your home delivery subscription.