04.25.09 -- Parade

Catherine Deneuve, The Last Metro, 1980

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

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Puzzle by Brad Wilber, edited by Will Shortz

What would crossword puzzles do without the little guys, you know, the ever-popular YMA and her sisters AMY, MAY, MAE and RAE, or ELO, ENO, ONO and OONA? LEX, REX and TEX? These names get more than their fifteen minutes of fame in crossword puzzles simply because they are inadvertently formed by other words across or down -- whereupon it is the chore of the crossword constructor to disguise them as something else. Today we have VAL disguised as VAL-de-Marne, France, along with his lady friends, ENID and OPAL.

However, this Saturday crossword features a geniune parade of people -- ABIE BABY (13D. “Hair” song with birthday wishes to a president); ANDRES (3D. 1993 N.L. batting champ Galarraga); EELERS (47A. Unagi restaurant suppliers); EL CID (Battle of Cabra victor, 1079); 45A. European conductor ERI Klas; EULER (42A. Introducer of the math symbol “e”); FRED EBB (8D. “New York, New York” lyricist); FDR (9D. Most famous resident of Warm Spr., Ga.); HENRY VIII (57A. Act of Supremacy institutor); ISAAC (56A. Shorthand inventor Pitman); 18D. Garson KANIN, writer and director of Broadway’s “Born Yesterday”; RON HOWARD (15A. Best Director of 2001); MAE WEST 39D. Who said “I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure”); MOZART (21D. “The Impresario” composer); NIOBE (25D. Queen for whom an element is named); OAKIE (7D. “The Great Dictator” Oscar nominee); ODDS MAKER (17A. One might create a spread); SCIPIO (35A. He crushed Hannibal at Zama); 32D. Alfred SISLEY, “Footbridge at Argenteuil” artist; TUTSI (59A. Rwandan people); WITS (53A. Quotable types).

As they all RODE BY (2D. Passed, as in a parade), there were also a few more people in the clues -- ARUBA (16A. Setting of Queen Beatrix Airport); CELIBATE (36D. Like many clerics); SANDALS (14D. Wear for Peppermint Patty); THE LAST METRO (38A. 1980 Truffaut film that won 10 César awards); and uh, maybe WASHBOARD ABS (31A. Desirable trunk feature)?

Remaining non-people entries of length -- ASSONANCE (60A. Relative of alliteration); BUNDT PAN (12D. Thing with a sweet ring to it?); DRAINS OFF (1A. Runs through a petcock, e.g.), SHORES UP (35D. Bolsters); STEP CLASS (62A. Health club offering for aerobic workouts).

Mid-size -- BRAINY (37A. Bright); DROP IT (1D. Discussion ender); ETHICS (44D. Business school course); GO WILD (23D. Lose it); KEEN ON (24A. Fond of); LA NINA (43D. Cause of a dry spell in the Midwest); MELDED (21A. United); ODIOUS (30D. Repellent); PEBBLY (51A. Like avocado skins); RELIES (45D. Hinges); THE PITS (38D. Something dreadful).

Alfred Sisley. Footbridge at Argenteuil. 1872. Oil on canvas. Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France.

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

Five letters -- HOTEL (33D. Shuttle destination); RINSE (48D. Shampoo shelfmate); SPEED (61A. Track asset); STROP (49D. It’s often seen next to a chair); SWANK (6D. Tony); TAKEN (10D. Like some seats); TUBAS (10A. They have big bells); TYSON (27A. Food giant based in Springdale, Ark.).

The leftovers -- BASE, BIZ, ENID (20A. City founded during the Cherokee Strip land run), HAS, HOLD, IBEG, IHS (4D. Christian trigram), LEA, NAPA, NHL, NOME, OPAL (30A. It has a play of colors), PER, RARE, SATE, SYNC, TBA, URAL.

Ah!…who doesn‘t love a parade?

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

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.