07.22.09 -- JOES

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Puzzle by Patrick Blindauer, edited by Will Shortz

SLOPPY JOES (64A. School cafeteria fare … and a hint to this puzzle’s theme) and five entries with jumbled JOEs is the humorous interrelated group of this Wednesday crossword. The victims of the “sloppiness” are EOJ FRAZIER (17A. Olympic boxing gold medalist of 1964), JEO NAMATH (25A. Hero of Super Bowl III), OJE BIDEN (30A. 47th U.S. vice president), OEJ PESCI (45A. Oscar winner of 1990) and EJO COCKER (51A. Singer on day three of 1969’s Woodstock).

CD PLAYERS (11D. Sound system staples) and EVAPORATE (32D. Disappear) are the other two long entries, followed by six of six letters, ACES IT (48D. Gets 100 on a test), ANUBIS (61A. Egyptian god with the head of a jackal), PRO TEM (20A. For the nonce), SERENE (9D. Composed), SKILLS (49D. Learned things) and TIE ROD (8D. Steering system component). Cross-referenced entry -- PHONY (46D. Like the 28-Down of underage drinkers) with IDS (28D. Bouncers check them briefly).

Five-letter answers rule the crossword -- ALEPH (1D. Jewish leader?); BASIC (33D. Meat-and-potatoes); DARTH (13D. Title before Sidious or Maul); DECAY (29A. Tooth trouble); ENACT (51D. Pass); ENOLA Gay (W.W. II bomber); ERASE (43A. Wipe); ESSAY (58D. Lamb piece); FUJIS (55D. Some apples); HEROD (24A. King in “Jesus Christ Superstar”); ILLER (67A. More sick, in dialect); INUIT (12D. Indigenous Canadian); JOLIE (52D. Half of Brangelina); MAJOR (3D. Paramount); MATTE (26D. Certain finish); MOORE (2D. Roger who played the same role seven times); 4D. “OFF TO the races!”; 18D. OF USE (54A. Handy); OTERI (35A. Cheri of “Scary Movie”); 7D. Nitrous OXIDE; PITAS (47A. Pockets of dough?); 18D. REDDI-wip; ROXIE (15A. Historic San Francisco theater, with “the”), 57D. SIENA College, north of Albany, N.Y.); SPEND (39A. While away, as time); TROTS (5A. Moves quickly); TSARS (70A. Winter Palace figures); 53D. UBOAT (56D. W.W. II menace).

Short stuff -- ACID, AES, ALAS, AMMO, APRS, ASH, CITE, DIE and DIS and DJS, DREW, EDNA, ETON, IANA, IDI and IDS, JAR, JEEP, LAVA, LIT, LOAF, LIT, LAVA, NEAR, NEO, NEIN and NOR, OLE, PER, ROC and ROZ, SEN, STAY, TROD, TEEN, TRAM, WACO.

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Remaining clues -- Across: 1. It’s found in chambers; 10. It was dropped in the ‘60s; 14. Just watch TV, say; 16. Dame ___ Everage (Barry Humphries character); 19. It may be down at the heel; 21. Was in a no-win situation?; 23. Under the table; 27. Run out of gas, say; 38. Abrasive soap brand; 42. Trampled (on); 50. Light hair color; 59. Scand. Land; 60. “No, mein Herr”; 62. “’Tis a pity”; 66. Commend, as for outstanding service; 68. Bibliophile’s suffix; 69. Archie or Veronica; 71. Canine order. Down: 6. Cartoonist Chast; 10. 1950s political inits.; 22. Steve Martin’s birthplace; 25. Cherokee, for one; 30. Cheer for a matador; 31. Candy holder; 34. Three-time Keanu Reeves character; 36. “Arabian Nights” bird; 37. Uganda’s ___ Amin; 40. By; 41. Wedding reception hirees; 44. Neighbor of Slough; 61. Loan figs.; 63. Committee member, maybe: Abbr.; 65. Word in a price.