05.10.10 — SIT

Alphabet Chair, © Sarah Peters 2003, photo by Steve Gyurina

The Alphabet Chair was commissioned by Carol Chittenden of Eight Cousin's Children's Bookstore in Falmouth, Massachusetts. It is a limited edition cast bronze piece that is designed to seat two adults, three kids, or any combination of readers and art lovers. The Chair is also a puzzle, because each letter has a corresponding texture to contemplate.

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Monday, May 10, 2010

Puzzle by Randy Sowell, edited by Will Shortz

SIT (53D. Use the start of 17- or 50-Across or 11- or 25-Down?), along with BENCHWARMER (17A. Second- or third-string player), CHAIRPERSON (50A. Presider at a meeting), COUCH POTATO (11D. Boob tube lover) and STOOL PIGEON (25D. Police informant) are the interrelated group of this comfortable Monday crossword.

Other — BLUE CHIP (36D. Kind of stock), CD RACKS (39D. Music store fixtures), CLICHES (27A. “As old as the hills” and others), I’M SORRY (23A. “Apologies”), MAITRE D’ (44A. One showing diners to their tables), MOPPETS (40D. Tots), PAPOOSE (46A. Indian baby on a back), not to be confused with PAPOOSE of Alphabetical Slaughter, STRAITS (10D. Narrow passageways), TIE CLASP (9D. Man’s jewelry item), T-SHIRTS (5D Gift shop apparel).

Mid-size — AGAPE, BATHE, BLAND, BLEEP, “God BLESS America”, BORAT (1A. 2006 boorish film character from Kazakhstan), CATCHY, CHATUP, CHEEK, CLARK and CLERK, CORTEZ, EAT IT (15A. Suffer ignominious defeat, in slang), EGGSAC, IRKED, KIOSK and KOOKS, MEANY and MEARA and MERIT, MOATS, MOONS, ODORS, PERKY, PODUNK (41A. One-horse town), PORES, ROTATE, SETAT, SMAZE, SPLAY and STAYS, TOILE.

Short stuff — AERO, AOL, ARC, ATM and ATOM, BOB, CARP, CBS, ENOS and IONS, IPO, NET and TEN, OAKS and OARS, OAT, ODE, OLA, OPS and OTS, PERP, PISA (48D. Leaning Tower site), RAE and ROE and RON, TCU, UTA, WORE.

Click on image to enlarge.



Puzzle available on the internet at



THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.



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Remaining clues — ACROSS: 6. Castle-defending ditches; 11. David Letterman’s network; 14. Smells; 16. Feedbag tidbit; 19. Actress Hagen; 20. Cyclotron particles; 21. Interest-grabbing; 28. What wheels do on an axis; 29. Talk to flirtatiously; 30. Screwballs; 32. Photo ___ (when pictures may be taken), 35. Son of Seth; 36. Audio censor’s sound; 37. Molecule component; 38. Broadband connection inits.; 39. Lewis’s partner in an expedition; 40. Stiller and ___ (comedy duo); 43. Explorer Hernando; 47. Spider’s cocoon, e.g.; 48. Suspect, to a cop; 49. “Norma___”; 56. Stock debut, for short; 57. Newsstand; 58. Decorate fabric; 59. Highest non-face card; 60. Spread, as the legs; 61. Assail. DOWN: 1. Dylan or Dole; 2. Praiseful poem; 3. Director Howard; . Lob’s path; 6. George who was the first president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O.; 7. Items fitting in rowlocks; 8. Place to enter a PIN; 12. Wash oneself; 13. Remains; 18. Had on; 22. Fort Worth sch.; 23. Annoyed; 24. Time periods lasting about 29 ½ days; 26. Acorn producers; 27. Where rouge goes; 29. Office worker; 31. Lacking individually; 33. Skin openings; 34. Some air pollution; 37. Prefix with dynamic; 42. Tie-breaking play periods: Abbr.; 43. Complain; 44. ___ badge; 45. Open-mouthed; 46. Cheerful; 48. Leaning Tower site; 51. Yahoo! Competitor; 52. ___ v. Wade; 54. Suffix with schnozz; 55. What 51-Down connects to, with “the”.