02.03.08 -- Directions













Sunday, February 3, 2008











Click here for LARGE PRINT.





























Puzzle by Matt Ginsberg, Edited by Will Shortz












NOTE: If you work this crossword from the New York Times Magazine printed version, you will find that there is a different set of numbers involved. Also, where a dash (-) is shown in the electronic version behind a clue number, there is no number or dash in the hard copy version. I am inclined to say because of that fact, the tactile version is much more difficult to solve.






The puzzle asks one to enter an arrow and a letter in nine individual squares throughout the grid -- indicating UP, DOWN, LEFT, and RIGHT. The accompanying clues or whatever, depending on which version you utilize, rely upon those imaginary words to complete the entry -- or if you can write small enough...well. Not attempting to assign numbers to the entries or clues due to the difference between the electronic and magazine versions, the results are as follows:









UPSIDE DOWN CAKE; PICKED UP SPEED; TWO LEFT FEET; ALL RIGHT ALREADY; OUT IN LEFT FIELD; EXTREME RIGHT WING; EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD; SETTING UP SHOP; and STAND UP COMIC.







It reminds me of the nightmare one can experience when being given wrong directions on a cold wet night, or worse, being a passenger in the car when the driver won't look at a map! So much like this tedious trek into dreck...












Experiences to forget!












However, if you really want more of this joy-forsaken journey, read Amy "Orange" Renaldo's analysis in her Diary of a Crossword Fiend.












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For today's cartoons, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.


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Electronic:

Magazine:



























The New York Times Crossword Puzzle solution above is by the author of this blog and does not guarantee accuracy. If you find errors or omissions, you are more than welcome to make note of same in the Comments section of this post -- any corrections found necessary will be executed promptly upon verification.


























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.






















Across: 1. Artist’s digs, maybe; 5. Totally accurate; 11. Pineapple desserts; 18. “___, gorgeous!” (Fanny Brice’s comment to herself when looking in the mirror); 19. One of wine’s Gallo brothers; 20. Autobiographical short story by Edgar Allan Poe; 21. Marisa of “What Women Want”; 22. 1974 Mocedades hit; 23. Careful consideration; 24. Men’s fashion accessories; 26. Cork shooter; 28. “Biography” network; 29. Accelerated; 30. Threw off the scent; 31. Check list?; 32. Canonized mlle.; 33. More encouraging; 34. Third word of “America”; 35. Blue Devils’ and Tigers’ org.; 38. Contact lens solutions; 40. They’re better than one; 45. Elton’s johns; 47. Blind element; 48. Stereotypical reaction to Elvis; 50. Magneto’s adversaries, in comic books; 51. Lugs; 53. Spread in a spread; 56. Passe; 59. Classic Toyota sports cars; 61. ___ Bradshaw, “Sex and the City” role; 62. Wynken, Blynken and Nod, e.g.; 63. Turf, as opposed to surf; 64. Dancer Alvin; 65. Malodorous; 67. Become part of; 68. Imp; 71. Place to get dates?; 72. Fronded plant; 73. Fictional submariner; 75. Civil rights march site, 1965; 76. Family; 78. Wise; 81. Repeated John Gielgud role; 83. Popular song from Broadway’s “The Wiz”; 86. Titanic message; 67. Arctic diver; 88. Runs; 90. Eponymous German electrophysicist; 92. Begets; 96. Things on strings; 97. Deterge; 101. Prefix with -zoic; 102. Sitcom title role for Brandy Norwood; 103. 1997 Jim Carrey film; 104. What man and a woman become in marriage; 106. Two-wheeled covered carriage; 108. Hops-drying kilns; 109. Establishing a business; 110. Hero of Bellini’s “I Puritani”; 111. Anticipate; 112. Mary Tyler Moore co-star; 113. Seinfeld, for one; 114. Feast. Down: 1. Sainted pope of A.D. 683; 2. Ancient Mexican people; 3. Evidence of dandruff; 4. Facilities; 6. Slips; 7. Hydrocarbon suffix; 8. Execrate; 9. Bone formation; 10. Mathematical sequence of unknown length; 11. ___ Bator; 12. A pop; 13. Na2CO3; 14. Dental filling; 15. Literature’s Lorna; 16. Lose little by little; 18. U.R.L. lead-in; 20. Israeli P.M. Olmert; 25. They may be funny or bright; 27. Neighbor of Switz.; 30. Educator Maria; 31. Subatomic particle that is a nuclear binder; 33. Mideast money; 34. Bad dancer’s handicap; 35. “Enough!”’ 36. Collected; 37. Mistress; 39. Bridges in Hollywood; 40. The “ten” in “hang ten”; 41. Reactionary; 42. Flower also called a naked lady; 43. Hero maker; 44. Old dirk; 46. Unblemished; 46. Lineage; 49. Failings; 52. Breezes (through); 54. Quite wrong; 56. Business position; 58. Word before and after “after”; 60. Cross product; 61. Geom. Figure; 64. Disco term meaning “galore”; 65. Punch; 66. French Sudan, today; 67. Raspberry; 69. “___ Angel,” 1933 film; 70. Scratch sheet listings; 72. Slams; 74. Fannie ___ (securities); 77. Jupiter or Mars; 79. ___ Gay, W.W. II bomber; 82. Ointment ingredient; 83. Subject of the book “Last Flight”; 84. Setting for “Driving Miss Daisy”; 88. Call, or call on; 89. Turkish pooh-bahs; 91. Lake ___, third largest lake in Africa; 92. Imagine, informally; 93. Sectioned, as a window; 94. Prince Valiant’s wife; 95. Tapestry threads; 98. Month before lyar; 99. “Socrate” composer; 100. First, in Frankfurt; 102. Relig. Title; 103. Lady’s man; 105. Anchorage-to-Fairbanks dir.; 107. Great ball of fire.







02.02.08 -- Coup d'oeil



Saturday, February 2, 2008

Puzzle by Natan Last, edited Will Shortz

This crossword’s five long entries, ONTOPOFTHEWORLD (7D. Ecstatic); BRINGTOJUSTICE (20A Convict); VENTRILOQUISTS (46A. Seemingly silent types); LOSTONESCOOL (6D Snapped); and JENESAISQUOI (21D. Quality that’s hard to express) have nothing in common but their length, and their short clues. Or should I say Shortz?

Yesterday was fairly much the same as far as I can fathom -- fathomless that is, clue-wise. Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction today will be far more illuminating, shadow or no shadow! I guess I really shouldn’t drag a groundhog into this commentary, but why not? With this kind of crossword, one could discuss almost anything -- let’s see, what justifies bringing up Groundhog Day? Hmmm….ah! 41A. Coup d’OEIL (survey made with a glance)!


In any event, this is a fun puzzle -- there’s lightness, like RUNFORIT (50A. “She’s gonna blow!”); ZIPPIEST (17A. Having the most pizzazz); NOTIME (11D. A jiffy); JESTER (19A. Cap and bells wearer); and a BEETLE clued as 39D. Zyzzyva, e.g.

Darkness comes in the guise of RANCOR (40D. Malignity); TIRESIAS (34D. Prophet of Thebes, struck blind by Athena when he accidentally saw her bathing); NTEST (27A. Big bang creator); DEAD (43A. No longer under consideration); EERIER (55A. Like haunted houses, compared to ordinary houses) and 37A. “TIS now the very witching time of night”: Hamlet.

People in the puzzle include ADE (1A. “The county Chairman” playwright, 1903), DJS (14A. Spinners, for short), STU (33A. “Rugrats” dad), ABRAM (38A. Norm of “This Old House”), SLOANE (52A. Ferris Bueller’s girlfriend), a DISH (56A. Good-looker), OLEG (5D. Two-time figure-skating Olympic gold medalist Protopopov), PITT (18D. British P.M. when the U.S. Constitution was signed), ARES (26D. Father of Harmonia, 27D. Former Giant Robb NEN, 47D. Oscar-winning French film director RENE Clement, and TRU (51D. Robert Morse Tony-winning role). Oddly, these short entries have long clues while the long entries of the puzzle have short clues.

The remaining eight-, seven- and six-letter entries: DJIBOUTI (2D. Neighbor of Somalia); ESPRESSO (3D. Brewed drink); STARTREK (33D. 1979 film with sequels II to VI); RESTATE (10D. Paraphrase, say); REFEREE (29A. Enforce the rules); RESTSON (32A. Has as a foundation); PADTHAI (36D. Popular dish in an Asian cuisine); PASCHAL (36A. Easter-related); CORNER (8A. Tree); AREOLA (16A. Interstice); ELECTS (12D. Decides); RAREST (13D. Least spotted); ADVISE (38D. Guide); and ITCHES (49A. Burns) -- I make a much larger distinction between itching and burning, but to each his own!

Five-letter -- CAJUN, FIFTH, FIRED, POETS, REINS, RISER. Four-letter -- AMTS, ANON, ELON, LOOT, MARE, MISO, OPEN, ORES, PROM, ROLL, ROLO, ROWS, RUST, UNOS, USED. Three-letter -- ADZ, EAR, KSU, MIO, OTS, and RAM (32D. Butt).

I’ve spent the last several days in hot battle with technology after a wipe-out -- which has doubled my blogging time, and turned my life into one long course on what has happened with computers in the last couple years, one more manual and I’ll explode -- I’m not sure if I want HAL to be in charge, so I have disconnected his higher brain functions. Everything electronic is subject to my wrath -- that to explain why I am wheezing through the spaceship with a wrench and a crazed expression!

Coup d’oeil, indeed!


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



Click on image to enlarge.


Puzzle available on the internet at

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.



Across: 4. Hershey brand; 15. Southern university whose campus is a botanical garden; 22. Meter readers?; 23. Kind of batting stance; 24. Nos.; 25. Reddish-brown; 26. Al-___; 28. Fifth qtrs.; 31. Italian mine; 42. Part of a moonscape; 44. Tetris objectives; 45. Like clayware; 53. Spoils; 54. Where the utricle is; 57. The Wildcats of the Big 12 Conf. Down: 1. Hoelike cutting tool; 4. Checks; 8. Option for wings; 9. Smeltery input; 22. Even for a king and queen; 30. Gymnastics move; 35. Drew on; 44. Certain softball pitch; 45. Amendment that prevents being subjected to double jeopardy; 48. Article in Hoy.