Thursday, June 4, 2009 Puzzle by Peter A. Collins and Joe Krozel, edited by Will Shortz PETE ROSE (34- and 35-Across -- one who has done the circled things, combined, more often than any other major-league player) and the “circled things”, HOMERED, TRIPLED, DOUBLED and SINGLED are the interrelated entries of this Thursday crossword. What fun! Oh, now don’t get on Pete’s case, he’s safely locked out of baseball’s asterisked memory -- it’s only a crossword puzzle, lady! Throw in a few scattered baseball references, RECORD (45D. 34 & 35-Across’s 4,256 career hits, e.g.), TRIS (52D. Speaker of the diamond); LUIS (4D. Baseball All-Star Tiant); maybe HITS AT (36A. Attempts to strike); and in Rose’s case, LEGEND IGNORED (32A. Bigger-than-life persona and 57A. Turned a blind eye toward) and any crossword/baseball fan is pleased as punch! Call it a TRIBUTE (11D. Reason for a medley, perhaps) and get on with life!
Plenty else to like -- ALIENOR and AILERON (27A. One who is no longer entitled and 40D. Bank controller); HAMLET sharing the top of the puzzle with DEISTS (1A. Source of the line “Frailty, thy name is woman!” and 7A. Some believers), remembering the fact that Claudius was spared because Hamlet wanted him to die in sin so he’d go straight to hell! Abbie Hoffman gets a puzzle off with 21A. Old Al Capp strip “ABBIE an’ Slats”, “entails” is twisted into INTAILS (16A. Dressed for a white-tie affair); the confusing CITRONS (60A. Lemonlike fruit), not to be misspelled to become jewels or automobiles. The variety show continues with ASTOLAT (2D. Whence Elaine, in Arthurian lore); TEMPURA (38D. Japanese restaurant offering); ST SIMON (12D. Apostle called “the Zealot”); PICARD (13D. Enterprise-D captain); DERNIER (59A. Last of the French?); 55A. EDUARDO Sanchez, co-director of “The Blair Witch Project” -- voila, olio! More? DETONATE (30A. Set off, in a big way) and MORELAND (39A. Georgia birthplace of Erskine Caldwell), population 393 -- how much TNT can a little town take? RAREBIT (44A. Cheese dish) with IODIDES (37D. Salt add-ins); HEAPED (36D. Like some spoonfuls) and SEEPED (15D. Permeated, with “into”); DRAW IN (7D. Attract) and COLOR IN (24D. Fill, as with a crayon); NEATENS (41D. Tidies), POSTURE (13A. Poor thing about a slouch) and ALL RISE (17A. Order in the court); ROBOTICS (35D. Branch of technology) at a TEST SITE (6D. Where to take an exam); ISLA (9D. Puerto Rico, por ejemplo) RESORTS (14A. Vacation destinations), perhaps MT APO (3D. Highest peak in the Philippines). 
The remainders are just as colorful -- Alphabetically, AGORA (50D. Pythagoras’ square); 27D. Lend AN EAR; COOPS (18A. Some urban digs); DREADS (42D. Rastafarian’s do, for short); FLAT TAX (23D. Political proposal from some conservatives); FSLIC (23A. Former org. protecting depositors); 54A. “Can I GET A Witness” (Marvin Gaye hit); PIPET (51A. Lab tube); RESET (28D. Kind of button); SEANS (48D. Penn and others); SLOANS (62A. Classic brand of liniment); SORBS (10D. Gathers on a surface, chemically); XENON (49A. Photographic flash gas); and last but not least, HONOREE (1D. Mother, on the second Sunday in May). Fragments -- ALAE and ALEE, ARLO, CUT, DEE, EEL and ERL, EOE and TOE, IER, INTO, GEL and GIL, MENU, OPS, REA, SUMP, TAW (19A. Shooter on the playground). "I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball." - Pete Rose ----------------- For today’s cartoon, go to The Crossword Puzzle Illustrated.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES -- Crossword Puzzles and Games
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Remaining clues -- Across: 22. He preceded Joan at Woodstock; 25. Water collector; 26. Mens ___ (criminal intent); 29. Golf club part; 43. Want ad abbr.; 46. Hotel addition?; 47. U.S.N. brass: Abbr.; 50. Latin wings; 53. Action stopper. Down: 5. Goethe’s “The ___-King”; 8. Fish that may be caught in a cage; 20. On the safe side; 31. Special ___; 33. Breast enlargement material; 39. Restaurant offering; 54. Digging; 56. Near failure; 58. Apt name for an ichthyologist?
