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Sunday, October 3, 2010
CAN I CHANGE PLACES?, Puzzle by Daniel A. Finan, edited by Will Shortz
Less is more with this sly and simple Sunday crossword’s interrelated group, e.g., relocating the letter I in one word (trial, Iran, lion, fries, martial, dial, stair and coin) of a familiar phrase resulting in an unfamiliar phrase, clued to suit — TRAIL OF THE CENTURY (23A. Lewis and Clark expedition, for the 1800s?), TEHRAN RAIN (35A. Spoiler of a parade for Ahmadinejad?), THE LOIN KING (57A. Top butcher’s title?), FRENCH FIRES (76A. Destroyers of les forêts?), MARITAL LAW (93A. What a family court judge enforces?), DON’T TOUCH THAT DALI (112A. Admonishment at a Surrealist museum?), SPIRAL SITAR CASE (16D. Decorate piece of George Harrison tour equipment?) and ICON COLLECTIONS (43D. Paintings of Marilyn Monroe, Che Guevara and the like?).
Other — AT THE TOP (98A. Where sharks are in their food chain), BASED (11A. Headquartered) and NERVE CENTER (20A. Headquarters), ENROLLEE, ODOR EATER (47D. Shoe insert), RELIEF MAP (42D. Chart showing highs and lows), SCRAMBLE, SHAVINGS, STARGAZE, SWITCHBLADE (116A. “West Side Story” fight-scene prop),TAKES TEN.
Six- and seven-letter — ACT ONE, APEMEN, ARE NOT, ASST DA, BOSNIA, Et CETERA, CHEERY, CHOSEN, DOLLIED (5D. Moved on wheels, as a movie camera), ETHERE, FRIEDA, GALORE, GARNET, HAD AT IT, IN ESSE, IN FEAR, LECHER, MAI TAI, OLD HAT, ON-SIDE, RADLEY, SAVE AS, SCLERA (84D. Cornea neighbor), SIENNA, STUNTS, TETHERS and TIES ON, WHO KNEW.
Five — ALEVE, ALLEE, ALOHA, AROOM, ASEED, ANTES, ARNAZ (17D. Ball‘s partner), CAROB, COCAS, CYCLE, DORIA, FRERE, GLARE, GRAFT, HAREM, HORNY, ICHAT, IDARE, ILLER, LEASH, NINES, OASTS, OFFER, OH GOD (1A. “This can‘t be happening!”), OMAHA, OPTED, PITTS (98D. ZaSu of film), POLLO, RUING, SCULL, SKATE, SUGAR, TILED, T-BALL, TEXAS, WEIRD.
Short stuff — ACLU, ARI, ASU, AVEC, Uncle BEN’S, CEO, CRAM, DRY, DSL, DYE, EER, ENE and ENG, ERR, ESS, ETCH, “Climb EVRY Mountain”, EXO, FRAN, HAS, HAVA, HRH, ICS, IHRE, “Monsters, INC“, INRI, ISR, LEIA, MDLI, MISE, NEIN, NES, NEWT, NOH, NSEC, NUBS, OLIO, ORAL, OWE, PRY, RECT, SAC, SECY, SML, STA, TAW and TOW, TECH, TES, UFOS, USGA, VAN, WART.
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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.
Remaining clues — ACROSS: 6. Apple’s instant-messaging program; 16. Anatomical pouch; 19. Spanish fowl; 22. Inquire about private matters; 26. Student; 27. Elite group, with “the”; 28. Like some exams; 29. Turn red, say; 30. “___ you!” (“Just try it!”); 32. Search the heavens; 40. Racing boat; 41. Charlie Brown’s curly-haired pal; 44. January birthstone; 48. Attaches with string; 48. Like most city blocks: Abbr.; 50. Parisian possessive; 53. Andrea ___ (lost ship); 54. Like some kicks; 55. “___ From Hawaii,” 1973 Elvis album; 60. Pull; 61. WXY buttons; 62. Sultan’s group; 63. Santa Barbara-to-Las Vegas dir.; 64. Blemish; 65. Hosiery shade; 67. ___ en scene (stage setting); 69. Her: Ger.; 70. “Independence Day” fleet; 71. Singer Di-Franco; 72. Brewery sights; 73. South American shrubs with potent leaves; 75. T-shirt sizes, in short; 79. Glide; 80. Aplenty; 82. Surgeon’s procedure; 83. Super ___ (game console); 85. Minute fraction of a min.; 86. Cave dwellers; 87. Menu option; 89. Upbeat; 91. Chocolate substitute; 99. Plant ___ of doubt; 100. Glimpsed a la Tweety bird; 103. Luke’s princess sister; 104. Yellowish-brown; 111. Prefix with skeleton; 115. Delivery means; 117. More awesome, to a rapper; 118. Slalom figure; 119. Lab holder?; 120. Darling; 121. Like many mosaics. — DOWN: 1. Went (for); 2. ___ toad; 3. Cold look; 4. Grab bag; 6. Afraid; 8. Regal letters; 9. Opposite of sans; 10. Practical school, for short; 12. Pennies are small ones; 13. Staples of action scenes; 14. Poetic contraction; 15. Humorless; 18. Spring, summer, fall and winter, e.g.; 21. Big suit; 24. Stale; 28. Eyes; 31. Grade school subj.; 33. Play opener; 34. Wishing undone; 35. Restrains; 36. Boo ___, recluse in “To Kill a Mockingbird”; 37. Forster’s “___ With a View”; 38. Crucifix letters; 39 Unlikely response to “Sprechen Sie Deutsch?”; 41. Actress Drescher; 45. Rests; 48. Grown-up eft; 51. Anesthetic gas; 52. Sharpener residue; 56. Sun Devils’ sch.; 58. Screw up; 58. Actually; 64. Words said with a shrug; 67. Tiki bar order; 68. Medit. State; 69. Suffix with robot; 70. Grp. Concerned with courses; 71. Playground retort; 72. Volunteer; 74. Cabinet member: Abbr.; 76. Parisian business partner, maybe; 77. Squeeze (in); 78. “___ Nagila” (Hebrew folk song); 81. Site of the College World Series; 88. RR stop; 90. Didn’t shrink from the challenge; 92. 1990s war site; 94. Member of the prosecutor’s office: Abbr.; 95. Fyodor Karamazov, for one; 96. Advil rival; U.S.S. ___, first battleship to become a state shrine; 100. Peewee slugger’s sport; 101. Tree-lined walk; 102. Kooky; 105. Permanently mark; 106. Japanese drama; 107. Gists; 108. Rights org.; 110. Year Boris Godunov was born; 112. Broadband letters; 113. Be behind; 114. Witch.
