08.08.10 — At the Bottom of a Letter — Puns & Anagrams

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Puns and Anagrams, Crossword by Mel Taub, edited by Will Shortz

Across — 1. Length of a very long movie about fish baskets, CREELS; 7. One a cop might arrest at a peep show, STARER; 13. Rotten bit of batting advice, FOUL TIP; 14. Oppothite of a thaint, THINNER; 18. Leave Essen in bondage, ENSLAVE; 17. What to do if you see tart again, RETASTE; 18. Car in Leeds, EDSEL; 19. See two gulf states for seafood, CLAMS; 21. Charlton Heston ran for president of this: Abbr., NRA; 22. What Brooklyn students do, LOIN; 23. She’s with Edna, I gather, DIANE; 24. RAIL whey (B&O dairy product); 25. Mel follows her, ENA; 26. Reticent to say, upon reflection, “D—! I’m it!”, TIMID; 27. Maxim of Mr. Lao Tzu, MORAL; 28. Any wonder it’s celebrated?, RENOWNED; 30. Laymen, that is to say, NAMELY; 31. “U.S. Grant,” i.e., at the bottom of a letter, SIGNATURE; 33. Capital by Alan, ALBANY; 36. Anti-loan American, e.g., NATIONAL; 40. Move ahead in favor of General Electric, FORGE; 41. Start for five-and-ten in Pa., PENTA; 42. Woman in Havana, AVA; 43. Run away from Mr. Bailey, FLEE; 44. Jeez, why do I want this little canine?, DOGGY; 45. Workers with headless fastener, CREW; 46. Cry in Toledo, OLE; 47. Gee, is this any way to win a battle?, SIEGE; 48. Old Mr. Attrick, JERRY (Geriatric); 49. Like Ray and Rita, RADIANT; 51. A one-ten infant, say, NEONATE; 53. Dr. Lawn Tool, DREDGER; 54. Service that lets you write “tease” to friends, TWITTER; 55. Like the Dry Era, to drinkers, DREARY; 58. D’s seen or heard, SENSED.

Down — C [on] D [on] E, CONDONE; 2. In U.S.S.R, a citizen, RUSSIAN; 3. Two letters read aloud for a girl, ELLEN; 4. Up late, ETAL; 5. Woman of 54, LIV; 6. Example of M & N pieces, SPECIMEN; 7. Desert R, S and T, STRAND; 8. It tells me the subject, THEME; 9. 888 islands, AITS; 10. Bernard’s heart, genetically, RNA; 11. Arrange an erne’s capture, ENSNARE; 12. Later R.I. prosecution, RETRIAL; 13. Tentative proposal from ref Lee, FEELER; 15. No kidding, as to friend, REALLY; 20. Badly lagged, in a showbiz way, LAID AN EGG; 23. Dull-colored, with lots of dents, DINGY; 24. Mr. Moore, ROMEO; 26. Rope I went for, TWINE; 27. For Irma, a girlfriend, MARIA; 29. River that goes a long way through Missouri, OSAGE; 30. Why you with TNT would be crazy, NUTTY; 32. Male lifeguards, typically, TANGENTS; 33. A H-Henry or a H-Harrison, AFFORD (a F-Ford); 34. One who praised the Lord all the time, LOLLARD; 35. Stallion that could turn beer red, BREEDER; 37. What a ranter might do to a story, NARRATE; 38. Rte. Dave avoided, AVERTED; 39. Wearily I may leave the court, LAWYER; 41. Some literature to print or type, POETRY; 44. E D R, DINER (D in ER); 45. See tens of coins, CENTS; 47. A gas on the rise, SAGA; 48. Enlist in banjoing, JOIN: 50. Keep under one’s ‘at, 'IDE; 52. Farm animal you heard, EWE.

-----------------

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.