0401-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 1 Apr 11, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Elizabeth A. Long
THEME: NORTHBOUND LANES … the grid is divided into two sections vertically, with everything left of the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD representing ONCOMING TRAFFIC. Everything right of the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD is in NORTHBOUND LANES, and all the “down” answers in this section are written “northbound” i.e. upside down
COMPLETION TIME: I gave up after 40 minutes!
ANSWERS I MISSED: Almost everything on the right side of the grid … and given today's date, I guess that makes me an April Fool!

0331-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 31 Mar 11, Thursday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Jeremy Horwitz & Tyler Hinman
THEME: PERFECT PITCH … each of the theme answers is both the name of a baseball pitcher and a singer, both of whom might aim for that PERFECT PITCH:

19D. Something the eight people at 3-, 9-, 28- and 30-Down have all strived for? : PERFECT PITCH
3D. Yankees hurler (1996 champs) / Solo singer of "Lady" (#1 in 1980) : KENNY ROGERS
9D. A's hurler (1989 champs) / Eurythmics musician on "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" (#1 in 1983) : DAVE STEWART
28D. Orioles hurler (1966 champs) / Solo crooner of "Oh! My Pa-Pa" (#1 in 1954) : EDDIE FISHER
30D. Giants hurler (2010 champs) / Beach Boys vocalist on "Help Me, Rhonda" (#1 in 1965) : BRIAN WILSON

COMPLETION TIME: 21m 31s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0330-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 30 Mar 11, Wednesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Erik Wennstrom
THEME: REDSHIFTED … all the theme answers are common expressions containing a color, with the color “shifted” by adding a little RED to the mix:

29A. *Like a baby girl's laundry? : PINK-WASHED (from “whitewashed”, red + white = pink)
11D. *Newspapers read by royalty? : PURPLE-PRINT (from “blueprint”, red + blue = purple)
25D. *Illness caused by eating Cheetos? : ORANGE FEVER (from “yellow fever”, red + yellow = orange)

COMPLETION TIME: 15m 43s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0329-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 29 Mar 11, Tuesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Peter A. Collins
THEME: ELIZABETH TAYLOR … all of the theme answers are linked to the late Hollywood legend:

55A. With 17-Across, late Hollywood star : ELIZABETH
17A. See 55-Across : TAYLOR
21A. 1963 title role for 55-/17-Across : CLEOPATRA
45A. 1960 film for which 55-/17-Across won a Best Actress Oscar : BUTTERFIELD 8
61A. "Suddenly, Last ___" (1959 film starring 55-/17-Across) : SUMMER
4D. 1944 title role for 55-/17-Across : VELVET
49D. How often 55-/17-Across was married : 8 TIMES

COMPLETION TIME: 7m 28s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0328-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 28 Mar 11, Monday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Robyn Weintraub
THEME: CHIPS … all the theme answers are items that may have CHIPS:

18A. Much-used dinnerware : OLD DISHES
27A. Centers of casino action : POKER TABLES
46A. Places to drink and play darts : BRITISH PUBS
60A. They're shrugged : SHOULDERS

COMPLETION TIME: 7m 05s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0327-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 27 Mar 11, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Kevin G. Der
THEME: GET READY TO ROLL … My first impression of the theme today was wrong! I thought the grid represented a pinball machine, whereas it actually represents a lane in a bowling alley, The circled letters running down the left and right sides spell GUTTER, and we need to keep the ball out of there. This is a rebus puzzle, so some squares include more than one letter. The black square in the grid represents the letters PIN, and the black circle represents the letters BALL. If you look carefully the black "ball" is curving its way down the lane trying to make the split and pick up the spare, to "knock down" the four pins remaining at the end of the lane. I think there are some theme answers as well, relating to bowling:

- 3D. P.R. people : SPIN DOCTORS
- 9D. Bit of free time : SPARE MOMENT
- 49D. 5-4 ruling, e.g. : SPLIT DECISION
- 101D. Suited to a person's strengths : UP ONE’S ALLEY

COMPLETION TIME: 47m 09s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0326-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 26 Mar 11, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Brad Wilber
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 48m 43s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0325-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 25 Mar 11, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Mike Nothnagel
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 12m 45s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 ... TREF (BREF), YERTLE (YERBLE)

0324-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 24 Mar 11, Thursday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Ian Livengood
THEME: JETS ... each of the theme answers uses the clue "Jets", a word displayed in the circled squares:

17A. [See circles] : JACUZZI FEATURES
24A. [See circles] : ENGINES ON A PLANE
46A. [See circles] : TEAM FROM NEW YORK
60A. [See circles] : SHARKS' RIVAL GANG

COMPLETION TIME: 12m 45s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0323-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 23 Mar 11, Wednesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Will Nediger
THEME: JULIUS CAESAR ... two famous quotes from Caesar are hidden in the two sets of theme answers (i.e. THE DIE IS CAST & VENI VIDI VICI):

14A. **"His/her" alternative : (THE)IR
16A. **Parting word : A(DIE)U
64A. **Sojourn : V(IS)IT
66A. **Social grouping : (CAST)E
20A. *Soiree attire : E(VENI)NG DRESS
27A. *Indelible picture in the mind : VI(VID I)MAGE
48A. *Bandmate of Johnny Rotten : SID (VICI)OUS

COMPLETION TIME: 12m 45s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0322-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 22 Mar 11, Tuesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Albert R. Picallo
THEME: TWIST OF FATE ... the themed answers contain the circled squares, 4-letter runs each an anagram of the word FATE:

18A. *Dining area : C(AFET)ERIA
53A. *Nevertheless : (AFTE)R ALL
56A. *Didn't disturb : L(EFT A)LONE
4D. *Song from "No, No, Nanette" : (TEA F)OR TWO
21D. *Daredevils' doings : (FEAT)S
34D. *"It Might as Well Be Spring" musical : ST(ATE F)AIR
36D. *Kind of position : (FETA)L

COMPLETION TIME: 8m 20s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0321-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 21 Mar 11, Monday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Patrick Blindauer & Steve Salitan
THEME: Absolutely! ... all the theme answers are another way to say "Absolutley!"

17A. "Absolutely!" : YOU BETCHA
34A. "Absolutely!" : RIGHT ON, BROTHER
41A. "Absolutely!" : AIN'T IT THE TRUTH
55A. "Absolutely!" : DARN TOOTIN'

COMPLETION TIME: 6m 08s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0320-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 20 Mar 11, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Brendan Emmett Quigley
THEME: CHICK LIT ... all the theme answers are the titles to novels featuring types of birds:

23A. Chick lit book #1 (1992) : THE PELICAN BRIEF
33A. Chick lit book #2, with "The" (1843) : UGLY DUCKLING
39A. Chick lit book #3 (1965) : THE STERILE CUCKOO
59A. Chick lit book #4 (1974) : SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR
69A. Chick lit book #5 (1960) : TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
87A. Chick lit book #6 (1930) : THE MALTESE FALCON
95A. Chick lit book #7 (1985) : LONESOME DOVE
109A. Chick lit book #8 (1967) : WHERE EAGLES DARE

COMPLETION TIME: 40m 48s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0319-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 19 Mar 11, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Joe DiPietro
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 48m 02s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0318-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 18 Mar 11, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Patrick Merrell
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 21m 40s (and it's late on St. Patrick's Day, if you know what I mean!)
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0317-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 17 Mar 11, Thursday

Happy St. Paddy's Day, everyone!

In the grid, there are four squares that contain the names of Greek letters:

1A - ALPHA
2B - BETA
3P - PI
4O - OMEGA

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Anna Shectman
THEME: IT'S ALL GREEK TO ME ... this is a rebus puzzle with four squares using the the names of Greek letters:

17A. Educational musical pieces for kindergarteners : (ALPHA)BET SONGS
19A. Annual prize won multiple times by Beyoncé and LeBron James : (BET A)WARD
63A. First name on "The View" : WHOO(PI)
70A. What players don't have to travel far for : H(OME GA)ME
1D. First part of psychosexual development : OR(AL PHA)SE
9D. Devout Lhasan, say : TI(BETA)N MONK
42D. Color of many nurseries : LIGHT (PI)NK
57D. Difference between the rich and the poor : INC(OME GA)P

COMPLETION TIME: 12m 21s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0316-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 16 Mar 11, Wednesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Alan Arbesfeld
THEME: Ball..strike...ball...strike...FULL-COUNT PITCH ... all the theme clues lead up to the full-count pitch in baseball:

17. Ball : GREAT TIME
24. Strike : WORK STOPPAGE
29. Ball : LAVISH PARTY
40. Strike : BOWLER'S COUP
46. Ball : TV COMEDIENNE
59. With 61-Across, follower of the five italicized clues : FULL COUNT
61. See 59-Across : PITCH

COMPLETION TIME: 12m 21s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 4 ... MOPSY (TOPSY), MSU (TSU), CURIAE (CURSAE), EILAT (ESLAT)

0315-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 15 Mar 11, Tuesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Jeremy Newton
THEME: The C-Major Scale ... the circled letters are notes, all correctly placed on a "stave", and are the first notes of the most famous theme from the last movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. That's the bit that's sung, "Freude, schöner Götterfunken". Also, there are theme answers that relate to the same piece of music:

16A. Composer of 20-Across : BEETHOVEN
20A. Work by 16-Across : ODE TO JOY
57A. How the circled letters of 20-Across are played : IN C-MAJOR
62A. Items you might play 20-Across on : PIANO KEYS

COMPLETION TIME: 6m 32s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0314-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 14 Mar 11, Monday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Andrea Carla Michaels
THEME: MALT, MELT, MILT, MOLT & MULT all the vowels ... the theme answers all begin with the letter M*LT with the second letter (*) rotating through all of the vowels in sequence:

18A. Fountain treat : MALTED MILK
23A. What M&M's do : MELT IN ONE'S MOUTH
37A. Company that produced Twister and Candy Land : MILTON BRADLEY
50A. Hershey's vatful : MOLTEN CHOCOLATE
56A. The "3" in "6 x 3 = 18" : MULTIPLIER

COMPLETION TIME: 5m 19s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0313-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 13 Mar 11, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Patrick Berry
THEME: Reverend Spooner, U.S.P.S ... all the theme clues are related to the Postal Service, and the answers are given as if stated by Reverend Spooner, i.e. with the sound of starting syllables swapped:

23A. MARRYING THE KALE (carrying the mail)
31A. MOST PASTORS (postmasters)
35A. STAIR RAMP (rare stamp)
48A. CRACK YOUR PATE (pack your crate)
60A. CANDLE WITH HAIR (handle with care)
68A. RAKING MY MOUNDS (making my rounds)
80A. GROUND HOWLING (hound growling)
96A. TRAIL MUCK (mail truck)
99A. BETTER LOCKS (letterbox)
109A: CHILLED WITH FEAR (filled with cheer)

Spoonerisms are errors in speech in which letters or sounds are switched from one word to another. Famous examples are "Three cheers for our queer old dean" (dear old Queen ... Victoria) and "Is it kisstomary to cuss the bride?" (customary to kiss). Spoonerisms are named after an Oxford don, William Archibald Spooner, who was notorious for his tendency to pepper his speech with "spoonerisms".

COMPLETION TIME: 30m 17s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0312-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 12 Mar 11, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Joon Pahk
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: Didn't finish ...
ANSWERS I MISSED: Too many ... all in the northeast!

0311-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 11 Mar 11, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Martin Ashwood-Smith
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 21m 18s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0310-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 10 Mar 11, Thursday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Matt Ginsberg
THEME: WORDS PRONOUNCED DIFFERENTLY WHEN CAPITALIZED:

1A. *Poet's performance : READING
65A. *Like Seattle vis-à-vis Phoenix : RAINIER
22D. *Not fixed : MOBILE
31D. *Shine : POLISH

COMPLETION TIME: 17m 19s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0309-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 9 Mar 11, Wednesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Peter A. Collins
THEME: TAILING OFF ... all the theme answers relate to kite-flying, and the four circled letters K-I-T-E form the shape of a kite when joined with a line. The remaining Ts in the grid, if circled and joined with a line, form the tail of the kite. The themed answers are:

17A. On cloud nine : FLYING HIGH
38A. Bob Dylan song ... or a hint to the object found by connecting the four circled letters in a diamond : BLOWIN' IN THE WIND
59A. Waning ... or a hint to what is found by circling all the T's in the completed puzzle : TAILING OFF

COMPLETION TIME: 10m 17s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0308-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 8 Mar 11, Tuesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Paul Hunsberger
THEME: KEYBOARD WEST ... every answer in the puzzle is composed exclusively of letters that are found on the WEST side of the keyboard
COMPLETION TIME: 7m 03s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0307-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 7 Mar 11, Monday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Mike Torch
THEME: Either/Or ... All the theme answers are either/or questions or musings:

- SHOULD I STAY ... OR SHOULD I GO?
- DOES SHE OR ... DOESN'T SHE?
- TO BE OR NOT TO BE
- DEAL OR ... NO DEAL

COMPLETION TIME: 5m 06s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0306-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 6 Mar 11, Sunday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: David Levinson Wilk
THEME: For Your Edification ... all the answers are common expressions, with the last two letters -ED broken out as the name ED:

23A. Be willing to apprehend Mr. Bradley at any cost? : WANT ED DEAD OR ALIVE
31A. Punish Mr. Harris in a medieval way? : BURN ED AT THE STAKE
43A. Get Mr. Koch addicted to a modern reading method? : HOOK ED ON PHONICS
66A. Preside over Mr. O'Neill's baptism? : BLESS ED EVENT
75A. Do Mr. Sullivan's stand-up material? : CRACK ED JOKES
93A. Prohibit Mr. McMahon from ever socializing again? : GROUND ED FOR LIFE
103A. Perform brain surgery on Mr. Begley? : TOUCH ED IN THE HEAD
116A. Put Mr. Meese in an Armani suit? : DRESS ED TO THE NINES

COMPLETION TIME: 36m 25s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0305-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 5 Mar 11, Saturday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Randolph Ross
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 36m 12s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0304-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 4 Mar 11, Friday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: Joe Krozel
THEME: None
COMPLETION TIME: 61m 37s!!!
ANSWERS I MISSED: 2 ... MEA (REA), MESNE (RESNE)

0303-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 3 Mar 11, Thursday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: David J. Kahn
THEME: JACK or JOHN ... both ANDREW JACKSON and ANDREW JOHNSON fit as answers for 39A. "Either of the two presidents who also served as a US SENATOR from TENNESSEE". As a result, three of the down clues can also have two answers:

- 33D. It's rich in sugar : CAKE or CANE
- 37D. Cotton ___ : BALLS or BOLLS
- 41D. Captain James of the high seas : COOK or HOOK

COMPLETION TIME: 20m 32s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0

0302-11: New York Times Crossword Answers 2 Mar 11, Wednesday

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CROSSWORD SETTER: David Poole
THEME: Sound expressions ... each of the theme answers "sounds like" a familiar expression, all from the world of literature and/or film:

- A FARE TO REMEMBER (sounds like "Affair to Remember")
- A COMEDY OF ERAS (sounds like "A Comedy of Errors")
- ICY DEAD PEOPLE (sounds like "I see dead people")
- LUKE BACK IN ANGER (sounds like "Look Back in Anger")

COMPLETION TIME: 10m 25s
ANSWERS I MISSED: 0