This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

TAKING THE FIFTH

New York Times, Sunday, March 12, 2017

Author:
Alan Arbesfeld
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
96-Across : Commotions
TotalDebutLatest
1338/27/19814/1/2024
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
2511253728151
RebusScrabDebutPre‑WSFresh
51.59618943%
Alan Arbesfeld

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 136, Blocks: 67 Missing: {JXZ} This is puzzle # 114 for Mr. Arbesfeld. Sunday freshness: 84%
Jeff Chen notes:
TAKING THE FIFTH interpreted as "add the fifth letter of the alphabet, E, to base phrases, with kooky results." I enjoyed a good number of them: HOT CROSS BUNNY gave a funny image. OFF THE ... read more
1
S
2
T
3
E
4
R
5
N
6
A
7
N
8
A
9
U
10
G
11
H
12
T
13
S
14
A
15
L
16
T
17
I
18
M
19
A
20
E
I
L
E
E
N
21
I
N
S
T
O
R
E
22
T
E
H
R
A
N
23
T
A
B
L
E
T
24
E
N
N
E
S
S
E
E
25
T
I
E
R
E
D
26
B
R
O
O
D
27
R
O
O
28
T
A
M
29
P
A
30
P
E
S
T
31
Y
A
W
32
N
33
A
N
N
Y
34
G
35
O
A
T
E
E
36
I
S
T
H
37
D
O
D
O
38
E
E
N
S
Y
39
A
40
F
41
F
A
I
R
E
42
T
43
O
44
L
D
T
O
45
A
D
E
E
46
R
A
I
N
S
O
N
47
I
N
O
T
48
L
49
E
U
50
S
A
51
N
52
A
53
A
54
T
R
O
T
55
D
E
O
56
O
F
F
T
57
H
E
M
A
R
Q
58
U
E
E
59
I
60
M
61
P
62
Y
A
K
63
O
V
64
F
O
E
65
S
T
U
N
66
A
67
M
B
E
R
68
S
C
A
L
E
69
O
R
G
70
S
71
A
L
A
I
72
W
A
L
D
O
73
U
T
T
E
R
74
R
A
I
L
75
A
L
O
76
A
L
E
U
T
77
M
S
T
78
H
79
O
T
C
R
O
80
S
81
S
B
U
N
82
N
Y
83
U
L
E
84
H
85
E
E
D
86
E
A
T
A
T
87
N
S
A
88
M
I
L
A
89
U
90
P
A
T
R
E
91
E
92
W
I
93
N
G
94
S
95
C
R
E
A
M
96
P
O
T
H
E
R
S
97
M
98
A
I
N
E
99
D
A
L
I
100
T
I
M
E
101
T
102
H
E
B
I
G
C
103
H
I
L
I
104
D
105
U
106
H
107
I
T
E
R
108
T
E
E
N
A
109
T
I
S
110
C
111
H
I
T
A
112
G
I
S
E
113
L
E
114
A
T
T
115
I
116
L
A
T
H
117
E
H
O
N
E
Y
118
H
E
S
A
I
D
119
T
H
E
W
I
R
E
120
R
E
C
O
R
D
121
T
R
I
L
L
S
122
H
E
R
O
I
S
M
123
A
S
K
S
I
N
© 2017, The New York Times3/12/17 ( No. 24,596 )
Across
1
Chest protectors : STERNA
7
The 2000s, with "the" : NAUGHTS
14
Camry competitor : ALTIMA
20
Fisher of fashion : EILEEN
21
Coming up : INSTORE
22
1943 conference site : TEHRAN
23
"Put that Southern state on next month's agenda"? : TABLETENNESSEE
25
Like some wedding cakes and stadiums : TIERED
26
Sulk : BROOD
27
Pooh's pal : ROO
28
New York : The Big Apple :: ___ : The Big Guava : TAMPA
30
Pain in the neck : PEST
31
Go off course : YAW
32
What a male babysitter may sport? : NANNYGOATEE
36
Panama, e.g.: Abbr. : ISTH
37
Numbskull : DODO
38
Minuscule, informally : EENSY
39
Romantic liaison : AFFAIRE
42
Shared with, as a story : TOLDTO
45
Ending with chick : ADEE
46
Spoils, in a way : RAINSON
47
Playing a fifth N.F.L. period, say : INOT
48
Romanian currency : LEU
50
Capital of Yemen : SANAA
54
Race pace : TROT
55
___ volente (God willing) : DEO
56
Like a fired Broadway star? : OFFTHEMARQUEE
59
Small handful : IMP
62
Comedian Smirnoff : YAKOV
64
Auric Goldfinger, to James Bond : FOE
65
Leave thunderstruck : STUN
66
Color in "America the Beautiful" : AMBER
68
Do to do : SCALE
69
A.A.A. and B.B.B. : ORGS
71
Jai ___ : ALAI
72
One in a crowd at a bookstore? : WALDO
73
Total : UTTER
74
Billiards feature : RAIL
75
South American greeting : ALO
76
Eskimo-___ languages : ALEUT
77
Winter hrs. in Vail : MST
78
Sweaty, irritable rabbit? : HOTCROSSBUNNY
83
Suffix with nod- : ULE
84
Follow : HEED
86
Really bother : EATAT
87
Grp. in the Oscar-winning documentary "Citizenfour" : NSA
88
Kunis of "Black Swan" : MILA
89
Stuck : UPATREE
92
Bit of bar food : WING
94
Real hoot : SCREAM
96
Commotions : POTHERS
97
Setting for many Stephen King novels : MAINE
99
"The Persistence of Memory" artist : DALI
100
"Pencils down!" : TIME
101
What'll feed everyone at a tailgate party? : THEBIGCHILI
104
"What else could it be?!" : DUH
107
Road to the Forum, e.g. : ITER
108
"Lovergirl" singer ___ Marie : TEENA
109
Christmas song contraction : TIS
110
Broadway star Rivera : CHITA
112
Supermodel Bündchen : GISELE
114
Reformed barbarian? : ATTILATHEHONEY
118
Start of a marital spat? : HESAID
119
2000s TV hit set in Baltimore : THEWIRE
120
Guinness entry : RECORD
121
Vocal quavers : TRILLS
122
A cross might be given for it : HEROISM
123
Invites across the threshold : ASKSIN
Down
1
Held in reserve : SETBY
2
Queen topper : TIARA
3
Jostle : ELBOW
4
Move, informally : RELO
5
Is unobliged to : NEEDNOT
6
Soldier, for one : ANT
7
Curtain fabric : NINON
8
Ticked off : ANNOYED
9
Wear and tear : USE
10
Some sporty cars : GTS
11
Popular landscaping plants : HOSTAS
12
Compact : TREATY
13
Dreaded comment on a returned exam : SEEME
14
Lead-in to boy or girl : ATTA
15
Island chain? : LEI
16
1993 film that garnered Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress Oscars : THEPIANO
17
Turnaround too tempting to pass up? : IRRESISTIBLEUIE
18
Wand wielder : MAESTRO
19
"What happened next?" : ANDTHEN
24
Puzzle inventor Rubik : ERNO
29
Brandy fruit : PEAR
33
Unpopular baby name : ADOLF
34
Formation fliers : GEESE
35
Hour in the graveyard shift : ONEAM
37
Target of a 1972 ban : DDT
40
It's inescapable : FATE
41
"Shoot!" : FIREAWAY
42
Nice piece of change : TIDYSUM
43
Plays without a break : ONEACTS
44
"Check out the Argentine soccer star!"? : LOOKATTHATMESSI
45
500, e.g. : AUTORACE
49
Exercitation : EFFORT
51
Grp. that might have a launch party : NASA
52
Where kids get creative in school : ARTLAB
53
Diving equipment co-invented by Jacques Cousteau : AQUALUNG
56
Shout from an arm waver : OVERHERE
57
Exodus : HEGIRA
58
They may have many chapters : UNIONS
60
Part of the brain that controls involuntary functions : MEDULLA
61
Reds, Blues or Browns : PROTEAM
63
World Cup chant : OLE
67
Start to practice? : MAL
70
Schedule position : SLOT
79
Baltic Sea feeder : ODER
80
2005 horror sequel : SAWII
81
Undercover operation : STING
82
Stuffy-sounding : NASAL
85
Heavenly : ETHEREAL
88
Picture of health, in brief? : MRI
89
Tense : UPTIGHT
90
First African-American to win a Best Actor Oscar : POITIER
91
Tivoli's Villa d'___ : ESTE
93
Attractions for bees : NECTARS
95
They're always tired : CLICHES
97
French ice cream flavorer : MENTHE
98
Lessener : ABATER
99
Gossip : DISH
102
Moor : HEATH
103
"___ where they ain't" : HITEM
104
Natural history museum exhibits, for short : DINOS
105
Centers of early development : UTERI
106
Composer who taught Beethoven : HAYDN
108
"Bill & ___ Excellent Adventure" : TEDS
111
Pawn : HOCK
113
Short, for short : LIL
115
1945 battle site, informally : IWO
116
2018 Super Bowl number : LII
117
Internet ___ (what we live in) : ERA

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 1 debuted here and reused later, 2 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Like this puzzle? Please share this page on social media to help spread the word about XWord Info. Thanks!

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2024, Jim Horne
95 ms