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New York Times, Thursday, March 29, 2001

Author:
William I. Johnston
Editor:
Will Shortz
20-Across : Half of a decoder ring
TotalDebutLatest
151/7/19994/27/2011
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0103533
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
111.565550%
William I. Johnston

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 42 Missing: none – this is a pangram. Spans: 1 This is puzzle # 3 for Mr. Johnston. Thursday freshness: 16%
Jim Horne notes:

The answer to 39-Across, when translated by the cipher key at 20- and 55-Across (A = Z, B = Y, C = X, etc.), spells OUR COVER IS BLOWN.

1
L
2
O
3
C
4
H
5
T
6
A
7
B
8
O
9
O
10
J
11
O
12
B
13
S
14
I
N
R
E
15
A
S
I
A
N
16
E
V
E
R
17
L
E
A
P
18
K
I
L
T
S
19
R
A
R
A
20
A
B
C
21
D
E
F
G
H
I
22
J
K
L
M
23
A
E
C
24
E
S
T
A
25
F
26
A
27
S
T
C
A
28
R
29
E
G
30
R
31
E
32
S
33
S
34
O
S
U
35
R
A
36
N
37
G
38
G
E
N
I
E
39
L
F
I
40
X
41
L
E
V
I
R
42
H
Y
O
L
D
M
43
D
I
T
K
A
44
E
L
I
E
45
A
L
I
46
S
T
E
E
L
47
E
48
N
A
49
S
50
T
I
E
S
51
A
N
52
N
53
S
54
D
E
I
55
Z
56
Y
57
X
W
V
U
T
58
S
R
Q
P
59
O
60
N
61
S
I
A
M
62
I
R
A
T
E
63
O
K
E
64
D
65
E
T
R
E
66
E
S
S
E
S
67
F
R
A
U
68
M
I
N
N
69
D
E
I
S
T
70
F
A
T
E
© 2001, The New York Times3/29/1 ( No. 18,769 )
Across
1
Scotland's ___ Fyne : LOCH
5
It's nothing to speak of : TABOO
10
Perennial presidential campaign issue : JOBS
14
Memo phrase : INRE
15
Part of a U.S. census category : ASIAN
16
"Did you ___?!" : EVER
17
Bound : LEAP
18
Manly apparel : KILTS
19
___ avis : RARA
20
Half of a decoder ring : ABCDEFGHIJKLM
23
Former nuclear power org. : AEC
24
"Cómo ___ usted?" : ESTA
25
Maserati, e.g. : FASTCAR
29
It gives you an out : EGRESS
34
The Buckeyes: Abbr. : OSU
35
Heralded : RANG
38
What a rubber produces? : GENIE
39
Secret message : LFIXLEVIRHYOLDM
43
Hall-of-Fame coach Mike : DITKA
44
Author Wiesel : ELIE
45
Clay, after transformation : ALI
46
English essayist Sir Richard : STEELE
48
Unpleasant ones : NASTIES
51
Landers and others : ANNS
54
Opus ___ : DEI
55
Other half of the decoder ring : ZYXWVUTSRQPON
61
Thailand, once : SIAM
62
More than hot : IRATE
63
Gave the go-ahead : OKED
65
French 101 verb : ETRE
66
Pluralizers : ESSES
67
Woman of the haus : FRAU
68
Its motto is L'Étoile du Nord: Abbr. : MINN
69
Thomas Jefferson, religiously : DEIST
70
Inevitability : FATE
Down
1
Not-so-apt word for Abner : LIL
2
Suitable for service : ONEA
3
Shore catch : CRAB
4
One who's beat but good? : HEPCAT
5
"Be well" : TAKECARE
6
Catchphrase from "Clueless" : ASIF
7
Poppycock : BILGE
8
They may be made with Bibles : OATHS
9
Present : ONSITE
10
Be rough with the reins : JERK
11
Flattened figure : OVAL
12
Earthwork : BERM
13
Madrid Mme. : SRA
21
Big holiday mo. : DEC
22
Notched : JAGGY
25
Makes origami : FOLDS
26
Comparatively healthy : ASFIT
27
Deluxe accommodations : SUITE
28
All-night party : RAVE
30
Early auto : REO
31
Zhou ___ : ENLAI
32
Move like a 3-Down : SIDLE
33
Tournament round : SEMIS
36
Nothing : NIL
37
Smile : GRIN
40
Classic Jaguar : XKE
41
Hit 1980's-90's NBC drama : LALAW
42
Car safety feature : HEADREST
47
Coveted : ENVIED
49
Et ___ (footnote abbr.) : SEQ
50
Warn : TIPOFF
52
Hospital figure : NURSE
53
Former East German secret police : STASI
55
Tubes in the kitchen : ZITI
56
Tale : YARN
57
Marvel Comics heroes : XMEN
58
Jeanne d'Arc et al.: Abbr. : STES
59
Gumbo component : OKRA
60
Without ice : NEAT
61
Relig. training ground : SEM
64
Company in Italy? : DUE

Answer summary:
2 unique to this puzzle, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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