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New York Times, Thursday, June 24, 2010

Author:
John Farmer
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
61-Across : Plummet ... or what this puzzle's theme answers do?
TotalDebutLatest
331/25/20061/29/2015
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
21361083
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
271.6417668%
John Farmer

This puzzle:

Rows: 16, Columns: 15 Words: 73, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JQWXZ} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 21 for Mr. Farmer. Thursday freshness: 94%
Jim Horne notes:

Three 18-letter theme answers snake across the grid, each taking a nose dive on the word NOSE.

1
D
2
I
3
A
4
G
N
6
N
7
C
8
O
9
F
10
A
11
M
12
E
13
D
14
E
T
H
I
O
15
P
I
A
N
16
T
H
A
N
E
17
M
A
I
L
S
A
C
K
S
18
D
A
N
T
E
19
M
L
K
E
T
H
E
P
21
R
O
B
L
E
M
22
E
Y
E
23
S
24
T
O
S
E
E
D
25
Y
R
S
26
C
27
O
I
L
28
C
I
G
29
S
30
I
31
T
32
M
A
K
E
S
N
34
M
E
T
35
H
36
O
37
D
38
C
H
O
R
D
39
O
O
40
F
S
41
P
Y
R
O
42
B
O
D
E
43
A
N
S
A
44
R
E
P
E
L
45
M
R
S
U
46
L
U
E
N
48
S
E
T
O
M
E
49
P
A
N
50
G
51
N
E
V
E
52
S
53
H
54
A
55
S
T
E
56
V
I
E
57
R
58
A
59
N
60
T
61
T
A
K
62
E
A
S
T
E
E
P
N
64
M
B
A
65
A
G
I
N
G
66
S
E
M
I
O
67
T
I
C
S
68
M
A
T
I
N
69
T
R
A
N
S
A
C
T
S
70
P
R
A
D
A
71
O
S
E
E
D
I
V
E
© 2010, The New York Times6/24/10 ( No. 22,143 )
Across
1
Find out what's wrong : DIAGNOSETHEPROBLEM
6
Squad leader, e.g.: Abbr. : NCO
9
Oft-talked of : FAMED
14
Like Moses' wife, per Numbers 12:1 : ETHIOPIAN
16
Cawdor title : THANE
17
Loot in an old train robbery : MAILSACKS
18
"A great flame follows a little spark" writer : DANTE
19
Monogram of 1964's Nobel Peace laureate : MLK
22
Regards : EYES
24
Downhill : TOSEED
25
Sports seasons: Abbr. : YRS
26
Wind up : COIL
28
Coffin nails : CIGS
30
34
___ acting : METHOD
38
Key combination : CHORD
39
"Batman" sound effects : OOFS
41
Ignition system expert? : PYRO
42
Augur : BODE
43
Jug handle, in archaeology : ANSA
44
Turn off : REPEL
45
U.S.S. Enterprise crewman, to Kirk : MRSULU
49
Qualm : PANG
51
"Scream" actress Campbell : NEVE
52
Doo-wop syllable : SHA
55
Nicks of rock : STEVIE
57
Blow a gasket : RANT
61
Plummet ... or what this puzzle's theme answers do? : TAKEASTEEPNOSEDIVE
64
Deg. held by George W. Bush : MBA
65
Senescence : AGING
66
Robert Langdon's field in "The Da Vinci Code" : SEMIOTICS
68
Period before après-midi : MATIN
69
Conducts, as business : TRANSACTS
70
Milan-based fashion label : PRADA
71
Sugar suffix : OSE
Down
1
"Philadelphia" director Jonathan : DEMME
2
"A Farewell to Arms" setting : ITALY
3
"Take ___!" : AHIKE
4
Jazz great Evans : GIL
6
Actor in the Best Picture winners of 1975, 1983 and 2006 : NICHOLSON
7
They're sometimes upside-down : CAKES
8
Without assignment : ONSPEC
9
Old Army base on the Santa Fe Trail, briefly : FTDODGE
10
I Kings king : AHAB
11
Butch : MANLY
12
Welcome word : ENTER
13
Regards : DEEMS
15
Peppermint ___ : PATTIE
21
Site of Germany's surrender in W.W. II : REIMS
23
Get ahold of with effort : SCAREUP
27
Having a permit : OKD
29
Subject in many a joke : STPETER
30
Part of the U.S. arsenal : ICBM
31
Onetime part of the U.S. arsenal : THOR
32
Some '60s hipsters : MODS
35
Needle, informally : HYPO
36
City near Provo : OREM
37
Republican candidate between Bush and Bush : DOLE
40
Mortgage giant founded in 1938 : FANNIEMAE
43
Clara and Harriet, in 1960s TV : AUNTS
44
Short circuit? : REV
46
"Mangia!" dish : LASAGNA
48
Come through slowly : SEEPIN
50
Bugs : GETSTO
52
Perforation site : STAMP
53
Viking in a Dik Browne strip : HAGAR
54
Dog breed Helen Keller introduced to the U.S. in 1937 : AKITA
56
Changes course : VEERS
58
Friends of Florence : AMICI
59
"More colorful" sloganeer : NBCTV
60
Café cup : TASSE
62
Children's author Blyton : ENID
67
Whisper : TAD

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 1 debuted here and reused later.

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