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New York Times, Thursday, January 15, 2004

Author:
Patrick Merrell
Editor:
Will Shorts
5-Down : Mirage
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
917/10/20014/1/20202
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
22105133452
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
551.6149348%
Patrick Merrell

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JQVX} Grid is asymmetric. Minimum word length: 2 Featured in Will Shortz's favorite puzzles. Grid has repeated answers. Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 24 for Mr. Merrell. Thursday freshness: 37%
Jim Horne notes:

The experience here is not quite the same as the print version so it's best to print this out and solve it on paper. Here are the errors:

  1. unsymmetrical grid
  2. two-letter answers
  3. LORE in grid twice
  4. ACROSS heading instead of DOWN
  5. PUZLE misspelled (56A)
  6. 50A clue out of order
  7. two 13D clues
  8. phony 37D clue
  9. 47D repeats answer as clue
  10. Will "Shorts"?
1
S
2
A
3
W
4
S
5
I
6
P
7
S
8
O
9
M
10
A
11
S
12
S
13
E
14
A
R
I
E
15
L
O
A
M
16
A
L
T
O
S
17
N
E
N
E
18
L
O
R
E
19
N
O
I
S
E
20
C
A
N
Y
21
O
U
F
I
N
22
D
T
E
N
23
T
W
E
A
K
S
24
S
U
R
25
K
26
O
27
S
28
U
A
R
29
A
I
30
D
31
E
32
B
A
33
D
B
E
T
34
M
Y
35
S
P
O
I
L
36
T
37
A
U
R
A
38
T
H
I
N
G
S
W
39
R
40
O
N
G
41
L
42
I
E
U
43
S
E
E
I
N
G
44
P
45
I
46
S
W
A
T
47
C
48
H
49
S
E
N
T
50
G
U
N
51
D
O
M
52
A
A
53
A
54
G
O
55
C
A
R
T
56
W
57
I
T
H
T
58
H
59
I
S
P
U
Z
L
E
60
S
61
H
O
D
62
A
T
A
R
I
63
P
E
O
N
64
L
O
R
E
65
H
A
L
E
D
66
I
B
I
S
67
A
N
K
A
68
A
R
O
S
E
69
D
O
N
E
© 2004, The New York Times1/15/4 ( No. 19,791 )
Across
1
Often-told truths : SAWS
5
___ facto : IPSO
9
Tricky shot : MASSE
14
Racer Luyendyk : ARIE
15
Gardener's purchase : LOAM
16
Some saxes : ALTOS
17
Lava geese : NENE
18
It's passed on : LORE
19
Contents of some John Cage compositions : NOISE
20
Start of a question : CANYOUFINDTEN
23
Adjusts : TWEAKS
24
Big ___ : SUR
25
Whomps, briefly : KOS
28
Old Mideast combine: Abbr. : UAR
29
John Dean, to Nixon : AIDE
32
Sure way to lose money : BADBET
34
"Gosh!" : MY
35
Ruined : SPOILT
37
A star may have one : AURA
38
Middle of the question : THINGSWRONG
41
Place : LIEU
43
Discernment : SEEING
44
Common ratio : PI
46
Sample : SWATCH
50
Chamber piece? : GUN
49
Dispatched : SENT
51
Monk's title : DOM
52
Driver's aid: Abbr. : AAA
54
Track racer : GOCART
56
End of the question : WITHTHISPUZLE
60
Like workhorses : SHOD
62
Arcade name : ATARI
63
V.I.P.'s opposite : PEON
64
It's passed on : LORE
65
Compelled : HALED
66
Wading bird : IBIS
67
Ottawa-born singer/songwriter : ANKA
68
Turned up : AROSE
69
Cry that might be appropriate at this point in the puzzle : DONE
Down
1
Retreat : SANCTUM
2
Passage between buildings : AREAWAY
3
Bingo announcement : WINNER
4
"Toodles!" : SEEYA
5
Mirage : ILLUSION
6
Magician's sound effect : POOF
7
Draped dress : SARI
8
Things to be read : OMENS
9
Om, e.g. : MANTRA
10
Cream ingredient : ALOE
11
Malodorous pest : STINKBUG
12
Coded message : SOS
13
Language suffix often seen in crosswords : ESE
13
Compass dir. often seen in crosswords : ESE
21
African grazer : OKAPI
22
Put words in someone's mouth? : DUB
26
Anthem contraction : OER
27
Platform place: Abbr. : STA
30
Is hip to : DIGS
31
1995 country hit "Someone ___ Star" : ELSES
33
"Dagnabbit!" : DANG
35
Latched : SHUT
36
Affectedly dainty, in England : TWEE
37
Extinct Namibian shrub genus: Var. : ANG
38
Coordinated effort : TEAMWORK
39
Like some seats : RINGSIDE
40
First : ONTOP
41
Trip producer : LSD
42
W.W. II Pacific battle site, for short : IWO
44
Appropriate : PURLOIN
45
Blazing : INTENSE
47
Cat : CAT
48
Desired response to "Take my wife... please!" : HAHAHA
50
Open-sided shelter : GAZEBO
53
Perfume source : ATTAR
55
Noted archer : CUPID
57
What a germ may become : IDEA
58
Good sign : HALO
59
Ticks off : IRES
60
Hearst kidnapping grp. : SLA
61
Dear : HON

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

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