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New York Times, Monday, February 14, 2011

Author:
Victor Fleming and Lynn Lempel
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
43-Down : Renounces
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
473/29/200512/29/202125
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
75107666
CircleScrabDebutFresh
21.5522358%
Victor Fleming
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
10212/9/19793/19/20242
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
673172130
CircleScrabDebutPre‑WSFresh
91.61331220%
Lynn Lempel

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 38 Missing: {FJZ} Spans: 4 This is puzzle # 28 for Mr. Fleming. This is puzzle # 52 for Ms. Lempel. Monday freshness: 50%
Constructor notes:

VIC: I admire Lynn's thematic tautness and deft touch with early-week clues. Always have. In late October 2010 she did a CrosSynergy titled "A Bone to Pick." The title made me think of "with you." as in, "I have a bone to pick with you." Her theme consisted of ILSAs (in-the-language stand-alones), the first unit of which could precede "bone", e.g. TAILWIND and WISH YOU WERE HERE.

My idea was to use "with you" as a reveal, with four partial phrases that could end with those two words. Falling flat, this idea morphed into, first, phrases ending with "you." And then into song titles, and then love song titles. I had trouble making a grid that would accommodate the lengthy theme — a good time to seek help.

Since Lynn had inspired the idea, I asked her if she'd collaborate. Her initial reaction: "Your proposed theme is pretty far afield from a bone to pick!" But she agreed, made a great grid, and wrote the clues. We pitched it to Will as a Valentine's Day special.

1
B
2
A
3
L
4
M
5
M
6
A
7
C
8
B
9
R
10
A
11
V
12
O
13
A
R
E
A
14
I
C
E
15
S
16
R
E
V
E
L
17
I
C
A
N
18
T
S
T
O
P
19
L
O
V
I
N
G
20
T
S
H
I
R
T
S
21
R
A
W
22
S
T
A
23
L
O
A
24
A
I
M
S
25
I
26
M
27
W
A
L
K
28
I
N
G
B
E
29
H
30
I
31
N
32
D
33
D
I
E
34
L
E
N
D
35
S
U
R
E
R
36
T
A
B
37
S
38
S
K
I
39
L
40
L
41
B
A
S
E
42
A
M
E
N
43
D
44
R
O
U
45
T
46
Q
T
S
47
G
I
R
L
I
48
M
49
G
O
N
N
A
50
M
I
S
S
51
S
O
O
N
52
C
H
E
53
B
54
A
55
G
56
O
N
O
57
C
H
O
O
58
S
59
E
60
S
61
O
N
L
62
Y
W
A
N
63
N
A
B
E
W
I
T
H
64
O
N
I
O
N
65
S
I
L
O
66
E
T
T
U
67
R
E
B
U
S
68
B
M
X
69
D
E
A
N
© 2011, The New York Times2/14/11 ( No. 22,378 )
Across
1
Soothing ointment : BALM
5
Big ___ (sandwich) : MAC
8
"Well done!" : BRAVO
13
Word after rest or residential : AREA
14
Puts frosting on : ICES
16
Take great pleasure (in) : REVEL
17
"___ 62-Down" (1962 Ray Charles hit) : ICANTSTOPLOVING
20
Tops worn with shorts : TSHIRTS
21
Uncooked : RAW
22
Depot: Abbr. : STA
23
Mauna ___ : LOA
24
Gets ready to shoot : AIMS
25
"___ 62-Down" (1953 Eddie Fisher hit) : IMWALKINGBEHIND
33
Six-sided game piece : DIE
34
Give for a while : LEND
35
More confident : SURER
36
Keep ___ on (watch) : TABS
38
Aptitude : SKILL
41
First, second, third or home : BASE
42
Change, as the Constitution : AMEND
44
Drubbing : ROUT
46
Some milk ctns. : QTS
47
"___ 62-Down" (1989 Milli Vanilli hit) : GIRLIMGONNAMISS
51
"Not much longer" : SOON
52
___ Guevara : CHE
53
Sack : BAG
56
Lennon's second mate : ONO
57
Takes one's pick : CHOOSES
61
"___ 62-Down" (1995 Hootie & the Blowfish hit) : ONLYWANNABEWITH
64
Peeling one may make a person tear up : ONION
65
Rural grain holder : SILO
66
"___, Brute?" : ETTU
67
Word puzzle with pictures : REBUS
68
Big name in stunt bikes : BMX
69
Faculty head : DEAN
Down
1
Cheese in a mousetrap : BAIT
2
Firecrackers' paths : ARCS
3
Jacob's first wife : LEAH
4
Philippine capital : MANILA
5
Errata : MISTAKES
6
Every play of Shakespeare has five of them : ACTS
7
Corp. honcho : CEO
8
Reads a little here and there : BROWSES
9
Sun. sermon giver : REV
10
Rara ___ : AVIS
11
Air outlet : VENT
12
___ Korbut, 1972 Olympic gymnastic sensation : OLGA
15
Parsley bit : SPRIG
18
Dweller under a bridge, in fairy tales : TROLL
19
Mary had a little one : LAMB
24
Fireplace log holder : ANDIRON
25
It helps you claim a suitcase : IDTAG
26
City known for its Heat : MIAMI
27
Big name in outdoor grills : WEBER
28
Sign, as a deal : INK
29
Wheel's center : HUB
30
Baghdad native : IRAQI
31
Hatchlings' homes : NESTS
32
Gown : DRESS
37
NBC weekend skit show, for short : SNL
39
Chaney of old films : LON
40
Carrier of a sandwich, soda and cookies, say : LUNCHBOX
43
Renounces : DISOWNS
45
California/Nevada resort lake : TAHOE
48
"___ Lisa" : MONA
49
Thugs : GOONS
50
Made Persian or Siamese sounds : MEOWED
53
Socially inept sort : BOOR
54
Meara of comedy : ANNE
55
Smooth-talking : GLIB
57
Smooth, as seas : CALM
58
Web page : SITE
59
Jazzy singer ___ James : ETTA
60
Steer clear of : SHUN
62
Object of affection in 17-, 25-, 47- and 61-Across : YOU
63
Penpoint : NIB

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

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