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New York Times, Monday, November 2, 2009

Author:
Andrea Carla Michaels and Kent Clayton
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Ripley catchphrase that's apropos to 20-, 34- and 42-Across
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
866/12/20007/8/202455
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
762122300
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
241.6430622%
Andrea Carla Michaels
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
211/2/200912/7/20102
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0110000
ScrabDebutFresh
1.72629%
Kent Clayton

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 40 Missing: {JW} This is puzzle # 18 for Ms. Michaels. This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Clayton. Monday freshness: 55%
Constructor notes:

ANDREA:

This collaboration with Kent Clayton came about in a funny way. I had made a puzzle with SANTACLAUS 10, EASTERBUNNY 11, TOOTHFAIRY 10 with the reveal MYTHBUSTERS 11 a popular TV show for kids. I asked my across the hall neighbor if he was familiar with MYTHBUSTERS and would get the connection between these imaginary characters. He said, "Why not BELIEVEITORNOT?" which was 14 letters, always an awkward number to work with and didn't have a matching pair... but SO MUCH BETTER than what I had. So we changed EASTERBUNNY to THEEASTERBUNNY 14, et voila! A few folks carped that we used THE with EASTERBUNNY but not with TOOTHFAIRY, but I cared NOT!

As I had to start the puzzle from scratch, I offered to share credit with Kent and taught him how to make a puzzle with the rewrite. This then inspired him to want to do another, from scratch, which later became our Tues 12/7/2010 FOOTBALLMATCHUP puzzle a year later. A good collaborator can come from anywhere!

1
F
2
E
3
M
4
A
5
S
6
N
7
A
8
P
9
H
10
A
11
S
12
T
13
A
14
A
X
E
S
15
P
O
L
E
16
A
C
T
O
R
17
R
I
S
K
18
E
D
I
T
19
S
Q
U
A
T
20
T
H
E
21
E
A
S
T
E
22
R
B
U
N
N
Y
23
D
I
K
24
E
R
I
25
S
26
T
27
P
28
G
O
29
B
30
F
L
O
T
31
S
32
A
33
M
34
T
O
O
35
T
H
F
A
36
I
R
Y
37
T
I
N
E
38
I
N
L
E
T
39
H
O
O
40
S
A
L
O
N
41
C
Y
A
N
42
S
A
N
T
43
A
C
L
A
U
S
44
K
A
R
A
45
C
H
I
46
H
B
O
47
S
T
A
48
C
H
I
49
D
U
50
E
51
B
52
E
53
L
I
E
V
54
E
55
I
56
T
O
R
N
57
O
58
T
59
E
Y
E
O
N
60
S
P
A
M
61
T
O
U
62
R
63
A
R
G
U
E
64
T
O
M
E
65
E
Z
R
A
66
M
E
S
S
Y
67
E
D
E
N
68
R
E
N
T
© 2009, The New York Times11/2/9 ( No. 21,909 )
Across
1
U.S. disaster relief org. : FEMA
5
Crackle and Pop's companion : SNAP
9
"___ la vista, baby!" : HASTA
14
Lumberjacking tools : AXES
15
Gondolier's need : POLE
16
Thespian : ACTOR
17
Jeopardy : RISK
18
Step after "write" : EDIT
19
Baseball catcher's position : SQUAT
20
Spring egg distributor : THEEASTERBUNNY
23
Cartoonist Browne : DIK
24
Verdi aria "___ tu" : ERI
25
Gasoline additive : STP
28
Wad of gum : GOB
30
Jetsam's partner : FLOTSAM
34
One who leaves money under a pillow : TOOTHFAIRY
37
Fork part : TINE
38
Cove : INLET
39
"Yoo-___!" : HOO
40
Beauty parlor : SALON
41
Greenish-blue : CYAN
42
Head of a major toy outfit : SANTACLAUS
44
Largest city in Pakistan : KARACHI
46
"Big Love" airer : HBO
47
Depot: Abbr. : STA
48
Greek letter X : CHI
49
Kind of date for an expectant mother : DUE
51
Ripley catchphrase that's apropos to 20-, 34- and 42-Across : BELIEVEITORNOT
59
"Keep your ___ the prize" : EYEON
60
E-mail woe : SPAM
61
Band's schedule : TOUR
63
Disagree (with) : ARGUE
64
Heavy book : TOME
65
Poet Pound : EZRA
66
Sloppy : MESSY
67
Adam and Eve's first residence : EDEN
68
Landlord's check : RENT
Down
1
Distant : FAR
2
Lighted sign above a door : EXIT
3
Net : MESH
4
Posed, as questions : ASKED
5
Mention : SPEAKOF
6
Agrees nonverbally : NODS
7
Disembarked : ALIT
8
___ Best of the pre-Ringo Beatles : PETE
9
Owner of Scrabble : HASBRO
10
Result of a "not guilty" verdict : ACQUITTAL
11
Gobsmack : STUN
12
Means ___ end : TOAN
13
Pretentious : ARTY
21
Start of prime time, generally : EIGHT
22
Depend (on) : RELY
25
Adhere : STICK
26
Skater Harding : TONYA
27
From the extreme north and south of the earth : POLAR
29
Persian-founded faith : BAHAI
30
Possible sign of rabies : FROTH
31
George Eliot's "___ Marner" : SILAS
32
Provide ___ (allow to escape) : ANOUT
33
Group for geniuses : MENSA
35
Stubborn : TENACIOUS
36
Charged particle : ION
40
Search high and low : SCOUR
42
Prison weapon : SHIV
43
What situps tighten up : ABDOMEN
45
Biden's predecessor as vice president : CHENEY
50
Write in : ENTER
51
Smile from ear to ear : BEAM
52
Rochester's beloved governess : EYRE
53
Pants parts : LEGS
54
Villa d'___ : ESTE
55
Apple MP3 player : IPOD
56
Domesticated : TAME
57
Seep : OOZE
58
Chance to play in a game : TURN
62
Mafioso informer : RAT

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle.

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