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New York Times, Saturday, February 11, 2012

Author:
Joe Krozel
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Father-and-son Connecticut congressmen Thomas and Chris
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
877/7/20066/14/201815
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
4147242621
CircleScrabDebutFresh
51.4849785%
Joe Krozel

This puzzle:

Rows: 14, Columns: 15 Words: 54, Blocks: 33 Missing: {BFJKQXZ} Spans: 2 Grid has mirror symmetry. This is puzzle # 53 for Mr. Krozel. Saturday freshness: 100%
Joe Krozel notes:

The first submitted version of this puzzle had fifteen rows: the sides of the heart tapered down further so that just a single entry connected the top and bottom halves of the puzzle. That entry also contained an unchecked letter passing between two blocks; I thought it appropriate for that letter to be an 'X' — the symbol for a kiss — but Will rejected the idea of an unchecked letter, so it was back to the drawing board.

The final design clearly has three vertical entries which connect the top and bottom. This was no trivial undertaking. I think I entered over 20,000 words to my word list before coming up with the particular choices for 12-D and 13-D. Ironically, it wasn't until I put GALLIUM into the working part of my word list that the whole fill coalesced.

Getting TENDERHEARTEDLY into the fill was somewhat fortuitous since it initially appeared that nothing thematic was going to work in that spot. I had a list of about 30 valentine-related 15-letter entries to screen.

1
R
2
I
3
P
4
S
5
A
6
W
7
G
O
P
R
8
O
9
S
E
L
I
10
G
11
G
A
L
L
I
U
12
M
13
C
H
A
I
N
E
14
D
15
A
L
L
A
N
T
E
16
L
A
S
C
A
L
A
17
S
A
I
N
T
V
A
18
L
E
N
T
I
N
E
S
19
S
E
T
S
O
N
E
A
T
E
A
S
E
20
O
U
T
S
T
R
I
P
S
21
V
22
A
23
C
24
P
E
N
S
E
E
S
25
M
26
M
27
L
28
E
N
A
29
S
30
D
O
D
D
S
31
P
E
A
L
32
S
T
R
A
33
P
34
T
I
L
35
E
E
N
I
E
36
T
E
N
D
E
37
R
H
E
A
38
R
T
E
D
L
Y
39
A
D
E
L
P
H
I
40
N
E
A
R
E
S
T
41
L
U
R
E
S
I
N
42
E
S
P
A
R
T
O
43
S
P
A
R
I
N
G
44
S
T
E
T
S
O
N
© 2012, The New York Times2/11/12 ( No. 22,740 )
Across
1
Fashion show disaster : RIP
4
Dated : SAW
7
Make a major decision? : GOPRO
9
Head honcho in baseball : SELIG
11
Element in many semiconductors : GALLIUM
13
Like galley slaves, typically : CHAINED
15
Late 1980s Cadillac : ALLANTE
16
Literally, "the Stairway" : LASCALA
17
___ Day : SAINTVALENTINES
19
Makes a person less tense : SETSONEATEASE
20
Exceeds, as demand : OUTSTRIPS
21
Closet item, for short : VAC
24
Collection of Blaise Pascal writings : PENSEES
25
Middle of this century : MML
28
Spanish queen and namesakes : ENAS
30
Father-and-son Connecticut congressmen Thomas and Chris : DODDS
31
Big ring : PEAL
32
Buckle attachment : STRAP
34
9-5 connector : TIL
35
Choice word? : EENIE
36
With love : TENDERHEARTEDLY
39
Long Island university : ADELPHI
40
Like the relatives notified in emergencies, usually : NEAREST
41
Entices : LURESIN
42
Grass for some baskets : ESPARTO
43
Economical : SPARING
44
It might be tipped at a rodeo : STETSON
Down
1
Fingers on a diamond : ROLLIE
2
"That's my intention" : IPLANTO
3
Quickly reproduces : PRINTSUP
4
Ship's boarding ladder : SEASTEPS
5
Keys and Markova : ALICIAS
6
CeCe of gospel : WINANS
7
Lavish events : GALAS
8
Like John Kerry in 2004 : OUTVOTED
9
Opposites of mansions : SHANTIES
10
Food topping in France : GELEE
11
Blast : GAS
12
Has no significance : MEANSNOTHING
13
They let traffic through after a crash : CLEAREDLANES
14
German article : DAS
18
Doesn't continue, as an argument : LETSDIE
21
Maintainers of a sacred flame in ancient Rome : VESTALS
22
Made a commitment to play : ANTEDUP
23
Boxing Hall-of-Famer Primo : CARNERA
25
Sewers, often : MENDERS
26
Sends : MAILSTO
27
___ Hewitt, 2002 Wimbledon winner : LLEYTON
29
Nascar driver Elliott : SADLER
31
Eye : PEERAT
33
One side of a longstanding ad battle : PEPSI
35
Military encampment : ETAPE
37
Nose: Prefix : RHIN
38
Sign for a musician not to play : REST

Answer summary:
10 unique to this puzzle, 3 debuted here and reused later, 4 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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