This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.
John M. Samson
John M. Samson

12 CHRISTMAS GIFTS

New York Times, Sunday, December 22, 1991

112-Across : Futile

Author:
John M. Samson
Editor:
Eugene T. Maleska
Rows: 21, Columns: 21, Words: 140, Blocks: 73, Avg Word Len: 5.26, Missing: { J Q X Z }, Scrabble score: 541 (avg 1.47)
Open Squares: 122, Cheaters: 4, FITB: 3, XRef: 1, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 8 Grid has duplicate clues.
John M. Samson has 49 known pre-Shortz puzzles, and 1 Modern Era crossword in our database.
1
S
2
A
3
N
4
T
5
A
6
B
7
A
8
L
9
A
10
S
11
A
12
D
13
A
14
M
15
F
16
L
17
A
18
G
19
P
R
E
E
N
20
A
D
A
G
E
21
L
I
D
O
22
A
O
N
E
23
C
E
L
L
A
24
N
O
V
A
E
25
P
A
R
T
26
R
I
D
G
E
27
C
A
L
L
I
28
N
G
B
I
R
D
29
S
30
D
E
T
E
R
G
E
S
31
E
L
A
T
E
S
32
T
33
H
E
A
34
P
E
E
L
E
35
S
36
T
37
A
R
38
M
A
S
H
39
D
R
U
M
M
40
E
R
S
41
A
H
A
42
E
P
I
43
E
R
I
N
S
44
P
O
T
45
E
46
N
47
T
48
L
O
R
49
D
S
A
L
50
E
51
A
P
I
N
G
52
M
I
V
53
N
E
H
54
T
R
E
A
T
55
B
R
I
N
G
56
D
O
S
E
57
E
G
O
58
M
O
59
S
60
S
B
A
C
K
61
D
O
N
T
62
R
E
L
63
F
64
R
65
E
N
C
H
H
E
N
S
66
T
U
R
T
L
67
E
68
D
O
V
E
69
R
O
D
70
E
A
T
S
71
R
A
N
C
H
E
R
O
72
A
D
S
73
P
E
N
S
74
C
I
R
C
A
75
V
I
76
D
77
E
78
O
79
N
E
E
80
O
R
K
81
L
A
D
I
E
S
82
W
83
A
I
T
I
N
G
84
C
O
L
85
L
I
E
86
T
O
T
E
M
87
I
L
L
88
D
O
E
89
A
N
D
90
I
R
O
N
S
91
O
92
W
N
S
93
N
O
S
E
94
D
95
E
96
B
U
T
97
R
U
T
A
98
C
A
D
O
99
R
E
100
O
P
E
N
E
101
Y
E
D
102
P
103
I
104
P
E
R
S
P
I
P
105
I
106
N
107
G
108
G
O
L
D
R
I
N
G
109
S
110
M
A
L
M
O
111
T
H
R
E
E
112
I
D
L
E
113
P
I
E
T
114
A
L
L
E
R
115
E
E
R
I
E
116
T
E
A
R
117
E
C
R
U
118
M
A
I
D
S
119
S
W
A
N
S
© 1991, The New York TimesNo. 15,384
Across
1
Stocking stuffer : SANTA
6
Orange gem : BALAS
11
"Cantique de Noël" composer : ADAM
15
Colors : FLAG
19
Doll up : PREEN
20
Byword : ADAGE
21
Beach resort : LIDO
22
Superior : AONE
23
Naos : CELLA
24
Variable stars : NOVAE
25
"The World of Words" author : PARTRIDGE
27
Those with telephonitis? : CALLINGBIRDS
30
Cleanses : DETERGES
31
Thrills : ELATES
32
Mother of Eos : THEA
34
"The Old Wives' Tale" dramatist : PEELE
35
Tannenbaum topper : STAR
38
Crush : MASH
39
Traveling salesmen : DRUMMERS
41
Trio from Oslo : AHA
42
Prefix for center : EPI
43
Gray and Moran : ERINS
44
Puissant : POTENT
48
Jumpy noblemen? : LORDSALEAPING
52
DII doubled : MIV
53
O.T. book : NEH
54
Sugarplum, e.g. : TREAT
55
Fetch : BRING
56
Medicate : DOSE
57
Self-image : EGO
58
Rustic : MOSSBACK
61
Elvis Presley hit : DONT
62
Confederate gen. : REL
63
Poulettes? : FRENCHHENS
66
Slow pacifist? : TURTLEDOVE
69
Linear measure : ROD
70
Puts away : EATS
71
Vaquero's relative : RANCHERO
72
Radio plugs : ADS
73
Confines, in a way : PENS
74
About : CIRCA
75
Kind of tape : VIDEO
79
Society-page word : NEE
80
Mork's planet : ORK
81
Part of the holiday check-out snarl? : LADIESWAITING
84
A sheepdog : COLLIE
86
Indian's protector : TOTEM
87
Under the weather : ILL
88
Female kangaroo : DOE
89
Firedogs : ANDIRONS
91
Admits : OWNS
93
Rudolph's high beam : NOSE
94
Come out : DEBUT
97
Lee in "Funny Face" : RUTA
98
Range of NE Italy : CADORE
100
Alert : OPENEYED
102
Busy flautists : PIPERSPIPING
108
Spousal symbols : GOLDRINGS
110
Swedish seaport : MALMO
111
Preceder of 63 Across : THREE
112
Futile : IDLE
113
Magpie : PIET
114
German river : ALLER
115
TV's "___ Indiana" : EERIE
116
Wrench : TEAR
117
Very light brown : ECRU
118
Soubrettes : MAIDS
119
Cob and pen : SWANS
Down
1
Humane org. : SPCC
2
Quarter : AREA
3
Dudley Do-Right's love : NELL
4
Job O. Henry had : TELLER
5
"For want of ___ the shoe ... " : ANAIL
6
Pony : BANGTAIL
7
Taos buildings : ADOBES
8
Opulent : LAVISH
9
Seaweed substance : AGAR
10
Coconut, e.g. : SEED
11
Snowcapped peak : ALP
12
Magi headbands : DIADEMS
13
In the arms of Morpheus : ADREAM
14
Peace Nobelist John R. ___: 1946 : MOTT
15
Superlative for Snow White : FAIREST
16
Fraternal club : LODGE
17
Tannenbaum topper : ANGEL
18
Simpletons : GEESE
26
Chastise : REPROVE
28
City in SW Idaho : NAMPA
29
Sequence : STRING
33
Dangled : HUNG
35
'Tis the season to be chary : SALT
36
Sif's husband : THOR
37
Solothurn's river : AARE
39
Wassail : DRINK
40
Letter from Paul : EPISTLE
42
Renaissance sword : ESTOC
43
D. W. Griffith films : EPICS
45
Año nuevo time : ENERO
46
Beersheba's locale : NEGEV
47
Gunwale pin : THOLE
49
Denounce : DAMN
50
Brooklyn's "field of dreams" : EBBETS
51
Irish islands : ARANS
52
Two fortnights : MONTH
56
Biblical seamstress : DORCAS
59
Swerved : SHEERED
60
Cut of beef : SHANK
61
Blockhead : DUNCE
63
Coin for Père Noël : FRANC
64
Copland ballet : RODEO
65
Car of 1957 : EDSEL
66
Basin in W China : TARIM
67
Forage plant : ERVIL
68
Trifle : DOIT
71
Sleighs, e.g. : RIDES
73
Tip : POINTER
74
Forty winks : CATNAP
76
Prank : DIDO
77
Country Slaughter : ENOS
78
S-curve : OGEE
81
Joe Orton play : LOOT
82
Wide ties or knots : WINDSORS
83
"Matter of Fact" columnist : ALSOP
85
Wash : LAUNDER
86
Plodding one : TRUDGER
90
Peaceful : IRENIC
91
Peacock spots : OCELLI
92
Became friendly, with "to" : WARMED
93
Enoch, to Seth : NEPHEW
94
Loaf : DOGIT
95
Lyric poem : EPODE
96
Adjective for Loren : BELLA
99
Observances : RITES
101
Eek! : YIPE
103
Muslim scholar : IMAM
104
Spanish shovel : PALA
105
Soprano Petina : IRRA
106
Opposite of ja : NEIN
107
Turns right : GEES
109
Miami inst. : STU

Answer summary:
6 unique to this puzzle, 2 debuted here and reused later, 13 appeared only in pre-Shortz puzzles.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Crosswords published prior to Nov. 21, 1993 are provided by David Steinberg and The Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project.

Previous puzzle | Next puzzle
XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2024, Jim Horne
68 ms