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Herb L. Risteen
Herb L. Risteen

New York Times, Wednesday, May 16, 1979

17-Across : Cause a desert to bloom

Author:
Herb L. Risteen
Editor:
Eugene T. Maleska
Rows: 15, Columns: 15, Words: 74, Blocks: 38, Avg Word Len: 5.05, Missing: { J P Q X Y Z }, Scrabble score: 256 (avg 1.37)
Open Squares: 64, Cheaters: 6, FITB: 3, XRef: 2, Spans: 1, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 3
Herb L. Risteen has 244 known pre-Shortz puzzles in our database.
1
S
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C
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R
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E
5
A
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M
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M
8
E
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T
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E
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R
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O
L
E
O
L
E
13
F
14
A
I
L
U
R
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15
S
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W
A
G
N
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R
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I
R
R
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G
A
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S
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I
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M
I
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D
D
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S
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N
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S
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M
24
T
I
D
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D
25
H
E
R
O
26
A
N
T
A
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A
L
L
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B
O
R
E
R
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D
E
E
R
30
E
N
E
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C
A
R
32
S
T
R
I
33
K
E
A
S
34
O
U
R
N
35
O
36
T
37
E
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N
I
L
39
A
L
B
40
E
M
U
S
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C
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A
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G
E
D
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A
R
M
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T
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N
T
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I
C
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R
47
F
L
O
A
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T
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S
S
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G
U
N
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L
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G
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N
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S
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S
S
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R
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A
M
E
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R
I
C
A
N
57
R
E
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C
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T
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R
E
V
E
R
T
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D
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S
L
A
V
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D
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N
A
V
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E
L
D
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S
© 1979, The New York TimesNo. 10,781
Across
1
Horror-film sound : SCREAM
7
Lyricist's concern : METER
12
Ricardo's "Rah! Rah!" : OLEOLE
13
Broadway "turkeys" : FAILURES
16
"Tannhäuser" composer : WAGNER
17
Cause a desert to bloom : IRRIGATE
18
Hindu title : SRI
19
Blouses : MIDDIES
21
Break a Commandment : SIN
22
Doctrine : ISM
24
___ over (helped with funds) : TIDED
25
Sergeant York was one : HERO
26
Theater acronym : ANTA
27
With 55 Across, candidate for the N.F.L. : ALL
28
Shipworm : BORER
29
Axis or pudu : DEER
30
Suffix with acetyl and amyl : ENE
31
Suburbanite's sine qua non : CAR
32
Go off-pitch : STRIKEASOURNOTE
38
Zero : NIL
39
Priestly vestment : ALB
40
Aussie birds : EMUS
41
Imprisoned : CAGED
44
Sofa part : ARM
45
Shading : TINT
46
Bakery employee : ICER
47
Parade entry : FLOAT
49
Direction : SSE
50
Long Tom : GUN
51
Ponds, French style : LAGUNES
53
Ukr. is one : SSR
55
See 27 Across : AMERICAN
57
Talk before the class : RECITE
59
Took up former habits : REVERTED
60
Worked hard for nothing : SLAVED
61
Church sections : NAVES
62
Church officials : ELDERS
Down
1
Boars' mates : SOWS
2
Benny Goodman plays it : CLARINET
3
Singer's voice range : REGISTER
4
Mind-boggling period : EON
5
Turkish imperial standard : ALEM
6
Earn : MERIT
7
Stuck in gook : MIRED
8
Ivy League team : ELIS
9
Harbor vessel : TUG
10
Hit man : ERASER
11
Go to bed : RETIRE
13
Tinkers with : FIDDLESAROUND
14
Blithe spirit : ARIEL
15
Man of La Mancha : SENOR
20
Actress-singer Ross : DIANA
23
Spacecraft sent toward Mars : MARINER
25
Stingers : HORNETS
26
Want ___ : ADS
28
Where to find a pink lady : BAR
30
Snipefish : EEL
31
Ernie Banks was one : CUB
33
Tease playfully : KID
34
"___ River," Kern song : OLMAN
35
Leaving out : OMISSIVE
36
Tin Pan Alley personage : TUNESTER
37
Book by Carl Frederick: 1976 : EST
41
Maduro, e.g. : CIGAR
42
Businessman's asset : ACUMEN
43
League of Nations seat : GENEVA
44
Seaweed : ALGAE
47
Data : FACTS
48
Succinct : TERSE
51
Money in Modena : LIRE
52
Hawk : SELL
54
Seaver's teammates : REDS
56
Motor turn, for short : REV
58
Ill-bred person : CAD

Answer summary:
2 unique to this puzzle, 1 debuted here and reused later, 6 appeared only in pre-Shortz puzzles.

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

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