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Ernst Theimer
Ernst Theimer

New York Times, Saturday, September 17, 1988

17-Across : Start of a humorous conundrum

Author:
Ernst Theimer
Editor:
Eugene T. Maleska
Rows: 15, Columns: 15, Words: 78, Blocks: 36, Avg Word Len: 4.85, Missing: { J K V X Z }, Scrabble score: 272 (avg 1.44)
Open Squares: 70, Cheaters: 0, FITB: 2, XRef: 0, Spans: 4, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 7
Ernst Theimer has 50 known pre-Shortz puzzles, and 1 Modern Era crossword in our database.
1
B
2
E
3
G
4
S
5
D
6
A
7
T
8
E
9
R
10
D
11
A
12
Y
13
S
14
A
C
R
E
15
E
C
O
L
E
16
A
N
O
A
17
W
H
A
T
18
S
C
H
E
A
P
19
P
L
A
Y
S
20
L
O
B
21
A
R
I
D
22
A
L
T
O
S
23
A
L
E
E
24
T
25
U
N
A
26
Q
27
U
28
A
R
T
E
R
29
N
O
T
E
S
30
A
31
N
32
D
33
U
N
S
A
Y
34
O
R
E
L
35
D
I
E
36
A
I
T
S
37
P
38
A
R
E
S
39
L
A
N
A
40
F
D
R
41
I
O
N
S
42
M
O
N
E
L
43
F
O
O
44
T
N
O
T
E
45
S
46
T
O
B
O
O
T
47
A
S
H
E
48
A
E
R
O
49
P
50
O
51
I
L
U
52
A
C
T
S
53
R
54
A
55
G
56
A
T
W
O
B
57
I
58
T
S
H
O
E
59
H
O
R
N
60
R
O
A
N
61
O
A
T
E
N
62
A
S
I
A
63
T
E
S
S
64
S
P
A
T
S
65
M
E
A
T
© 1988, The New York TimesNo. 14,193
Across
1
Entreats : BEGS
5
Librarian's stamp : DATER
10
Diurnal periods : DAYS
14
Land measure : ACRE
15
Elève's milieu : ECOLE
16
Celebes ox : ANOA
17
Start of a humorous conundrum : WHATSCHEAPPLAYS
20
Tennis stroke : LOB
21
Desertlike : ARID
22
Choir members : ALTOS
23
Skipper's order : ALEE
24
Fish or pear : TUNA
26
Middle of the conundrum : QUARTERNOTESAND
33
Retract : UNSAY
34
City on the Oka : OREL
35
Something to cast : DIE
36
River islands : AITS
37
Trims : PARES
39
Actress Turner : LANA
40
H.S.T.'s predecessor : FDR
41
Charged particles : IONS
42
Nickel-copper alloy : MONEL
43
End of the conundrum : FOOTNOTESTOBOOT
47
Court great : ASHE
48
Danish island : AERO
49
French doughboy : POILU
52
Play parts : ACTS
53
Tatter : RAG
56
Answer to the conundrum : ATWOBITSHOEHORN
60
Horse color : ROAN
61
Made of a grain : OATEN
62
Land mass : ASIA
63
Hardy heroine : TESS
64
Tiffs : SPATS
65
Gist : MEAT
Down
1
Cry : BAWL
2
Reverberate : ECHO
3
Snatch : GRAB
4
Gel : SET
5
Edict : DECREE
6
More painful : ACHIER
7
Angled a nail : TOED
8
High note : ELA
9
Corded fabric : REP
10
Home of the Cowboys : DALLAS
11
Premed course : ANAT
12
Top on a string : YOYO
13
Lip : SASS
18
Piquant : SALTY
19
Discussion group : PANEL
23
Macaws : ARAS
24
Sped : TORE
25
All-purpose vehicles, for short : UTES
26
Drink : QUAFF
27
United, in Toledo : UNIDO
28
Nolan Ryan is one : ASTRO
29
Scandinavian : NORSE
30
Bell town of fiction : ADANO
31
___'clock (two bells) : NINEO
32
Passed out cards : DEALT
37
Cry of disdain : POOH
38
Item for a pot : ANTE
39
Timber wolf : LOBO
41
Mutinous: Abbr. : INSUB
42
Kind of code : MORSE
44
Hawks' weapons : TALONS
45
Perfumed bag : SACHET
46
Western range : TETONS
49
Role : PART
50
Siouan Indian : OTOE
51
"When ___ a lad ... " : IWAS
52
Charleses' dog : ASTA
53
American Beauty : ROSE
54
Pons vehicle : ARIA
55
Pesky insect : GNAT
57
Hawaiian hawks : IOS
58
Knock gently : TAP
59
Bad actor : HAM

Answer summary:
7 unique to this puzzle, 1 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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