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Frances Hansen
Frances Hansen

EXCUZE MY SPELING

New York Times, Sunday, February 21, 1988

84-Down : "Ain't It ___?" (Fats Domino's query)

Author:
Frances Hansen
Editor:
Eugene T. Maleska
Rows: 21, Columns: 21, Words: 140, Blocks: 68, Avg Word Len: 5.33, Missing: { J Q }, Scrabble score: 592 (avg 1.59)
Open Squares: 127, Cheaters: 2, FITB: 10, XRef: 0, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 12
Frances Hansen has 81 known pre-Shortz puzzles, and 40 Modern Era crosswords in our database.
1
S
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A
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S
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H
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B
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A
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C
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H
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S
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R
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A
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K
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E
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F
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L
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O
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G
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H
I
T
E
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A
L
O
O
P
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A
M
A
D
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O
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R
A
U
L
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A
D
O
L
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E
S
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N
C
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M
A
Y
O
N
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A
I
S
S
E
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H
A
L
L
M
A
R
K
28
C
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R
A
Z
E
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A
D
E
S
T
E
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B
E
L
T
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D
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O
D
E
33
I
R
A
N
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A
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L
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P
E
R
T
37
W
H
A
T
A
38
K
L
O
N
D
39
I
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K
41
E
42
T
E
E
N
Y
43
V
I
O
L
I
N
44
C
E
L
L
O
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R
O
M
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T
A
R
T
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T
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R
E
A
L
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B
R
A
M
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I
S
M
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C
O
M
M
I
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T
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T
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M
E
N
T
55
V
O
I
L
E
56
C
H
I
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N
A
S
E
A
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R
E
A
P
S
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D
E
O
D
A
R
60
S
U
D
A
N
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G
E
N
R
E
62
D
O
N
N
E
63
D
64
E
S
T
R
Y
65
C
O
V
E
N
66
C
O
N
T
E
S
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S
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A
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E
L
A
T
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D
E
L
I
T
E
71
R
I
O
U
S
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C
A
N
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G
A
B
Y
74
S
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T
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I
S
N
T
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P
E
N
N
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A
T
L
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A
C
C
U
M
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M
80
U
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L
A
T
E
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T
A
N
T
E
83
S
H
E
84
A
T
H
E
S
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I
R
I
N
A
86
V
E
R
T
E
X
87
S
T
U
D
88
B
R
A
N
T
89
M
A
L
I
90
G
91
O
92
T
H
A
M
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P
L
A
N
K
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S
A
L
E
S
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M
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A
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N
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E
M
B
A
R
A
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S
S
E
D
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A
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S
P
H
I
X
I
A
T
E
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R
O
A
M
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N
O
T
S
O
104
G
O
A
D
S
105
A
Z
O
V
106
M
O
R
E
107
U
S
S
R
108
E
D
D
I
E
109
N
O
P
E
© 1988, The New York TimesNo. 13,984
Across
1
Part of the window dressing? : SASH
5
Musical family : BACHS
10
Croupier's tool : RAKE
14
Belabor : FLOG
18
"Women and Love" author : HITE
19
Knock for ___ (stun) : ALOOP
20
Brazilian novelist Jorge : AMADO
22
Actor Julia of "Nine" : RAUL
23
PREADULTHOOD : ADOLESENCE
25
CREAMY SALAD DRESSING : MAYONAISSE
27
Distinguishing feature : HALLMARK
28
Rubik cube or pet rock, e.g. : CRAZE
30
Start of a Christmas carol : ADESTE
31
Big swig of liquor : BELT
32
Certain electron tube : DIODE
33
Middle East trouble spot : IRAN
34
Tijuana Brass trumpeter : ALPERT
37
"Oh, ___ Beautiful Mornin'" : WHATA
38
Gold rush region: 1897-98 : KLONDIKE
42
Extremely small : TEENY
43
ROSTROPOVICH'S INSTRUMENT : VIOLINCELLO
45
Male gypsy : ROM
46
Biting : TART
47
Participate in the lists : TILT
48
Actual : REAL
49
___ Stoker, "Dracula" author : BRAM
50
Doctrine : ISM
51
SOLEMN PLEDGE : COMMITTMENT
55
Open-weave fabric : VOILE
56
Taiwan divides it : CHINASEA
58
Gathers the sheaves : REAPS
59
Prized Himalayan cedar : DEODAR
60
Largest country in Africa : SUDAN
61
Art style : GENRE
62
"Death Be Not Proud" poet : DONNE
63
"___ Rides Again," 1939 film : DESTRY
65
Witches' get-together : COVEN
66
Ava played a barefoot one : CONTESSA
69
Send the spirits soaring : ELATE
70
HURTFUL : DELITERIOUS
72
Item in a supermarket pyramid : CAN
73
Shropshire simpleton : GABY
74
Location : SITE
75
"___ It Romantic?" : ISNT
76
William or Sean : PENN
77
Expanse east of N.A. : ATL
78
AMASS : ACCUMMULATE
82
"La Plume de Ma ___," 1958 Broadway hit : TANTE
83
Covers one's sword : SHEATHES
85
Skating champ Rodnina : IRINA
86
Highest point : VERTEX
87
Kind of poker : STUD
88
Wild goose : BRANT
89
Bamako is its capital : MALI
90
The Big Apple : GOTHAM
93
Part of a political platform : PLANK
94
Willy Loman, for one : SALESMAN
98
DISCONCERTED : EMBARASSED
100
SUFFOCATE : ASPHIXIATE
102
Wander about : ROAM
103
___ hot (middling) : NOTSO
104
Prods on : GOADS
105
Black Sea arm : AZOV
106
Oliver's audacious request : MORE
107
"Red" initials : USSR
108
Comedian Murphy : EDDIE
109
Slangy dissent : NOPE
Down
1
Pahlavi's title : SHAH
2
Amonasro's daughter : AIDA
3
Acronym for a certain plane : STOL
4
Dead set on : HELLBENT
5
Igneous rock : BASALT
6
On the qui vive : ALERT
7
Bop on the head : CONK
8
Hic, haec trailer : HOC
9
Menu bargain of the day : SPECIAL
10
Islamic fasting month : RAMADAN
11
Astonish : AMAZE
12
Danny or Sammy : KAYE
13
Conductor de Waart : EDO
14
Quaker : FRIEND
15
Highlands girl : LASS
16
Give the boot to : OUST
17
Hilarity : GLEE
21
Enjoying a winning streak : ONAROLL
24
Manicurist's board : EMERY
26
Major Joppolo's post : ADANO
29
French roast : ROTI
32
Gandhi's loincloth : DHOTI
33
___ ease (uncomfortable) : ILLAT
34
White elephant's destination? : ATTIC
35
Rover's restraint : LEASH
36
SANCTIONED : PERMISSABLE
37
Fred Flintstone's wife : WILMA
38
Laments loudly : KEENS
39
NACREOUS : IRRIDESCENT
40
Down Under eucalyptus eater : KOALA
41
Hard red wheat : EMMER
43
Flexible shoot : VIMEN
44
Thin pancake : CREPE
47
That is ___ (so to speak) : TOSAY
49
Daniel or Debby : BOONE
51
Staff officers' group : CADRE
52
Rome's famous fountain : TREVI
53
Belief : TENET
54
Château-Thierry's river : MARNE
55
Wall outlets : VENTS
57
Like a fruitcake : NUTTY
59
It goes with a cup of java : DONUT
61
Robot of Jewish folklore : GOLEM
62
Blackmore's Lorna : DOONE
63
"Prima Ballerina" painter : DEGAS
64
Israeli seaport : ELATH
65
Whale in the sky : CETUS
66
Old Roman receptacle : CISTA
67
Word in a French toast : SANTE
68
Building afterthought : ANNEX
70
Used the gaming tables : DICED
71
Laughing : RIANT
74
French prime minister: 1947-48 : SCHUMAN
76
Montmartre resident : PARISIAN
78
Rose distillation : ATTAR
79
Oriel : MIRADOR
80
Monitor lizard : URAN
81
Hookup : LINKAGE
82
Communications device : TELEX
84
"Ain't It ___?" (Fats Domino's query) : ASHAME
86
Carry-on luggage : VALISE
88
Consecrate : BLESS
89
Moslem Messiah : MAHDI
90
Spore : GERM
91
"Typee" sequel : OMOO
92
Ski lift : TBAR
93
Attention-getting hisses : PSTS
94
Mining nail : SPAD
95
Author de la Roche : MAZO
96
Over : ATOP
97
Field of glacial ice : NEVE
99
Trifling amount : SOU
101
Do a lawn job : SOD

Answer summary:
11 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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