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New York Times, Wednesday, March 28, 1951

Author:
Unknown
Editor:
Margaret Farrar
Rows: 15, Columns: 15, Words: 72, Blocks: 37, Avg Word Len: 5.22, Missing: { J K Q U W X Z }, Scrabble score: 265 (avg 1.41)
Open Squares: 70, Cheaters: 10, FITB: 5, XRef: 0, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 9, Grid flow: 27.6
Jim Horne notes:

8-Down: Bluestocking's degree, in arts. : LLA.

This clue relies on a combination of historical wordplay and an obscure academic qualification.

  • Bluestocking: Historically (beginning in the mid-18th century), "bluestocking" was a common term for an intellectual, literary, or highly educated woman.

  • Degree, in arts: This refers to the LLA, which stands for Lady Literate in Arts.

Historical Context

The LLA was an academic qualification introduced by the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 1877. Because women were not yet permitted to graduate from Scottish universities on the same terms as men, the university created this distance-learning diploma as a "degree in all but name."

It required women to pass rigorous exams across a variety of subjects at the same academic standard as a Master of Arts. The program became immensely popular worldwide and continued to run until the 1930s, long after universities had fully opened their doors to female students.

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© 1951, The New York TimesNo. 647
Across
1
Edna Ferber's Pulitzer Prize novel, 1925. : SOBIG
6
You. : SOLVER
12
Branch Rickey's men. : PIRATES
14
Shah who married a commoner. : PAHLEVI
15
Sea ear. : ABALONE
16
Toured the skyway. : AVIATED
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Head: French. : TETE
18
"The Rose ___." : TATTOO
20
Work unit. : ERG
21
Eat away. : ERODE
23
Have compassion. : PITY
24
Indian of Manitoba. : CREE
25
___ Oliver Franks. : SIR
26
Pixilated. : LOONY
28
"Father" of the Federal Reserve System. : GLASS
29
Star of "Royal Wedding." : ASTAIRE
31
___ Wood, artist. : GRANT
32
Handle of a sword. : HILT
33
Recipient of much tonic. : HAIR
34
Obdurate. : STONY
36
Folding money. : DOLLARS
39
Pillarlike monument. : STELE
40
Part of a rose. : PETAL
41
William C. Foster's agency. : ECA
43
Part of a doughnut. : HOLE
44
Flat piece of marble. : SLAB
45
Proceeding from the sun. : SOLAR
47
Ezzard Charles' T. K. O. victim. : OMA
48
Abode in Switzerland. : CHALET
50
Figure in the Teapot Dome scandals, 1924. : FALL
51
Harvard's font of humor. : LAMPOON
53
Future soldier. : DRAFTEE
55
Stars: French. : ETOILES
56
Lining fabrics. : SATEENS
57
Fashion. : MANNER
58
Dark blue or purple. : PERSE
Down
1
Symbol of slavery. : SIBERIA
2
Clay, Webster, etc. : ORATORS
3
Made into bundles. : BALED
4
Former Japanese statesman. : ITO
5
Man: Humorous. : GENT
6
Famous London hostelry. : SAVOY
7
Governor Lausche's state. : OHIO
8
Bluestocking's degree, in arts. : LLA
9
Campaigner. : VETERAN
10
Symbol of height. : EVEREST
11
Corduroy has them. : RIDGES
12
Heads: Humorous. : PATES
13
New York City is the world's largest. : SEAPORT
14
Budge ___, Wimbledon tennis champion. : PATTY
19
Part of a comb. : TINE
22
She loved Lancelot. : ELAINE
24
Miss Bow of the silents. : CLARA
27
Smooth in manner. : OILY
28
Submits to persistent questioning. : GRILLS
30
Fulcrum for an oar. : THOLE
31
Mardi Gras, for instance. : GALA
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Places favoring rapid growth. : HOTBEDS
34
Minute orifices in leaves. : STOMATA
35
Colossal figure of a man, used as a column. : TELAMON
36
Do business with. : DEAL
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Connects. : RELATES
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A kind of triangle. : SCALENE
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Author Asch. : SHOLEM
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Projects. : PLANS
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French city on the Rhone. : ARLES
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Farrier. : SHOER
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Proposal of marriage. : OFFER
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Nat "King" ___. : COLE
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Pitfall. : TRAP
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Flag staff on a golf course. : PIN
54
Took potluck. : ATE

Answer summary:
9 debuted here and reused later, 3 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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