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Puzzles for April, 2012
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (1)Jim Horne (6)Hide comments
Sun 4/1/2012 OF COURSE!
FALLSCANABEAMFAVA
ASEAHOMECASTESONIC
CHANGEOFADDRESSTRYME
TENDRILTICKTHERE
CALICOSETACAPRA
CAPRIATISTROKEOFLUCK
ALOANVIEWPEREAGLE
BYEBYEBIRDIELADYBUG
LSTLOCKRIGELYES
ESIASONSWIPEISO
ACHIPOFFTHEOLDBLOCK
AREEUROSEARHART
SITRUBLEARABYOO
PROCESSPUTTERAROUND
AWRAPCAPNITAINGOD
MISSINGLINKSRACECARS
NOTSOLEEAAMILNE
IONICWANDREZONED
SHARDBACKSEATDRIVERS
GIJOEISLIPPORKERIC
TMANSHEDSTOYSRONS
Mon 4/2/2012
APARTDEBSSIS
PRIESALAILIMP
PORCHSWINGEXPO
SPYRINGMATTER
URLSMASHHIT
PLAITDUOPEG
LINTTUBULEROB
AMYBULLRUNABA
YAOOGLINGIDOL
LAYEMSKNEEL
MUDSLIDEMID
ANTHEMEASYWIN
ILIEPIANOSCORE
DIMSLORDMARKS
STEYUKSERNST

I like to think of this PLAY BALL theme as describing an inside-the-park home run. Following the ends of the theme answers in order, the batter starts with a SWING, and manages to HIT the ball. Then he starts to RUN. Finally he executes a successful SLIDE which must be into home plate because his team chalks up a SCORE.

Tue 4/3/2012
AMSOCCUROPTED
SAPNOOSETARSI
OROINSECTTRAPS
FRITOSADORING
NYLONTARPSNEU
OMENAMASWHEWS
WEDSNOWPRIEST
JACKSPRAT
STEAMYIHOPBOD
THUGSSLITPANE
EERANKLESTRAP
PROBONOCASINO
MOVINGPARTSSDS
OSAGEETHOSTOI
MENDSSTORYANT
Wed 4/4/2012
SCARSIGNABBAS
ROPEONLYGLORY
SOPHBOOSHOUNDS
PLATEBEESHOO
SEABRIESCSHARP
EDUATAOTTMSS
MUSEDMANIAS
PENELOPECREWS
DOONESWRITE
TOPFUNERAZAP
WHIFFSSTARGAYS
ISEEEMUISERE
SUPERSIGHSEDDA
TRALATAMIKROC
SENSETRONSYNC
Thu 4/5/2012
MASSIFNARYJET
AGASSIODIEOLE
GAMEOFCHESSCAP
THOLESKYE
FAQSHOWERSCENE
LEUMICHHAYES
ARIOSECKENS
BYLOTERADIME
TRIBOAVALON
ADDINRDELKIN
PRESELECTEDSLA
ROSHEARED
OVIRACINGFLAGS
NEGESTEARAMIS
SSNFESSROBOTS
Fri 4/6/2012
MAILBAGTOWNE
ALLORNONEAPHIS
GOLDENBOYPIONS
INBEDATRAELEA
CEESONMEDSELY
BAYDOGSIT
BRIMONCESUAVE
LACAGEAUXFOLLES
ORATESPCAPEST
WENTONOLD
AGTSNAFUSFLAW
FAWNESTSPLANA
USAIDSEIZEUPON
SEIKONAVALBASE
ESTESEGESTED
Sat 4/7/2012
DIORAMAACTABLE
IMNOTINTERESTED
PRICEONONESHEAD
SETSWESTEND
NOTEASY
DISCOLORSACHE
INTENDTOLASHES
CHANCEOFSUCCESS
TOTTERLACROSSE
ACESCOWRITTEN
SCANNED
BIGHANDIEST
HAVEAGOODMINDTO
ABERDEENTERRIER
NESTERSSTKITTS
Sun 4/8/2012 IN-NUENDOS
GODUTCHVACATEDBORG
INUTEROARCHIVEARNIE
AFRICANAMERICANSEINE
NOELMELOKNAPSACKS
NOSIRYOOHOODIOCESE
ITSTOLDUSINGAWATCH
YOREENORMEEGOS
DAPFOWLTREATYRESULT
IROCNSECPSEUDADE
SCOOPEASESTIGER
COLORFORVALENTINESDAY
SKIEDDOZESSPINE
PHIMEOWSDAMSYANG
JUDGESMATTERREPONOG
SMEECURLERAINU
THELONELIESTNUMBER
ASTAIREFONDUESLAVE
PARCHEESIURALAGOD
ASYLAWOOLFACETIOUSLY
SHOUTABUSIVEEMOTIVE
SANEYESDEARROOSTED

Theme explanation: circled letters denote words IN-side the longer answers. So, "1997 Will Smith/Tommy Lee Jones flick" is MEN in BLACK (African American,) "Preventive measure, proverbially" is STITCH in TIME (it's told using a watch,) "Headstone phrase" is REST in PEACE (treaty result,) "Lurid 1979 film about John Dillinger's girlfriend" is The LADY in RED (color for Valentine's Day,) "To be on the safe side ..." is JUST in CASE (judge's matter,) "Golf ace" is HOLE in ONE (the loneliest number,) and "One who looks friendly but isn't" is WOLF in SHEEP'S CLOTHING (wool, facetiously.)

Mon 4/9/2012
CASKSHREDBESS
AMOOPEEVEELHI
SOURGRAPESDIRE
ASPEIREABZUG
SALTYLANGUAGE
CAPSIZEMOOG
AVOIDWINGSPAN
RIOBSIDEORE
SANSKRITDOLLS
INEZTSELIOT
BITTERENEMIES
ONICEIRISHIC
INTOSWEETTOOTH
SEAMWELSHPURE
ERNSESSAYSTYX
Tue 4/10/2012
RAYSPSHAWKNEW
AREAOCALADIVA
NESTOHIOVALLEY
DANIELORTEGA
BLOATERFONDA
BARRELORGAN
BBALLLIRARST
ERNEBEGEMOLEO
TONVEGAOVALS
NAVELORANGE
CLINTCORRODE
ROLEREVERSAL
EFFEMINATEALLA
KILONIGELTEAT
EROSEDENSERIE
Wed 4/11/2012
HENCEHOPSQUID
ALOHAENTOUNDO
MILITARYASSAULT
ATICTEXAIMEE
SEEKOUTATTN
LABORPROTEST
PLAITISONBIB
LENTCASEYFATS
ENERAREBUYUP
BOWLINGSCORE
OLEOANALYZE
ADAGEARCLOAM
NOJOYINMUDVILLE
OLAFDOESINKER
SERFARNOMESSY
Thu 4/12/2012
NSAHAMELBARBQ
ATLOLIVEABORT
AOLRANEEDUBAI
CLARABARTONESP
PINETARIDEA
DIMEDESMOND
LABCOATESSENCE
ACERREAL
THROATSLEXICAL
SEISMICEXEC
SILOAERATOR
SPABLOODDONORS
KABULTRIOSNEV
ISUZUENNUIGAP
SATIERESTSADD
Fri 4/13/2012
GIVEMEONEREASON
INONESSALADDAYS
SOWHATELSEISNEW
TITANSSTIR
LONEENETAIL
CRANNYDEFOE
FREESTATESAWN
WTOCOWBIRDEAT
ELOIFILMREELS
LEFTSNEESON
LETHEERSIST
RUMPRAGTOP
YOURPLACEORMINE
INSTRUMENTPANEL
PASSESONDESSERT
Sat 4/14/2012
UPDRAFTSAPICAL
SEEABOVEPOCONO
ATMCARDSPOETIC
BRUISERSTHRESH
LORNEAIDSIREN
ELSEAMORENITE
JEANJACKETS
SPADESTOSSES
THEODOREREX
EARNPALINABCS
PLOTSGMTEGRET
FASCESBATPHONE
ONTAPEALICANTE
UGARTERIPOSTED
REREADKNOTTERS
Sun 4/15/2012 GRID IRON
SOFTBOSCSOJAYSDSOSBASSI
ELIHUALLOKMENORAHSOUTHAMPTON
EASERLEONIIMTHEKINGOFTHEWORLD
MYHEARTWILLGOONROSSITSK
KALIFLISFSTAFINEGG
FRNSFELFREETACETMILASAFRAF
EDITSDEISTSITATOPCIRRISNAFU
DAFPOUFFSANTAFLATEFESSTAFFD
ETATNOAHPABSTEEG
VHSNORAHADONAIBASEPAYTREMOR
WOOEDDRILLTILLNOWRAGESELOPE
SPUDMOMMIESCTEAMAGNACIDDEF
RASAAIREEBBSRIDQED
WINSLETDICAPRIOREGANSOU
OZONEAMISHELEVENACADEMYAWARDS
VOTEDLEVEEESSENCELUXURYLINER
EDERCHASMTREOSETDSSLAWS

I've highlighted the "reflection" squares. They spell out SHIP OF DREAMS. This titanic puzzle stretches several conventions. It's the first Shortz-era grid with up-down mirror symmetry. It is by far the widest. It's even bigger than Kevin's previous huge rectangle. It's not a size record, though, falling nearly 100 squares short of the seven 25x25 Millennium puzzles from 1999. (Here's one.)

I claim this is the world's first cubist crossword. There's the profile view of the ship and its reflection you have to draw yourself and, just maybe, if you squint at the arrangement of black squares, a top view of a ship sailing west. Do you see it? Also, GRID IRON is a great title for a puzzle that looks like a football field but isn't. The constructor tells the story of how he made this puzzle here on Quora.

Mon 4/16/2012
METASSNIECES
MANEBOAOOLALA
ORGSSTUDMUFFIN
AGATEDEAEEK
BIGENCHILADA
NEEDLEMATZOH
JAMSELALWEARY
OLEGOODEGGSAP
HINDUTOGAPINE
NATUREURGING
HUMANPRETZEL
ASHPRELEERY
SWEETIEPIEOBIE
PARLORADDURNS
STRIPELOTSAD
Tue 4/17/2012
SOFAIHOPSTADA
ABEDCADETOMIT
YOUAREHEREMINT
SEDGEARTROONEY
INSERRORS
USEOTHERDOOR
RUGSINAISOCKS
BLOCPANTSWHIP
SUSHIMACAUOWE
IMWITHSTUPID
SUPPERHES
ILLATEASERETRO
GNAWTHISSIDEUP
MATACORPSTALE
ASHYHYENAOMEN
Wed 4/18/2012
DAVECHUNGOKRA
EMAGMALESHEED
FANGONEUPINCA
ORDAINSTOBOOT
GNARSOWETOGIA
SALULNAROLAFS
AZODERAMYL
SQUAREDANCE
BEAUMODZOE
SUMACMITZICSI
ARAAMANAREHAB
ONERUNIKEBANA
OPTSTITLEOREN
HOHOTAHOELOSE
SPASSNARLANTZ
Thu 4/19/2012
CAPOPREOPESTD
ALECHASTOLEER
SINKISITIILSE
SANAAEGONGETS
ASANTENITPICKS
VENDETTABOOTIE
ASTRAUTOOUSTS
OUTSIDERS
VIALSHOERREDO
ANNLEENAILEDUP
SETSSAILSAFIRE
TROISKEWCOTAN
ERININTOWRIBS
SONGNOTREMOLE
TREEGWENSENYA

As explained at 35-Across, the three long vertical answers have OUTSIDERS, read as OUTSIDE Rs. There is an R missing from the top and bottom of each so you have to draw them outside the grid.

Fri 4/20/2012
ALIBABAASKTO
SODAJERKSBLEED
CALLINGINCOPAY
ONEEGGNEOATMS
TSRALDERNAPS
VALORGOETHE
DIESREHABBOY
LIKEHERDINGCATS
EANEGESTYOYO
GLOSSYPOINT
ATWOPAINTSHE
LOINTORLEAPON
ANTICKILLSTIME
GEICOSTUDPOKER
ESSEXNONZERO
Sat 4/21/2012
SQUABBLELAREDO
AUNTIEEMELOPED
NAKEDASAJAYBIRD
DYNASTNUNNSIS
ALOTBEASTPOSH
LETWANTTOIDIO
NACRESALEVE
MAZURKAATLASES
IDAREPRYOFF
SENSSTAIRSDUN
SNEEQUINTSUPE
TAGBURNUPENDS
AURORAEBOREALIS
REEKEDOVERTAKE
TRYSTSWIDEOPEN
Sun 4/22/2012 LETTING GO OF
ARACHNEHARHARAGEGAP
RESIDESETHANEROXANA
BATTLETHEBULGESOCIAL
OTOEDEAAMOEBAGENTS
LANDPLENTYLOCALE
LEMATBOOKTHEDEAD
UTEROEGANSIEADO
CASTTHOUSANDSOMICRON
LUKEAUNTSEARNNOTRE
ASIONCDECRUIFTHEN
MILKHUMANKINDNESS
ADOBESLOADFAIRHEF
BIDETBYOBBRONCSOYA
FOOTAGEDOCTORLETTERS
ANGAFBNOUNUPSET
BESTFRIENDSCLEAR
ASSTDAPOUNDFLESH
SHORTSPRITESMAASTO
HORTONORDERTHEGARTER
ESCAPESOIREESINGERS
SPARSETWOACTHONOREE
Mon 4/23/2012
PASTDUEPITAPAT
HYPHENSINARAGE
DEFICITMENTION
NOTPARKING
JERKEARTIS
ESAIFORNTEST
SKINIRVINGQUE
TINGDIODEFUME
EMOLOCKETLAMP
RONDOAIRATOE
CODNSCNENE
PEAKINGACK
BURRITOSILICON
ALIENTOIRONORE
DECAGONROYGBIV

You can read about and listen to the constructor here.

Tue 4/24/2012
GIRLRELICWITH
AREAETUDEINRE
LISBETHSALANDER
ESTSOOTGOOSE
GTOSARON
SHRIEKOPERATOR
TOERRGUNGATWO
AMIDASSETTOES
LENGUPTASEPIA
LOSALTOSNTESTS
RIOTSUES
STAIDATTAWAS
MIKAELBLOMKVIST
ODINBLAKEERIE
GENESTIEGTEAM
Wed 4/25/2012
CUBSWINACADIAN
IPANEMACOROLLA
ACMILANRCCOLAS
DCCOMICSBIT
PASEOEDYEENY
ECOMFASXFL
WCFIELDSATLAS
ERASMUSACCOUNT
EASYAJCPENNEY
ETDAEROENE
MUTTATVFASTS
ANAMCHAMMER
NCSTATESEVENCS
OLEARYSEDITOUT
RESTYLECOLETTE
Thu 4/26/2012
ITSTRIPODSEAW
NEORENOIRCLUB
CANDYAPPLERIGA
ISLAPIPESIN
FIRSTWWARAWEEK
LAONROTC
OMAHASROOTCROP
ASMALLWAFTERALL
TOSSDOWNONTIME
REIGNTAU
MATRIDEODORANT
UNHINGEMERE
MEINAWHOLENEWW
BERGGEARTOGAL
OLDWABBESSOXY
Fri 4/27/2012
COINSHIRTCARP
ANNACAMEOOLEO
STAMPOFAPPROVAL
THREETIMESALADY
ERSATZOATERS
SMEARYSPIED
LEAKYJELLSPIP
INRETAXESCANE
MDSPACEDMARTA
SILKSMERKEL
CHALKSKURTIS
DRAWATTENTIONTO
EASYFORYOUTOSAY
ANTEMARLANOTE
DEEREWELLYNEZ
Sat 4/28/2012
CHOCOLATEMOUSSE
EATONESHEARTOUT
NURSECLINICIANS
TSOHASMAC
OASISNITSARAS
REMSIDEPA
INTERNALAUDITOR
MAINTENANCEFREE
MAKEAMENTALNOTE
ICKENDTOO
EPICSTEESTAPH
UAEALEPEU
TAKENOPRISONERS
AHARDNUTTOCRACK
RAISESTHESTAKES
Sun 4/29/2012 INFRACTIONS
SPUDGOESGAGACASUIST
PESOUKULELESOVERDUE
ONEGENERATIONLOTIONS
THREEATTIREDWITUT
REDSEADRAWANDONE
HAWKTRIKOIVALFOUR
INONEHEAVENTARSAL
SEVENANACINBAHAI
STEELIESTATTHESTART
SISSYARVOARCSINE
TWPSAKSONEAVENUEROM
ARISTAEFIVECOPSE
DIXIECRATSSOITSEEMS
STYLESHEETSELIOT
ESTATETHEONESENSE
ASSNIREMCASIXREST
MEETONEWAYNOTNOW
EXPTWOTHRACEOILED
LITERALBEETHOVENSONE
ISADORAARMORIESNINE
ATLASESTOSSEDTOTSAR

I've highlighted the numerical components of the various in-fractions. Do the division to get the answer. So, for example, "like grandchildren" is 1/3 GENERATION or THIRD GENERATION and "high-end retail chain" is SAKS 1/5 AVENUE for SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. At 33-Across, "execute in a way" is not DRAW AND FOURTH. You have to go with the grislier interpretation of "execute." The answer is DRAW AND QUARTER. Clever puzzle!

Mon 4/30/2012
STEWBETTETODO
NOTEONREDIGOR
ORALBRIDGECLUB
BILLYBOBENTERS
RAINBONA
CAVERNBLUECRAB
APIANBAITONO
RANDSENSPLAIN
ICYPADSRINSE
BELLYRUBSASSED
IVESDENT
APPLESBRAKEJOB
BRUISEDRIBNAPA
LIRENAIVEUKES
EXESTWEEDPECK
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