Saturday, February 13, 2021

Today’s Newsday Saturday

Today’s Newsday  Saturday crossword is by Matthew Sewell. It’s not a Stumper, but it has challenges (10-A, ten letters, “Heaven help me!”), cleverness (57-A, nine letters, “Twist entreaty”), novelty (17-A, nine letters, “Top for telemeetings”), and a fun fact (27-A, three letters, “Fighter who created the ‘Me? / Whee!’ poem (1975)”). Truly, this was a puzzle to 25-A, five letters, “Spend time relishing.”

Some clue-and-answer pairs I especially liked:

16-A, five letters, “Beat guy now a Sir.” And a friend of a friend.

24-D, five letters, “Something checked in a case.” BANJO? VIOLA? Nah.

32-A, nine letters, “Box set holders.” I like box sets.

38-D, seven letters, “Creepy one?” There are so many possibilities these days.

40-A, four letters, “Plum kin.” Gentle misdirection. And a clue rhymes with another fruit.

46-D, four letters, “Works at home.” 17-A made me think for a moment that this answer was supposed to have something to do with telework.

My favorite clue in this puzzle is 57-A, “Twist entreaty.” My first thought: COMEONBABY, but that’s ten letters, and I’m no great shakes on the dance floor anyway.

No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.

comments: 1

Michael Leddy said...

INEEDASIGN. PLEASESIR. From Oliver Twist:

Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity:

“Please, sir, I want some more.”

ZOOMSHIRT. ALI. (See this film, at 24:11.)

SAVOR. RINGO. (Friend of Van Dyke Parks.)

ALIBI. SLIPCASES. REPTILE. PUCE. BATS.