Today’s Newsday Saturday crossword is once again by “Anna Stiga,” Stan Newman, the puzzle’s editor. The pseudonym signifies an easier puzzle. It’s a good one, though a few clues feel dated:
39-A, fourteen letters, “Christener of the ‘USS Missouri.’”
52-A, nine letters, “Big name in the TV business.”
63-A, seven letters, “Groucho hawked them on You Bet Your Life.”
Me, I’ve only seen You Bet Your Life with the original commercials removed.
A more contemporary motif appears in 3-D, four letters, and 47-D, five letters, both clued “Shania Twain, e.g.” My guess is that having the same clue twice is a play on twain. I hope so.
Some clue-and-answer pairs I especially liked:
1-A, seven letters, “Folks.” I did not see the answer until I did. The vowels make it tricky.
7-D, seven letters, “Willow-tree derivative.” I don’t know how I know the answer, but I do.
18-A, seven letters, “Where Falstaff premiered.” I don’t know opera, but I know Duke Ellington, and his work gave me the answer.
42-D, seven letters, “Literally, ‘harbor wave.’” I learned something.
60-A, seven letters, “Not analytical.” Philosophy!
My favorite clue in this puzzle: 13-D, ten letters, “Post stuff.” Are we speaking of the mail? Social media? Clever.
Free bonus: a clip of Lord Buckley on You Bet Your Life. Dig.
No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.
Saturday, June 19, 2021
Today’s Newsday Saturday
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MARGARETTRUMAN. ACNIELSEN. DESOTOS.
(And yes, they still have Nielsen ratings.)
ALTO. VIRGO. MAANDPA. ASPIRIN.
LASCALA. (As in “La Scala, She Too Pretty to Be Blue,”
from The Symphonic Ellington (Reprise, 1963).)
TSUNAMI. APRIORI. COLDCEREAL.
"Folks" seems to be a clue that's one step away from being dated. Of course, "Kettles" would have made it fully dated.
“Kettles” would be a killer clue. I find myself using “folks” when calling, say, the HVAC people (better than “guys”), but I’ve never used it about family.
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