Saturday, January 21, 2023

Today’s Saturday Stumper

Today’s Newsday  Saturday Stumper, is by the puzzle’s editor, Stan Newman, constructing as “Anna Stiga” (Stan Again), the pseudonym that signals an easier Stumper. The right half of the puzzle — yes, easier. I started with 29-A, five letters, “Chilling” and 12-D, eight letters, “Schubert sacred song” and soon had half of the puzzle done. The left was tougher.

Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:

1-A, ten letters, “Brown-orbed breakfast.” This clue gets the puzzle off to a whimsical start. My first thought was WHEATCAKES, but they’re discs, not orbs.

9-D, five letters, “Green toon with a ‘Fairytale’ Baskin-Robbins flavor.” I think most solvers will choose wrongly.

11-A, four letters, “Son of Marge and Homer.” See 9-D.

15-A, then letters, “Newly coined (9/20/22) name in the news.” I’m not sure that the date is right, but I don’t care either.

19-A, three letters, “Key to leave with.” Clever.

22-A, five letters, “Long divisions.” Nicely punning.

23-D, four letters, “‘My dream world is complete Hieronymous Bosch and ___’: Lennon.” My first guess was ACID.

37-D, eight letters, “She first met 15-Across last September 9th.” Oh, her.

41-A, three letters, “Staple of Canadian music education.” I did not know that.

43-A, five letters, “Clamshell, for Neanderthals.” SCOOP? SPOON?

51-D, five letters, “Jazz singer with a damehood.” I had to reach a bit for the name.

62-D, three letters, “What may be found between two dogs.” Stumpery!

One problem: 1-D, six letters, “Introductions to oboe music.” I thought this clue was clever, but Elaine pointed out that it’s mistaken.

My favorite in this puzzle: 25-A, nine letters, “About a third of 1/2.”

No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.

comments: 2

Michael Leddy said...

EERIE. AVEMARIA. COCOAPUFFS. FIONA. MATT. (Groening.). CHARLESIII.

ESC. FEUDS. DALI. LIZTRUSS. RAZOR. LAINE. (Cleo.) EAT. CCLEFS.
(Oboe music is written in the G clef. “Introductions to viola music”
would be the surest clue.)

SLASHMARK.

Michael Leddy said...

I’m not sure what happened with the line breaks. Let me make things more readable:

EERIE. AVEMARIA. COCOAPUFFS. FIONA. MATT. (Groening.). CHARLESIII.

ESC. FEUDS. DALI. LIZTRUSS. RAZOR. LAINE. (Cleo.) EAT.

CCLEFS. (Oboe music is written in the G clef. “Introductions to viola music” would be the surest clue.)

SLASHMARK.