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NY Times, Thu, Dec 15, 2005 

Author: Patrick Merrell / Will Shortz
Wordplay | Analyze | Turn on Clue Tracker
Rows: 15, Columns: 15, Words: 78, Blocks: 36, Avg Word Len: 4.85, Missing: { H I J K L M N O P U Y }, Scrabble score: 280 (avg 1.48)
Open squares: 67, Cheater squares: 0, Freshness Factor™: 47.2, New York Times Across Lite file
This is puzzle 53 of 67 for Mr. Merrell — solos: 67, collaborations: 0, Sundays: 14

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Notepad: Can you figure out what's unusual about this crossword? If not, when you're done, read the first letters of the clues in reverse order.
JimH notes: Reading as directed in the notepad: the grid contains all the letters and only the letters touchtyped using the left hand.
1
W
2
A
3
R
4
S
5
D
6
E
7
W
8
A
9
R
10
S
11
E
12
R
13
E
14
A
B
E
T
15
A
D
A
G
E
S
16
X
E
S
17
W
A
S
A
18
S
R
E
D
A
S
A
19
B
E
E
T
20
A
S
T
R
A
21
R
E
V
E
22
E
R
S
E
23
E
V
24
E
25
D
E
T
26
E
S
T
E
R
27
A
28
D
29
D
R
E
S
30
S
31
S
A
E
32
T
A
E
33
S
E
34
R
35
F
36
S
T
37
E
38
T
39
S
40
T
W
A
41
S
42
T
E
W
A
R
43
D
E
S
S
E
S
44
A
G
R
E
E
45
S
E
E
R
46
Q
T
R
47
D
A
48
S
49
D
E
50
B
51
A
S
E
S
52
G
53
A
54
Z
E
T
T
55
E
56
S
57
W
E
B
58
A
V
E
R
59
A
G
E
60
E
61
S
C
62
R
63
E
64
W
65
S
E
T
S
66
A
T
A
R
G
67
E
T
D
A
T
E
68
E
R
A
69
S
E
D
G
E
S
70
E
V
A
S
71
S
T
S
72
A
S
S
E
R
T
73
F
E
S
T
© 2005, The New York Times
Across Down
1. Does battle : WARS
5. Name preceding "White Label" : DEWARS
11. Afore : ERE
14. Help hold up : ABET
15. They're often old and wise : ADAGES
16. Frame fillers in a perfect bowling game : XES
17. Exhibited severe embarrassment : WASASREDASABEET
20. Latin stars : ASTRA
21. Enfant's dream : REVE
22. Hebrides tongue : ERSE
23. Title role for Anne Baxter, 1950 : EVE
25. Grimace maker, maybe : DETESTER
27. North Pole, for Santa : ADDRESS
31. It might accompany a MS. : SAE
32. Stock ticker maker's inits. : TAE
33. Underclassman? : SERF
36. Dele undoers : STETS
40. Employees who once went up, up and away : TWASTEWARDESSES
44. Please, with "with" : AGREE
45. "Your Future" sign displayer : SEER
46. Time unit in basketball: Abbr. : QTR
47. Hearing figs. : DAS
49. Cheapens : DEBASES
52. Uncommercial periodicals : GAZETTES
57. Output of an arachnid : WEB
58. Testify : AVER
59. Essayist/novelist James : AGEE
61. Relative of a bolt : SCREW
65. Approximates the time of completion : SETSATARGETDATE
68. The Eisenhower years, e.g. : ERA
69. Aquatic "grasses" : SEDGES
70. "Housewife" Longoria et al. : EVAS
71. Teresa and Helena: Abbr. : STS
72. Say forcefully : ASSERT
73. Rear end of a slug? : FEST
 1. Electric guitar effect : WAWA
2. Tunic toppers : ABAS
3. Take ten : REST
4. Eyer : STARER
5. Ladies' org. since 1890 : DAR
6. Ems-Weser Canal feeder : EDER
7. Had water up to one's ankles : WADED
8. Tequila source : AGAVE
9. You push these at bowling alleys and on VCR's : RESETS
10. Lifeline for srs. : SSA
11. Nudge (oneself) : EXERT
12. Originator of a popular peanut butter cup : REESE
13. Dimethyl sulfate, e.g. : ESTER
18. Not spend : SAVE
19. Assails : BESETS
24. Start of North Carolina's motto : ESSE
26. Relaxation : EASE
27. Encouraging start? : ATTA
28. TV toon Deputy ___ : DAWG
29. Turtledove : DEAR
30. Embroiders : SEWS
34. Leachman replaced her on "The Facts of Life" : RAE
35. Ethel's sitcom husband : FRED
37. Honorifics for attys. : ESQS
38. Tours head : TETE
39. Lith. and Ukr., once : SSRS
41. Lighted-candle occasions : SEDERS
42. Animal milk source : TEAT
43. Sketched : DREW
48. North and South Dakota : STATES
50. Informal letter closing : BEST
51. Alphabet start : ABCDEF
52. Terrific times, slangily : GASES
53. Not let happen : AVERT
54. Olympian Z's : ZETAS
55. "Criminy!" : EGADS
56. Durable fabric : SERGE
60. It flows to the Elbe : EGER
62. Rant : RAVE
63. Guesstimates at J.F.K. : ETAS
64. Early Hollywood sex symbol : WEST
66. High ___ kite : ASA
67. The Atl. Coast is on it : EST
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