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NY Times, Wed, Mar 23, 2005 

Author: Mike Shenk / Will Shortz
Wordplay | Analyze | Turn on Clue Tracker
Rows: 15, Columns: 15, Words: 80, Blocks: 36, Avg Word Len: 4.72, Missing: { Q V X }, Scrabble score: 302 (avg 1.60)
Open squares: 67, Cheater squares: 0, Freshness Factor™: 49.9, New York Times Across Lite file
This is puzzle 5 of 6 for Mr. Shenk — solos: 6, collaborations: 0, Sundays: 1

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Notepad: As a demonstration of speed puzzle construction at the 28th American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, on March 11 in Stamford, Conn., Mike Shenk took a theme proposed by the audience and created this puzzle, start to finish, without computer-assisted fill, in 60 minutes. Later, in a race to solve it, Trip Payne, of Boca Raton, Fla., finished first, in 3 minutes. About two-thirds of the audience completed the puzzle correctly within the 15-minute time limit.
1
C
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A
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C
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T
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I
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M
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A
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N
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D
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M
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P
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U
B
O
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E
M
U
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B
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R
A
S
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N
E
T
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S
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S
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P
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B
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O
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O
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P
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T
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M
28
A
K
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O
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A
N
K
30
L
E
S
31
Z
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N
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H
32
S
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N
33
M
O
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34
A
35
M
36
A
37
I
C
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38
S
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W
39
S
L
A
B
40
L
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W
41
H
A
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R
42
J
U
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A
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I
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M
A
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C
A
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N
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F
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U
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N
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48
M
A
Y
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T
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F
O
R
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F
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F
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P
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57
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60
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61
I
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K
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D
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N
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G
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63
R
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64
N
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65
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A
L
© 2005, The New York Times
Across Down
1. Desert flora : CACTI
6. Coated candy : MANDM
11. Interstice : GAP
14. Wolf pack member : UBOAT
15. Without company : ALONE
16. Outback runner : EMU
17. Vegetarian tennis star? : BEETSAMPRAS
19. Surfing site : NET
20. They're underfoot : SOLES
21. All in : SPENT
23. Greet the opposing team : BOO
26. Vanna's partner : PAT
27. Gets along : MAKESDO
29. Tibias' ends : ANKLES
31. Culminating point : ZENITH
32. Femme fatale : SIREN
33. Choral work : MOTET
34. Doc bloc, for short : AMA
37. Volunteer's words : ICAN
38. Bone connector : SINEW
39. Thick cut : SLAB
40. Kareem, once : LEW
41. Misanthrope : HATER
42. Roberts of "Mystic Pizza" : JULIA
43. Camera card contents : IMAGES
45. Mass parts : CANONS
46. Sunday paper section : FUNNIES
48. Memorial Day setting : MAY
49. Course start : TEE
50. Bound to experience : INFOR
51. Goes belly-up : FAILS
53. Rockies tree : FIR
54. Vegetarian film critic? : PAULINEKALE
60. Popular season on the Riviera : ETE
61. Drove to distraction : IRKED
62. Austin Powers's father : NIGEL
63. Curious George creator H. A. ___ : REY
64. Demands : NEEDS
65. Sharpshooting Shaq : ONEAL
 1. New reporter : CUB
2. Penny portrait : ABE
3. Runner Sebastian : COE
4. Does a doily : TATS
5. Answer to a knock : ITSOPEN
6. "American Buffalo" playwright : MAMET
7. Yodelers' milieu : ALPS
8. Hide-hair link : NOR
9. Modern evidence : DNA
10. Camper's gear : MESSKIT
11. Vegetarian film critic? : GENESHALLOT
12. Change the Constitution : AMEND
13. Tie up a boat : PUTTO
18. Sighed cry : ALAS
22. Sulky state : PET
23. Pesto base : BASIL
24. In reserve : ONICE
25. Vegetarian talk show star? : OKRAWINFREY
27. Poet's concern : METER
28. Fresh : ANEW
30. Cariou of "Sweeney Todd" : LEN
31. Shipping areas : ZONES
33. Itty-bitty bugs : MITES
35. L.L. Bean's home : MAINE
36. Lower : ABASE
38. Wise fellow : SAGE
39. Catch some rays : SUN
41. Kind of turn : HAIRPIN
42. "Leading With My Chin" author : JAYLENO
44. 6 on a phone : MNO
45. First born? : CAIN
46. Drummer's partner : FIFER
47. Bring together : UNITE
48. Hotel staffers : MAIDS
51. Hightailed it : FLED
52. It's got you covered : SKIN
55. Beatitudes verb : ARE
56. Island strings : UKE
57. Epoch : AGE
58. Salonga of "Miss Saigon" : LEA
59. Wing : ELL
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