This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

HEADLINES THAT MAKE YOU GO "HUH?"

New York Times, Sunday, December 28, 2003

Author:
Seth A. Abel
Editor:
Will Shortz
68-Down : Crime solver's aid
TotalDebutLatest
1412/28/20038/6/2021
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
6113120
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.577539.734%
Seth A. Abel

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 74 Missing: {JX} Spans: 2 This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Abel. Grid flow: 37.9 Sunday freshness: 0%
1
S
2
C
3
A
4
L
5
P
6
S
7
S
8
H
9
Y
10
N
11
E
12
S
13
S
14
M
15
A
16
R
17
A
18
C
19
A
20
A
L
B
E
R
T
21
W
A
S
O
N
T
O
22
I
S
O
B
A
R
23
F
A
R
M
E
R
24
B
I
L
L
D
I
E
S
25
I
N
H
O
U
S
E
26
E
P
A
27
C
E
R
T
S
28
S
G
T
29
S
E
C
30
T
E
A
31
B
E
S
O
32
B
A
M
33
S
P
R
A
34
Y
35
K
I
D
S
M
36
A
37
K
E
T
A
38
S
T
Y
S
N
A
39
C
40
K
41
S
42
M
43
A
I
Z
E
44
I
N
I
T
45
S
L
O
46
S
P
R
A
T
47
O
L
D
E
48
A
D
D
L
E
49
E
M
50
I
51
T
52
A
N
Y
53
R
E
D
T
54
A
P
E
H
O
L
55
D
56
S
U
P
B
R
57
I
58
D
G
E
59
E
V
E
60
S
O
S
O
61
E
A
T
62
M
A
G
I
63
S
E
R
64
T
A
S
65
W
66
R
67
A
I
T
H
68
S
69
D
I
N
70
A
71
H
72
S
73
E
M
T
74
S
75
E
T
C
76
K
77
I
E
V
78
V
A
T
79
O
80
N
E
I
L
L
81
I
S
F
E
82
D
83
S
E
C
R
E
84
T
A
R
Y
85
U
M
A
86
E
R
S
T
87
A
T
T
Y
S
88
R
I
E
L
89
R
A
P
90
I
91
D
92
L
E
93
I
94
M
A
C
S
95
F
A
L
S
E
96
I
R
A
Q
I
97
H
98
E
A
D
S
99
O
U
G
H
T
100
A
R
M
S
101
S
T
E
A
M
102
A
M
P
103
A
S
A
P
104
P
105
G
106
A
107
C
T
R
108
A
D
E
109
D
110
E
R
E
G
111
A
112
P
113
E
114
C
O
P
115
S
H
E
L
116
P
D
O
G
117
B
I
T
E
V
I
118
C
T
I
M
119
P
U
S
H
E
R
120
A
E
R
A
T
O
R
121
E
L
A
I
N
E
122
S
P
E
E
D
O
123
M
E
A
S
U
R
E
124
R
E
N
T
E
R
© 2003, The New York Times12/28/3 ( No. 19,773 )
Across
1
Rooting sections? : SCALPS
7
Reserve : SHYNESS
14
Latin-American rattler : MARACA
20
Consort to Queen Victoria : ALBERT
21
Had figured out : WASONTO
22
Meteorologist's line : ISOBAR
23
Ambiguous headline about agriculture legislation : FARMERBILLDIESINHOUSE
26
Superfund org. : EPA
27
They might save your breath : CERTS
28
___ Friday : SGT
29
Jiffy : SEC
30
Genteel affair : TEA
31
"Eso ___" (Paul Anka hit) : BESO
32
"Kapow!" : BAM
33
Many a perfume : SPRAY
35
Ambiguous headline about school cooking lessons : KIDSMAKETASTYSNACKS
42
It's all ears : MAIZE
44
Quick approval: Abbr. : INIT
45
___-mo : SLO
46
Nursery rhyme diner : SPRAT
47
Like a shoppe : OLDE
48
Flummox : ADDLE
49
Release : EMIT
52
"___ luck?" : ANY
53
Ambiguous headline about construction delay : REDTAPEHOLDSUPBRIDGE
59
First mate? : EVE
60
Passable : SOSO
61
No longer fast : EAT
62
Adoring trio : MAGI
63
Some mattresses : SERTAS
65
Specters : WRAITHS
69
Washington and others : DINAHS
73
CPR administrators : EMTS
75
Abbr. after a comma : ETC
76
Capital on the Dnieper : KIEV
78
Place for hops : VAT
79
Ambiguous headline about the Bush cabinet : ONEILLISFEDSECRETARY
85
Actress Thurman : UMA
86
Once before? : ERST
87
Some partners: Abbr. : ATTYS
88
Cambodian currency : RIEL
89
Fleet : RAPID
92
Island chain? : LEI
94
Buds : MACS
95
Two-faced : FALSE
96
Ambiguous headline about Mideast dealings : IRAQIHEADSOUGHTARMS
101
Pressing need? : STEAM
102
Place to connect a mike : AMP
103
"Rush!" : ASAP
104
Swingers' grp. : PGA
107
Basketball position: Abbr. : CTR
108
Summer quaff : ADE
109
Free from government control, slangily : DEREG
111
Parrot : APE
114
Ambiguous headline about a police action : COPSHELPDOGBITEVICTIM
119
Person behind a pram : PUSHER
120
Faucet attachment : AERATOR
121
Lady of Arthurian romance : ELAINE
122
Athletic wear company founded in Australia : SPEEDO
123
Music bar : MEASURE
124
Flat person : RENTER
Down
1
Sound's partner : SAFE
2
Express approval, in a way : CLAP
3
Magician's opening : ABRA
4
Apollo vehicle : LEM
5
Lead : PRECEDE
6
Underline : STRESS
7
"M*A*S*H" co-star : SWIT
8
Dutch painter Frans : HALS
9
Couture monogram : YSL
10
Acknowledges in passing : NODSAT
11
W.W. II code machines : ENIGMAS
12
"Undo" mark : STET
13
___ pad : SOS
14
Vein specialists : MINERS
15
Trash receptacles : ASHCANS
16
Pooh pal : ROO
17
Border : ABUT
18
Wine unit : CASE
19
Bailiwick : AREA
24
Platitudes : BROMIDES
25
Classic kids' game : ISPY
31
"L'Arlésienne" composer : BIZET
32
___ nut : BETEL
33
Defeat badly : STOMP
34
Big fat mouth : YAP
35
Leg-puller : KIDDER
36
"You betcha!" : ANDHOW
37
Drug unit : KILO
38
Drew in books? : SLEUTH
39
Cliff feature : CRAG
40
Classic Welles role : KANE
41
Inkless pen : STY
42
Customs : MORES
43
Popular painkiller : ALEVE
48
Jude, for one : APOSTLE
50
Company whose name is also its stock symbol : IBM
51
Wall Street workers : TRADERS
54
"Same here" : ASAMI
55
Clear in the winter : DEICE
56
Collected dust : SAT
57
"Uncle!" : IGIVE
58
Racket : DIN
64
Casual attire : TEE
66
Observed the Sabbath : RESTED
67
Justice dept. division : ATF
68
Crime solver's aid : SKETCH
70
Helps : AVAILS
71
Little sprinters : HARES
72
Do a do : STYLE
74
Certain camera, for short : SLR
77
Look that could kill, say : ICYSTARE
79
Poet Khayyám : OMAR
80
Store frequented by mechanics : NAPA
81
Its founder was born in Mecca : ISLAM
82
Obstruct : DAMUP
83
Like some parties : STAG
84
Disney canine : TRAMP
85
Mentalist Geller : URI
90
Faculty levels, for short : IQS
91
Deep-sixed : DITCHED
93
Dance pioneer Duncan : ISADORA
95
Crate label : FRAGILE
97
Straight man? : HETERO
98
Jazz pianist Hines : EARL
99
Alternatives to Movados : OMEGAS
100
Familiar complimentary close : ASEVER
104
Illicit drugs, briefly : PCPS
105
Rise : GOUP
106
Church alcove : APSE
108
Suffix with chick : ADEE
109
Christian name : DIOR
110
To be overseas : ETRE
111
Toiling away : ATIT
112
Fresh scent : PINE
113
Retired, as a prof. : EMER
115
"Ain't ___ Sweet" : SHE
116
Grier of "Foxy Brown" : PAM
117
Approx. 252 calories : BTU
118
Hoosegow : CAN

Answer summary:
6 unique to this puzzle.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Like this puzzle? Please share this page on social media to help spread the word about XWord Info. Thanks!

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2025, Jim Horne
68 ms