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New York Times, Thursday, November 1, 2007

Author:
Larry Shearer
Editor:
Will Shortz
53-Across : It's all downhill from here
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
511/1/200711/11/20081
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0022100
ScrabbleFresh
1.6134%
Larry Shearer

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 38 Missing: {BJQX} Featured in Will Shortz's favorite puzzles. Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Shearer. Thursday freshness: 40%
Note: This was published as a uniclue puzzle in print. All the clues appear in a single list, combining Across and Down. When two answers share a number, they also share a clue.
1
A
2
V
3
O
4
W
5
A
6
M
7
E
8
N
9
D
10
G
11
A
12
W
13
K
14
V
I
D
I
15
L
E
R
O
I
16
A
G
E
E
17
E
V
E
L
18
T
S
A
R
S
19
P
U
N
Y
20
R
O
A
D
21
T
E
S
T
22
G
23
R
E
A
T
S
24
I
M
R
E
25
D
U
O
26
E
27
V
28
A
D
E
29
D
30
A
Y
I
N
31
V
32
I
33
M
34
L
I
N
E
N
35
S
36
P
A
S
A
37
D
E
N
A
38
U
S
D
A
39
M
40
A
L
D
E
41
A
R
T
I
42
D
O
N
S
43
H
U
L
A
44
S
45
E
R
V
E
D
46
E
R
O
47
A
R
E
N
48
A
49
A
K
E
R
S
50
K
F
C
51
M
52
A
S
H
53
A
54
P
55
O
56
G
E
E
57
R
U
P
T
U
58
R
59
E
60
D
61
C
O
O
L
62
T
63
H
E
S
E
64
M
A
Z
E
65
M
O
P
E
66
T
U
N
E
R
67
O
K
R
A
68
E
L
S
E
69
E
N
T
R
Y
70
R
E
A
L
© 2007, The New York Times11/1/7 ( No. 21,177 )
Clues
1
Maintain : AVOW / AVER
2
In ___ (form of research) : VIVO
3
Concert halls : ODEA
4
They're unlikely to work : WILDIDEAS
5
Fiddle with : AMEND / ALTER
6
Goofed (around) : MESSED
7
Quod ___ faciendum : ERAT
8
Negative connector : NOR
9
Spy supply : DISGUISES
10
Rubberneck : GAWK / GAPE
11
Composition of the Spanish Main : AGUA
12
Hit the road : WENT
13
Florida ___ : KEYS
14
Part of Caesar's boast : VIDI
15
___ Soleil (Louis XIV) : LEROI
16
"The Night of the Hunter" screenwriter : AGEE
17
First name in daredeviltry : EVEL
18
Some Romanovs : TSARS
19
Runtish : PUNY
20
Motor Trend job : ROADTEST
21
Prohibition agents : TMEN
22
Legends : GREATS
23
Author Jaffe : RONA
24
2002 Literature Nobelist ___ Kertész : IMRE
25
Pair : DUO / DYAD
26
Dodge : EVADE / ELUDE
27
Sun protection : VISOR
28
All bark ___ bite : ANDNO
29
Start of a phrase meaning "always" : DAYIN
30
"Sounds like ___!" : APLAN
31
Gusto : VIM / VERVE
32
Put to rest : INTER
33
Changers of 34-Across : MAIDS
34
See 33-Down : LINENS
35
Cartoon character with feminine wiles : SMURFETTE
36
Annual parade site : PASADENA
37
Death jokes and such : DARKHUMOR
38
Stamp letters : USDA
39
___ mer : MALDE
40
Lover of Tess in "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" : ALEC
41
Part of the Constitution after the Preamble: Abbr. : ARTI
42
N.F.L. coach who was undefeated in 1972 : DONSHULA
43
Relative of a cod : HAKE
44
Like tennis balls and dinners : SERVED
45
Wicked witch's home in "The Wizard of Oz" : EAST
46
Ranch closing? : ERO
47
Bowl : ARENA
48
Comic, e.g. : AMUSER
49
N.F.L. placekicker David : AKERS
50
Fast-food franchise that started in S. Salt Lake, Ut. : KFC
51
Squoosh : MASH
52
Impersonator's work : APERY
53
It's all downhill from here : APOGEE / ACME
54
Gene group : POOL
55
"I goofed" : OOPS
56
Delight : GLEE
57
Tore : RUPTURED / RENT
58
Don Juan : RAKE
59
Old Testament book : EZRA
60
Cry made with a handshake : DEAL
61
Nippy : COOL
62
Benny Goodman's "___ Foolish Things" : THESE
63
Savage : HUN
64
Challenge for Theseus, in myth : MAZE
65
Be a gloomy Gus : MOPE
66
Radio part : TUNER
67
Pod holder : OKRA
68
Something ___ (a wow) : ELSE
69
Door : ENTRY
70
Unexaggerated : REAL

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle, 2 debuted here and reused later, 3 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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