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

Initial Encounters

New York Times, Sunday, December 1, 1985

106-Across : Ma Barker's specialty

Author:
Mary Virginia Orna
Editor:
Eugene T. Maleska
Rows: 21, Columns: 21, Words: 140, Blocks: 70, Avg Word Len: 5.30, Missing: { J Q X Z }, Scrabble score: 547 (avg 1.47)
Open Squares: 123, Cheaters: 4, FITB: 8, XRef: 0, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 15, Grid flow: 40.9
Mary Virginia Orna has 28 known pre-Shortz puzzles in our database.
1
V
2
E
3
N
4
T
5
F
6
R
7
A
8
P
9
P
10
E
11
R
12
E
13
S
14
T
15
O
16
M
17
E
18
A
L
A
R
19
A
R
O
A
R
20
I
M
O
L
A
21
A
W
E
S
22
S
S
S
A
23
N
P
E
D
R
O
24
A
B
C
M
U
25
R
D
E
R
S
26
T
E
A
C
A
R
T
S
27
S
28
I
S
A
K
29
C
U
D
D
L
E
30
H
I
E
S
31
F
A
T
T
Y
32
C
I
T
E
33
C
34
A
35
P
E
R
S
36
S
L
I
E
R
37
A
L
E
H
O
38
U
39
S
40
E
41
O
R
G
A
N
42
O
P
E
C
M
E
43
M
B
E
R
44
S
A
G
45
R
O
W
E
46
A
S
I
S
47
A
B
A
S
48
E
49
S
T
R
50
F
O
O
51
P
G
A
C
H
52
A
53
M
54
P
I
O
N
55
M
56
A
M
I
E
57
U
N
D
58
E
R
A
G
E
59
T
I
A
N
T
60
S
P
R
I
N
T
61
E
L
I
T
E
62
D
R
A
T
S
63
K
E
A
T
S
64
S
65
C
H
E
M
E
66
S
I
A
M
O
67
A
N
A
L
Y
S
68
I
69
S
70
A
R
O
M
A
71
H
M
S
P
I
N
72
A
F
O
R
E
73
O
S
O
74
L
I
U
75
L
76
I
E
U
T
77
Y
O
W
S
78
H
U
L
A
79
E
E
S
80
N
A
T
O
81
N
82
A
83
T
I
O
N
84
D
A
R
E
R
85
P
R
E
86
C
87
A
S
T
S
88
A
M
E
N
T
89
D
E
B
I
T
S
90
O
R
T
S
91
E
T
O
N
S
92
V
E
R
A
93
E
94
A
95
S
I
E
R
96
A
D
U
S
T
97
L
A
C
I
N
98
E
99
S
100
S
101
G
S
A
F
O
U
102
N
D
E
R
103
P
104
S
I
L
O
V
E
Y
O
U
105
G
I
B
E
106
C
R
I
M
E
107
E
U
L
E
R
108
R
E
A
D
109
S
A
U
D
110
T
A
T
A
S
111
G
R
I
T
112
A
R
K
S
© 1985, The New York TimesNo. 13,172
Across
1
Outlet : VENT
5
Draw tight : FRAP
9
Israeli statesman : PERES
14
Bible, e.g. : TOME
18
Resembling a pterodactyl : ALAR
19
Bellowing : AROAR
20
Commune near Bologna : IMOLA
21
Dazzles a disciple : AWES
22
Cozzens novel: 1931 : SSSANPEDRO
24
Christie mystery, with "The" : ABCMURDERS
26
Wagons for P.M. snacks : TEACARTS
27
Town on the Sava : SISAK
29
Hug : CUDDLE
30
Scurries : HIES
31
Pinguid : FATTY
32
Mention : CITE
33
Pickled flower buds : CAPERS
36
Less straightforward : SLIER
37
Inn for Falstaff : ALEHOUSE
41
Harmonium : ORGAN
42
Kuwait or Ecuador : OPECMEMBER
44
Slump : SAG
45
Author of "Tamerlane" : ROWE
46
Broadway hit: 1985 : ASIS
47
Degrade : ABASE
49
Fulton's craft: Abbr. : STR
50
___ yong, Chinese omelet : FOO
51
S. Snead or G. Sarazan, e.g. : PGACHAMPION
55
"Blonde bombshell" Van Doren : MAMIE
57
Too young : UNDERAGE
59
Former Red Sox ace : TIANT
60
Dash : SPRINT
61
Select : ELITE
62
"Doggone!" relatives : DRATS
63
He wrote "Lamia" : KEATS
64
Plan : SCHEME
66
"Pari ___," aria sung by Rigoletto : SIAMO
67
Freudian's forte : ANALYSIS
70
Bouquet : AROMA
71
G. & S. offering : HMSPINAFORE
73
Bear, to Balenciaga : OSO
74
___ Sung, Chinese dynasty : LIU
75
Rank below capt. : LIEUT
77
Excited interjections : YOWS
78
Waianae wiggle : HULA
79
Some Cooper Union grads. : EES
80
Iceland or Italy, e.g. : NATONATION
84
Venturesome one : DARER
85
Molds beforehand : PRECASTS
88
Catkin : AMENT
89
Liabilities : DEBITS
90
Fragments for Fido : ORTS
91
Buckinghamshire jackets : ETONS
92
"Ship of Fools" ship : VERA
93
More carefree : EASIER
96
Parched : ADUST
97
Quality found in mantillas : LACINESS
101
J. G. Low : GSAFOUNDER
103
Beatles' billet-doux : PSILOVEYOU
105
Mock : GIBE
106
Ma Barker's specialty : CRIME
107
Noted Swiss mathematician: 18th century : EULER
108
Deciphered : READ
109
King of the Meccans: 1953–64 : SAUD
110
Airy farewells : TATAS
111
Courage : GRIT
112
Shelters : ARKS
Down
1
Cosmic : VAST
2
Alternative word : ELSE
3
Initials at Cape Canaveral : NASA
4
Windpipes : TRACHEAE
5
Worries : FRETS
6
Curtain holders : RODS
7
Alpine river : AAR
8
Dull : PROSAIC
9
Turk's coin, to a Londoner : PIASTRE
10
Shut in : EMBAY
11
Madonna's music : ROCK
12
Chewbark : ELM
13
Specialized French cooks : SAUCIERS
14
___ Gaddi, pupil of Giotto : TADDEO
15
Due : OWED
16
Blackbird : MERL
17
To be, to Bibulus : ESSE
19
"___ nous le déluge" : APRES
23
River to Moray Firth : NAIRN
25
Torch-singer Etting : RUTH
28
List entry : ITEM
31
Meat : FLESH
32
Word with sweep or cut : CLEAN
33
An Ionian island : CORFU
34
"Eileen ___," old Irish air : AROON
35
Creator of Jeeves, Psmith et al. : PGWODEHOUSE
36
Basil is one : SPICE
37
Benedictine bigwig : ABBOT
38
Historic W.W. II battleship : USSMISSOURI
39
Smooth fabric : SATIN
40
Snowy-plumed bird : EGRET
42
Indian or orange : OSAGE
43
Certain conduits : MAINS
46
Marble or type : AGATE
48
Transfix : EMPALE
51
Chief : PRIMAL
52
Caught like a rat in ___ : ATRAP
53
Oxford university : MIAMI
54
He wrote "Cry, the Beloved Country" : PATON
56
Bohemian : ARTY
58
Plat. or merc., e.g. : ELEM
60
Browns : SEARS
62
Opposite of proximo : DISTO
63
Recognized : KNOWN
64
Tapioca source : SALEP
65
Muezzin, e.g. : CRIER
66
Famed Boer leader : SMUTS
67
Walking : AFOOT
68
Cay : ISLET
69
Emulates J. L. Seagull : SOARS
71
Certain competitions : HEATS
72
Samekh followers : AYINS
76
Educate : INSTRUCT
78
Slow Cuban dance : HABANERA
81
Essences : NATURES
82
Alvin Childress TV role : AMOS
83
Camper's necessity : TENTPEG
84
Etymology: Abbr. : DERIV
86
Arranged, as hair : COIFED
87
Martian: Comb. form : AREO
89
Part of the ambiance : DECOR
91
Tomato blight : EDEMA
92
Gentleman's gentleman : VALET
93
Pullet products : EGGS
94
Location of Henzada and Harbin : ASIA
95
Film portrayer of Mowgli : SABU
96
Entrance for Walter Morel : ADIT
97
Caron role: 1953 : LILI
98
Goggler : EYER
99
Steep : SOAK
100
Stout topper : SUDS
102
F.D.R. project : NRA
104
Big ___, Calif. : SUR

Answer summary:
11 unique to this puzzle, 4 debuted here and reused later, 11 appeared only in pre-Shortz puzzles.

Log in or purchase a subscription to view an analysis of this puzzle.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Crosswords published prior to Nov. 21, 1993 are provided by David Steinberg and The Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project.

Previous puzzle | Next puzzle
XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2026, Jim Horne
50 ms