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Puzzles for May, 2005
with Constructor comments

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Constructor (1)Jim Horne (1)Hide comments
Sun 5/1/2005 LEAVING THE PAST BEHIND
ECHOBANTAMSNATOITO
SHADONEOCATAGHAWIN
TALEBICYCLESPEAKOTO
OILSPOTTINYTIPJAR
PROSEABSCOLLEGEBIND
WARTATMSPIROAMIE
EKETWOROOMHERONACR
NEDHIBERNIASODOM
SEGSNORMANFALLTUROW
UPRAISEKATOSHEILA
ISITMERUBSRAWTOSSES
TINHATONITARTLESS
ENDERSTAGELEAVEIOTA
RETCHSAIDNOTOFRI
SRITHAISLOGONTOJAL
MISTERRORNETIONE
ABEARLEADERDEALORES
SCENEIODESDUALIST
HANENGLISHLIGHTECTO
EGOVDAYEARLYONSHEA
DEWEYREABSENCESORT
Mon 5/2/2005
ISLETTRIALFOG
RHINOHANOIEVA
KINDOFRIFLEEAR
ERGKRONEALLY
DEOTAWROARS
COURTSUMMONS
BASHDUOROBROY
METESGNPKAREN
ORIENTERSNYSE
CORROBORATED
CUBANTAPBUS
WARPLOTTOONE
ETATRIPLECROWN
BIZRANEEHAZED
STYAMENDSHEDS
Tue 5/3/2005
ALOHARACERSYD
WIDOWEDDIEHOE
NEEDLEPOINTESS
INSSTEPAPRES
NOSEDATINGGAME
GRASPLENOSTIR
PUPECOLOTT
TENNISANYONE
SEXTACOELM
PAPANABSEIDER
ERECTORSETTAXI
CIRCACARTLAC
INTSAFETYMATCH
ATLKLINEEMOTE
LOYSIXEDNINAS
Wed 5/4/2005
PAPATREEMAIL
EPICSROSYEINE
THEHOLYSEEDOSE
TIRELESSOILER
YDSVATICANCITY
BEDRUE
ACNEEHUDBARAK
POPEBENEDICTXVI
BERTLANCEASAP
ORUMUD
HISHOLINESSCOQ
ONTOPONREPORT
ADAMJOHNPAULII
RILEERIESCOOP
DALYBETAERNS

My first-ever NYT having seen print less than two months earlier, I was full of myself. The year before, the Feb. 4 puzzle by Roy Leban had honored Bob Keeshan, who had died on Jan. 23 — some 12 days earlier. I think that was a record turn-around time for a current-events puzzle. But, for sure, it inspired me to think that some themes merit email contact with Will.

Pope Benedict XVI was elected on Apr. 19, 2005. I emailed Will a proposed theme to capitalize on his election around midnight that night. Will's reply was in the affirmative, conditioned on my getting him an acceptable finished puzzle by late the next afternoon. As for how the theme was executed, in essence I made a list of words and phrases that might apply to the situation and used those that seemed most apt.

I made the decision that, because of the nature of the puzzle, all the theme answers should be horizontal, for ease of reading (by the masses). I debated whether to put blocks in the boxes that start A TAD and end BEET, giving the puzzle 78 words, rather than 76. I was even more tempted when it turned out that my best long non-theme answers were going to be EHUD BARAK and BERT LANCE. But I submitted it as is, holding the other option as a fallback, in case Will didn't like those two chaps crowding in on His Holiness. He took it as delivered, though, giving me a symmetrical story to tell: The turnaround time on my first NYT crossword was 14 months; on my second, 14 days.

Thu 5/5/2005
ADAMHOOFASSAY
POLOODORSOUND
EVENRELENTLESS
SECONDNATURE
TOESLIMBER
HOUSEHOLDNAME
FLANSALEETAI
LAMEMANEDTHIN
OILTOWNPEELS
UNITEDNATIONS
RENAMEINNS
SPLICEDGENES
MONTESSORIDADA
OBOESALOEUSES
MIDSTWADSPANS
Fri 5/6/2005
SEMAGAMEWAG
MALALARAMHURT
AGEEPRIDEADEE
NEGSSMEARTUNE
CHITAELSDABAT
HEARTENALAMODE
ANCIENTMARINER
OLDNAVY
DWARFIERLAPUP
OHNOPSYCHDRNO
GETONITHARDENS
SEWAERHOOSET
ELECTRICALSTORM
AIRFORCERESERVE
REPOETTESATEN
Sat 5/7/2005
SLURSASPISH
CHINUPSSHINTO
HASFAITHPINTOS
ANTENNAEINARUT
FIELDERSREFUTE
FANTASTSABODES
RESTORERS
GRACEHEXES
SHOEMAKER
HISSATMISSILES
ADHEREBLUENOSE
RADNERALLSTATE
PLATTERETAINED
EGRETSRAMMERS
RONDOSNEEDS
Sun 5/8/2005 BOX CARS
BAITSTLOVOLESNAPAT
OTTOCHUMORALEUNUCH
PICTUREGALLERYMTETNA
PHONENOEGOISTICSEN
CEESGASSERAROSE
DONEONTIMESEALSIN
ALANISINFRASESAME
FETALCANDLEJOTETAL
TALCGOREABBOTSNACK
TRENTAREACODEPHI
AMOINTERCELLULAREON
BORMERMAIDSLODES
FOALSOUTDOPAGELIRA
ARNEALSLUNARYYODEL
BEGOFFBYTESSIMONE
EXOTICATOTEMPOLES
DARINSADDAMALOP
ANIDIALTONECATERED
CANCUNPOPINTOTHEOVEN
HIDDENAMESSMEECAME
ASSESSCEDEPARRKNOW
Mon 5/9/2005
FSTOPOTTERSIG
OHARACHINOHOR
POLARICECAPONE
SPECTRUMBIGWIG
LIARFLEABAG
LLBEANSEESTO
OILLITERTEARS
ONUSSONARSTOW
TEETHADLIBEVA
BOARDSFLORET
SNOOZESALOU
PANDASEVENTUAL
RMNROLLERDERBY
EEEDREAREASEL
ESTSTONYSTATE
Tue 5/10/2005
RIVETGAGSSKIP
PRIMOULANAIME
MARCORITAGNAT
GETOUTOFDODGE
SHIELDRUEEER
HONEDENSPURRS
ALIIJAISTP
HEADFORTHEHILLS
LIBTEANEAT
ASNERMYRRHAKA
GTOTRYCOPPER
HITTHEHIGHWAY
ANNEHERASUEDE
SKEEARIDALARM
TOWNBOSSDARES
Wed 5/11/2005
MISSGRAFLIMO
ACTUPLULLANEW
YOUMACONFUNOFME
ANNROVEOTOES
ISLEKATZ
YOUREAREALBUTTE
AZTECSTAYROM
HAIDOASESGOTO
ORCAURACRUET
OKAYTROYTOHITME
ESSOABET
ATIMESTIRESE
JUNEAUWHATYADID
ANONSHIMLODGE
RANIHOPILYNN
Thu 5/12/2005
MESATILLCHICO
AXEDOTOEHANOI
UPTONOGOODATALL
LOTOKOKARENAS
LATHIMMAD
AVECOBTUNDFAD
CASTLESSEARTO
UPFORDISCUSSION
TOORAGULPOGLE
ERRKEEPERNILE
TENSEICED
CARROTRAGUAKA
AWAYFROMTHEWIND
LOTOFWANTARID
FLANSENOSGETS
Fri 5/13/2005
BASSIMESHBLAS
OLEANASHELINK
BLACKEPPEROMNI
BURSARYAZCPA
IREDOMROCKILE
NEDTISGLADES
PAINTARLES
KITCHENDUTY
SLICEPOESY
PORKIESATJUG
ABIOTICHESANA
BBCSUESPICER
TEAKNONSTICKAN
ERTEEMITNOOSE
ASITRODEENTER
Sat 5/14/2005
ALFALFAJETPACK
CARPOOLURBANER
EYEBALLLASAGNA
TIMDIMWITROSS
ATOBOAHURUN
TONERNOSETARE
ENTRAPAIRTASER
EYESRIGHT
GRAFSPEESATINS
RAFTSAYADONUT
IMFROLOOGRE
MORASCULLSRTE
ANOUILHPEASOUP
CENTCOMRAPTURE
ESTHETEONPAPER
Sun 5/15/2005 WORDS TO THE Y'S
SHAHPASTTRAMPIHAD
HEREAISLERUMORNAME
ANNATAKINGABYTEOUTOF
WRITTENONLILTRICKY
LYETHROUGHONESTEETH
RUGTSARSCANSAGE
COTEDORHAYRAIDSPEA
ARIASADOSTURNSTYLES
SENTDRATVALETMOOSE
TOASTIERLINEDPANTED
BAREBACKRYDER
PERSONDISKSCOCKCROW
UTAHNPEKESCARSRAVE
PYLEDRIVERZETABEGET
IMPSOLIDAAALOADERS
LAHRSALERNSTCSI
NEVERSAYDYEATTITUDE
STADIAGREFREELABOR
HYDEINPLAINSIGHTBONO
EPEENAIVETREESLAUD
DORMELVESPETEETTE
Mon 5/16/2005
TUBAPATROLBOP
ATOPERRATAIDE
LARASEASONGOT
CHECKONCHECKOUT
HESAENTRY
HOMEYPLATO
ACEEILEENWITS
STANDFORSTANDUP
POLOFOSSILONE
THYMEESSEX
ALAMOACCT
TAKEOVERTAKEOFF
BRRTINIERWOOL
AGOELICITEZRA
YENREDONEDEEP
Tue 5/17/2005
WARDADDSVERGE
AXONPERTODOUL
DISAPPEARINGINK
ESELAPTOPELSE
RURSPAYEHS
ABDOMENNEEDY
DRIBBLEGLASS
ZASUHRECOED
SQUIRTFLOWER
DATUMSOARERS
SAPOISERST
APIAANDRESTLC
THEJOKEWASONYOU
UNCAPAIREURGE
PEERSKNEEBOOS
Wed 5/18/2005
STILTTAWSATOZ
TONTOATOPTALE
EXTRAEXTRAAXIS
MIRSLINKBRENT
SCOTTIEREMIX
REDDFOXXEEE
INJUREEOECMDR
HEADSADMTAPIN
OHMYICESENTTO
PIEPRIXFIXE
STRADONADATE
ORFEOCORESMER
BEINXEROXTONER
INXSKLANECONO
SAXEELLEATTAR
Thu 5/19/2005
PLANADARGRAB
LIMELINEJUDGE
EMISSIONTOMARS
BITTESAABSEES
STYLUSKLMERA
ESTATEOFRUIN
ISRSPARTRIPOD
NOESHIMDOUR
DRAPEDBABANSA
ECLAIRDELUNE
EENNORSTACKS
DRABPHISISHOT
EMOTIONPICTURE
SEROTONINETAL
SSGTKONGRENE
Fri 5/20/2005
AGREETODISAGREE
DRIVEONETODRINK
DOMESTICSCIENCE
SWANICKEGGS
CEESTU
BUBBADOWSTAG
ATEENAGERINLOVE
GIRLSCOUTLEADER
ELECTRICALSTORM
LEAHENETESTY
MSGGPS
CODEALASWIM
COMERAINORSHINE
IWOULDNTBETONIT
CLOSEONESEYESTO
Sat 5/21/2005
NOCOUNTPOPSTAR
ARALSEAONSTAGE
PATDOWNLEARNED
SLASTOICOKIE
TELEXORCADENY
EXITEDAEREDGE
RANAROUND
MASSESOBTAIN
MRGOODBAR
ASKAMAOBREEZE
SHIVARIDONEAL
MESALILACNRA
ABSTAINNARTHEX
ROMANCESPOKANE
APERIESENCODED
Sun 5/22/2005 YOU'VE GOT MAIL
CPASOWEAURAACTRESS
THOLEPICTURESCORONET
SEALEDWITHAKISSASUNDER
CRICURATORSCARRIEUSE
ERRCITYNUDEARAW
NAPBETEADDRESSUNKNOWN
ACEROSESPREADTRIED
ROREMALEECOACTBUT
ITSABOYDEARJOHNLETTERS
STOPSALAAMENEOLGA
TANRILEDECAFCARTER
THEENVELOPEPLEASE
SENIORTETONOLLAODS
ORELSTASTAPLEFREE
POSTAGESTAMPLOTABELARD
HSTMUTTSLANAGENRE
SONARROOTEDSLOEGIN
RETURNTOSENDERSHINENT
OXENBALESAABPGA
BENPAMELAATTENDEDEER
ETAMINESPECIALDELIVERY
RECANTSASSEMBLEEVILS
TRESSESSEEDSSRDAMS
Mon 5/23/2005
CIGARALAMOTRA
ECOLEBEBOPWIZ
DOUBLEAGENTICU
ENTAILSSKINNER
ELECMEESE
ENDIVEOBTAIN
SEEMESARATGIF
SOUPFAXEDHIRE
ONCEBLEDPENAL
EDGIERRERENT
ATSEASEER
DOWDIERDEFTEST
ALITABLEFORTWO
GELEVIANRERAN
ETDRESTSMEETS
Tue 5/24/2005
DAFTSHARKTKTS
ACRENOWAYRARA
WHENHELLFREEZES
NYTIMESTAXBASE
NORTHCLASS
SILOSOSSIE
PAINESTOPSWHO
ONCEINABLUEMOON
TSKGONEONALOE
BOWEDRIFFS
LAPATSPAIN
EMERITARUMMAGE
TWENTYFOURSEVEN
HAVEPANDANERD
EYESERTESUSES
Wed 5/25/2005
REAPSTIRCASEY
ELMSPANEALIVE
BEEFPATTYLINEN
OARERIEOLGA
UNITESLEMONTEA
NONUKESVANREP
DRDREEDENCAKE
FRIEDRICE
DUOSMYSTARGOT
EAPSAOSOMEONE
FRUITCUPRESEAL
LOISHEATSTL
AGENTHOTCOFFEE
MANICETALROAR
PITCHPOSEARRS
Thu 5/26/2005
ALFATHEREABEE
COLTRERIGNANA
TWORHYMINGWORDS
SEPIAPEGHISSY
UNOUPON
FROMANIMPORTANT
REFANOULSTER
OATADDRESSAGO
SCHEMASASREP
THELARGERISFIVE
EZERNEE
OLIVEABELLAMA
TIMESTHESMALLER
IVANRAISEEDEN
SECSAMNOTRAKE
Fri 5/27/2005
MASSIVECATALAN
ATTUNEDALABAMA
POINTEDSLUICES
SPRYERSHORTEST
ARSEERIE
AUNTSSAWNAEC
CLOSEBUTNOCIGAR
TELECOMMUNICATE
ONINTIMATETERMS
RTELETSAPSES
SPAREPTA
REBOUNDSOILERS
ARALSEACROATIA
UNSTAGYHENCOOP
LOSINGSASSENTS
Sat 5/28/2005
WHITEHATSSIMBA
ROSEMARIETRAIL
IMONADIETRANDS
TILGASSOANDSO
HEAPREADUPAFR
ESTESSLOTSTOA
STENTSBWESTERN
TOPBANANA
BBQAPRONTENANT
EAUXADIPEDGER
ADORIYALSSRTA
TINCANSAIMELI
ADDONHANGONEON
LEAPTONTHENOSE
LAMASPASTTENSE
Sun 5/29/2005 SHUFFLING FEAT
JONESPRAGMATICFOGS
ADIEULITTLENELLONIT
YELLEDATELATEDLYREVE
DOTADEDAFTER
INTERVIEWSSTEVEIRWIN
ATEEINNICENEONS
MEATHEADSMADEHASTE
ARREARONAROLLRUB
VOABONDENGINE
VIDEOSTOREOVERDOESIT
MANONPARIDAGRETA
OPPRESSINGPOPSINGERS
YOUAREMOPSDOI
ARTAVERAGEUNCLES
HOMESINONMOONSHINE
OFWAYRAEAIMAROW
GRAVELYILLVALLEYGIRL
RIVERAEINNEE
EVENSNAKEBITBEATNIKS
SOTOSOLORECORDATRIA
SLOTEMPHYSEMATHEAX
Mon 5/30/2005
ABYSSSODALGA
SOOTHEUNOVIED
PIGOUTDUCKINTO
SLAPHISSNADIR
SPECAERATE
SQUIRRELAWAY
PURGERILEDZIG
RAINFIELDEURO
YDSBINGEIGLOO
MONKEYAROUND
ASPIREEDAM
THESEWISEAGRA
WOLFDOWNPONYUP
ANTIPINTRIPLE
RESTTISBASES
Tue 5/31/2005
ICBMTAMESTSAO
MOREOPENTOTAD
PLAYADELREYALY
LOVETORAEBRAS
INERTTOPLAYERS
EELSLOSTSARGE
SLYGALEKINSEY
WORDPLAY
MELINAPEENRAG
ALONERENECARL
NEWORDERSPATIO
AGESASUAORTAS
TARCROSSSWORDS
ENEPILEUPLANE
ETDANDRESSPED
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