Puzzle Answers - Ambiguities - Harper's Magazine January 2014 (SPOILER ALERT!)

Puzzle Answers - Ambiguities - Harper's Magazine January 2014 (SPOILER ALERT!)

"The Best Little Texas in Whorehouse"

ACROSS

1. See instructions (13) = PALINDROMANIA



11. Mad money assuming company has thrifty management (7) = ECONOMY

(MONEY) + (CO)mpany [ANAGRAM]



12. Female writer’s name, in the long run? (4) = JONG [Erica]

long run = (JOG) + (N)ame



13. Bishop washed out a significant continental address (5) = BWANA



15. Being close for a woman about to acquire a cape (12) = TOGETHERNESS

(TO) + acquire = (GET) + woman['s] = (HER)



18. (See instructions) (17, four words) = OH CAMERAS ARE MACHO



20. Heartless oil company (English portion) getting cleared (11) = EXONERATION

(EXXON) – [Minus middle letter (X)] + (E)nglish + portion = (RATION)



23. What the Selective Service does for those making plans = DRAFTSMEN

DRAFTS MEN



28. (See instructions) (18, five words) = DEB SAT IN ANITAS BED



31. By necessity, in musical by Loesser, his leading character enters just before the end (10) = INEVITABLY

IN + musical by Loesser = (EVITA)



33. Exported Dutch tire announced = BOER

tire BORE [HOMONYM}



34. Initiating it: a license to produce biased writing? (6) = ITALIC

(IT) + (A) + (LIC)ense



37. (See instructions) (17, six words) = BUT ANITA SAT IN A TUB



38. Trailer played back is about me (4) = SEMI

(IS) + (ME) [REVERSED]



39. Sounds like a breakfast show on TV (6) = SERIAL

breakfast = CEREAL [HOMONYM]



40. Registered trademark with earliest organized shopkeepers (9) = RETAILERS

EARLIEST [ANAGRAM]



41. Fantasy creature is described by Herb Klein initially (8) = BASILISK

herb = (BASIL) + (IS) + (K)lein





DOWN

1. Pacific telephone system follows quietly, each incorporating extra energy = PEACEABLE

quietly = ( P ) + each = (EA) + telephone system = (CABLE) + energy = (E)



2. Looks over little woman; rich and earthy (5) = LOAMY

(LO)oks + little woman (AMY)



3. Mutinous antielitist, taking the head off royalty, is found in space! (12) = INTERSTITIAL

(ANTIELITIST + ( R )oyalty) [ANAGRAM]



4. No room in hospital for a Jordanian queen (4) = NOOR

(NO) + hospital = (OR)



5. Some spirits turn out to be right, of course (4) = RYES

( R )ight + of course = (YES)



6. Number of a station represented in Act One (6) = OCTANE

ACT ONE [ANAGRAM]



7. Name in engineering circles who’s famous for month, hour! (4) = MOHR [Christian Otto]

(MO)nth + hour = (HR)



8. Not quite ordinary opera (6) = NORMA

ordinary = NORMA(l)



9. Natural order, in nine (6) = INNATE

IN EIGHT [HOMONYM]



10. ID info or a range perhaps (3) = AGE



13. Adventurous sounds played in an alley (4) = BOLD

played in an alley = BOWLED [HOMONYM]



14. Sporting place whose hero shamelessly takes in university (10) = WHOREHOUSE

(WHOSE) + (HERO) + (U)niversity



16. Gross hovel, fulsome, made with quantities of dirt (10) = SHOVELFULS

gros(S HOVEL, FULS)ome,



17. Air for heir—on guard (4) = SONG

heir = (SON) + (G)uard



19. Boxer cries, can’t start, throws up (4) = ARFS

b(ARFS)



20. State you’re seeking meatier parts (7) = EMIRATE

MEATIER [ANAGRAM]



21. Civilized nations supported by southern seed-sowers! (8) = ONANISTS

(NATIONS + (S)outhern) [ANAGRAM]



22. Sanctions causing relocation of fair site (8) = RATIFIES

FAIR SITE [ANAGRAM]



24. Island tribe’s leader going for new ingredient in hummus (6) = TAHINI

island = TAHI(t)I – (T)ribe + (N)ew



25. In mines, you need five round axes (6) = PIVOTS

mines = (PITS) + five = (V) + round = (O)



26. Grow dark and dominant, almost (5) = LATEN

dominant = LATEN(t)



27. A little shot, rising to superior positions (5) = ABBET



28. One calling it a knight? Masseur, if his head is down! (6) = DUBBER

masseur = r(UBBER) + (D)own



29. Who is named by the leaders of Denmark, Yugoslavia, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Britain? Not a living soul! (6) = DYBBUK

(D)enmark + (Y)ugoslavia + (B)angladesh + (B)razil + Britain = (UK)



30. Play doctor with a lot of doctors (5) = DRAMA

doctor = (DR) + lot of doctors = (AMA)



32. Make use of a Dell, as the saying goes (5) = AVAIL



35. Animal shelter transported by rail (4) = LAIR

RAIL [ANAGRAM]



36. Something to be avoided in losing or taking on its element (4) = CARB





BLUE SQUARES (Creator)

JON AGEEs

Puzzle Answers - Candy Canes - December 20–21, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - (SPOILER ALERT!)

Puzzle Answers - Candy Canes - December 20–21, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - (SPOILER ALERT!)

The Journal Sunday Puzzle | edited by Mike Shenk
Candy Canes | by Patrick Berry



Canes

1. Italian region considered the birthplace of the Renaissance = TUSCANY

Near-extinct relative of the coyote (2 wds.) = RED WOLF


2. Cleaning brand owned by the Clorox Company (Hyph.) = PINE-SOL

Island nation reachable from Florida by ferry = BAHAMAS


3. Valiantly refuse to stop (2 wds.) = PRESS ON

Small golf group = TWOSOME


4. Young boys, informally = SHAVERS

“I have no problem with that” (2 wds.) = SUITS ME


5. Up on the deck = TOPSIDE

Goes by = ELAPSES


6. Internet service that’s the focus of the 2013 documentary “Downloaded” = NAPSTER

Story with a lesson = PARABLE


7. Impolite and vulgar (Hyph.) = ILL-BRED

Poem in which Polyphemus is blinded = ODYSSEY


8. Prickling with excitement = ATINGLE

Receptionist’s device = HEADSET


9. Draws a caricature of = DEPICTS

Enjoying success after success (3 wds.) = ON A ROLL


10. Plantation house feature = VERANDA

Met with a welcome = GREETED


11. Desert sights = MIRAGES

Tool used to cut metal = HACKSAW



Rows

• Fills with joy = ELATES

Pop alternative = DADDY


• Game period = HALF

Unvarnished truth, with “the” = LOWDOWN


• Holy Ark’s contents = TORAH

Wee bit = SMIDGE


• Arrive too late to see = MISS

Yosemite National Park features = CANYONS


• Untanned hide = PELT

Stayed loyal (to) = ADHERED


• Assume to be true = POSIT

In need of an airing = SMELLY


• Bananas = INSANE

Judiciously decreases, with “down” = PARES


• Sparrow’s portrayer = DEPP

Pioneer offerings = STEREOS


• Anthropoid animals = APES

Overhauls = REVAMPS


• Nearly tied = CLOSE

State gem of the Gem State = GARNET


• What the Bessemer process produces = STEEL

Her waist was widened in 1997 = BARBIE


• Like car engines at stoplights = IDLING

Run along = LEAVE


• Approximately = ABOUT

Illusionist’s interjection = PRESTO


• Dieters avoid them = SNACKS

Clued in = AWARE


• Body parts that get clogged = SINUSES

“I want you to have this = HERE


Numbered Squares = PINE NEEDLES

Puzzle Answers - Acrostic - December 13, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - (SPOILER ALERT!)

Puzzle Answers - Acrostic - December 13, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - (SPOILER ALERT!)

Written and edited by Mike Shenk


"The Art of Acting"

If by any chance a playwright wishes to express a political opinion or a moral opinion or a philosophy, he must be a good enough craftsman to do it with so much spice of entertainment in it that the public get the message without being aware of it.

–Noel Coward


A. Weak or indecisive; insipid (Hyph.) = NAMBY PAMBY

B. Ruler made judge of the dead after being murdered by his brother Set = OSIRIS

C. Chalk upland of Surrey that’s home to the Derby Stakes (2 wds.) = EPSOM DOWNS

D. 2012 film whose main character’s full name is Piscine Molitor Patel (3 wds.) = LIFE OF PI

E. Beverage whose name means “small hood” from its color resembling that of monks’ cowls = CAPPUCCINO

F. Paper tiger, perhaps = ORIGAMI

G. Identification and persecution of those with differing views (2 wds.) = WITCH HUNT

H. Major league team owned for its first 36 years by Gene Autry = ANGELS

I. Comeback; laboratory vessel = RETORT

J. Cynic philosopher who lived in a tub in the Athenian Agora = DIOGENES

K. North American finch also known as a chewink = TOWHEE

L. 1963 book Laura Bush chose as one of her five favorites in a Wall Street Journal piece (3 wds.) = HOP ON POP

M. Quaver (2 wds.) = EIGHTH NOTE

N. Atmospheric phenomenon named for a Roman goddess = AURORA

O. Hit song that Janet Jackson performed during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show (2 wds.) = RHYTHM NATION

P. Greek hero who slew the Minotaur = THESEUS

Q. Dungeon whose only access is a door in its ceiling = OUBLIETTE

R. Swerve from side to side = FISHTAIL

S. Carbon dioxide in high concentrations, e.g. = ASPHYXIANT

T. Have a chin-wag (3 wds.) = CHEW THE FAT

U. Area south of SoHo and west of Chinatown = TRIBECA

V. Refreshing treat for boardwalk strollers (2 wds.) = ITALIAN ICE

W. Oscar nominee for “21 Grams” and “The Impossible” (2 wds.) = NAOMI WATTS

X. Alternative name for the number ten duotrigintillion = GOOGOL

Puzzle Answers - Cigar Boxes - December 6, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - (SPOILER ALERT!)

Puzzle Answers - Cigar Boxes - December 6, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - (SPOILER ALERT!)

by Patrick Berry, Edited by Mike Shenk

Rows

1.
 “Beautiful downtown” city where “Laugh-In” was taped = BURBANK

 Barbershop quartet singer’s headwear (2 wds.) = STRAW HAT

2.
 Agitate (2 wds.) = STIR UP

 Radio host John = TESH

 “Vision of Love” singer = CAREY

3.
 Armed Forces middle-ranker, for short = NONCOM

 The “A” of Chester A. Arthur = ALAN

 Composer of the U.S.’s official national march = SOUSA

4.
 Blacken = CHAR

 Chip brand since 1932 = LAYS

 Bedeviling, with “on” = PREYING

5.
 Natives of Tallinn = ESTONIANS

 Building with a marquee = CINEMA

6.
 Sudden fearful feeling = CHILL

 Difficult to dissuade = ARDENT

 One of Rome’s seven = HILL

7.
 Not at all bright = DREARY

 White fall = SNOW

 Crime film centerpiece (9) = HEIST

8.
 Marital status signifier = RING

 Novelist Malraux = ANDRE

 Be the boss of = MANAGE

9.
 Pub crawls = BENDERS

 Hefty slice = SLAB

 Eat in style = DINE


10.
 ___ Day (spring holiday) = ARBOR

 Partnership for Peace alliance: Abbr. = NATO

 Enthrall = RAVISH

11.
 Like highways but not byways = WIDE

 Blue jeans reinforcer = RIVET

 Scarring experience = ORDEAL

12.
 “Just one more ___ ...” = THING

 Digital Audio Tape creator = SONY

 Former California congressman Gary = CONDIT

13.
 Office policy update, often = MEMO

 Eyeball (2 wds.) = LOOK AT

 Bob in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame = SEGER

14.
 Kill time in a bookstore = BROWSE

 Tree in the pine family = LARCH

 Severely worn, as tires = BALD

15.
 Lipton competitor = NESTEA

 Part of a pescetarian’s diet = FISH

 Express a view = OPINE


Boxes
 Shareholder’s sum (8) = DIVIDEND

 Tapped out (8) = BANKRUPT

 Most tanned (8) = BROWNEST

 Like almost 30% of Borneo’s population (9) = MALAYSIAN

 Accurately foretelling the future (9) = PRESCIENT

 Walter’s 1984 running mate (9) = GERALDINE

 Group that receives online newsletters (5, 4) = EMAIL LIST

 First Book-of-the-Month Club selection by an African-American writer (6, 3) = NATIVE SON

 Type of paper used in binders (5-4) = LOOSE-LEAF

 Contiguous with (9) = BORDERING

 Disturb by entering suddenly (5, 2, 2) = BURST IN ON

 Containers seen in alleys (5, 4) = TRASH CANS

 “The Today Show” regular from 1973 to 2010 (4, 6) = GENE SHALIT

 Dance performed by 1920s flappers (10) = CHARLESTON

 Beatles song by John Lennon that’s supposedly autobiographical (7, 3) = NOWHERE MAN

 Highest rank in the Anglican Church (10) = ARCHBISHOP

 “Please be patient—I’m almost done” (4, 4, 2) = BEAR WITH ME

 Job for productive people? (5-7) = CHILD-REARING

 Fictional talk show host whose sidekick is Hank Kingsley (5, 7) = LARRY SANDERS

 “MythBusters” garments (10, 5) = LABORATORY COATS

 Horrified listener’s question (4, 3, 3, 6) = WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?