Click HERE to download a printable PDF of this puzzle.
Puzzled? No more cross words! Read Kosman and Picciotto on “Solving The Nation’s Cryptic Puzzles.” Or watch this video.
ACROSS
1 Loud birds: a tweeter and a Western cuckoo at savannah’s edge (9,5)
9 Superb location to hold a bunch of parties (4)
10 One terrible concert featuring Rossini’s overture is like this: (7)
12 and 26 Ask an individual to leave (6)
13 Shoulder positions for a dancer with fundamental substances, including phosphorus and gold (11)
14 S is something found in a bathroom (10)
16 The avant-garde of music? That’s definitely not us (4)
20 After one-for-one trade-in—a TV receptor (4)
21 Buggy returned, carrying Washington beneath the Delaware, say (10)
We hope you enjoyed the story you just read. It’s just one of many examples of incisive, deeply-reported journalism we publish—journalism that shifts the needle on important issues, uncovers malfeasance and corruption, and uplifts voices and perspectives that often go unheard in mainstream media. For nearly 160 years, The Nation has spoken truth to power and shone a light on issues that would otherwise be swept under the rug.
In a critical election year as well as a time of media austerity, independent journalism needs your continued support. The best way to do this is with a recurring donation. This month, we are asking readers like you who value truth and democracy to step up and support The Nation with a monthly contribution. We call these monthly donors Sustainers, a small but mighty group of supporters who ensure our team of writers, editors, and fact-checkers have the resources they need to report on breaking news, investigative feature stories that often take weeks or months to report, and much more.
There’s a lot to talk about in the coming months, from the presidential election and Supreme Court battles to the fight for bodily autonomy. We’ll cover all these issues and more, but this is only made possible with support from sustaining donors. Donate today—any amount you can spare each month is appreciated, even just the price of a cup of coffee.
The Nation does not bow to the interests of a corporate owner or advertisers—we answer only to readers like you who make our work possible. Set up a recurring donation today and ensure we can continue to hold the powerful accountable.
Thank you for your generosity.
23 Proper and organized, Ray originally could live with basic medical attention (7,4)
26 See 12
27 Improve the looks of Dorothy’s aunt, a little like Kristen? (9)
28 and 29 Engineer caught defaming prof with a song popularized by artists hiding in three Across entries (4,3,5,6)
DOWN
2 Devout soldier breaks into lousier bughouse (9)
3 It might be Holy Creator, protecting leader of Catalans before the Spanish (8)
4 Musical component of Humanae vitae (5)
5 One living abroad close to France adopts 2 group, largely free of guilt (9)
Get unlimited access: $9.50 for six months.
6 Windows hardware put up around space station to economize (6)
7 Oddly, art designs boosted domestic consumption? (3,2)
8 Places quotes in speech (5)
11 Ill-treated vehicle impounded in narcs’ escalation (6)
15 Poultry and climbing vine in Rhode Island beginning to interest ruler (5,4)
17 All hail strange oath involving gentle, captivating female (4,3,2)
18 A bite of fungus containing salt (6)
19 Fermented paste conceals tiny flower (5,3)
22 Jump up and start to layer a rice dish (6)
23 Fold petition on time (5)
24 Saturate caps of inky mushrooms before using enoki (5)
25 Insect in a park disappeared (5)
SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3444
ACROSS 1 BA(CK)REST 5 T(HANK)S 9 hidden 10 JUG + G(L)ER (reg rev.) 11 letter bank 12 TENT + H 13 2 defs. 14 ST + RIPP(OK)ER 17 anag. 18 FAT E 20 SIN + EW 22 A DUMB RATE 24 anag. 25 “I-less” 26 S(L + E)IGH 27 GUT + T + URAL
DOWN 1 B + RIDE 2 C ON F + ERRED 3 alternate letters 4 SHO[w] + TINT(H)ED ARK 6 HI(GHTO)P + S (Goth anag.) 7 NY + LON[don] 8 SUR(CHAR)GE 10 JUST INTRUDE + AU 13 THUR (anag.) + S(D)AYS 15 K.O. + A LAB + EAR 16 T + RAW LING 19 2 defs. 21 NO(R)SE 23 [w]EASEL
Joshua Kosman and Henri PicciottoJoshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto are The Nation’s puzzlers. To read more about Kosman, click here. To read more about Picciotto, click here. Kosman and Picciotto explain what they’re up to in “Solving The Nation’s Cryptic Crosswords” (also available as a PDF). Check out The Nation’s Current Issue page each week for the latest puzzle.