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Puzzle No. 3484

Joshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto

December 6, 2018

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

 1Wickedness in half-sleazy city (7)

 5 Comedian Lee cut fool short (5-2)

 9 Traveler to disfigure policeman near squalid loo (5,4)

10 Nonconformist replacing Rick with neutral expert (5)

11Return ring where you play 9 (4)

12 Pennsylvania squad maneuvers around the French (8)

14 Choosing to join a kind of art with endless trace of color (chic!) (6,2)

15 Singes metamorphic rock (6)

19 If work is delayed, model tool becomes something that could block a canal (6)

20 Bowling? Let’s cut loose and play to begin with (8)

22 Perform on the guitar, keeping muscle in range (8)

24Goren’s first ace vanished (4)

27 A pitch I assembled for old video-game machine (5)

28 Antagonized a particular contrarian, claiming a little space (9)

29 Base of a log and two trees? Nonsense (7)

30 Orange mixed with red is what you’ll find repeatedly among Lois Carmen Denominator’s friends Anita, Barbara, Ben, Jean, Justin, Ophelia, Polly, Warren, and Xavier, whose last names are answers to the italicized clues (7)

DOWN

 1 Visual signals from angry holder of incorrect map, eh? (9)

 2 Extremely curtailed happening contributes to eccentric term for a New England native (9)

 3 Without leadership, sadly, circling globe to arrive at Asian country (4)

 4 Selfish, dysfunctional cities taking turn (8)

 5Flood planter containing hydrogen (6)

 6 Gash lent Mr. Wilder a safe distance (4,6)

 7Performer takes five in state capital (5)

 8Partially atop an exquisite piece of glass (4)

13 Insect and tailless arachnid taking bow at a cold location (10)

16 Weirdly long title is acquired through deceitful methods (3-6)

17 Rising American: one who pays for a means of support (9)

18 British politician involved in winter sport is pinching pennies (8)

21In tub, note a sign of life (6)

23Take steps to secure a bit of eternal rest (5)

25Container is a lawyer’s concern (4)

26 Conclusions of sudoku, Ken-Ken, and kakuro in reverse (4)

 

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3484

ACROSS 1 SAT + URN 4 CRABMEA (anag.) + T 9 A + R-RIVE-[r] 10 A BRA + SI (rev.) + ON 12 C(AMEL)HAIR (lamé anag.) 13 [m]IDLER 14 PI(STONE)NGIN + E 18 F + LA(TEAR)THER + S 21 hidden 22 THERE + APER 24 LO(CA)TION 24 O[tn]I + LRIG (rev.) 26 PARAD(IS)E27 KEN + YAN (rev.)

DOWN 1 anag. 2 anag. 3 rev. 5 ROB(ER + T) GRAVES 6 BR + AZIL (rev.) + NUT 7 anag. 8 false plural 11 LA(MEN) + [s]-TATION-S 15 OBLI (anag.) + GATED (rev.) 16 J + [l]EOPARD + Y 17 anag. 19 S(C)HLEP (helps anag.) 20 D(ANCE)R (cane anag.) 23 hidden

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.


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