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Word Salad.
ACROSS
1 Associate with one better-looking New England resident (13)
9 Region managed lightbulb maker (5)
10 Fascinated one of a famous pair of twins (Perot and Koch) (9)
11 Sparkling with silver trash (8)
12 Appoint idiot to mix gin (6)
14 Young woman taking time endures (5)
16 Children in favor of wish-granting spirits? (9)
17 I came for Caesar, slain brutally for a minor offense (6,3)
19 Crazy fun: it is not appropriate (5)
22 Boat returned without following victory in Europe (6)
23 For example, suits what stereotypically happens in a locker room (8)
26 Wheels go with notch around base of idol in Pacific island religion (5,4)
27 Walk casually, or run on after a late start (5)
28 Amid cocktails, expressing audible admiration for tennis champion (7,6)
DOWN
1 To reduce in extent; in short, to be sick (7)
2 Baffle -? (7)
3 Build and destroy Crete (5)
4 Play about the most briefly employed worker? (3,7)
5 One hundred years in prison (4)
6 True philosopher’s clothing, linen, etc. (9)
7 Composer in Spain is sorely reactionary (7)
8 A professor is a very handsome man (6)
13 Flower embedded in dilapidated patio (10)
15 Rising cheers engulfing most of French artist’s theatrical entrance (5,4)
17 5/4: expert’s brisk musical tempo (6)
18 “On the contrary, play the banjo”—that’s a dubious solution (7)
20 Something you might put on at mealtimes:
(7)
21 Jailers tossing neutron bombs (7)
24 Religious teacher did not sink me as a subject (5)
25 Muslim mystic provided you and me with uplift (4)
ACROSS 1 anag. 6 & 5D SPIT + TOON 8 VA(CAT)ED (Dave anag.) 9 anag. 10 COW + ARDLY (Daryl anag.) 11 DEB + TOR (rev.) 14 2 defs. 16 [d]ECO[r] + LOG + I + CA + L 18 anag. 19 F(L)AX 21 “tooters” 22 2 defs. 26 hidden 27 I + SO + LATE 28 hidden 29 IN + T + ROVER + T
DOWN 1 palindrome 2 MAC + AW 3 U(PTU)RN 4 anag. 6 SPACE(A + G)E (escape anag., &lit.) 7 anag. 12 RE + LAX 13 AL(LEGOR)IST (ogler anag.) 14 tutor[s] anag. 15 ELECTORA + L (relocate anag.) 17 EST + ROGEN (set anag.) 20 2 defs. 23 AD + AGE 24 T + WEE + T (&lit.) 25 anag.
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.