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ACROSS
1 It rules 27 in disarray (7,5)
9 Mostly, talk and smile in embarrassment (7)
10 Massachusetts college included in clichéd testimonial (7)
11 Result involves reverse guarantee (6)
12 In the end, toss our ripe bananas in a lake (8)
14 Birds weep bitterly in a trap (9)
16 Build terminals in advance for large Quebec airport (5)
17 Clay’s new name, for instance! (5)
18 I cry uncontrollably, absorbed by catalogs for some songwriters (9)
20 Scare 3 in marsh (8)
22 Make white line in the sand (6)
25 One is guilty of thrusting Mexican politicians into sect (7)
26 An exciting sensation: dropping right in where bugs live (7)
27 Surfer, perhaps, is reckless 1A (8,4)
DOWN
1 Victory brings legal case against head of sorority housing about 100 (7)
2 Pleads with outspoken flattery (5)
3 With nothing 23, roles can be distributed up to three times (9)
4 Raising stake for mount (4)
5 Amounts to more than passé songs (10)
6 Henri, swimming in a river (5)
7 Synagogue member, leading Central American country, announced anniversary celebrations (8)
8 Say hi again, without energy or remorse (6)
13 Conclusion of agreement with Santa’s staff overturned favorite type of recovery program (6-4)
15 “Ego” is Latin translation for JK or HP (8)
16 Carol eats all over the place—that’s one way to move up (9)
17 Have an influence on law featuring fluorine and iron (6)
19 Mark lies about unfinished embrace with professor (7)
21 TV host standing up for comedian (5)
23 A young woman is wrong (5)
24 Ultimate implement for a shoemaker (4)
SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3448
ACROSS 1 P + ER(F)ECT 5 anag. 9 UR-G.E.D. 10 EX-PRES + [u]SED 11 T(E)LEP (rev.) + HONE 12 P(RIM)E 13 CAT + E + GORY 15 A(TOM)IC (CIA rev.) 19 “cereal” 20 anag. 22 WHO + LE 24 I + MAG + IN A + R[eall]Y 26 anag. 27 LIAN A (rev.) 28 NA(TU)RAL 29 N(UMBER)S
DOWN 1 anag. 2 REGUL + A + TOR (rev.) 3 ENDU (anag.) + P 4 TH(EDO)ORS (ode rev.) 5 DUP(L)E + X 6 C + LEO + PATRA (anag.) 7 initial letters 8 LED + GE (rev.) 14 G(LAZE)OVER[n] 16 M(IS + MAN)AGE 17 “bandy cars” 18 [p]ARK + [f]ANS + [v]AN 21 PIS + TOL (rev.) 22 W + OMEN 23 OC (rev.) + TET 25 IS + LAM
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.