False Comforts: On Randall Kennedy False Comforts: On Randall Kennedy
Randall Kennedy is fascinated by a paradox: the color line's persistence and its seeming implosion.
Nov 30, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Jim Sleeper
Puzzle No. 3218 Puzzle No. 3218
Dear Nation Puzzle Fans: This collector’s edition puzzle is brought to you by the film Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, based on the classic John le Carré novel of the same name. The film opened on December 9, and is now playing in select cities. Le Carré himself is a member of the Nation family, having contributed pieces to the magazine over the past decade. This puzzle is designed by the same team that designs The Nation’s weekly puzzle. We’ll return to the usual format next week. We hope you enjoy! TINKER Tinker with each clue answer, rearranging the letters to produce a new word for the grid. 2A General protecting vehicle with Russian leader and author (2,5) 6A Painter of Soviet mountain region shrouded in fog (8) 19A Areas’ parties captivating chief (7) 2D Was able to locate Ukrainian capital amid frigid weather (5) 15D Rabbit fur in your ear (4) TAILOR Improve the fit by removing one letter from each answer to produce a new word for the grid. 11A Tops slid off (4) 13A Agitate prison (4) 16A A visor, slightly adjusted for a redeemer (6) 4D Flowers from Dublin, e.g., trimmed and fleshy at the center (6) 12D Wasted weeks: initial bit of data is distorted (6) SOLDIER War is a constant presence for each new word that you enter in the grid. 7A Noticed a tool (3) 17A Coming from the East, the German Communist (3) 1D On the sound track, drop a level (4) 8D After the beginning, give an angry speech (4) 10D Spots sad arrangement (3) SPY Observe the answer to each clue, but be sure to leave it undisturbed when entering it in the grid. 9A Originally, the U.S.A. covered Lithuania’s principal city (5) 18A Unfortunately, a friend includes you in a text, revealing a lot (8) 3D Cancels Times subscription at first, concealing error (6) 5D Twin sources for English spymaster are undercover (4) 14D One that hurts an American from the Midwest (5) ACROSS 1 2 defs., 3 JUD[e] + G + MENTAL 10 2 defs. 11 GRAND + P(R)IX 12 OCEAN + IANS (canoe anag.) 13 “Wight” 14 anag. 16 anag. 17 DENIM + ED (mined rev.) 19 2 defs. 22 S(TOP)S, 23 QUASI + MODO (doom anag.) 25 B(O + CAR)ATON 26 HEAVE[n] 27 anag. DOWN 1 BELL + OW 2 & 28 anag. 4 UNGUARD + ED (guru and anag.) 5 hidden 6 END + OWER 7 TERMI(NA)TE 8 L(AX) + NESS 9 FR(AN)CE (Cerf anag.) 15 “handsome” + CAB 16 DESI AR + NAZ[i] (raised rev.) 17 DUST(B)IN, 18 MIST + R + AL 20 “nays” 21 CO-GENT 23 Q + A + TAR 24 OM + AHA
Nov 30, 2011 / Joshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto
Letters Letters
Occupy Wall Street, NPR, debt “forgiveness,“ George Kennan
Nov 30, 2011 / Our Readers
Unions Beat GOP Candidates as New Hampshire Blocks Anti-Labor Law Unions Beat GOP Candidates as New Hampshire Blocks Anti-Labor Law
Even as Republican presidential contenders stake out extreme anti-labor positions in New Hampshire, unions in that state have succeeded in blocking an anti-union “Right-to-Wo...
Nov 30, 2011 / John Nichols
Republicans Make Rare Retreat on Payroll Tax Cuts—Why? Republicans Make Rare Retreat on Payroll Tax Cuts—Why?
When Mitch McConnell surrendered on a payroll tax cut extension, it might have marked a new dynamic in Washington.
Nov 30, 2011 / George Zornick
The Tea Party’s Distant Cousin The Tea Party’s Distant Cousin
Reactionary forces echo through history, whether conservatives acknowledge it or not.
Nov 30, 2011 / Jamelle Bouie
Former Seattle Police Chief: His Reaction to WTO Protests Was the ‘Worst Decision of My 34-Year Career’ Former Seattle Police Chief: His Reaction to WTO Protests Was the ‘Worst Decision of My 34-Year Career’
“When you have people in leadership positions who are not exercising self-discipline and restraint, it’s reasonable to expect their followers to do likewise,” sai...
Nov 30, 2011 / Press Room
A New Winter of Discontent: Massive Strikes in UK Protest Government Austerity A New Winter of Discontent: Massive Strikes in UK Protest Government Austerity
Public sector workers in the UK held the largest strike since 1979 today to protest the government's austerity policies.
Nov 30, 2011 / Ari Berman
Syracuse, Penn State and the Problem with Sun Kings Syracuse, Penn State and the Problem with Sun Kings
Both universities saw their sports programs as “too big to fail” and then warped every pretension of a moral compass to make sure that they didn't.
Nov 30, 2011 / Dave Zirin
Dave Obey: Creating a Progressive America Dave Obey: Creating a Progressive America
The worst time to get people's attention to environmental problems is a time of economic problems.
Nov 30, 2011 / The Nation and On The Earth Productions