Thanks for your great blogs this year Amy! Hope 2008 is a vintage year for you (i.e. characterized by excellence-checked that out via the google definition shortcut you so kindly pointed out).

I am getting jibberish (long list of strange symbols) when I try to download Across Lite (v2.0) the acl2mac.dmg for OS 10.4 (version you must use if you have 10.4). I've tried unsuccessfully to work through the list of people I think might be able to help me at the NYT (Will Shortz does not list his email address). I'm hoping that you or one of your readers might be able to help me with this problem. Thanks!
Lou | 01.01.08 - 7:09 am | #

Lou, do you have any better luck downloading AL from the Litsoft site? If not, posting a plea for advice at the NYT "Today's Puzzle" forum often flushes out helpful people with technical savvy.
Orange | Homepage | 01.01.08 - 7:52 am | #

They don't have the version I need at the Litsoft site Orange. Also seem to be having difficulties downloading Stuffit now. Thanks for the tip on the NYT "Today's Puzzle" forum. I'll keep working on the problem(s)!
Lou | 01.01.08 - 7:59 am | #

Finally got it to work. Just had to use Safari browser rather than Firefox and didn't need Stuffit. Thanks!
Lou | 01.01.08 - 8:23 am | #

To paraphrase, or perhaps condense the commercial intro/outro cards from the Tonight Show of the 80s, Hoppy Gnu Beer, Orange et alii!

Gotta say I was slowed down a bit by the FOURH/AIRER crossing. When I hit 38A the first time through, I only had HEART OF DARKNESS of the theme entries and saw that the clue for FOURH started "Kind of club" and got the vague idea that cards were involved. Fortunately, I was able to figure out AIRER, so I never had to straighten out that part of my thinking, though it did mean that I was done with the puzzle before I knew what the theme was. The Cruciverb database lists 34 appearances of AIRER, so I guess it's kosher enough, but the clue hits my ear with a distinct Clunk.

Russell
Russell G. Brown | Homepage | 01.01.08 - 8:45 am | #

"Before I go, allow me to also grumble about TOWNE being clued as [Colonial settlement] ..."

Clearly there should have been something about the "Old Towne Team" instead. The Red Sox were red hot this year!
ephraim | Homepage | 01.01.08 - 8:47 am | #

I agree, Amy, the puzzle took liberties with the 4-H name and it's definitely not kosher. It was the last thing I cracked on the puzzle for that very reason (and the fact that AIRER is, well, c'mon).
Wendy | 01.01.08 - 9:13 am | #

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL IN FIENDLAND!


I agree FOURH was not ideal. Couldn't come up with anything better though. You need "club" in the clue to tie the theme together.
barrywep | 01.01.08 - 4:04 pm | #

As a 4-Her from the age of 6-18, I got the theme really fast, because I loved pledging "my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living for my club, my community, my country and my world." (I still stand for everything it pledges!) But the FOURH thing threw me off for an embarrassing amount of time.
rhymeswithmaria | 01.01.08 - 11:05 pm | #

Lou, Will Shortz would be the last person to help with technical issues on Across Lite. He doesn't even use it himself. Glad you got it straightened out in any case.
Ellen | Homepage | 01.01.08 - 11:54 pm | #