Speaking of Crosswords. . .

          I bow in admiration to the men and women who construct crossword puzzles, "cruciverbalists."  I tried for a while to construct my own, and did manage to put two or three together, with great pride, I might add, but all I could manage was the bare-bones success of a school boy.  And I knew by constant exposure to the great constructors that I would never be able to match their wittiness and intricate patterning--their genius.  

          So I gave it up and now sit back and enjoy the brilliant puzzles they have put together.  For me.  And you too.  I know most of them don't do it for the money because unless they grind out a great many of them, it isn't likely they can make much of a living with this talent..  They earn part-time money by being fiendishly creative, while I spend a few late night hours, when I am unfit for proper work, by trying to match wits with them.  They're my heroes--and I thank them all.  

          What follows is a sampling of great minds having fun in a 15 x 15 grid. 

From The New York Times Ultimate Crossword Omnibus:  1001 Puzzles from the Pages of The New York Times (2003), edited by Will Shortz.

Constructor                 Puzzle No.      Clue / Answer

Ernie Furtado              19                  Eschew food  /  fast

Norma Steinberg         21                 Worthless agreements? /  mtpromises

                                                            Nonchalant view of fortune  / ezcomeezgo

Trip Payne                   27                   Battle types  /  Sopranos

                                                            Express wonderment  /   oohandahh

Chuck Deodene          34                   Cleaned a windshield  /  squeegeed

Wayne Robert Williams  39             Coming out on top?  /  bald

Jim Page                      44                  Turning  /  aswirl

Trip Payne                   45                   What you used to be  /  thou

                                                            Great shakes?  /  hulas

                                                            Camels’ destinations?  /  ashtrays

Bob Sefick                  73                   Clicker that might be used on a trawler?  /  castanet

Harvey Estes               94                   Square meal?  /  ravioli

Harvey Estes               152                 Perform perfectly  /  dotoat

A.J. Santora                155                  Stone-broke  /  assetless

Nancy Joline               161                 Easter preceder  /  nor

Nancy S. Ross             170                 A.M. or P.M., e.g.  /  abbr

Jim Page                      177                 Classics trio  /  esses

Rich Norris                  183                One whose work is decreasing?  /  ironer

Brendan Emmett Quigley  224          Steve Forbes is surrounded by them  /  esses

Bryant White              225                  St. Lawrence sight  /  1001islands

                                                              extremely rare  /  1ina1000000

Chuck Deodene          239                  Outdoor air / serenade

Charles Gersch            269                 Concert finale / ina

Gregory E. Paul          271                  It may be rounded on a diamond / third [base]

Jim Page                      274                  Contents of some sleeves / lps

Elizabeth Gorski         275                  Life in the early days / embryo

Lois Sidway                278                   Make or break, e.g. / verb

Sidney Robbins           293                  Bosom companions  /  bras

Jonathan Schmalzbach  359                Nom de crook  /  alias

Chuck Deodene          363                   Eyesores or eye sores  /  sties

Richard Hughes          379                   Y’s half brothers  /  aeiou

Jonathan Schmalzbach  380                Seagoing departure from a Scandinavian capital? / 

                                                                        osloboattochina

                                                               Aggressive personality in the Far East?  / 

                                                                        taipeibehavior

                                                               South American football player?  /  sandiegocharger

Cathy Millhauser         381                  Like mosquitoes at a camp?  /  maliciousintent

Stephanie Spadaccini  384                   Item filed by a secretary?  /  nail

Alfo Micci                   393                  M  /  firstofthemonth
                                                               O  /  secondincommand
                                                               Y  /  thefourthofjuly
                                                               E  /  beethovensthird

Richard Thomas          428                   Food bar  /  oleo

Harvey Estes               446                   Scoundrel, to Betsy Ross?  sewandsew

                                                               Completely, to a pitcher?  threwandthrew

                                                               Presently, to a shopaholic?  buyandbuy

David J. Kahn             447                    Pavarotti, to fans  /  kingofthehighcs

Martin Ashwood-Smith  460               It turns into a different story  /  spiralstaircase

Randolph Ross            464                   Dressing place  /  cruet

                                                               [clue 54A]  =  /  twoxtwentyseven]

Harvey Estes               470                   Final copy:  Abbr.  /  obit

Randolph Ross            555                   Minnesota twins  /  ens [the letter “n”]

David J. Kahn             584                    “Where’s my watch?” asked Captain Hook____  / 

                                                                         offhandedly

                                                               “Get lost, Toto!”  shouted the Tin Man____  / 

                                                                        heartlessly

                                                               “I’m a beauty,” said Venus de Milo____  / 

                                                                        disarmingly

Lois Sidway                599                    Not dose  /  dese

Bryant White              602                    Coasters for Socrates, e.g.  /  anagram

Kiran S. Kedlaya        627                    Betraying, briefly  /  doublexing

Sidney L. Robbins      646                    Saying  /  saw

Manny Nosowsky       654                    Where exes are made  /  reno

Lois Sidway                668                    Overhead lighting?  /  halo

Norma Steinberg         669                   Marriage?  /  altaredstate

Chuck Deodene          749                    Acupuncturist’s fee?  stickerprice

                                                               Dermatologist’s pronouncement?  rashdecision

                                                               Arthroscopic surgeries?  /  jointventures

Martin Schneider        852                   B  /  cflat

Hugh Davis                 857                    Like some kisses and bases  /  stolen

Bob Klahn                   885                    Fall setting  /  eden

Martin Ashwood-Smith  890               Appropriate cry for Crusoe?  /  tgif

Patrick Jordan             896                   Isn’t on the street?  /  aint

Martin Ashwood-Smith

and Bob Klahn            904                    Hamlet’s relatives  /  towns

William Bernhardt      914                   Peter or the Wolfe?  /  nero

Richard Silvestri         924                   Works on pumps, maybe  /  resoles

Jim Page                      944                   At first  /  onbase

Elizabeth Gorski         955                   Child, for one  /  chef 

Frances Hansen           974                   Result of a burning desire  / arson