I had to hit Google a few times to check whether the entries I was arriving at were real words or phrases (note the words “other crossword entry” in the instructions. Now I see why Deb Amlen was stumped: the anagrams were more work than play. Over at Wordplay, several commenters had even stronger reactions, but Patrick stuck up for his puzzle, reminding people that all but one of the entries in the puzzle, even the ones people were complaining about, had previously appeared in NYT puzzles.
Anyway, here’s the solution. Click and drag over any of the spaces in the table to see the original clue answer or the anagram that goes in the grid. Look below the fold for the completed grid.
ACROSS
|
ANAGRAM
|
DOWN
|
ANAGRAM
|
||
1a
|
CHIT
|
ITCH
|
1d
|
aMIASMA
|
I AM SAM
|
5a
|
PERPS
|
PREPS
|
2d
|
GAITER
|
TRIAGE
|
10a
|
LOSE
|
SLOE
|
3d
|
SCRAPE
|
CASPER
|
14a
|
BARA
|
ARAB
|
4d
|
HOB
|
HBO
|
15a
|
LEASE
|
EASEL
|
5d
|
ROPED
|
PEDRO
|
16a
|
SITE
|
IEST
|
6d
|
TRAIT
|
RAITT
|
17a
|
I’M SO
|
MISO
|
7d
|
SEES
|
ESSE
|
18a
|
DEDUCTIONS
|
DISCOUNTED
|
8d
|
SPEC
|
PECS
|
20a
|
ASP
|
SAP
|
9d
|
LOS
|
SLO
|
21a
|
TREES
|
ERTES
|
10d
|
NIXES
|
SINEX
|
22a
|
SET
|
TES
|
11d
|
INSOLENT
|
LETS IN ON
|
23a
|
POSTAGE
|
AGE SPOT
|
12d
|
EOS
|
SOE
|
25a
|
EXISTS
|
SEXIST
|
13d
|
TED
|
ETD
|
28a
|
CRIME
|
MERCI
|
19d
|
TUES
|
UTES
|
29a
|
HANS
|
NAHS
|
21d
|
SPICE
|
EPICS
|
31a
|
SAN
|
NAS
|
24d
|
CREWS
|
SCREW
|
32a
|
COMRADE
|
RCA DOME
|
25d
|
HIRES
|
SHERI
|
35a
|
POEM
|
MOPE
|
26d
|
PASS
|
SAPS
|
36a
|
BRITNEY SPEARS
|
PRESBYTERIAN
|
27d
|
EST
|
TSE
|
39a
|
WIVE
|
VIEW
|
29d
|
STONE
|
TONES
|
40a
|
REELING
|
LEERING
|
30d
|
REAM
|
AMER
|
41a
|
TAN
|
ANT
|
33d
|
BLARE
|
ABLER
|
42a
|
DEWS
|
WEDS
|
34d
|
EDDY
|
DYED
|
43a
|
GORGE
|
GEORG
|
35d
|
GAMES
|
MAGES
|
47a
|
CRATER
|
CARTER
|
36d
|
PAIN
|
PINA
|
49a
|
ENDEARS
|
ED ASNER
|
37d
|
TERRACES
|
RETRACES
|
51a
|
TIA
|
AIT
|
38d
|
GAINS
|
INGAS
|
52a
|
SALLY
|
ALLYS
|
39d
|
CAV
|
VAC
|
54a
|
TEE
|
ETE
|
42d
|
STEW
|
WETS
|
55a
|
RESISTANCE
|
ANCESTRIES
|
44d
|
POUNCE
|
ONE CUP
|
58a
|
CAAN
|
NCAA
|
45d
|
GREATS
|
RETAGS
|
59a
|
PERE
|
PEER
|
46d
|
AGREES
|
GREASE
|
60a
|
OVALS
|
SALVO
|
48d
|
RITES
|
TIERS
|
61a
|
GUSH
|
HUGS
|
49d
|
LEVEE
|
ELEVE
|
62a
|
SOTS
|
TOSS
|
50d
|
SYNOD
|
DYSON
|
63a
|
NOELS
|
OLSEN
|
52d
|
LARA
|
ARAL
|
64a
|
PEAS
|
APSE
|
53d
|
SILL
|
LILS
|
55d
|
PAT
|
APT
|
|||
56d
|
EON
|
NEO
|
|||
57d
|
TOS
|
TSO
|
|||
58d
|
AHN
|
NHA
|
Solution to New York Times variety puzzle of 2/2/2014
I think the idea is terrific, and got 75 percent of the puzzle first time through, but some of the answers were definitely obscure, even if they occasionally show up in the Sunday Times, where they are often equally obscure.
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