ELEMENT OF SURPRISE - Answers & Solutions

Complete answers for this hard crossword puzzle (21x21 grid, 140 clues). Published 6/24/2012. By Elizabeth C. Gorski.

Classic newspaper crossword from the archive. About our puzzle library.

Want to try solving it yourself first? Play this puzzle

Across Answers

1 Across: Went easy on (6): SPARED
7 Across: Went 90, say (4): SPED
11 Across: Pop's relative? (4): BANG
15 Across: Nurse (3): SIP
18 Across: 18th-century Russian emperor (7): PETERII
20 Across: "___ homo" (4): ECCE
21 Across: Media executive Bob (4): IGER
22 Across: Mobile info organizer (3): PDA
23 Across: Every chemical element has one (12): ATOMICSYMBOL
25 Across: Stalks in a soup kitchen (8): CELERIES
27 Across: "Tough-actin'" medication (8): TINACTIN
28 Across: Ginger cookie (4): SNAP
30 Across: Eye salaciously (6): LEERAT
31 Across: Bare (5): STARK
32 Across: 2012 Mark Wahlberg comedy (3): TED
34 Across: Load to bear (4): ONUS
36 Across: Present from birth (6): INNATE
37 Across: Antlered animal (3): ELK
38 Across: Goggled (5): GAZED
40 Across: Worrisome Arctic and Antarctic developments (10): OZONEHOLES
42 Across: ___ anglais (English horn) (3): COR
43 Across: Congratulations indicator (3): PAT
45 Across: Have loans (3): OWE
46 Across: Sue Grafton's "___ for Outlaw" (3): OIS
47 Across: Popular Caribbean destination, informally (7): STBARTS
51 Across: "___ 1138" (1971 sci-fi film) (3): THX
53 Across: Search with a fine-tooth comb (5): SCOUR
55 Across: Realm (6): SPHERE
56 Across: Sommelier's pick (6): CLARET
59 Across: Drapery adornments (7): TASSELS
63 Across: Backup procedure (5): PLANB
64 Across: Chorus line leader? (3): TRA
65 Across: Seeing someone socially (7): ONADATE
67 Across: Fan sound (3): RAH
68 Across: Cost (5): RANTO
69 Across: Conservationist's catchphrase (9): SAVEWATER
71 Across: Slope (5): GRADE
73 Across: Pose (3): ASK
74 Across: Falls for married women? (7): NIAGARA
76 Across: Roker and Pacino (3): ALS
77 Across: Supermarket datum (5): AISLE
78 Across: To date (7): THUSFAR
80 Across: Like puns among all forms of humor, it's said (6): LOWEST
82 Across: In the arms of Morpheus (6): ASLEEP
83 Across: Place (5): POSIT
85 Across: ___ Diego (3): SAN
86 Across: Harangues (7): SCREEDS
88 Across: Arm of the U.S. Cong. (3): GAO
89 Across: Big tippler (3): SOT
91 Across: Financial page abbr. (3): YTD
93 Across: Some nods (3): OKS
94 Across: Arborist's catchphrase (10): PLANTATREE
98 Across: Gemini and Virgo (5): SIGNS
100 Across: Exchange purchase: Abbr. (3): STK
103 Across: Dutch exports (6): TULIPS
104 Across: Sight on an Alaskan cruise (4): ORCA
106 Across: Animal pouch (3): SAC
107 Across: Transnational cash (5): EUROS
109 Across: Farm machines (6): BALERS
110 Across: N.Y.C. home of van Gogh (4): MOMA
112 Across: Cause panic in a theater, perhaps (8): YELLFIRE
114 Across: Seltzer bottle capacity (8): ONELITER
117 Across: Environmentalist's catchphrase (12): CONSERVEFUEL
119 Across: Hubbub (3): ADO
120 Across: Neighbor of Sask. (4): NDAK
121 Across: Band with a juiced-up name? (4): ACDC
122 Across: Tokenish (7): NOMINAL
123 Across: Vacation acquisition, maybe (3): TAN
124 Across: Edible root (4): TARO
125 Across: ___ Hashana (4): ROSH
126 Across: Flirtatious lot (6): VIXENS

Down Answers

1 Down: Tiffs (5): SPATS
2 Down: Tiny (6): PETITE
3 Down: Like much avant-garde music (6): ATONAL
4 Down: Comment (6): REMARK
5 Down: Dampier of the N.B.A. (5): ERICK
6 Down: Webster's ref. (4): DICT
7 Down: Theological inst. (3): SEM
8 Down: Potential landfill pollutants, for short (4): PCBS
9 Down: Car opener? (5): ECONO
10 Down: Presidential middle name (6): DELANO
11 Down: Signature piece? (3): BIC
12 Down: Century, say (3): AGE
13 Down: Nervous ___ (6): NELLIE
14 Down: Atmospheric worries (15): GREENHOUSEGASES
15 Down: Pasta shapes (7): SPIRALS
16 Down: Brainstorm (6): IDEATE
17 Down: Wallops (6): PASTES
19 Down: Question to a museum visitor (7): ISITART
24 Down: California's Santa ___ Mountains (4): YNEZ
26 Down: "Girl With a Hoop" and "The Umbrellas" (7): RENOIRS
29 Down: "The Last Don" author (4): PUZO
33 Down: Bank statement abbr. (3): DEP
35 Down: Farm females (4): SOWS
38 Down: 45th American vice president (4): GORE
39 Down: Processed material (4): DATA
41 Down: Fruity drinks (7): NECTARS
42 Down: Global warming calculation whose shape is suggested by connecting 14 squares in this puzzle in a closed loop based on the appropriate 23-Across (15): CARBONFOOTPRINT
44 Down: Kind of society that is careless of the environment (9): THROWAWAY
47 Down: Éclat (6): SPLASH
48 Down: 1998 Alanis Morissette hit (6): THANKU
49 Down: Out of line? (4): BENT
50 Down: Beanpole (5): SCRAG
52 Down: Woman warrior (4): XENA
54 Down: Nibble for Dobbin (3): OAT
55 Down: Jack who's a picky eater (5): SPRAT
57 Down: Montreal suburb (5): LAVAL
58 Down: Farewells (5): TATAS
60 Down: Cleared (6): ERASED
61 Down: Soup servers (6): LADLES
62 Down: Followers (5): SHEEP
64 Down: Like pre-1917 Russia (7): TSARIST
66 Down: Shoulder muscles, in gym-speak (5): DELTS
70 Down: Love personified (4): EROS
72 Down: Antagonize (4): RILE
75 Down: ___ in igloo (3): IAS
79 Down: Droopy-eared pet (7): SPANIEL
81 Down: Tolkien forest creatures (4): ENTS
82 Down: Scroll holders (4): ARKS
84 Down: One frequently being waved at (4): TORO
87 Down: Worry (7): CONCERN
88 Down: Part of the Spanish Armada (7): GALLEON
90 Down: Semester, e.g. (4): TERM
92 Down: Put down (3): DIS
94 Down: Mosquito fleet vessel (6): PTBOAT
95 Down: Angola's capital (6): LUANDA
96 Down: "Law & Order" figure: Abbr. (6): ASSTDA
97 Down: Green vehicle (6): ECOCAR
99 Down: Marvin who sang "Let's Get It On" (4): GAYE
100 Down: Follow-up letters? (6): SUFFIX
101 Down: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (6): TRIUNE
102 Down: Seoul soul (6): KOREAN
105 Down: Old brand whose logo featured a torch (5): AMOCO
107 Down: Varnish ingredient (5): ELEMI
108 Down: Unloads (5): SELLS
111 Down: English connections (4): ANDS
113 Down: Ukrainian city, formerly (4): LVOV
115 Down: Bud holder (3): EAR
116 Down: "King Kong" studio (3): RKO
118 Down: Educ. facility (3): SCH

Ready to play?

Try solving this puzzle yourself, or explore more crosswords.

Play This Puzzle Today's Daily Crossword Browse All Puzzles