December Bonus Puzzle
Every month, The New York Times publishes a bonus crossword puzzle for subscribers. The theme of this month’s puzzle is folk tales and fairy tales. It was constructed by Tracy Bennett. “Once upon a time.” With apologies to Ishmael, Homer and Ellison, is there a more iconic opening line in literature? Even if the story that follows is filled with witches, ogres, evil stepmothers and demonic baby-snatchers with eccentric names, the realm of the fairy tale, no matter its origin, is, essentially, comfort. Maybe it’s because we know what’s coming: a clash of good and evil with a resolution as old as humankind. Stories we have known since before we could speak, reinforced by generations of adaptations, illustrations, riffs and retellings. There’s something about controlled scariness — be it in a bedtime story, a movie or a book — that’s paradoxically calming; after all, how often in the real world do you have the chance to turn the page or come back to a situation in the light of day? This month’s bonus puzzle will draw on those core memories, as well as some newer ones. You’ll find classic Brothers Grimm characters in 62-Across and 1-Down, while 14-Across and 58-Down will take you across the seas. And film buffs will have fun, too: See 67- and 51-Across! Like all our bonus puzzles, this one is more a Tuesday jog to grandmother’s house than a Saturday slog through a brambly forest, with the occasional prince in disguise or tricksy fox to keep things interesting. You may need to draw on your knowledge of Hans Christian Andersen’s deeper cuts for 65-Down. And if you’ve seen only the Disney version, the particulars of 24-Down may come as a surprise. But at the end of the day, the protagonists in these stories will live happily ever after, forever. Now that’s comforting. Solve the puzzle
Try This Clue16-Across: Honorific title for Ms. Gothel of “Rapunzel”
How are we doing? Thanks for playing! Subscribe to New York Times Games. If you like this newsletter, you can tell your friends to sign up here. The answer to the clue is DAME.
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