NYT Crossword Cute Clues Prior to 2000

Crossword Cute Clues -- Prior to 2000

Here are the New York Times Cute Clues I liked in the years prior to 2000. What you see below is what the answer might look like with only one or a few letters filled in, just as it might be if you were working a puzzle.

To enjoy the table below best, resist the temptation to click the answer cell till you've played with the clue for a while. To appreciate the clues and answers from a different perspective, imagine that as the constructor you have a particular answer filled into the grid, and you need a clue for it. If you don't understand why a particular answer makes sense, let me know.

Army threats?	_ C _ O P _	Date: 11-08-1996 Constructor: Matt Gaffney Although I got this answer quickly because of the crossing answers, it was a couple weeks before the nature of the relationship finally dawned on me. This is as fun as crossword puzzles get for me.
Pat on the buns?	_ L E _	Date: 12-21-1996 Constructor: Fred Piscop
Returns home?	I _ S	Date: 01-11-1997 Constructor: Bob Klahn
Club of diamonds?	_ A _	Date: Unknown Constructor: Unknown
Leaves at 4:00	_ _ A	Date: 01-02-1997 Constructor: Matt Gaffney
Work done on the premises?	L _ _ I _	Date: 02-23-1997 Constructor: Nancy Nicholson Joline
One might be rubbed out	_ E N _ E	Date: 01-30-99 Constructor: Chuck Deodene
Put down in writing	_ I B E _ E D	Date: 01-30-99 Constructor: Chuck Deodene
Not in one's cups?	_ _ A L E S S	Date: 01-14-99 Constructor: Rand H. Burns
See left	_ I N _	Date: 02-28-1998 Constructor: Manny Nosowsky This clue doesn't make sense unless you realize the clue number is 9-Down.
Serial killer?	S _ _ W	Date: 01-17-1999 Constructor: Cathy Millhauser
Staff positions?	R _ S	Date: 02-07-1999 Constructor: Nancy Nicholson Joline
Jam ingredients?	A _ T _ S	Date: 05-05-1999 Constructor: Lois Sidway
One who wants the crème de mint	C O _ _ C _ _ L _ C _ O R	Date: 05-23-1999 Constructor: Harvey Estes and Nancy Salomon This is the one that caused me to want to list all these Cute clues on a Web page for you to enjoy
Second-hand items?	_ I _ E _ I E _ E S	Date: 05-29-1999 Constructor: Martin Ashwood-Smith
Drop a line?	_ I S _	Date: 06-01-1999 Constructor: Myles Callum
They're chosen for your sake	_ I _ E S	Date: 06-11-1999 Constructor: Jim Page
Roll top?	_ E S A _ E S _ E _ S	Date: 06-24-1999 Constructor: Jim Page
Makes it?	_ A _ S	Date: 06-24-1999 Constructor: Jim Page
Grp. that gets a pay cut?	_ R _	Date: 06-25-1999 Constructor: Matt Gaffney
Refrain from farming?	_ I E I _	Date: 06-30-1999 Constructor: Manny Nosowsky
Where a person uses an ID to get mail?	_ _ A H _	Date: 06-30-1999 Constructor: Manny Nosowsky
Better copy	E _ I _	Date: 07-02-1999 Constructor: Randolph Ross
The cart before the ores	_ R A _	Date: 07-07-1999 Constructor: Richard Silvestri
Working model	_ O S E _	Date: 07-09-1999 Constructor: Ingrid Truemper
Shortly before?	E _ E	Date: Sunday, 07-11-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon The first of seven Cute Clues.
Canine cover	_ A R _ A _	Date: Sunday, 07-11-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon The second of seven Cute Clues.
They exist from hand to mouth	_ E _ N S	Date: Sunday, 07-11-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon The third of seven Cute Clues.
It's often left hanging	_ R _	Date: Sunday, 07-11-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon The fourth of seven Cute Clues.
One who accepts charges	_ A T A _ _ R	Date: Sunday, 07-11-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon The fifth of seven Cute Clues.
Common aspiration	_ I _ C H	Date: Sunday, 07-11-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon The sixth of seven Cute Clues.
Center strip cuts?	_ _ H A _ K S	Date: Sunday, 07-11-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon The seventh of seven Cute Clues.
Scotland yard, approximately	M E _ _ E	Date: 08-01-1999 Constructor: Randolph Ross
Web site?	_ O E _	Date: 08-01-1999 Constructor: Randolph Ross
Discovery zone?	_ A U N _ _ _ _ _	Date: 08-07-1999 Constructor: Trip Payne This one particularly tickled me because, for a long time while I was looking at the letters filled in at left, I thought the answer was SAUNABATH, which is at least as cute.
Beauty mark?	T _ N	Date: 08-19-1999 Constructor: Nancy Salomon
Life preserver?	B I _	Date: 08-20-1999 Constructor: Manny Nosowsky
Smart player?	A D _ _ _	Date: 08-20-1999 Constructor: Manny Nosowsky
One in a suit	A _ E	Date: 08-27-1999 Constructor: Joe DiPietro
Lighter company	_ R E _	Date: 08-27-1999 Constructor: Joe DiPietro
It's worn in 27-Down [Egypt]	S _ _ I N _	Date: 08-27-1999 Constructor: Joe DiPietro
Brown spot	C A _ _ U _	Date: 09-01-1999 Constructor: Alan Arbesfeld
Cracks, in a sense	S _ _ B S	Date: 09-03-1999 Constructor: David J. Kahn
Unliquidated?	T _ _ _ S T Y	Date: 09-05-1999 Constructor: Elizabeth C. Gorski
Turns tail?	_ _ G S	Date: Sunday, 09-10-1999 Constructor: Dana Motley The first of six.
Letter opener?	_ L A _	Date: Sunday, 09-10-1999 Constructor: Dana Motley The second of six.
One with a tab in a bar	_ E _ _ C A _	Date: Sunday, 09-10-1999 Constructor: Dana Motley The third of six.
Storied locale	S _ _ S _ R A _ E _	Date: Sunday, 09-10-1999 Constructor: Dana Motley The fourth of six.
Produce preserver	_ _ A R _ C _ O _	Date: Sunday, 09-10-1999 Constructor: Dana Motley The fifth of six.
Presidential administration	_ A T _	Date: Sunday, 09-10-1999 Constructor: Dana Motley The sixth of six.
Nasty fall?	_ A I _	Date: 09-12-1999 Constructor: Nancy Scandrett Ross
Bring up the rear?	_ O O _	Date: 09-19-1999 (special Millennium 23 X 23) Constructor: Manny Nosowsky An instant classic.
Fish market sights?	S _ A L _ S	Date: 09-19-1999 (special Millennium 23 X 23) Constructor: Manny Nosowsky This clue-and-answer relationship is better than most because there are two distinct interpretations, each equally apt.
Car bomb?	_ _ S E L	Date: 09-25-1999 Constructor: Richard Hughes
Food processor?	_ R _ C _ R	Date: 09-26-1999 Constructor: Randolph Ross
Good thing to find a lot of	_ R E _ P _ R _ I N G	Date: 10-01-1999 Constructor: John Wolting This is better than most because of the double meaning of "lot."
Activity that can wreck a hard disk	S _ E E _	Date: 10-09-1999 Constructor: Manny Nosowsky
Holiday music	_ L _ E S	Date: 10-10-1999 Constructor: Cathy Millhauser
It may be left of center	E _ _	Date: 10-14-1999 Constructor: Joe DiPietro
It's found in measuring cups	_ R A S I _ E	Date: 10-16-1999 Constructor: Rich Norris
Basketball center?	_ I _	Date: 10-17-1999 Constructor: Bob and Sharon Klahn
Have trouble standing	H A _ _	Date: 10-23-1999 Constructor: Frank Longo and Brendan Emmett Quigley
Long way to go?	L I _ _ _ S I N _	Date: 10-23-1999 Constructor: Frank Longo and Brendan Emmett Quigley
He's out of stocks and bonds	_ _ E _ M A N	Date: 10-23-1999 Constructor: Frank Longo and Brendan Emmett Quigley
Paid to hold hands?	A _ _ E D	Date: 10-26-1999 Constructor: Kevin McCann
47-Across [EYESORE], literally	S T _ _	Date: 10-25-1999 Constructor: Philip Lew This one is good in its own right, but I like it particularly because of a 35-year-old woman I worked with for four years, who had had styes off and on -- on both eyes and for which she was all the time being treated -- for her whole life. Until I accidentally pointed it out to her one afternoon, she had thought the word was STAR. Also, strictly speaking, a stye is not a sore on the eye, the globe itself; it's a pimple on the eyelid.
Corny side?	_ R I T _	Date: 11-06-1999 Constructor: Joan Bayer Williamson
Duel personality	S _ C _ N _	Date: 11-19-1999 Constructor: Manny Nosowsky
Mass number provider?	_ R _ _ N	Date: 11-26-1999 Constructor: Roger Phillips
Book marks?	T _ P _	Date: 11-27-1999 Constructor: Patrick D. Berry
Light work?	_ R _ _ N	Date: 12-03-1999 Constructor: Martin Ashwood-Smith
Press release?	_ I N _	Date: 12-05-1999 Constructor: Joe DiPietro
Silver spur?	H _ _ O	Date: 12-05-1999 Constructor: Joe DiPietro
It may be brought before a board	_ A N _ S A _	Date: 12-11-1999 Constructor: William S. Cotter
Affirmative action	N O _	Date: 12-11-1999 Constructor: William S. Cotter
Feather bed?	_ A _	Date: 12-12-1999 Constructor: Richard Silvestri
It's heard at day's end	L O N G _	Date: 12-18-1999 Constructor: Nancy Joline
Beat the draft?	_ _ L I _ T	Date: 12-24-1999 Constructor: Brendan Emmett Quigley

When I started collecting these Cute Clues I neglected to record the date and the constructor's name. If you know the when and the who of any of the ones above that are missing that information, please let me know.

Update of May 18, 2001 Thanks go to BARRY HALDIMAN for supplying much of the information I was missing. There are only just a few Unknowns left.

Update of August 22 Thanks go to Mark Diehl for filling in almost all of the remaining Unknowns. And more thanks to him for writing not two or three or four but eight of the Cute Clues on this list so far.

Crossword Cute Clues -- Prior to 2000