1949 short that marked the first appearance of 91- and 110-Across - NYT Crossword Clue

Introduction

This clue is a delightful dive into animation history, functioning as a trivia question with a cross-referencing twist. The answer is the title of a specific cartoon, which is revealed by identifying the famous characters located at 91- and 110-Across. The answer itself is a clever pun, a hallmark of the series it belongs to.

Clue Analysis

The clue provides several key pieces of information:

• "1949 short": This pinpoints the year and format. We're looking for a short film, most likely an animated one, from a specific year in the golden age of American animation.
• "that marked the first appearance": This tells us we're looking for an origin story, the debut of some well-known characters.
• "of 91- and 110-Across": This is a direct instruction to look elsewhere in the grid. The identities of the characters at these locations are essential to solving this clue. Based on the answer, these characters are WILEECOYOTE and ROADRUNNER.

Putting it all together, the clue asks for the title of the 1949 cartoon that introduced Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

Thinking Approaches

A solver has a few paths to this answer:

1. Solve the Cross-References First: The most straightforward method is to solve for 91-Across and 110-Across. Once you have WILEECOYOTE and ROADRUNNER filled in, you can either recall the name of their debut short or use a quick search for "Wile E. Coyote first cartoon" to find the title.
2. Use Crossing Letters: If the cross-referenced clues are proving difficult, you can work on the Down clues that intersect with this answer. As letters start to fill in, the punny title might become recognizable. The unusual spelling of FURRYOUS at the end would be a strong giveaway once a few crosses are in place.
3. Leverage Animation Knowledge: Fans of classic cartoons might recognize the punny title structure as characteristic of the Looney Tunes series. The phrase "Fast and Furious" might come to mind, and a mental leap to a pun involving a "furry" character could lead you directly to the answer.

Background Context

Fast and Furry-ous is a 1949 animated short film in the Looney Tunes series, directed by the legendary Chuck Jones. It was the very first appearance of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. The cartoon established the formula that would define the duo for decades: the perpetually hungry coyote employs elaborate and seemingly foolproof schemes (often involving products from the Acme Corporation) to catch the impossibly speedy roadrunner, only to have them backfire in spectacular and hilarious fashion. The title itself is a classic example of the wordplay that Warner Bros. cartoons were famous for, twisting the common phrase "fast and furious."

Conclusion

This clue is a fantastic example of how crosswords can weave pop culture and trivia into the grid. It rewards solvers who have a nostalgic appreciation for classic animation while also being solvable through the puzzle's internal logic of cross-referencing and crossing letters. It's a fun tribute to two of the most enduring characters in cartoon history.

Hints

1. Hint 1: The answer is the title of a classic animated short film.
2. Hint 2: The film features a famous predator-prey chase dynamic, but not involving a cat and mouse.
3. Hint 3: The title is a pun on a common phrase that means 'energetic and intense'.
4. Hint 4: This short introduced the iconic Looney Tunes characters Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

The answer is FASTANDFURRYOUS.