This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

New York Times, Friday, August 8, 2014

Author:
Bruce Haight
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
61-Across : Hardly the assertive type
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
631/3/201312/6/20237
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
3181812660
CircleScrabDebutFresh
41.6029744%
Bruce Haight

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JQVXZ} Spans: 2 Grid is asymmetric. This is puzzle # 6 for Mr. Haight. Friday freshness: 30%
Bruce Haight notes:
First off, if you didn't see the "grid art" in this puzzle, the picture below will give you a hint. It also gives you a good idea ... read more
Will Shortz notes:
In the first version of this puzzle, which I sent to test-solvers, the clues for 17A and 58A did not reference the three swimming ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
What a cool visual! Bruce has a real knack for using black squares to create art I haven't seen before. I was really impressed by one ... read more
Jim Horne notes:
Martin Ashwood-Smith took issue with calling this grid asymmetric. He sees it as a new kind of symmetry that superimposes diagonal ... read more
1
G
2
A
3
N
4
G
5
N
6
A
7
M
8
L
9
E
10
A
11
P
12
S
13
A
14
T
15
A
M
E
R
I
C
A
16
O
I
L
R
I
C
H
17
S
O
M
E
T
H
I
18
N
G
S
F
I
S
H
Y
19
O
R
E
20
E
D
Y
S
21
A
S
T
E
R
22
H
O
S
23
E
S
O
24
S
25
M
I
S
O
26
O
S
I
27
S
28
O
N
E
U
P
29
S
30
N
O
I
31
L
O
S
E
32
R
S
33
T
A
I
34
L
E
N
D
35
R
O
C
36
N
G
O
37
A
38
L
39
L
T
H
A
40
T
41
S
O
N
N
42
E
43
T
44
S
45
L
E
E
46
E
R
I
47
T
U
48
I
N
R
E
49
A
T
A
50
N
51
S
T
A
N
52
C
A
D
53
M
I
N
E
54
D
55
R
U
B
56
E
57
A
L
I
A
58
O
N
T
H
E
59
W
A
T
E
R
60
F
R
O
N
T
61
D
O
O
R
M
A
T
62
L
O
O
K
S
E
E
63
E
N
S
U
I
T
E
64
T
O
P
S
E
E
D
© 2014, The New York Times8/8/14 ( No. 23,649 )
Across
1
"___ Style," first video with a billion YouTube views : GANGNAM
8
Goes for enthusiastically : LEAPSAT
15
Home to "alabaster cities" : AMERICA
16
Like Saudi Arabia : OILRICH
17
"Hmmmmm ..." [as hinted at by the three groups of black squares in the middle of the grid] : SOMETHINGSFISHY
19
It may contain mercury : ORE
20
One of its flavors is Mud Pie : EDYS
21
Starwort, e.g. : ASTER
22
Sounds from some mall temps : HOS
23
Those south of the border? : ESOS
25
___ soup : MISO
26
Medical suffix : OSIS
28
Bests : ONEUPS
30
"___ am your father" (classic "Star Wars" line) : NOI
31
Things that ties never have : LOSERS
33
Last part : TAILEND
35
Mythical predator : ROC
36
Vietnam's ___ Dinh Diem : NGO
37
Excellent, in slang : ALLTHAT
41
Quintet comprising "Ode to the West Wind" : SONNETS
45
See 51-Across : LEE
46
"It was you," operatically : ERITU
48
Dictator's beginning : INRE
49
___ angle : ATAN
51
With 45-Across, Thor's co-creator : STAN
52
Many a base player : CAD
53
Like 19-Across : MINED
55
No sophisticate : RUBE
57
Ovid's others : ALIA
58
Best Picture of 1954 [see 17-Across] : ONTHEWATERFRONT
61
Hardly the assertive type : DOORMAT
62
Gander : LOOKSEE
63
As part of a series : ENSUITE
64
A wild card is unlikely to beat one : TOPSEED
Down
1
Hybrid on the road? : GASOHOL
2
Lovingly, on a music score : AMOROSO
3
Greek goddess of vengeance : NEMESIS
4
170 is its max score : GRE
5
Minute beef : NIT
6
Really long? : ACHE
7
First : MAIDEN
8
Closes a session : LOGSOUT
9
Rostock bar stock : EIS
10
"Bravo" preceder : ALFA
11
Optical separator : PRISM
12
Like some famous frescoes : SISTINE
13
Secretary of state before Dulles : ACHESON
14
Neighbor of the Adam's apple : THYROID
18
Where Sotheby's is BID : NYSE
24
"NCIS" actor Joe : SPANO
27
Spanish muralist : SERT
28
They're clutched during some speeches : OSCARS
29
Sharp or flat : SIGN
32
Mies van der ___ : ROHE
34
Anderson of "Nurses" : LONI
37
Dessert preference : ALAMODE
38
Told, as a secret : LETINON
39
Rough housing : LEANTOS
40
Test the strength of, in a way : TITRATE
41
Where snowbirds flock : SUNBELT
42
Corral : ENCLOSE
43
Cadet, e.g. : TRAINEE
44
Under : SEDATED
47
Like a guitar string : TAUT
50
Indian chief, once : NEHRU
54
Prefix with john : DEMI
56
Suffix with switch : EROO
57
Refuges : ARKS
59
Southeast Asian temple : WAT
60
Metrosexual sort : FOP

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle, 2 debuted here and reused later.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Like this puzzle? Please share this page on social media to help spread the word about XWord Info. Thanks!

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2024, Jim Horne
88 ms