NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for February 15, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Tuesday, February 15, 2011. The daily crossword is the classic: a 15×15 grid on weekdays and a larger Sunday puzzle, with difficulty rising from a gentle Monday to a fiendish Saturday. Hints come first and the solution stays hidden until you ask for it.
Across clues & answers
- 15
- 51
- 54
- 66
Down clues & answers
- 13
- 35
- 48
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Monday, February 14, 2011
across
- 1. Soothing ointment: BALM
- 5. Big ___ (sandwich): MAC
- 8. "Well done!": BRAVO
- 13. Word after rest or residential: AREA
- 14. Puts frosting on: ICES
- 16. Take great pleasure (in): REVEL
- 17. "___ 62-Down" (1962 Ray Charles hit): ICANTSTOPLOVING
- 20. Tops worn with shorts: TSHIRTS
- 21. Uncooked: RAW
- 22. Depot: Abbr.: STA
- 23. Mauna ___: LOA
- 24. Gets ready to shoot: AIMS
- 25. "___ 62-Down" (1953 Eddie Fisher hit): IMWALKINGBEHIND
- 33. Six-sided game piece: DIE
- 34. Give for a while: LEND
- 35. More confident: SURER
- 36. Keep ___ on (watch): TABS
- 38. Aptitude: SKILL
- 41. First, second, third or home: BASE
- 42. Change, as the Constitution: AMEND
- 44. Drubbing: ROUT
- 46. Some milk ctns.: QTS
- 47. "___ 62-Down" (1989 Milli Vanilli hit): GIRLIMGONNAMISS
- 51. "Not much longer": SOON
- 52. ___ Guevara: CHE
- 53. Sack: BAG
- 56. Lennon's second mate: ONO
- 57. Takes one's pick: CHOOSES
- 61. "___ 62-Down" (1995 Hootie & the Blowfish hit): ONLYWANNABEWITH
- 64. Peeling one may make a person tear up: ONION
- 65. Rural grain holder: SILO
- 66. "___, Brute?": ETTU
- 67. Word puzzle with pictures: REBUS
- 68. Big name in stunt bikes: BMX
- 69. Faculty head: DEAN
down
- 1. Cheese in a mousetrap: BAIT
- 2. Firecrackers' paths: ARCS
- 3. Jacob's first wife: LEAH
- 4. Philippine capital: MANILA
- 5. Errata: MISTAKES
- 6. Every play of Shakespeare has five of them: ACTS
- 7. Corp. honcho: CEO
- 8. Reads a little here and there: BROWSES
- 9. Sun. sermon giver: REV
- 10. Rara ___: AVIS
- 11. Air outlet: VENT
- 12. ___ Korbut, 1972 Olympic gymnastic sensation: OLGA
- 15. Parsley bit: SPRIG
- 18. Dweller under a bridge, in fairy tales: TROLL
- 19. Mary had a little one: LAMB
- 24. Fireplace log holder: ANDIRON
- 25. It helps you claim a suitcase: IDTAG
- 26. City known for its Heat: MIAMI
- 27. Big name in outdoor grills: WEBER
- 28. Sign, as a deal: INK
- 29. Wheel's center: HUB
- 30. Baghdad native: IRAQI
- 31. Hatchlings' homes: NESTS
- 32. Gown: DRESS
- 37. NBC weekend skit show, for short: SNL
- 39. Chaney of old films: LON
- 40. Carrier of a sandwich, soda and cookies, say: LUNCHBOX
- 43. Renounces: DISOWNS
- 45. California/Nevada resort lake: TAHOE
- 48. "___ Lisa": MONA
- 49. Thugs: GOONS
- 50. Made Persian or Siamese sounds: MEOWED
- 53. Socially inept sort: BOOR
- 54. Meara of comedy: ANNE
- 55. Smooth-talking: GLIB
- 57. Smooth, as seas: CALM
- 58. Web page: SITE
- 59. Jazzy singer ___ James: ETTA
- 60. Steer clear of: SHUN
- 62. Object of affection in 17-, 25-, 47- and 61-Across: YOU
- 63. Penpoint: NIB
More daily puzzle hints
- WordleGuess the five-letter word in six triesGuide & tips
- ConnectionsSort 16 words into four hidden groupsGuide & tips
- StrandsFind the themed words hidden in a letter gridGuide & tips
- Spelling BeeMake words from seven letters around a center letterGuide & tips
- Mini CrosswordA bite-size crossword you can finish over coffeeGuide & tips
- Connections: Sports EditionConnections with a sports-only word poolGuide & tips
- Letter BoxedChain words around a square using all 12 lettersGuide & tips
- Midi CrosswordThe mid-size crossword between the Mini and the dailyGuide & tips
How the week is built
- Monday and Tuesday: straightforward definitions and familiar answers. These are the best days to learn.
- Wednesday: a step up, often with a playful theme.
- Thursday: the trick day, with rebus squares (several letters in one square) and answers that turn corners or skip squares.
- Friday and Saturday: themeless and tough, with sly clues and long open sections.
- Sunday: a bigger 21×21 grid with a theme, about as hard as a Wednesday or Thursday.
Crossword-solving habits worth building
- Learn the common fill. Short vowel-heavy words such as ERA, OREO, ALOE and ETNA appear constantly because they help constructors connect sections.
- Read clue signals. "?" means wordplay, "Abbr." means an abbreviation, "e.g." means an example of a category, and a foreign word in the clue hints at a foreign answer.
- Find the theme. The longest answers usually share a gimmick; the title (on Sundays) or a "revealer" clue explains it.
- Erase without fear. When crossings don't work, the wrong letter is usually in the answer you were most confident about.
- Use targeted help. Reveal one letter here, or try our crossword solver with a pattern like ?R?S?.
The Crossword FAQ
When is the next crossword released?
Weekday puzzles go live at 10 p.m. Eastern Time the night before; weekend puzzles are released earlier in the evening.
What is a rebus square?
A square that holds more than one letter. Sometimes it holds a whole word or a symbol. They are most common on Thursdays.
Which day is the hardest?
Saturday is generally the hardest, followed by Friday. Sunday is larger but closer to midweek difficulty.
Can I see past crossword answers?
Yes. Each date we have covered is in the crossword archive.