NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for September 15, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Thursday, September 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
- 23
- 34
- 44
- 45
- 62
Down clues & answers
- 38
- 49
- 52
- 57
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
across
- 1. Foe of 71-Across in Mad magazine: SPY
- 4. Slaps on: DAUBS
- 9. Mass seating: PEWS
- 13. Some round components: ALES
- 15. "There, there": ITSOK
- 16. Stack server: IHOP
- 17. Genetics-or-environment debate: NATUREVSNURTURE
- 20. Utensil drawer compartment: KNIVES
- 21. Like guns and dump trucks, over and over: RELOADED
- 22. Brewskis: SUDS
- 24. Shade of blue: SKY
- 25. "And ___ Was," 1985 Talking Heads song: SHE
- 28. Decathlete's implement: POLE
- 30. Brute: SAVAGE
- 35. Discovery Channel survival show: MANVSWILD
- 38. "___ Theme" (1965 soundtrack tune): LARAS
- 39. Piedmont wine town: ASTI
- 40. Neighbor of St. Kitts: NEVIS
- 42. Pack down: TAMP
- 43. Wozniak or Jobs: STEVE
- 45. Home-seeker's decision: RENTVSBUY
- 47. Usher in: HERALD
- 49. ___ avis: RARA
- 50. Bourbon and Beale: Abbr.: STS
- 51. Get too much sun: FRY
- 53. Standing O, say: HAND
- 55. Chewbacca and kin: WOOKIEES
- 60. Saint of Ávila: TERESA
- 64. 2004 movie featuring a clash of sci-fi species: ALIENVSPREDATOR
- 66. ___ diagram (logic illustration): VENN
- 67. Wearing a disguise, informally: INCOG
- 68. Oz creator: BAUM
- 69. John Lennon's "Dear ___": YOKO
- 70. Like some rich soil: LOAMY
- 71. Foe of 1-Across in Mad magazine: SPY
down
- 1. Went under: SANK
- 2. ___ B: PLAN
- 3. Hairy legend: YETI
- 4. Decreases gradually: DIESDOWN
- 5. Off-roader, for short: ATV
- 6. "Evil empire" initials: USSR
- 7. Our 206: BONES
- 8. Moves furtively: SKULKS
- 9. Falafel holder: PITA
- 10. Israel's Olmert: EHUD
- 11. Sported: WORE
- 12. Rushed: SPED
- 14. Some 4WD rides: SUVS
- 18. Opts not to be discharged: REUPS
- 19. Word before pain or treatment: ROYAL
- 23. More cagey: SLIER
- 25. Chart-topper: SMASH
- 26. Rush: HASTE
- 27. Reply to a knock: ENTER
- 29. Young migratory fish: ELVER
- 31. Brewery lineup: VATS
- 32. Many Semites: ARABS
- 33. Full range: GAMUT
- 34. Cable TV sports awards: ESPYS
- 36. South-of-the-border cheer starter: VIVA
- 37. Washington of jazz: DINAH
- 41. Generalship: STRATEGY
- 44. Pixieish: ELFIN
- 46. Like a windmill: VANED
- 48. Austin Powers foe: DREVIL
- 52. Kind of question on a survey: YESNO
- 54. Ho-hum: DRAB
- 55. Like moiré patterns: WAVY
- 56. Land O'Lakes product: OLEO
- 57. "Old MacDonald" sound: OINK
- 58. Popular bar game: KENO
- 59. Adoption advocacy org.: SPCA
- 61. Itinerary data, briefly: ETAS
- 62. Alternative to salad: SOUP
- 63. Camp group: ARMY
- 65. CD-___: ROM
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.