NYT Crossword · The New York Times
The Crossword Clues, Hints & Answers for September 20, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
By WordFinderZ Puzzle TeamLast updated How we make hints
This archive page covers the The Crossword from Tuesday, September 20, 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
Down clues & answers
Know someone stuck on this one? The link opens on the hints, not the answer.
Previous The Crossword answer
Monday, September 19, 2011
across
- 1. Common interjection on 27-/44-Across: ARRR
- 5. Corn, wheat or soybeans: CROP
- 9. Mobile downloadables: APPS
- 13. Ark builder: NOAH
- 14. Amours: LOVES
- 16. Underground part of a plant: ROOT
- 17. Where plank-walkers end up on 27-/44-Across: DAVYJONESLOCKER
- 20. Often-purple flowers: IRISES
- 21. 500 sheets: REAM
- 22. Big bird Down Under: EMU
- 23. "It's the ___ I can do": LEAST
- 25. "Hold it!," on 27-/44-Across: AVAST
- 27. With 44-Across, annual celebration on 9/19: TALKLIKEA
- 31. That woman: HER
- 32. Yours, in Tours: ATOI
- 33. Never, in Nuremberg: NIE
- 34. Gog and ___ (enemies of God, in Revelation): MAGOG
- 36. Deep-toned woodwind: BASSOON
- 38. Bird in a "tuxedo": PENGUIN
- 40. Malevolent spirit: DEMON
- 41. Cushion: PAD
- 42. Actress Swenson of "Benson": INGA
- 43. Asian electronics giant: NEC
- 44. See 27-Across: PIRATEDAY
- 46. Treasure on 27-/44-Across: BOOTY
- 48. Sometimes-sprained joint: ANKLE
- 49. Pretend: ACT
- 50. Watch sound: TICK
- 52. Playmate of Tinky Winky, Dipsy and Po: LAALAA
- 57. "I don't believe it!," on 27-/44-Across: SHIVERMETIMBERS
- 60. "___ la Douce": IRMA
- 61. Ultimate authority: SAYSO
- 62. "The Art of Fugue" composer: BACH
- 63. Onetime competitor of Nair: NEET
- 64. Glowing gas: NEON
- 65. Hello, on 27-/44-Across: AHOY
down
- 1. "I've fallen ... ___ can't get up!": ANDI
- 2. Surf sound: ROAR
- 3. Sitar player Shankar: RAVI
- 4. John ___-Davies of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy: RHYS
- 5. Get near to: CLOSEINON
- 6. Harry Potter's best friend: RON
- 7. Be a foreman of: OVERSEE
- 8. Onetime money in Spain: PESETA
- 9. Curve: ARC
- 10. Do some investigating: POKEAROUND
- 11. Sonnets and haikus: POEMS
- 12. Peacock's walk: STRUT
- 15. 1970s radical org.: SLA
- 18. Set, as mousse: JELL
- 19. Resident of Nebraska's largest city: OMAHAN
- 24. Related (to): AKIN
- 26. ___ burger (meatless dish): VEGGIE
- 27. Key on the far left of a keyboard: TAB
- 28. Not much: ATAD
- 29. Take immediate steps: LOSENOTIME
- 30. Destiny: KISMET
- 34. Award hung on a chain or ribbon: MEDALLION
- 35. Prefix with byte: GIGA
- 37. Immature egg cell: OOCYTE
- 38. The "P" of PRNDL: PARK
- 39. Aye's opposite: NAY
- 41. Ocular inflammation also known as conjunctivitis: PINKEYE
- 44. Dot-chomping character in a classic arcade game: PACMAN
- 45. What there's no "I" in: TEAM
- 46. Place to wash up: BASIN
- 47. Autumn hue: OCHRE
- 51. 1040 org.: IRS
- 53. "Mamma Mia" group: ABBA
- 54. Jacob's first wife: LEAH
- 55. California-based oil giant: ARCO
- 56. Like a used barbecue pit: ASHY
- 58. Winery container: VAT
- 59. General on a Chinese menu: TSO
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.