04.08.11 — 1961

Parade for the 40th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, Red Square, Moscow

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Friday, April 8, 2011

Puzzle by Joe Krozel / Edited by Will Shortz

An ungainly grid confronts the solver of this clever, yet grim and tedious (that‘s a positive), trifurcated (that’s a negative) Friday crossword. The house-organ blog of The New York Times, Wordplay, gushingly explains that the black squares of the grid outline the year 1961, continuing on with the usual extraordinary and elaborate high praise of any crossword composed for the Grey Lady. The duad of dead-serious hubristically self-appointed critics of the cold little crossword blogosphere are less pleased — The Fiend declaring the puzzle “a glut of black squares” much in agreement with Rex Parker, e.g., “insane… squatty… look-at-me grid, far too many black squares…” — thereupon, both indulge in the usual grave analysis of how the crossword (or any crossword for that matter) should have been (or should be) constructed, accompanied by the relating of personal trials and tribulations in solving and peeks into their respective private lives. It’s all kind of cool, isn’t it!  KENNEDY (7D. 1961 leader), SOVIETS (34D. Adversaries of 7-Down), COLD / WAR (9A. With 44-Down, conflict between 7-Down and the 34-Down) and FENCE (27D. The Berlin Wall started as one in 1961) are the handful of interrelated entries justifying the grotesque black-letter “1961” imposed upon the puzzle. No, honestly, it’s cool!

Berlin Wall, 1961

Four fifteen-letter entries run two left and two right, NATURAL DISASTER (1D. Earthquake, e.g.), ELEVATOR BUTTONS (2D. They may be hard-pressed to work), TAKE A BACK SEAT TO (5D. Have lower priority than) and SLEEVELESS DRESS (6D. Jumper, for one).

Other — AT ONE’S FEET (25A. In a person’s immediate vicinity), BARE BONES (3D. No extras), DISALLOWS, DULCET, FACE MASKS (35A. Umpires’ wear), FASTEN, HE-MAN, LEICESTER (11D. English Midlands city that is home to the largest outdoor covered market in Europe), LONELIEST, SIT AT HOME (26D. Not go out), RABID, RILED, SMILE (19A. Cry before someone snaps), SPRAINED (4D. Twisted in a bad way), STOWE, THE UN, VALIANCE (33D. Bravery), WATER GLASS (38A. Pitcher’s catcher?).

Soviet tanks face US tanks at Checkpoint Charlie,

on October 27, during the Berlin Crisis of 1961

Short stuff — ALAP and ALAR, ASH, AVE, BED, CCS and CTS and CWTS, DALY, DEL, DRED, EEN, ESOS, ETO, IST, KEN, MGR, NEBS, NERD, NEST, NOTE, OHM, OSU, SIBS, SRS, TEN, TERR, TNT, TSK, UVEA, VAT, VICE (33A. It’s just wrong), WASH.

END (45D. This, for example, with “the”).

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Click on image to enlarge.

Puzzle available on the internet at

THE NEW YORK TIMES — Crossword Puzzles and Games.

Remaining clues — ACROSS: 1. Beaks; 5. “You shouldn’t have!”; 8. Gain ___ on; 13. It may take a few hops; 14. Louisiana ___: Abbr.; 15. One of its official languages is Eng.; 17. Thriller author Follett; 18. Place for an iris; 20. Poet’s time of day; 21. Raging; 23. Solution amts.; 24. St. Bernard in New Orleans, e.g.: Abbr.; 28. It’s made every day; 30. Original “What’s My Line?” host John; 31. 1856 antislavery novel; 32. Contents of some charges; 34. Ones sharing a branch of a tree; 37. Seven-time Rose Bowl winner, in brief; 39. Winery fixture; 40. It’s all burned up; 41. All burned up; 42. Column addition?; 43. Write of 31-Across; 46. Banned fruit spray; 47. Onetime D.D.E. command; 48. Atlas, e.g.; 49. “Consider …”; 50. What a king may be worth; 51. Unlikely prom king; 52. Shipping units: Abbr.; 53. Promgoers, typically: Abbr.; 54. Those south of the border. — DOWN: 9. Price abbr.; 10. Unit of resistance; 16. Egg holder; 22. One of the 13 orig. colonies; 36. Store person: Abbr.; 38. Basketful of clothes.