The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: 11.11.11

American Marines Raising American Flag

on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, 1945, Joe Rosenthal

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Friday, November 11, 2011 — Veterans Day

Puzzle by Alex Vratsanos / Edited by Will Shortz

That big numeral 11 formed by black squares in the center of this singular Friday crossword stands by itself (today’s date is 11/11/11) as the answers and clues are completely oblivious to the image. Six fifteen-letter down answers are the supporting feature of the puzzle — ROAD TO SINGAPORE (2D. 1940 Crosby/Lamour/Hope comedy), IN FITS AND STARTS (3D. Irregularly), CRIMINALIZATION (6D. Outlawing), SURGEON GENERALS (7D. Medical bigwigs), correctly, “surgeons general“, AMERICAN IN PARIS (10D. Carnegie Hall debut of 1928, with “An”), SPINKLER SYSTEM (1D. Building safety feature).

Remaining downs — 1. Year the first Rose Bowl was played, MCMII; 4. It might make you jump, BOO; 5. Rotary Club members, BUSINESSMEN; 8. Place for a pad, KNEE; 9. Wanted letters?, AKA; 12. Befuddled, AT SEA; 14. Familia member, TIO; 16. Wipes out, ERADICATES; 21. It’s not a dream, ACTUALITY; 27. Recuse oneself from, say, sit out; 29. Some services, MASSES; 31. Layer of green eggs, EMU; 34. “Concentration” pronoun, EWE; 44. Flat ones are not good, COLAS; 47. Wrangles (with), SPARS; 52. Glamour types, for short, EDS; 53. Gift on a string, LEI; 54. Prefix with car, ECO; 56. LOC cit. (footnote abbr.); 57. Dickensian cry, BAH; 58. Record label inits, EMI.

Across — 1. MRI scan; 4. Media inits. Since 1927, BBC; 7. Music genre of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, SKA; 10. Solid rock center?, AS A; 13. It’s shown on a topographical map, CONTOUR; 15. Disheveled, UNKEMPT; 17. Family members, MAFIOSI; 18. Parents, e.g.; 19. Prefix with -matic, IDIO; 20. Google search object, IMAGE; 22. First name in auto racing, ARIE; 23. Cousin ITT; 24. “Well done!:, NICE; 25. Actress DINA Merrill; 26. Bygone espionage org., OSS; 28. Biology div., ENTOM; 30. Cry of repugnance, ICK; 31. ESAI Morales of “Gun Hill Road”; 32. Hot spot, SAUNA; 33. First name in auto racing, CALE; 35. Philadelphia landmark, MINT; 36. Denigrates, in British slang, SLAGS; 37. Over, ANEW; 38. Reverse, UNDO; 39. Things gotten with a credit card often, MILES; 40. Get beat, TIRE; 41. Atlanta sch. With 30000+ students, GSU; 42. Publication that clicks with readers?, EZINE; 43. “Star Trek” extra: Abbr., ENS; 44. Carrie Chapman CATT, founder of the League of Women Voters; 45. Buttocks, NATES; 46. 197 Gould/Sutherland spoof, SPYS; 48. W.W. II rationing org., OPA; 49. Norse equivalent of Mars, TYR; 50. Death on the Nile cause?, ASP; 51. Female charmer of myth, LORELEI; 55. Montana neighbor, ALBERTA; 59. Rockefeller Center is built in it, ART DECO; 60. More rich, as soil, LOAMIER; 61. Meeting, SESSION; 62. Breaks, SCHISMS.

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