The New York Times Crossword in Gothic: 08.08.14

Fish statues adorning the waterfront in Kota Knabalu,

Eunice Khong

————————

Friday, August 8, 2014

Puzzle by Bruce Haight / Edited by Will Shortz

SOMETHING’S FISHY (17. “Hmmmmm …” [as hinted at by the three groups of black squares in the middle of the grid]) and ON THE WATERFRONT (58. Best Picture of 1954 [see 17-Across], along with the three groups of black squares meant to resemble small fish, constitutes the main feature of this Friday crossword.

Other across — 1. “GANGNAM Style,” first video with a billion YouTube views; 8. Goes for enthusiastically, LEAPS AT; 15. Home to “alabaster cities”, AMERICA; 16. Like Saudi Arabia, OIL RICH; 19. It may contain mercury, ORE; 20. One of its flavors is Mud Pie, EDYS; 21. Starwort, e.g., ASTER; 22. Sounds from some mall temps, HOS; 23. Those south of the border?, ESOS; 25. MISO soup; 26. Medical suffix, OSIS; 28. Bess, ONE-UPS; 30. “NO I am your father” (classic “Star Wars” line); 31. Things that ties never have, LOSERS; 33. Last part, TAIL END; 35. Mythical predator, ROC; 36. Vietnam’s NGO Dinh Diem; 3. Excellent, in slang, ALL THAT; 41. Quintet comprising “Ode to the West Wind”, SONNETS; 45. See 51-Across, LEE; 46. “It was you,” operatically, ERI TU; 48. Dictator’s beginning, IN RE; 49. AT AN angle; 51. With 45-Across, Thor’s co-creator, STAN; 52. Many a base player, CAD; 53. Like 19-Across, MINED; 55. No sophisticate, RUBE; 57. Ovid’s others, ALIA; 61. Hardly the assertive type, DOORMAT; 62. Gander, LOOK-SEE; 63. As part of a series, EN SUITE; 64. A wild card is unlikely to beat one, TOP SEED.

Down — 1. Hybrid on the road?, GASOHOL; 2. Lovingly, on a music score, AMOROSO; 3. Greek goddess of vengeance, NEMESIS; 4. 170 is its max score, GRE; 5. Minute beef, NIT; 6. Really long?, ACHE; 7. First, MAIDEN; 8. Closes a session, LOGS OUT; 9. Rostock bar stock, EIS; 10. “Bravo” preceder, ALFA; 11. Optical separator, PRISM; 12. Like some famous frescoes, SISTINE; 13. Secretary of state before Dulles, ACHESON; 14. Neighbor of the Adam’s apple, THYROID; 18. Where Sotheby’s is BID, NYSE; 24. “NCIS” actor Joe SPANO; 27. Spanish muralist, SERT; 28. They’re clutched during some speeches, OSCARS; 29. Sharp or flat, SIGN; 32. Mies van der ROHE; 34. LONI Anderson of “Nurses”; 37. Dessert preference, ALA MODE; 38. Told, as a secret, LET IN ON; 39. Rough housing, LEANTOS; 40. Test the strength of, in a way, TITRATE; 41. Where snowbirds flock, SUN BELT; 42. Corral, ENCLOSE; 43. Cadet, e.g., TRAINEE; 44. Under, SEDATED; 47. Like a guitar string, TAUT; 50. Indian chief, once, NEHRU; 54. Prefix with john, DEMI; 56. Suffix with switch, EROO; 59. Southeast Asian tmeple, WAT; 60. Metrosexual sort, FOP.

————————