Returning to HPN from the northwest last night, approach cleared me to the
Tappan Zee bridge, then to HPN as usual. I said "unable, the TZ bridge is
inside the TFR" and proposed a route to the Carmel VOR, then direct HPN,
which the controller accepted. This is the relevant part of
http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr/jsp/save_page...l_4_9872.html:

PART B. OUTER AREA, PROCEDURES FOR AIRCRAFT OPERATING WITHIN THE NY CLASS B
TFR FROM 7 NMR TO THE CLASS B 20 NM BOUNDARY, FROM THE SURFACE, UP TO BUT
NOT INCLUDING FL180, ARE LISTED BELOW: 1. FIXED WING AIRCRAFT SHALL BE ON AN
ACTIVE IFR OR VFR FLIGHT PLAN FILED WITH AN AFSS. 2. ALL AIRCRAFT SHALL
SQUAWK A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE ASSIGNED BY ATC. ALL AIRCRAFT SHALL
SQUAWK THE DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND AT ALL TIMES
WITHIN THE TFR. IN THE EVENT OF A TRANSPONDER FAILURE, THE PILOT SHALL
ADVISE ATC AND ATC WILL PROVIDE THE MOST DIRECT COURSE TO OUTSIDE THE
LATERAL LIMITS OF THE TFR. 3. ALL AIRCRAFT MUST REMAIN IN TWO-WAY RADIO
COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC. 4. FIXED WING OPERATIONS ARE LIMITED TO AIRCRAFT
ARRIVING OR DEPARTING LOCAL AIRFIELDS. AIRCRAFT MAY NOT LOITER.

The TZ bridge is within the outer area mentioned above. I had a transponder
code (point 2 above) assigned by approach, but was not on an active flight
plan filed with and AFSS(point 1 above). Questions:

1. Is my interpretation that I was not authorized to fly to the bridge
correct, or is a transponder code assigned by ATC tantamount to a flight
plan?
2. If I had flown to the bridge and been intercepted, would it have been an
adequate defense that approach ATC had cleared me to that location?