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New York Times, Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Author:
Jason Reich
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Easily found on the internet, say
TotalDebutLatest
210/5/202212/16/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0011000
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.681528.646%
Jason Reich

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JQ} This is puzzle # 2 for Mr. Reich. Grid flow: 23.6 Tuesday freshness: 77%
Jim Horne notes:

BOOK COVER & STORY BOOK, BOOK BAG & CHECK BOOK, etc.

1
B
2
O
3
O
4
K
5
A
6
P
7
P
8
S
9
B
10
E
11
G
12
I
13
N
14
A
K
I
N
15
B
R
A
H
16
U
S
O
N
E
17
N
I
N
E
18
C
O
V
E
19
R
S
T
O
R
Y
20
D
E
K
E
21
S
22
G
E
E
K
Y
23
G
E
O
24
L
I
25
A
R
26
N
O
B
27
E
L
28
A
29
L
30
E
31
G
R
O
32
S
S
33
E
X
E
34
C
35
S
36
B
A
G
37
C
H
E
C
K
38
W
E
C
A
R
E
39
O
T
O
H
40
A
K
I
41
R
A
42
O
B
O
E
43
R
E
M
I
44
S
S
45
F
A
I
46
R
P
L
A
Y
47
T
R
A
C
E
48
E
F
I
L
E
49
E
T
A
50
S
O
D
51
A
S
52
S
S
N
53
S
54
A
55
U
S
56
A
S
C
57
I
I
58
T
E
59
S
60
L
61
A
62
S
M
A
63
R
T
P
H
O
N
64
E
65
I
T
E
M
66
O
H
G
E
E
67
E
W
E
R
68
Z
A
N
Y
69
F
I
E
F
S
70
R
A
T
S
71
E
N
D
S
© 2025, The New York Times12/16/25 ( No. 27,797 )
Across
1
Library acquisition : BOOK
5
Insta and Snap : APPS
9
Start : BEGIN
14
Roughly equivalent (to) : AKIN
15
Homie : BRAH
16
Maine-to-Florida hwy. : USONE
17
What shares a key with "(" on a keyboard : NINE
18
Reason to buy a magazine, perhaps : COVERSTORY
20
Hockey feints : DEKES
22
Like someone who knows everything about a niche subject, maybe : GEEKY
23
Prefix with cache or tag : GEO
24
Person in hot pants? : LIAR
26
Name on a prestigious award : NOBEL
28
It may be blond or pale : ALE
31
Disgusting : GROSS
33
C-suite types : EXECS
36
Last stop before security, often : BAGCHECK
38
Words of communal support : WECARE
39
Texter's "Then again ..." : OTOH
40
Groundbreaking 1988 Japanese animated action film : AKIRA
42
Orchestra-tuning instrument : OBOE
43
Negligent : REMISS
45
Turnabout, they say : FAIRPLAY
47
Tiny amount : TRACE
48
Pay taxes via the internet : EFILE
49
Air traveler's info : ETA
50
Drinks served at fountains : SODAS
52
Govt. IDs : SSNS
54
Down Under land: Abbr. : AUS
56
Computer acronym since the 1960s : ASCII
58
Inventor Nikola : TESLA
62
The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one : SMARTPHONE
65
Couple, in gossip : ITEM
66
"Aw, shucks!" : OHGEE
67
Decorative pitcher : EWER
68
Wacky : ZANY
69
Lords' lands : FIEFS
70
Tells (on) : RATS
71
After 1-Across, shelf accessories ... or what can be placed "around" the halves of 18-, 36-, 45- and 62-Across to make new phrases? : ENDS
Down
1
Genesis or Yes : BAND
2
Many a character in "The Grapes of Wrath" : OKIE
3
Barnyard sound : OINK
4
Prepare to be knighted : KNEEL
5
Epitome of simplicity : ABC
6
Genre for Genesis or Yes, informally : PROGROCK
7
Lead (the way) : PAVE
8
Glossy finishes : SHEENS
9
Active and enthusiastic sort : BUSYBEE
10
Approx. : EST
11
Easily found on the internet, say : GOOGLEABLE
12
Memo heading : INRE
13
Grammy-winning R&B artist whose stage name is said to have been inspired by "The Matrix" : NEYO
19
Golden Age studio known for many Astaire/Rogers films : RKO
21
You might heave a big one : SIGH
25
Places : AREAS
27
Mike in "Breaking Bad," for example : EXCOP
28
Cancel, as a space launch : ABORT
29
Procrastinator's mantra : LATER
30
What someone seeking validation might need : EGOMASSAGE
32
Shallow boat with a square stern : SKIFF
34
Neighbor of a Slovene : CROAT
35
"Take it easy!" : SEEYA
37
Brother to Groucho : CHICO
38
Mournful cries : WAILS
41
One in a box at the theater? : RAISINET
44
Tranquilizes : SEDATES
46
Penalty in Monopoly : RENT
48
Artist known for his "impossible staircases" : ESCHER
51
Symbol of divine authority in hieroglyphics : ASP
53
Grab control of : SEIZE
54
Words before a date : ASOF
55
Tentative greeting : UMHI
57
The Hawkeye State : IOWA
59
Show extreme fandom for, in slang : STAN
60
Give temporarily : LEND
61
Ryan and Adams of Hollywood : AMYS
63
Whistle blower or flag thrower : REF
64
Hosp. hot spots : ERS

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle.

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