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New York Times, Friday, January 23, 2026

Author:
Joyce Keller
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
They really click as a pair
TotalDebutLatest
211/21/20251/23/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000020
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.52652.856%
Joyce Keller

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JKQX} This is puzzle # 2 for Ms. Keller. Grid flow: 39.5 Friday freshness: 18%
1
S
2
C
3
A
4
N
5
T
6
G
7
R
8
A
9
Y
10
S
11
M
12
O
13
G
14
O
H
P
U
H
15
L
E
A
S
E
16
P
I
C
O
17
L
E
S
B
I
A
N
B
A
R
18
A
L
T
O
19
D
R
E
20
S
W
E
E
T
21
P
R
E
E
N
22
B
O
Y
S
23
R
24
A
R
E
S
T
25
B
26
E
E
N
E
27
S
E
L
E
C
T
28
H
A
R
D
E
R
29
T
A
P
S
H
O
30
E
31
S
32
U
S
E
R
S
33
N
A
T
34
S
A
N
A
A
35
E
S
C
O
O
36
T
E
R
37
H
O
N
E
S
T
38
T
O
N
G
U
E
39
A
N
G
S
T
40
C
O
M
M
I
T
41
T
U
N
E
42
H
I
R
E
E
43
E
44
L
E
N
A
45
Z
46
I
47
P
48
E
A
S
Y
49
C
R
E
A
T
I
50
V
I
T
Y
51
F
R
E
E
52
Y
E
A
R
S
L
A
T
E
R
53
T
A
T
S
54
A
D
D
S
55
S
L
I
M
E
© 2026, The New York Times1/23/26 ( No. 27,835 )
Across
1
Barely enough : SCANT
6
What some may be dyeing to conceal? : GRAY
10
Environmental concern : SMOG
14
"Don't be absurd!" : OHPUHLEASE
16
___ Mountain (ski area in Killington, Vt.) : PICO
17
She's out there! : LESBIANBAR
18
Many a choirgirl : ALTO
19
"Black-ish" patriarch : DRE
20
Dulcet : SWEET
21
Fiddle with feathers, say : PREEN
22
Backstreet ___ : BOYS
23
Like kyawthuite, among gems : RAREST
25
Designer Geoffrey : BEENE
27
A-list : SELECT
28
Like quartzite vis-à-vis quartz : HARDER
29
They really click as a pair : TAPSHOES
32
Masters of manipulation : USERS
33
Commercial preceder of Geo : NAT
34
Capital near the Red Sea : SANAA
35
Micromobility option : ESCOOTER
37
On the level : HONEST
38
Mouth organ : TONGUE
39
Internal turmoil : ANGST
40
Say "I do," say : COMMIT
41
One may be carried in a concert hall : TUNE
42
Recent recruit : HIREE
43
First name on the Supreme Court : ELENA
45
Zilch : ZIP
48
Cushy : EASY
49
It is "making the complicated simple, awesomely simple," per Charles Mingus : CREATIVITY
51
Out of joint? : FREE
52
Text insert for a flash-forward film scene : YEARSLATER
53
Ink : TATS
54
Apt rhyme for "pads" : ADDS
55
Guck : SLIME
Down
1
Completely convinced : SOLD
2
French letter opener : CHER
3
Niche for a shrine : APSE
4
Essence of the matter : NUB
5
"I'll take the blame" : THISONESONME
6
Some body builders? : GENES
7
Broccoli ___ : RABE
8
How to look at your hot fudge sundae : ASATREAT
9
A little possessive, perhaps? : YER
10
Pocket money : SPARECHANGE
11
Momentous moments : MILESTONES
12
Bits in a byte, e.g. : OCTET
13
"I'm listening" : GOON
15
One who's on the defense, perhaps : LAWYER
21
Digital applications? : PRESSONNAILS
22
Longing look : BEDROOMEYES
24
Rigi of Switzerland, e.g. : ALP
25
One setting on speakers : BASS
26
Classic toy for budding engineers : ERECTORSET
27
Long look : STARE
28
Peach or plum : HUE
30
Interest of Marco Polo, with "the" : EAST
31
Settled on the bottom? : SAT
33
Gelded : NEUTERED
36
___ Fridays : TGI
37
Hangouts : HAUNTS
40
Grammy-winning R&B singer named for a Revlon fragrance : CIARA
41
They make streaks on cheeks : TEARS
42
Mass : HEFT
44
Tip : LEAD
45
Trattoria tubes : ZITI
46
Couple : ITEM
47
Funeral ___ : PYRE
49
Texter's "ciao" : CYA
50
Late actor Kilmer : VAL

Answer summary:
2 unique to this puzzle.

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