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New York Times, Thursday, February 12, 2026

Author:
Kareem Ayas
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Mechanisms that are often spring-loaded
TotalDebutLatest
912/27/20232/12/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
2103300
RebusCircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
231.555619.444%
Kareem Ayas

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 40 Missing: {JQZ} This is puzzle # 9 for Mr. Ayas. Grid flow: 14.8 Thursday freshness: 19%
Jim Horne notes:
In the deep past, before there were emojis, amorous writers resorted to X for KISS and O for HUG. The letter shapes tell you which is ... read more
1
D
2
W
3
E
4
L
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L
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G
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U
8
A
9
M
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M
11
E
12
N
13
R
A
D
I
A
14
N
15
I
N
C
A
16
O
X
O
17
O
W
E
S
T
O
18
S
H
U
T
19
O
U
T
S
20
P
A
N
T
E
R
21
A
22
O
R
E
L
S
E
23
E
X
I
T
24
L
A
D
D
E
R
25
S
26
S
27
E
E
28
S
29
A
Y
30
E
T
N
A
31
A
T
V
32
I
33
B
E
X
34
C
35
O
R
R
A
L
36
D
E
E
37
C
L
A
M
38
S
U
P
39
A
L
T
40
L
A
N
41
C
E
T
42
E
N
D
S
43
P
L
Y
44
I
L
S
A
45
D
N
A
46
P
S
Y
47
B
A
T
I
48
S
49
T
E
50
R
51
O
52
M
A
53
K
E
N
N
E
L
54
F
L
A
M
55
I
56
N
57
G
58
G
I
V
E
A
H
U
59
G
60
E
X
E
T
E
R
61
U
S
E
62
C
E
D
E
63
S
I
L
I
C
A
64
M
S
N
65
K
E
E
L
66
M
A
S
K
S
© 2026, The New York Times2/12/26 ( No. 27,855 )
Across
1
*Succeed : DOWELL
6
Home of War in the Pacific National Historical Park : GUAM
10
Sign on some restroom doors : MEN
13
Angular unit of measurement : RADIAN
15
Sapa ___ ("the only emperor" in Quechua) : INCA
16
Kitchen gadget brand : OXO
17
Must pay : OWESTO
18
*Public messages of appreciation : SHOUTOUTS
20
Heavy metal band whose name is a big cat in Spanish : PANTERA
22
Alternatively ... !!! : ORELSE
23
Sign out? : EXIT
24
Firehouse supply : LADDERS
26
Take out, in a way : SEE
28
"An idea ..." : SAY
30
Mount known to produce rare volcanic "smoke rings" : ETNA
31
Off-road ride, for short : ATV
32
Horned mountain climber : IBEX
34
Pen : CORRAL
36
Dennis's sister on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" : DEE
37
*New England-style chowder, for one : CLAMSOUP
39
___-weekly (mag type) : ALT
40
Small surgical instrument : LANCET
42
Wraps up : ENDS
43
Wield : PLY
44
Ingrid Bergman's "Casablanca" role : ILSA
45
Stuff with strands : DNA
46
College subj. that can be evolutionary or behavioral : PSY
47
Lightweight fabric for a handkerchief : BATISTE
50
Tomato type : ROMA
53
Pet project? : KENNEL
54
*Long-legged wader : FLAMINGO
58
Provide comfort, in a way ... or a hint to the answers to the four starred Across clues : GIVEAHUG
60
Northeastern prep school or its town : EXETER
61
"What's the ___?!" : USE
62
Surrender : CEDE
63
Ceramics component : SILICA
64
Web portal with a butterfly logo : MSN
65
Schooner's stabilizer : KEEL
66
Some spa treatments : MASKS
Down
1
What a phone call or new album might do : DROP
2
7-Eleven competitor on the East Coast : WAWA
3
Tree of knowledge locale : EDEN
4
Directory name : LISTEE
5
*Behind in payment : LATE
6
Ones "over there" in "Over There," in brief : GIS
7
Sacrilegious : UNHOLY
8
Legend, e.g. : ACURA
9
Beat in chess : MATED
10
Mechanisms that are often spring-loaded : MOUSETRAPS
11
*Forevermore : ETERNALLY
12
Us, in Spanish : NOS
14
Sushi seaweed type : NORI
19
From further back : OLDER
21
Befuddled : ATSEA
25
Coarse, as language : SALTY
26
Quickly smooch ... or a hint to the answers to the four starred Down clues : STEALAKISS
27
Square : EVENSTEVEN
29
*Word appearing 51 times in the New Testament : AMEN
31
Speak extemporaneously : ADLIB
32
Makeup of some shelves : ICE
33
Lunch item usually eaten with two hands, in brief : BLT
34
Cow's mouthful : CUD
35
Photo ___ : OPS
38
Wolf (down) : SNARF
41
Michael nominated for Oscars in five different decades : CAINE
45
Fool : DELUDE
46
Hollywood's Anderson or Bach : PAMELA
48
Nosh : SNACK
49
Little laugh : TEHEE
51
Sounds from un estadio : OLES
52
*Severely harm : MAIM
55
Words of affirmation : ITIS
56
Resting place for a boa : NECK
57
Pâté de foie ___ : GRAS
58
Unpleasant discovery under a desk : GUM
59
Hair raiser? : GEL

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle.

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