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New York Times, Friday, December 26, 2025

Author:
Andrew Spooner
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Competition that combines speed with balance
TotalDebut
112/26/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000010
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.58163.487%
Andrew Spooner

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 26 Missing: {JQXZ} Spans: 2 This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Spooner. Grid flow: 63.4 Friday freshness: 69%
1
S
2
L
3
O
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W
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P
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O
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K
8
E
9
A
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B
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O
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R
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T
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S
15
M
O
N
E
Y
B
A
G
16
L
O
W
A
R
T
17
U
S
H
E
R
I
N
G
18
B
U
L
G
U
R
19
G
E
O
D
E
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G
A
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M
U
T
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N
E
O
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L
I
L
Y
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N
A
N
A
S
25
C
A
L
L
26
Y
T
D
27
M
A
R
D
I
28
C
A
R
O
L
29
T
A
C
O
S
30
S
H
R
O
V
E
31
T
32
I
33
G
H
T
R
O
P
34
E
W
A
L
K
E
R
35
A
P
I
E
C
E
36
O
P
I
N
E
37
B
R
A
S
H
38
M
O
I
S
T
39
M
40
O
41
A
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L
O
N
E
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K
E
N
T
S
44
G
I
F
T
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E
M
T
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R
E
T
R
O
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P
O
R
N
O
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T
I
E
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D
I
N
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A
M
51
B
I
T
I
O
N
52
O
S
S
I
F
Y
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C
E
L
L
M
A
T
E
54
P
E
S
E
T
A
55
E
S
T
E
E
M
E
D
© 2025, The New York Times12/26/25 ( No. 27,807 )
Across
1
Dawdler : SLOWPOKE
9
Cuts short : ABORTS
15
Typical sight in a bank robbery cartoon : MONEYBAG
16
Kitsch : LOWART
17
Doing some theater work : USHERING
18
Cracked wheat used in tabbouleh : BULGUR
19
One whose beauty is on the inside : GEODE
20
Whole kit and caboodle : GAMUT
22
___-Latin (like some modern coinages) : NEO
23
Plant that's toxic to cats : LILY
24
Some babysitters : NANAS
25
A cold one is unexpected (and usually unappreciated) : CALL
26
Since Jan. 1, on a pay stub : YTD
27
Tuesday, in French : MARDI
28
Song commonly performed outdoors : CAROL
29
Food that can be prepared de canasta : TACOS
30
___ Tuesday (end of the pre-Lenten season) : SHROVE
31
One toeing the line? : TIGHTROPEWALKER
35
Individually : APIECE
36
Editorialize : OPINE
37
Overly self-assertive : BRASH
38
Like a good sponge cake : MOIST
39
Down Under bird that scientists are working to "de-extinct" : MOA
42
Singular, with or without its first letter : LONE
43
Origin story family in DC Comics : KENTS
44
Facility : GIFT
45
Certain care provider, for short : EMT
46
Re-fresh? : RETRO
47
It might be marked with an X : PORNO
48
Linked (with) : TIEDIN
50
Drive : AMBITION
52
Harden and become resistant to change : OSSIFY
53
Life partner, perhaps? : CELLMATE
54
Old coin with a picture of Generalissimo Franco : PESETA
55
Treated with respect : ESTEEMED
Down
1
How a supervillain might brag : SMUGLY
2
Flip : LOSEIT
3
Waiting for support, maybe : ONHOLD
4
Like untended plots : WEEDY
5
Funeral ___ : PYRE
6
Broad band? : OBI
7
Royal Australian Air Force insignia : KANGAROO
8
Competition that combines speed with balance : EGGANDSPOONRACE
9
Professor Dumbledore : ALBUS
10
Contest : BOUT
11
Bevy : quail :: parliament : ___ : OWL
12
The world's end, in Norse mythology : RAGNAROK
13
Mr. or Ms. Right : TRUELOVE
14
Baby sitter? : STROLLER
21
Half of a classic rum cocktail's name : MAI
24
Component of a nautilus shell : NACRE
25
Eric who wrote and illustrated "Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me" : CARLE
27
Stick by a fireplace : MATCH
28
Mantra : CHANT
29
Nearby things : THESE
30
Like the pope's guards : SWISS
31
Area on which to eat or play cards : TABLETOP
32
"You can absolutely count on me" : IPROMISE
33
Figure in sci-fi's "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman," e.g. : GIANTESS
34
Great illustrations : EPITOMES
38
Connected : MET
39
Sister of Moses : MIRIAM
40
Worth considering : OFNOTE
41
Made up : ATONED
43
Nation dubbed the "cradle of mankind" : KENYA
44
"Understood?" : GOTME
46
Big break : RIFT
47
Stack (up) : PILE
49
Casting need : DIE
51
Short diner order : BLT

Answer summary:
1 unique to this puzzle, 3 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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