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New York Times, Thursday, January 1, 2026

Author:
Topher Booth
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
What fictional English heavy metal band consists of David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls?
TotalDebut
11/1/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000100
RebusDebutFlowFresh
1225.153%
Topher Booth

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 35 This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Booth. Grid flow: 25.1 Thursday freshness: 57%
1
T
2
H
3
I
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S
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R
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A
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S
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P
9
T
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U
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N
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E
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R
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H
O
S
T
15
A
C
T
E
16
D
A
L
O
N
E
17
R
U
S
E
18
W
H
A
TAB
O
U
T
B
O
B
19
U
S
U
A
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L
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S
T
Y
X
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A
L
L
A
23
M
E
E
M
A
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W
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E
T
E
26
S
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E
A
R
28
U
N
29
C
L
E
S
A
30
M
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P
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A
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P
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E
R
B
O
Y
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T
A
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M
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P
38
A
39
T
H
ESC
R
E
A
M
40
S
41
P
I
N
ALT
A
P
42
A
S
I
A
N
43
R
E
L
A
X
A
N
T
44
S
C
45
O
46
P
E
O
U
T
47
E
48
P
49
I
50
E
V
A
L
51
M
E
52
D
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U
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S
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A
56
G
A
N
57
G
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E
R
I
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N
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D
E
M
O
N
61
A
N
S
W
62
E
R
K
E
Y
63
S
64
B
A
L
I
65
D
E
T
E
C
T
I
V
E
S
66
I
M
A
M
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S
L
A
N
G
68
T
E
T
E
69
T
I
R
E
© 2026, The New York Times1/1/26 ( No. 27,813 )
Across
1
You're looking at it! : THIS
5
File type : RASP
9
Piano technician : TUNER
14
Parasite's target : HOST
15
Had no co-conspirators : ACTEDALONE
17
Preparation for many a surprise party : RUSE
18
Which 1991 comedy starred Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss? : WHATABOUTBOB
19
Quotidian : USUAL
21
Charon's domain : STYX
22
Bistecca ___ fiorentina (Italian dish) : ALLA
23
Role for Annie Potts on "Young Sheldon" : MEEMAW
25
Are: Fr. : ETES
27
Gift for a musician : EAR
28
Figure in much W.W. I propaganda : UNCLESAM
31
Kid with a route : PAPERBOY
35
Home to the first N.F.L. team to win a Super Bowl in its own stadium (2021) : TAMPA
39
What Edvard Munch painting inspired a poster for "Home Alone"? : THESCREAM
40
What fictional English heavy metal band consists of David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls? : SPINALTAP
42
Like the origins of Buddhism and Hinduism : ASIAN
43
Chill pill, essentially : RELAXANT
44
Investigate : SCOPEOUT
47
Prefix with genetics : EPI
50
Assessment, informally : EVAL
51
Gorgon slain by Perseus : MEDUSA
56
Cohort : GANG
58
Where many family names begin O'- : ERIN
60
Denizen of hell : DEMON
61
Test graders' aids ... or what is needed to respond to the six italicized clues in this puzzle? : ANSWERKEYS
64
Neighbor of Java : BALI
65
Nancy Drew and Sherlock Holmes : DETECTIVES
66
Prayer leader : IMAM
67
Lit for fun, e.g. : SLANG
68
___-à-___ : TETE
69
Bore : TIRE
Down
1
Idly pluck, as a banjo : THRUM
2
It always wins, they say : HOUSE
3
One of Us, say? : ISSUE
4
Driver of some engines : STEAM
5
Like most oysters served with mignonette : RAW
6
Some Bavarian cries : ACHS
7
Majestic : STATELY
8
Which unit of data storage could hold 200,000 HD movies? : PETABYTE
9
19th letter : TAU
10
Sephora competitor : ULTA
11
Gallant : NOBLE
12
___ Gay : ENOLA
13
Steel rod with ridges : REBAR
16
Maliciously publishes the private info of online : DOXES
20
Actor Fishburne of "The Matrix" : LAURENCE
24
Org. for the Fever and the Dream : WNBA
26
Filled : SATIATED
29
End of many modern addresses : COM
30
Cat breed from an island in the Irish Sea : MANX
31
Educational support grp. : PTA
32
Sounds of realization : AHS
33
Who won Best Supporting Actor for Martin Scorsese's "GoodFellas?" : PESCI
34
Pitchers' stats : ERAS
36
What Mediterranean nation lies between Italy and Libya? : MALTA
37
Go for the gold? : PAN
38
Apropos : APT
40
Initialism for an online advertiser : SEO
41
Pitted fruit : PLUM
43
Take over for : RELIEVE
45
Undisguised : OVERT
46
"Sit!" : PARKIT
47
"Horrors!" : EGADS
48
Group of experts : PANEL
49
2010 release now owned by Meta, informally : INSTA
52
Entry in red ink : DEBIT
53
So-called "fifth taste" : UMAMI
54
Kind of wind ... or an alternative to wind : SOLAR
55
"Mob Psycho 100" genre : ANIME
57
Singer Stefani : GWEN
59
Negative for Nikolai : NYET
62
Heart chart, for short : ECG
63
Buffalo-to-Baltimore dir. : SSE

Answer summary:
2 unique to this puzzle, 2 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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