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New York Times, Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Author:
John McClung
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
"An assault on the eyes, the ears, the brain, common sense and the human desire to be entertained" (1998)
TotalDebut
111/26/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0001000
ScrabFlowFresh
1.5133.737%
John McClung

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 34 Missing: {KQWXZ} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is the debut puzzle for Mr. McClung. Grid flow: 33.7 Wednesday freshness: 59%
1
H
2
I
3
N
4
D
5
S
6
T
7
A
8
I
9
D
10
M
11
O
12
S
13
S
14
O
G
O
D
15
C
A
I
R
O
16
I
L
L
S
17
B
U
T
T
18
A
R
M
A
G
19
E
D
D
O
N
20
N
A
Y
21
B
R
I
S
22
P
S
S
T
23
O
N
E
24
S
E
L
F
25
D
I
T
T
I
26
E
27
S
28
B
A
T
T
L
E
F
29
I
E
L
D
30
M
A
E
31
A
C
T
32
F
E
E
33
N
E
S
S
34
E
35
A
36
R
T
H
37
J
E
D
38
N
O
R
T
H
39
A
L
A
S
40
B
O
A
41
S
E
T
42
T
O
M
43
P
E
A
R
44
L
H
A
R
45
B
46
O
47
R
48
S
O
P
49
R
A
N
O
50
A
U
T
E
U
R
S
51
A
V
I
D
52
R
U
T
H
53
M
T
V
54
R
55
O
G
E
R
E
56
B
E
R
T
57
P
R
E
P
58
U
B
E
R
59
R
E
P
E
L
60
S
A
G
E
61
M
I
S
S
62
S
T
O
N
E
63
I
P
A
D
© 2025, The New York Times11/26/25 ( No. 27,777 )
Across
1
Posterior : HIND
5
Unadventurous : STAID
10
Growth on one side of trees : MOSS
14
Psalm starter : OGOD
15
Home to the renowned Khan el-Khalili bazaar : CAIRO
16
Woes : ILLS
17
Posterior : BUTT
18
"An assault on the eyes, the ears, the brain, common sense and the human desire to be entertained" (1998) : ARMAGEDDON
20
"No" vote : NAY
21
Jewish ceremony performed eight days after birth : BRIS
22
"Over here!" : PSST
23
"To love ___ is the beginning of a lifelong romance": Oscar Wilde : ONESELF
25
Simple songs : DITTIES
28
With 34-Across, "Like taking a bus trip with someone who has needed a bath for a long time" (2000) : BATTLEFIELD
30
Fannie ___ : MAE
31
Work of Congress : ACT
32
Price you pay : FEE
33
Loch viewed from the village of Drumnadrochit : NESS
34
See 28-Across : EARTH
37
Pa Clampett on "The Beverly Hillbillies" : JED
38
"I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it." (1994) : NORTH
39
[Sigh] : ALAS
40
Amazon wrapper : BOA
41
Film locale : SET
42
QB Brady : TOM
43
"A two-hour movie squeezed into three hours" (2001) : PEARLHARBOR
48
One who may end on a high note : SOPRANO
50
Filmmakers with distinctive styles : AUTEURS
51
Like a die-hard fan : AVID
52
Book after Judges : RUTH
53
Cable channel since 1981 : MTV
54
Pulitzer-winning critic known for his perceptive, sometimes sharply worded reviews, as seen in 18-, 28-/34-, 38- and 43-Across : ROGEREBERT
57
___ school : PREP
58
With 34-Down, food delivery app : UBER
59
Drive back : REPEL
60
Wise guy : SAGE
61
___ Universe : MISS
62
Slate, e.g. : STONE
63
Apple product introduced in 2010 : IPAD
Down
1
Mingle : HOBNOB
2
Lizard with an oceangoing subspecies nicknamed Godzilla : IGUANA
3
"Wait!" : NOTYET
4
Once-common pesticide banned in 1972 : DDT
5
Color of a literary "A" : SCARLET
6
Tax on imports : TARIFF
7
Gets ready to fire : AIMS
8
Nest egg inits. : IRA
9
Disorderly heap of people : DOGPILE
10
"There's a traitor in our ___!" : MIDST
11
Veteran : OLDTIMER
12
Advisory in a school zone : SLO
13
ID with two hyphens : SSN
19
Abbr. before a year : ESTD
21
One might precede "Excuse you!" : BELCH
24
Ballpark figures : STATS
25
Homeowner's proof of purchase : DEED
26
Right direction? : EAST
27
Meeting, slangily : SESH
29
Worrier's opening words : IFEAR
33
___ Dame : NOTRE
34
See 58-Across : EATS
35
Potatoes, in Indian cuisine : ALOO
36
Runs amok : RAMPAGES
37
Juan : Spanish :: ___ : Portuguese : JOAO
38
Below, poetically : NEATH
40
Drinking sprees : BENDERS
41
One way to get to an airport : SHUTTLE
43
Modest poker holding : PAIR
44
Big name in upscale fashion : LAUREN
45
Unfair accusation : BUMRAP
46
Jenna of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" : ORTEGA
47
Answered an invitation : RSVPED
49
People looking for hookups, informally : RVERS
52
Car at an auction, maybe : REPO
54
Part of a Bahama Mama : RUM
55
Belt in judo : OBI
56
"You ___!" (words of agreement) : BET
57
Letter after chi : PSI

Answer summary:
1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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