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Double Meanings

New York Times, Sunday, May 17, 2026

Author:
Derrick Niederman
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Lottery commission?
TotalDebutLatest
165/22/19835/17/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
16000000
RebusCirclePre‑WSFlowFresh
22433.077%
Derrick Niederman

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 74 Missing: {JQZ} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 16 for Mr. Niederman. Grid flow: 26.8 Sunday freshness: 80%
Will Shortz notes:
Derrick Niederman is a writer, game designer and retired math professor in Charleston, S.C. He's been making crosswords for The Times since 1983. He remembers the paper's puzzle editor at ... read more
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© 2026, The New York Times5/17/26 ( No. 27,949 )
Across
1
Snag : GLITCH
7
Italian sparkling wine : ASTI
11
John ___, personification of Objectivism, for Ayn Rand : GALT
15
Code for Queens-landers? : LGA
18
___ polaris : AURORA
19
Intl. group formed in 1945 : THEUN
20
Purple dish eaten with a spoon : ACAIBOWL
22
Lottery commission? : DRAWINGBOARD
24
Prison terms? : PENNAMES
25
Smell, e.g. : SENSE
26
University of Alabama rallying cry : ROLLTIDE
28
President's middle name (accented on the first syllable) or California city (accented on the second) : DELANO
29
Shower stall? : RAINDELAY
31
Slanted type: Abbr. : ITAL
32
Get one's feet wet? : WADE
36
Dir. from St. Paul to Duluth : NNE
37
Guido ___, Baroque painter from Bologna : RENI
38
Automates? : CARPALS
42
How mashed avocado might be served : OVERTOAST
45
Acquire, in a way : ANNEX
47
"Yep, noticed that" : ISAW
48
Battle cry? : WARRANT
49
PC IDs : IPS
52
What regular customers pay less for? : GAS
53
A good Wordle starting word, by the looks of it : STARE
54
When Memorial Day is observed : INMAY
55
Grim Grimm character : OGRE
56
Trounce : WHUP
58
Bamboozled : HAD
59
Upscale shirtmaker : ETON
60
Symbol of the American West : SAGUARO
63
Former : ONETIME
65
Yellow submarine? : CHICKENSANDWICH
69
Infantile : BABYISH
72
Prepares : READIES
73
Put on the line : RISK
77
Mien : AIR
78
Surname for a family of fictional Kansans : GALE
80
One whose pride can be protective : LION
81
"___ a stinker?" (Bugs Bunny line) : AINTI
82
Affect emotionally : TOUCH
84
Cologne conjunction : UND
86
Freight weight : TON
87
Stolen base? : HOTFOOT
89
Pelvic parts : ILIA
90
Love, in Lyon : AMOUR
92
Bit of flooring for a patio, say : STONETILE
94
Blood vessel? : KINSHIP
96
Page (through) : LEAF
99
Org. for pugilists : WBC
100
Go downhill, in a way : SLED
101
Pizzeria in "Do the Right Thing" : SALS
102
Fire starter? : CANOPENER
105
Showy kind of push-up : ONEARM
108
Salty cheese made from sheep's milk : PECORINO
109
Creature-friendly org. : ASPCA
114
Padlock? : MATTRESS
116
Confidence men? : TRUSTBUSTERS
118
Rock-bottom review : ITSTINKS
119
1957 #1 hit for Debbie Reynolds : TAMMY
120
Demonstrate complete disrespect for, in a way : SPITAT
121
What a clear plastic bag is not : TOY
122
"Right now!" : STAT
123
"Your point being?" : OKSO
124
Roxane's beloved, in classic literature : CYRANO
Down
1
Roams (about) : GADS
2
Entice : LURE
3
Country with many Farsi speakers : IRAN
4
They often have AAA backing : TOWS
5
Colonial news source : CRIER
6
Iconic role for Harrison Ford : HAN
7
"You've Really Got ___ on Me" (1960s hit) : AHOLD
8
Deck application : SEALER
9
Proverbial slowpoke : TURTLE
10
Iconic role for Harrison Ford : INDIANA
11
Display amazement, in a way : GAPE
12
Star pitcher : ACE
13
Mechanism for local funding : LANDTAX
14
Feature of the tone-deaf : TINEAR
15
___ Linda (San Bernardino suburb) : LOMA
16
Verdon of "Damn Yankees" : GWEN
17
In addition : ALSO
19
Steakhouse orders : TBONES
21
Alternative to a bouncy house : BALLPIT
23
Direct a smile toward : GRINAT
27
Fizzling out : DYING
30
Erelong : ANON
31
Skating exhibitions : ICESHOWS
32
"Holy moly!" : WOWIE
33
Before, in Bordeaux : AVANT
34
Skin: Prefix : DERMO
35
Misjudgment : ERRANCY
39
Japanese beer brand : ASAHI
40
Crazylegs Hirsch, from 1949 to 1957, informally : LARAM
41
Greta Garbo, by birth : SWEDE
43
T-Swift, by another nickname : TAY
44
Bouncing character in "The House at Pooh Corner" : TIGGER
46
Yep's opposite : NAW
50
Trim : PRUNE
51
Seasoning from the ocean : SEASALT
53
What some houses are built on : SPEC
55
Cask wood : OAK
57
Prefix with -form or -verse : UNI
60
Inept sorts : SCHLUMPS
61
One source of news : RADIO
62
Burger toppers : ONIONS
64
Savings banks : THRIFTS
66
Lofty : HIGH
67
"Life ___ beach" : ISA
68
Home for an 80-Across : DEN
69
Printing technique that uses wax : BATIK
70
Garlicky spread : AIOLI
71
Bear : BRUIN
74
Packed like sardines, say : INOIL
75
It's a wrap : STOLE
76
Passed, as bad checks : KITED
79
Brian in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame : ENO
81
Experienced a bit of turnover? : ATE
83
Mary ___, "The Boating Party" artist : CASSATT
85
Sweet, in Seville : DULCE
87
Schmooze : HOBNOB
88
Back in the day : ONCE
90
Malady : AILMENT
91
Do something because of : REACTTO
93
A score : TWENTY
95
Pollster Lou or singer Emmylou : HARRIS
97
Polar wear : ANORAK
98
Discussion sites : FORUMS
103
___ Beach, Calif. : PISMO
104
Hoarse : RASPY
105
Fail to mention : OMIT
106
Intl. group formed in 1949 : NATO
107
Online marketplace with personalized gifts : ETSY
108
"Hey there!" : PSST
110
Awaken : STIR
111
Creature-friendly org. : PETA
112
Prefix in many Ocean Spray drink names : CRAN
113
Regarding : ASTO
115
Reggae relative : SKA
117
Gamecocks' sch. : USC

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

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