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New York Times, Saturday, February 28, 2026

Author:
Adam Levav
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
35-Down : Acting like a sore loser, informally
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
41/13/20252/28/20261
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0100102
CircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
11.621934.668%
Adam Levav

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 68, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JKQXZ} This is puzzle # 4 for Mr. Levav. Grid flow: 41.0 Saturday freshness: 65%
Jim Horne notes:
{ CURLY BRACES } at 36-Across are indeed "used to group blocks of computer code" in many languages. This site uses TypeScript on the ... read more
1
A
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I
3
M
4
L
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O
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W
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F
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R
9
A
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T
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B
12
O
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Y
14
S
M
E
A
G
O
15
L
16
D
E
A
R
O
N
E
17
T
H
A
T
S
M
E
18
R
E
V
O
L
T
S
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R
E
N
T
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B
A
21
E
22
F
E
D
O
R
A
23
A
R
I
E
24
L
25
T
R
26
I
S
27
T
I
N
28
L
E
E
29
E
30
T
H
A
N
31
N
32
A
I
A
D
33
S
T
R
E
S
S
34
L
E
V
E
L
35
B
E
F
O
R
E
T
I
M
E
S
36
C
U
R
L
Y
B
R
A
C
E
S
37
S
A
T
B
Y
38
A
P
N
E
A
39
P
40
O
41
I
42
A
L
T
43
F
R
E
T
44
N
45
E
R
F
S
46
M
O
H
47
A
48
I
R
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N
T
50
H
51
L
O
L
A
52
B
R
U
S
H
E
53
D
54
A
U
55
T
O
P
A
Y
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A
I
R
H
O
R
N
57
N
E
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P
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T
S
58
R
E
T
Y
P
E
D
59
S
T
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E
O
© 2026, The New York Times2/28/26 ( No. 27,871 )
Across
1
Set unambitious goals : AIMLOW
7
One playing beerball, perhaps : FRATBOY
14
Tolkien ring bearer : SMEAGOL
16
Precious person : DEARONE
17
Phrase you might say while pointing at a photograph : THATSME
18
Goes against the rule? : REVOLTS
19
Musical set in Alphabet City : RENT
20
Term of endearment appropriated from 9-Down : BAE
22
Part of a Blues Brothers outfit : FEDORA
23
Animated friend of Sebastian the crab : ARIEL
25
Some arm muscles, informally : TRIS
27
Cassiterite is a source of it : TIN
28
Robert Frost's middle name : LEE
29
___ Allen Express, Amtrak train from New York City to Burlington, Vt. : ETHAN
31
Innermost moon of Neptune : NAIAD
33
Pressure gauge? : STRESSLEVEL
35
Past, colloquially : BEFORETIMES
36
Symbols used to group blocks of computer code : CURLYBRACES
37
Was on the sidelines : SATBY
38
Breathlessness : APNEA
39
Polynesian staple : POI
42
Not mainstream, as some music genres : ALT
43
Fuss : FRET
44
Weakens, as an overly strong character, in video game lingo : NERFS
46
Angora fabric : MOHAIR
49
Utmost : NTH
51
___ Tung, star of cable TV's "The Summer I Turned Pretty" : LOLA
52
Did a bedtime task : BRUSHED
54
Modern banking convenience : AUTOPAY
56
Musical sample added for excitement : AIRHORN
57
Animals in an early-2000s virtual fad : NEOPETS
58
Entered again : RETYPED
59
One might play at home : STEREO
Down
1
Kind of projection : ASTRAL
2
Call at a roll call : IMHERE
3
Big jerk : MEANIE
4
Drink often sipped : LATTE
5
Rap pioneers, slangily : OGS
6
Space to develop as a person? : WOMB
7
In brief, to whom Grover Cleveland once said "I am making a strange wish for you ... that you may never be president of the United States" : FDR
8
School houses? : REEFS
9
Dialect that is responsible for a large majority of Gen Z slang : AAVE
10
Put one's foot down : TROD
11
Decorative items worn at Western galas : BOLOTIES
12
Like defendants at court : ONTRIAL
13
Principle of improv comedy : YESAND
15
Gay nightlife spot with a dress requirement : LEATHERBAR
21
Error correction tool : ERASERPEN
24
Uncork, so to speak : LETFLY
26
Body bronzer : INSTANTTAN
30
___ Story (punny nickname for the "Iliad") : TROY
31
Like the lion killed by Hercules : NEMEAN
32
Scientific classification for birds : AVES
33
Tesla, for one : SERB
34
Affliction treated with a nit comb : LICE
35
Acting like a sore loser, informally : BUTTHURT
36
___ counter : CALORIE
37
South Indian lentil stew : SAMBAR
39
Following etiquette : PROPER
40
Recently : OFLATE
41
Declaration after "because" : ISAYSO
43
French relative : FRERE
45
Skip the ceremony, say : ELOPE
47
Like some unmoisturized skin : ASHY
48
Blue-roofed restaurant : IHOP
50
Coral and sand, for two : HUES
53
Popular role-playing game since 1974, informally : DND
55
One whose eyes are "all aglow" in "The Christmas Song" : TOT

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

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