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New York Times, Saturday, August 9, 2025

Author:
Aidan Deshong and Akshay Seetharam
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
17-Down : Apple skins?
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
55/31/20248/9/20254
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0001211
CircleScrabDebutFresh
11.562071%
Aidan Deshong
TotalDebutCollabs
18/9/20251
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000001
ScrabDebutFresh
1.57593%
Akshay Seetharam

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 66, Blocks: 36 Missing: {FQXZ} This is puzzle # 5 for Mr. Deshong. This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Seetharam. Saturday freshness: 71%
Constructor notes:

Many thanks to David P. Williams for showing us that NYT loves accepting this grid shape.

Jim Horne notes:

This is the 9th time this grid pattern has been used. Mr. Williams has 6 of them.

Most common grid patterns.

1
A
2
C
3
C
4
O
5
S
6
T
7
A
8
S
9
S
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E
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T
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S
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W
A
L
U
I
G
14
I
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B
L
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G
H
T
16
C
R
O
S
T
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N
17
I
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H
A
N
G
E
R
19
M
O
U
T
H
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E
P
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S
O
M
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W
W
I
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O
L
D
S
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B
E
H
A
R
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S
H
I
P
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N
E
S
27
L
E
D
O
N
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L
A
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R
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C
U
T
A
N
D
30
P
A
S
T
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31
J
U
S
T
B
E
C
A
U
S
E
32
E
A
S
T
E
R
C
A
N
D
Y
33
T
A
M
P
S
34
E
A
S
E
S
35
C
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U
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D
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E
R
A
S
39
L
A
S
T
S
40
R
O
P
E
41
T
M
I
42
Y
O
K
E
L
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H
E
S
S
E
44
R
A
S
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T
A
S
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S
E
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A
O
T
T
E
R
48
I
R
V
I
N
E
49
S
P
O
R
C
L
E
50
S
K
U
L
K
S
51
S
P
O
O
L
S
© 2025, The New York Times8/9/25 ( No. 27,668 )
Across
1
Approach boldly : ACCOST
7
Word with fixed or net : ASSETS
13
Purple-hatted Nintendo character : WALUIGI
15
Mildew, e.g. : BLIGHT
16
Little Italian toasts : CROSTINI
18
One choice at a dry cleaner : HANGER
19
Say but not really mean : MOUTH
20
English town known for its mineral water : EPSOM
22
Historical event that acquired its name almost two decades after it ended, in brief : WWI
23
Car once promoted with the slogan "It's Your Money … Demand Better," informally : OLDS
24
Joy of television : BEHAR
25
Windjammer, e.g. : SHIP
26
33-Down platform, for short : NES
27
Deceived, maybe : LEDON
28
Retreats : LAIRS
29
Move around from here to there : CUTANDPASTE
31
Unhelpful response to "Why?" : JUSTBECAUSE
32
Rabbit food? : EASTERCANDY
33
Pats (down) : TAMPS
34
Progresses slowly : EASES
35
Something chewed over : CUD
38
Sections of history : ERAS
39
Has legs : LASTS
40
Something to climb in a WWE match : ROPE
41
"Stop! We get it!" : TMI
42
Rube : YOKEL
43
Literature Nobelist who wrote "Siddhartha" : HESSE
44
People whose flag depicts the Lion of Judah : RASTAS
46
Animal that sleeps while floating on its back : SEAOTTER
48
University of California campus locale : IRVINE
49
"The Ultimate Trivia Destination," per its website : SPORCLE
50
Moves in the shadows : SKULKS
51
Parts of cassette players : SPOOLS
Down
1
"Really, now!" : AWCMON
2
Actress Lombard of classic Hollywood : CAROLE
3
"Above the ___, as high as heaven itself?": Shak. : CLOUDS
4
Ejects : OUSTS
5
Villainous group of science fiction : SITH
6
___ Fridays : TGI
7
Can't stand : ABHOR
8
Dis : SLAM
9
"The only ___ is mediocrity": Martha Graham : SIN
10
Ingredient in meringue cookies : EGGWHITE
11
#1 on BBC's list of greatest 21st-century TV series : THEWIRE
12
Comics : STRIPS
14
"This work is getting to be too much" : INEEDABREAK
17
Apple skins? : IPHONECASES
21
Buildings that aren't water-resistant : SANDCASTLES
24
"La Cousine ___" (Balzac novel) : BETTE
25
Overly wise, say : SASSY
27
Feels thirsty : LUSTS
28
Gives accolades : LAUDS
29
Edges : CUSPS
30
You can see right through them : PANES
31
Phenomenon of experiencing something as strangely new even though one has experienced it before : JAMAISVU
32
Designate, as funds : EARMARK
33
Series of mental blocks? : TETRIS
35
Retail giant that opened its first store in Seattle in 1983 : COSTCO
36
Persuade to pay more than originally intended : UPSELL
37
Popular farm vehicles : DEERES
39
Falls short, say : LOSES
40
Lead-in to active : RETRO
42
American in Paris? : YANK
43
Certain earring : HOOP
45
Poetic contraction : TIL
47
Some courses for honor students, for short : APS

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle.

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