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New York Times, Friday, October 3, 2025

Author:
Rebecca Goldstein and Rafael Musa
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Slapdash
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
2412/2/202110/3/202512
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
6324522
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
241.6413742%
Rebecca Goldstein
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
2110/21/202210/3/202515
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
50000115
CircleScrabDebutFresh
21.5614173%
Rafael Musa

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 32 Missing: {JQZ} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 24 for Ms. Goldstein. This is puzzle # 21 for Mr. Musa. Friday freshness: 17%
1
S
2
A
3
N
4
D
5
S
6
P
7
O
8
D
9
C
10
A
11
S
12
T
13
S
14
K
N
E
E
S
15
E
L
D
E
R
C
A
R
E
16
I
O
W
A
N
17
R
E
D
C
A
R
P
E
T
18
P
T
S
D
19
E
R
A
S
20
V
I
S
E
S
21
H
A
L
22
F
A
S
S
23
G
E
D
24
E
L
I
O
T
25
E
26
W
E
S
27
M
28
D
29
S
30
A
R
E
N
A
S
31
B
E
T
32
T
O
O
T
33
W
O
R
K
L
I
34
F
E
B
A
35
L
A
N
C
E
36
A
N
T
S
37
T
A
P
38
N
E
X
T
U
P
39
Y
E
S
40
P
U
M
A
41
G
A
L
E
S
42
R
E
P
43
T
44
E
R
R
A
C
E
45
S
46
A
47
T
E
D
48
L
I
L
Y
49
W
A
R
50
M
51
C
R
Y
B
A
52
B
I
E
S
53
S
Y
R
I
A
54
A
S
K
A
N
Y
O
N
E
55
E
E
L
E
D
56
B
E
E
R
T
E
N
T
57
A
R
O
S
E
© 2025, The New York Times10/3/25 ( No. 27,723 )
Across
1
Smooths out some rough edges : SANDS
6
Content commonly consumed by commuters : PODCASTS
14
One end of a lap : KNEES
15
Service to foster parents? : ELDERCARE
16
Like Miss Piggy and Captain Kirk, by birth : IOWAN
17
Path to the Oscars : REDCARPET
18
Condition that may be treated with SSRIs : PTSD
19
"Bygones will be bygone, ___ fadin' into gray" (Taylor Swift lyric) : ERAS
20
They help you get a grip : VISES
21
Slapdash : HALFASS
23
Diploma equivalent, for short : GED
24
Poet who wrote "This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but a whimper" : ELIOT
25
Animals whose name sounds like a letter that doesn't appear in its name : EWES
27
Graduates in green-and-black regalia, in brief : MDS
30
Stops on a world tour, say : ARENAS
31
Something placed by a confident person : BET
32
Choo-choo train sound : TOOT
33
Professional juggling act? : WORKLIFEBALANCE
36
Pest control targets : ANTS
37
When repeated, a nonverbal "Can you hear me?" : TAP
38
On deck : NEXTUP
39
"May I help you?" : YES
40
Vans alternative : PUMA
41
Staggering blows? : GALES
42
Set unit : REP
43
Alfresco dining spot : TERRACE
45
Stuffed : SATED
48
Word after trumpet or tiger : LILY
49
Welcoming : WARM
51
Ones who are quick to complain : CRYBABIES
53
Modern-day home of the oldest discovered library in the world : SYRIA
54
"If you don't believe me …" : ASKANYONE
55
Fished off the coast of Maine, maybe : EELED
56
Something raised during Oktoberfest : BEERTENT
57
Sprang : AROSE
Down
1
Not listen to, as on Spotify : SKIP
2
"Apparently we weren't done with these" : ANOTHERONE
3
Some push notifications : NEWSALERTS
4
Bad internet connections? : DEADLINKS
5
The first one was issued in 1936, for short : SSN
6
"Hold on — we're working as fast as we can" : PLEASEBEPATIENT
7
Chances : ODDS
8
Boxing Day mo. : DEC
9
More than wants : CRAVES
10
Stinging the eyes, say : ACRID
11
Ones easily fooled : SAPS
12
Cherry, but not strawberry : TREE
13
7-5 and 6-0, e.g. : SETS
15
Forgets to proorfeed, say : ERRS
19
Can't get enough of something : EATSITUP
22
One under a mare's care : FOAL
23
Lose it : GETANGRY
26
Net : WEB
27
Luxurious European gambling mecca : MONTECARLO
28
Reality shows? : DOCUSERIES
29
One of 1,665 in the Eiffel Tower : STEP
30
What comes before we go? : AWAY
32
One skilled at withholding details : TAXLAWYER
34
Besties, maybe : FAM
35
Stage character who says "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is / To have a thankless child!" : LEAR
40
Stickler, of a sort : PEDANT
42
Ridged rod in construction : REBAR
44
"Who ___?" : ELSE
45
Not a striking personality? : SCAB
46
British bum : ARSE
47
Kiddo : TYKE
48
National symbol of England : LION
50
Self-___ : MADE
52
What a wave might mean : BYE
53
Vast amount : SEA

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

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