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New York Times, Saturday, October 4, 2025

Author:
Ryan McCarty
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
22-Across : Muttonhead
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
346/17/20176/13/20263
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
100012291
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.6029252.196%
Ryan McCarty

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 62, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JQWXZ} This is puzzle # 32 for Mr. McCarty. Grid flow: 33.0 Saturday freshness: 94%
Jim Horne notes:

The only other puzzle in the history of NYT crosswords with this grid pattern is also by Ryan McCarty.

1
A
2
L
3
G
4
E
5
B
6
R
7
A
8
M
9
C
10
F
11
L
12
Y
13
R
O
A
D
R
A
S
14
H
15
V
A
L
O
R
16
M
R
S
M
A
I
S
E
17
L
18
P
R
O
N
E
19
R
E
C
O
I
L
20
S
A
21
C
22
L
U
N
K
23
E
L
A
N
D
24
P
A
T
A
25
G
O
N
I
A
26
S
E
N
D
27
A
L
I
E
N
R
A
C
E
28
T
I
S
29
G
L
A
D
S
T
O
N
E
30
B
A
B
Y
S
T
E
P
S
31
R
I
D
E
S
H
A
R
E
32
H
33
I
34
S
35
G
A
G
O
R
D
E
R
S
36
L
U
C
E
37
F
I
R
S
T
T
E
S
T
38
H
O
M
E
R
39
A
V
E
C
40
A
A
A
41
D
E
S
I
C
A
42
R
E
B
E
43
L
44
D
I
45
V
V
I
E
D
U
P
46
R
U
I
N
S
47
D
A
D
S
T
O
B
E
48
O
P
T
E
D
49
C
S
T
O
R
E
S
© 2025, The New York Times10/4/25 ( No. 27,724 )
Across
1
Field of unknowns : ALGEBRA
8
Lead role in the highest-grossing film of 1985 : MCFLY
13
Scrapes from a motorcycle fall : ROADRASH
15
It "lies just halfway between rashness and cowardice," per Miguel de Cervantes : VALOR
16
"Marvelous" TV character played by Rachel Brosnahan : MRSMAISEL
18
Facedown : PRONE
19
Shrink back : RECOIL
20
Place for eggs : SAC
22
Muttonhead : LUNK
23
Cousin of a springbok : ELAND
24
Outdoor apparel company with mountains in its logo : PATAGONIA
26
Delight : SEND
27
Vulcans, for one : ALIENRACE
28
Christmas carol contraction : TIS
29
Actress Lily of "Killers of the Flower Moon" : GLADSTONE
30
Slow-but-steady advancements : BABYSTEPS
31
Get a Lyft, say : RIDESHARE
32
Short greetings : HIS
35
They may stop the presses : GAGORDERS
36
Henry ___, founder of Time, Life and Sports Illustrated : LUCE
37
Initial challenge : FIRSTTEST
38
Knock one out of the park : HOMER
39
With, en français : AVEC
40
Org. offering jumps : AAA
41
Vittorio who directed "Bicycle Thieves" : DESICA
42
Buck the establishment : REBEL
44
Split : DIVVIEDUP
46
Remains to be seen? : RUINS
47
Certain expectant parents : DADSTOBE
48
Stopped vacillating : OPTED
49
7-Eleven and Circle K, informally : CSTORES
Down
1
Focus of an airplane battle, maybe : ARMREST
2
Legendary rock singer? : LORELEI
3
Containers that are often red : GASCANS
4
Halley of Halley's comet : EDMOND
5
Cornrow, e.g. : BRAID
6
Skate park fixture : RAIL
7
Mount for Quixote's squire : ASS
8
Award won four times in the W.N.B.A. by A'ja Wilson : MVP
9
Assistance for short drivers? : CARLOANS
10
Walk with exaggerated motions : FLOUNCE
11
___ Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker : LONNIE
12
California town thought (incorrectly) to be named from a backward "bakery" sign : YREKA
14
Type of argument with conflicting accounts : HESAIDSHESAID
17
Result of sleeping in, say : LATESTART
21
Moves along quickly, as a horse : CANTERS
24
Protects oneself, possum-style : PLAYSDEAD
25
Fumble around in the dark : GROPE
27
Home of Banff National Park : ALBERTA
29
Wonder Woman portrayer : GADOT
30
Brouhaha : BIGSCENE
31
"Welsh" dish with melted cheese : RAREBIT
32
Cuban container : HUMIDOR
33
Water cooler? : ICECUBE
34
Colorful shawls : SERAPES
35
"Are you done guessing?" : GIVEUP
36
Get bested by : LOSETO
37
Grain with a nutty flavor : FARRO
38
Safe job? : HEIST
41
Netflix offerings until 2023 : DVDS
43
Source of some flashbacks : LSD
45
Sucker, for short : VAC

Answer summary:
4 unique to this puzzle, 1 debuted here and reused later.

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