This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

All Too Wise

New York Times, Sunday, October 5, 2025

Author:
John Kugelman
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Convenient spot for a cat nap?
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
147/30/202310/5/20251
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
12100100
ScrabDebutFresh
1.6014662%
John Kugelman

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 138, Blocks: 78 Missing: {QZ} Scrabble average: 1.87 This is puzzle # 14 for Mr. Kugelman. Sunday freshness: 90%
Will Shortz notes:
John Kugelman, of Gainesville, Va., is a software engineer specializing in cybersecurity. This is his 14th crossword for The Times since 2023. One of the things I like about John's ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

23 Y's in this grid shatters the previous record.

1
B
2
I
3
L
4
L
5
Y
6
G
7
O
8
A
9
T
10
A
11
R
12
A
13
B
14
I
15
M
16
P
17
S
18
C
L
E
A
R
A
S
M
U
19
D
20
R
I
G
A
21
N
O
O
K
22
C
L
A
S
S
Y
M
A
T
E
23
Y
24
G
O
O
D
25
Y
C
O
P
Y
26
S
S
N
27
B
O
S
S
F
I
28
G
H
T
29
C
O
U
R
S
E
30
S
31
P
A
N
S
32
Y
E
A
33
D
A
U
B
34
C
H
A
R
D
35
F
I
L
M
36
R
37
E
E
L
38
I
39
M
40
A
41
Y
42
C
R
A
P
S
43
H
A
N
D
Y
B
E
L
L
44
Y
45
O
R
A
46
S
H
A
K
A
47
D
A
N
G
48
I
K
E
49
A
50
M
U
C
K
51
P
I
N
E
52
N
A
D
A
53
B
54
A
S
S
55
S
W
A
T
H
E
56
I
N
K
57
O
V
E
R
58
H
O
T
59
I
T
S
A
H
I
T
60
K
E
Y
61
S
62
F
O
R
T
Y
W
O
63
R
64
T
H
Y
65
M
Y
M
Y
66
E
S
C
A
67
P
E
S
68
D
E
M
E
R
O
L
69
H
E
S
70
B
E
A
N
I
E
71
C
72
H
E
R
73
V
A
P
E
74
T
A
D
A
75
A
T
S
E
A
76
P
O
I
77
L
O
C
S
78
F
O
R
E
X
79
L
E
E
80
F
81
I
S
H
Y
82
H
83
O
O
K
Y
84
B
O
O
P
S
85
L
A
Y
86
S
87
C
A
N
O
O
D
L
E
88
C
U
R
L
Y
89
A
90
S
K
S
91
D
O
C
92
S
A
G
E
S
93
S
94
H
95
A
N
T
Y
96
S
97
T
A
R
A
98
P
P
L
E
99
J
100
O
101
B
102
C
O
C
K
Y
P
103
I
T
Y
104
S
T
E
A
M
Y
105
I
106
R
O
N
Y
107
O
M
N
I
108
O
R
I
G
109
S
C
R
E
E
N
T
I
M
E
110
T
E
E
N
111
O
K
R
A
112
S
E
X
S
C
E
N
E
S
© 2025, The New York Times10/5/25 ( No. 27,725 )
Across
1
Classic target of a troll : BILLYGOAT
10
Prized steed : ARAB
14
Little hellions : IMPS
18
Hard to understand : CLEARASMUD
20
Latvian capital : RIGA
21
Kindle competitor : NOOK
22
Sailor who drinks only the finest grog? : CLASSYMATEY
24
Knockoff version of a sweet treat? : GOODYCOPY
26
ID on a credit check : SSN
27
End-of-level showdown : BOSSFIGHT
29
"When in the ___ of human events ..." : COURSE
30
Bridges : SPANS
32
Vote for : YEA
33
Paint carelessly : DAUB
34
Alternative to kale : CHARD
35
Projectionist's item : FILMREEL
38
"If you ask me nicely …" : IMAY
42
Game with players known as "shooters" : CRAPS
43
Convenient spot for a cat nap? : HANDYBELLY
45
Singer Rita : ORA
46
Official hand gesture of Hawaii 🤙 : SHAKA
47
"Darn it!" : DANG
48
1950s political nickname : IKE
49
Wild : AMUCK
51
The 4,765-year-old "Methuselah" is one : PINE
52
Zilch : NADA
53
Prominent feature of dubstep music : BASS
55
Wrap up tight : SWATHE
56
Press coverage : INK
57
Scorching : OVERHOT
59
Agent's good news : ITSAHIT
60
Cryptographers' needs : KEYS
62
Suitable for the middle-aged? : FORTYWORTHY
65
"Oh, dear!" : MYMY
66
Flies the coop : ESCAPES
68
Pain-relieving drug : DEMEROL
69
The Chiffons' "___ So Fine" : HES
70
Knitted cap : BEANIE
71
Pop icon with a Best Actress award : CHER
73
Huff and puff? : VAPE
74
"Look what I did!" : TADA
75
Bewildered : ATSEA
76
Polynesian staple : POI
77
Twisted do : LOCS
78
Global currency market, for short : FOREX
79
Martial artist Bruce : LEE
80
Suspicious absence from school? : FISHYHOOKY
84
Taps on the snoot : BOOPS
85
Places : LAYS
87
Snuggle : CANOODLE
88
Stooge who said "Soitenly!" : CURLY
89
Poses : ASKS
91
"What's up, ___?" : DOC
92
Wise guys : SAGES
93
Crudely built shack : SHANTY
96
Purple fruit with a distinctive inner shape : STARAPPLE
99
Barista or barrister : JOB
102
"How sad. You actually think you can win," e.g.? : COCKYPITY
104
A locksmith getting stuck in bedroom handcuffs, say? : STEAMYIRONY
107
Present opener? : OMNI
108
Unlike a cover: Abbr. : ORIG
109
Something parents may try to limit for their kids : SCREENTIME
110
See 95-Down : TEEN
111
Creole staple : OKRA
112
In which actors barely go through the motions? : SEXSCENES
Down
1
Surreptitiously loops in, for short : BCCS
2
Troubles : ILLS
3
Low-fat : LEAN
4
___ Américas : LAS
5
Many, many mos. : YRS
6
Venues like New York City's Stonewall Inn : GAYBARS
7
Donny or Marie : OSMOND
8
Stockpile : AMASS
9
Light rebukes : TUTS
10
"For crying out loud!" : ARGH
11
Hoot : RIOT
12
Before : AGO
13
Referee's mistake : BADCALL
14
Nighttime demons : INCUBI
15
"Wuthering Heights" setting : MOOR
16
Is visually striking : POPS
17
Portree is the capital of this isle : SKYE
19
Death-___ : DEFYING
23
Triangular sign : YIELD
25
Whom Uncle Sam wants for the U.S. Army : YOU
28
Like wild meat, sometimes : GAMY
30
Manage to lose, as a tail : SHAKE
31
He was a "rollin' stone," in a Motown classic : PAPA
33
Proofreader's mark : DELE
34
Actor Affleck when he needs a nap? : CRANKYCASEY
35
Some nonlicensed tributes : FANART
36
Sluggers' stats : RBIS
37
Startled cries : EEKS
39
Half-woman, half-bird, all attitude? : MOUTHYHARPY
40
"Eureka!" shouter : ARCHIMEDES
41
Benny Hill theme song : YAKETYSAX
42
Oolong or lapsang souchong : CHINESETEA
43
Actor Bill of "Barry" : HADER
44
Twists side-to-side : YAWS
46
Hybrid sport played with a trampoline-like net : SPIKEBALL
47
Swiss locale of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum : DAVOS
50
Old-fashioned term of address : MAAM
52
Gratis : NOFEE
53
Garden shelter : BOWER
54
Discovery of chemist John Dalton : ATOM
55
"You're cramping my ___" : STYLE
58
Evil alter ego of literature : HYDE
59
Waffle House alternatives : IHOPS
61
Sound : SANE
63
Not follow suit, in bridge : REVOKE
64
Frequent on-screen partner of Hepburn : TRACY
67
"La Vie en rose" singer : PIAF
71
Sports journalist Linda : COHN
72
"___ Silver!" : HIYO
74
Gimlets and screwdrivers : TOOLS
76
Ad Council spots, for short : PSAS
77
Some memes of the 2000s : LOLCATS
78
Driver's warning : FORE
81
Disgusting, in totspeak : ICKYPOO
82
TV journalist Kotb : HODA
83
What wavy lines in comic strips represent : ODORS
84
"I can't believe what I'm seeing!" facial reaction : BUGEYES
86
Became real, as bad news : SANKIN
88
Southwestern culinary fusion : CALMEX
90
Pigpen : STY
92
Extra : SPARE
93
Macbeth or Macduff : SCOT
94
Bygone iPhone button : HOME
95
Common 110-Across stressor : ACNE
96
Move around and around : STIR
97
Rapper with a feline-sounding name : TYGA
98
Chest muscles, for short : PECS
99
Knit : JOIN
100
"This round's ___" : ONME
101
Effortless ways to advance : BYES
103
Vex : IRK
105
Close of business? : INC
106
66, for example: Abbr. : RTE

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

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Like this puzzle? Please share this page on social media to help spread the word about XWord Info. Thanks!

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2025, Jim Horne
80 ms