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New York Times, Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Author:
Kathleen Duncan
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Be in charge, informally
TotalDebutLatest
24/24/20255/20/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0001100
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.651035.658%
Kathleen Duncan

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 32 Missing: {JQWXZ} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 2 for Ms. Duncan. Grid flow: 56.8 Wednesday freshness: 97%
1
T
2
I
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K
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I
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B
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A
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R
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E
9
M
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B
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O
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S
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S
14
H
A
T
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R
A
D
E
15
V
I
E
N
N
A
16
O
F
F
Y
E
A
R
E
17
L
E
C
T
I
O
N
18
O
T
I
S
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O
D
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N
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R
O
O
D
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G
U
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C
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C
I
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R
E
25
C
A
N
T
S
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S
27
O
U
P
O
F
T
28
H
E
D
A
Y
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E
R
R
30
N
O
L
O
31
T
A
32
T
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E
34
R
35
A
C
E
36
R
B
37
Y
O
38
M
39
C
L
A
R
A
40
L
A
S
E
R
41
H
O
42
D
A
43
K
I
N
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V
I
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S
46
U
A
L
E
F
47
F
E
C
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S
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A
50
G
E
O
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L
51
A
L
E
A
P
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P
I
E
R
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G
T
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O
S
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L
O
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B
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S
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I
S
N
T
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T
H
A
T
S
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P
61
E
C
I
A
L
62
C
L
E
E
S
E
63
R
E
C
K
O
N
S
O
64
Y
E
S
D
A
D
65
A
S
S
E
N
T
S
© 2026, The New York Times5/20/26 ( No. 27,952 )
Across
1
Establishment that serves zombies, perhaps : TIKIBAR
8
Adorn with raised lettering : EMBOSS
14
"Drink" for vocal critics : HATERADE
15
European city that "waits for you," in a Billy Joel tune : VIENNA
16
Nontraditional time for voting someone into office : OFFYEARELECTION
18
Redding who sang "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" : OTIS
19
God played by Anthony Hopkins in Marvel movies : ODIN
20
Church cross : ROOD
21
Florence-based fashion house : GUCCI
24
Takes back a public statement : RECANTS
26
What a waiter might offer to start you off : SOUPOFTHEDAY
29
Make a boo-boo : ERR
30
___ contendere (court plea) : NOLO
31
Spud : TATER
35
Biting : ACERB
37
___ Kippur : YOM
39
Actress Bow of the silent film era : CLARA
40
Light show tool : LASER
41
TV personality Kotb : HODA
43
Clan : KIN
44
Bit of movie magic : VISUALEFFECT
48
"Essential" product used as an anti-acne treatment : SAGEOIL
51
Take ___ of faith : ALEAP
52
Place for a seafood dinner : PIER
53
Classic Pontiacs : GTOS
55
Arcing tennis shots : LOBS
58
Condescending rhetorical question ... or what you might say about 16-, 26- and 44-Across? : ISNTTHATSPECIAL
62
John in the sketch "The Fish-Slapping Dance" : CLEESE
63
"Seems right," folksily : RECKONSO
64
Words a teenager might say with an eye roll : YESDAD
65
Says OK : ASSENTS
Down
1
Mustachioed president who succeeded another mustachioed president in 1909 : TAFT
2
"Don't know why I thought any different!" : ITFIGURES
3
Gets hyped : KEYSUP
4
Fury : IRE
5
Farmyard bleat : BAA
6
With deftness : ADROITLY
7
Clarinet, for one : REED
8
Made level : EVENED
9
Careful, this might be hot! : MIC
10
Act of Judas : BETRAYAL
11
Word with ring or roll : ONION
12
Hoity-toity one : SNOOT
13
Smooths, in a way : SANDS
14
"___ boy!" : HOO
17
Old Italian money : LIRE
22
Musical notation that means "with vigor" : CONBRIO
23
Boardroom bigwig, in brief : CFO
25
Spot to drink a matcha with a Manx : CATCAFE
26
Ocean prey for a 27-Down : SEAL
27
Ocean predator of a 26-Down : ORCA
28
Big to-do : HOOHA
32
Be in charge, informally : TAKEPOINT
33
Protagonist of "That '70s Show" : ERIC
34
Speech full of invective : RANT
36
Went back (to), as a prior state : REVERTED
38
Epitome of slowness : MOLASSES
42
Director Guillermo ___ Toro : DEL
45
Expressed frustration, maybe : SIGHED
46
Beauty company whose Nasdaq ticker symbol is its name : ULTA
47
Atlanta athlete : FALCON
48
Risqué : SPICY
49
Walkway for newlyweds : AISLE
50
They're part of what makes you you : GENES
54
"___ Noche en Miami" (Bad Bunny song) : OTRA
56
Low voice : BASS
57
___-mo : SLO
59
Org. whose staffers wear royal blue uniforms : TSA
60
Lenovo products, informally : PCS
61
Just get (by) : EKE

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

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