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New York Times, Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Author:
Jiahe Men
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Pixar franchise in which buses and taxis exist, despite serving seemingly no purpose
TotalDebut
16/3/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0001000
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.58232.724%
Jiahe Men

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 39 Missing: {JQVXZ} Spans: 2 This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Men. Grid flow: 32.7 Wednesday freshness: 35%
Jiahe Men notes:
Hello to all the lovely people of Crossworld from Singapore! It's been a dream of mine to have one of my puzzles published in The New ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

The repeated letters spell OR ELSE — a triple (letter) threat itself!

1
O
2
H
3
H
4
I
5
O
6
R
7
S
8
O
9
A
10
L
11
T
12
A
13
P
E
O
N
14
S
15
W
O
O
T
16
C
A
R
S
17
I
M
T
O
O
18
O
L
D
F
O
19
R
T
H
I
S
20
T
U
N
A
21
T
H
E
C
O
P
A
22
R
23
I
O
T
G
R
24
R
25
R
L
26
C
A
R
L
Y
27
I
T
D
28
T
O
Y
29
S
30
S
E
E
31
P
A
D
32
S
33
E
34
E
E
W
35
E
36
A
U
37
S
L
Y
N
O
D
S
38
M
A
L
A
39
R
40
I
41
A
42
A
N
A
43
B
E
L
L
L
A
B
S
44
T
45
H
C
46
M
47
A
A
M
48
R
E
P
49
S
H
A
K
50
A
51
C
H
E
52
S
53
S
54
S
E
T
S
55
A
R
S
E
N
56
I
C
57
A
H
A
B
58
D
E
A
D
T
R
E
59
E
60
E
D
I
T
I
61
O
62
N
63
I
A
G
O
64
I
D
Y
L
65
P
E
R
R
Y
66
E
T
O
N
67
S
E
E
K
68
D
D
A
Y
© 2026, The New York Times6/3/26 ( No. 27,966 )
Across
1
"Fancy seeing you here!" : OHHI
5
Wishy-washy words : ORSO
9
Utah ski resort : ALTA
13
Lowly sorts : PEONS
15
Online "Yay!" : WOOT
16
Pixar franchise in which buses and taxis exist, despite serving seemingly no purpose : CARS
17
Lament while dealing with "kids these days" : IMTOOOLDFORTHIS
20
Fish in a negitoro roll : TUNA
21
Where "music and passion were always the fashion," in a Barry Manilow hit : THECOPA
22
1990s feminist movement rooted in punk rock : RIOTGRRRL
26
___ Rae Jepsen ("Call Me Maybe" singer) : CARLY
27
"___ be my pleasure" : ITD
28
Playroom pile : TOYS
30
"Capisce?" : SEE
31
Thai noodle dish : PADSEEEW
35
Contents of la Seine : EAU
37
Subtle acknowledgments : SLYNODS
38
Disease for which China's Tu Youyou discovered a lifesaving treatment, earning her a Nobel Prize : MALARIA
42
"Knives Out" co-star ___ de Armas : ANA
43
Research institute where radio astronomy began : BELLLABS
44
Compound in a joint : THC
46
Polite term of address : MAAM
48
Workout unit, for short : REP
49
"Hang loose" sign : SHAKA
51
Where to find queens and kings : CHESSSETS
55
As, in chemistry : ARSENIC
57
Literary character who hopes to get whale soon? : AHAB
58
Physical copy, colloquially : DEADTREEEDITION
63
"Othello" villain : IAGO
64
Rustic verse : IDYL
65
Linda of the band 4 Non Blondes : PERRY
66
___ mess (traditional English dessert) : ETON
67
Pursue : SEEK
68
Event captured in the photograph "Into the Jaws of Death" : DDAY
Down
1
Big name in nail polish : OPI
2
Skirt's edge : HEM
3
"Southern cough syrup" : HOTTODDY
4
Two-way, as a door : INOUT
5
Bird with "barn" and "barred" varieties : OWL
6
Angler's stick : ROD
7
On little cat feet, say : SOFTLY
8
"Then again ...," to a texter : OTOH
9
"Don't look suspicious!" : ACTCASUAL
10
Punjabi metropolis : LAHORE
11
With 44-Down, many an EGOT contender ... or what's spelled out by this puzzle's shaded squares? : TRIPLE
12
Give a makeup test? : ASSAY
14
Dynasty after the Tang : SONG
18
Raft turner : OAR
19
Suggestion, informally : REC
22
Tears : RIPS
23
Tilted type: Abbr. : ITAL
24
Blvds. and rds. : RTES
25
Use an 18-Down : ROW
29
Animal whose crabeater variety does not, in fact, eat crabs : SEAL
32
Enjoyed, as finger food : SNACKEDON
33
Forever and a day : EON
34
Cheese in the Czech dish smažený sýr : EDAM
36
Without exception : ALL
38
Product of the internet that might be "dank" or "deep-fried" : MEME
39
Odd duck, aptly : RAREBIRD
40
"Yeah, right!" : IBET
41
Nile biters : ASPS
43
"Pshaw!" : BAH
44
See 11-Down : THREAT
45
Tries : HASAGO
47
Submit : ACCEDE
49
Actress Sink of "Stranger Things" : SADIE
50
Insect that has reportedly passed the "mirror test" of self-recognition : ANT
52
Down in the dumps : SAD
53
Pequod, e.g. : SHIP
54
Overfilled : SATED
56
Colored part of the 59-Down : IRIS
59
See 56-Down : EYE
60
Wanderer in a forest : ELK
61
Singer Rita : ORA
62
M.L.B. team for "Mr. October" and "Mr. November" : NYY

Answer summary:
2 unique to this puzzle.

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