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New York Times, Friday, September 11, 2026

Author:
Robyn Weintraub
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Drives for money?
TotalDebutLatest
533/28/20119/11/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
12321377
ScrabFlowFresh
1.5845.752%
Robyn Weintraub

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 72, Blocks: 30 Missing: {FJQXZ} This is puzzle # 53 for Ms. Weintraub. Grid flow: 57.5 Friday freshness: 23%
Jim Horne notes:

Ptolemy III? is diabolical. Is it some historical fact about Ptolemy Jr's son? Maybe it's 3 in Ancient Greek? Nope. III (if you ask Ptolemy) would be a string of IOTAS.

1
E
2
G
3
O
4
S
5
I
6
T
7
E
8
M
9
S
10
W
11
I
12
P
13
E
14
D
E
S
K
15
T
H
A
T
16
D
O
E
S
I
T
17
I
N
C
A
18
C
U
R
V
E
B
A
L
L
S
19
T
I
A
20
P
H
D
S
21
R
A
R
E
L
Y
22
H
U
R
23
D
L
E
S
24
B
I
D
S
25
S
P
E
E
D
26
L
E
V
I
27
D
28
A
29
L
30
T
I
A
N
A
31
T
E
L
E
T
32
H
O
N
S
33
I
D
R
I
S
34
A
G
O
35
S
A
N
T
A
36
L
E
T
M
E
37
K
N
O
W
38
G
S
U
I
T
39
L
A
Y
40
D
I
G
S
41
M
O
N
T
H
42
I
O
N
S
43
S
O
O
T
H
E
44
S
45
A
46
A
47
B
O
N
D
48
S
P
U
D
49
O
R
C
50
G
L
I
T
T
E
51
R
P
E
N
52
A
L
O
E
53
R
A
N
A
G
R
O
U
N
D
54
S
E
E
N
55
A
N
D
S
O
56
E
N
D
S
57
P
S
S
T
© 2026, The New York Times9/11/26 ( No. 28,066 )
Across
1
Impediments to collaboration : EGOS
5
It's the thing : ITEM
9
Motion on a screen : SWIPE
14
Anchor's spot : DESK
15
"I've had enough of this!" : THATDOESIT
17
People who worshiped the rain god Illapa : INCA
18
Unexpected twists : CURVEBALLS
19
Singer/actress Carrere : TIA
20
U.S. senators Warnock and Duckworth, for two : PHDS
21
How often blue moons occur : RARELY
22
Track-and-field challenges : HURDLES
24
Nods at a lot? : BIDS
25
Barrel (along) : SPEED
26
Big name in 23-Down : LEVI
27
Lentils prepared with ghee, perhaps : DAL
30
Jazz Age Disney princess : TIANA
31
Drives for money? : TELETHONS
33
Actor Elba : IDRIS
34
A long time follower? : AGO
35
Expert in worldwide fulfillment and distribution operations? : SANTA
36
"I'll wait for your update" : LETMEKNOW
38
Attire for a high-pressure job? : GSUIT
39
Put down : LAY
40
Pad : DIGS
41
Ramadan, e.g. : MONTH
42
Particles in a particle accelerator : IONS
43
Comforts : SOOTHES
45
Fairly low-risk investment : AABOND
48
Chip source, informally : SPUD
49
Guard at the gates of Mordor : ORC
50
Tool for adding sparkle to lackluster prose? : GLITTERPEN
52
Tiger ___ (spiky houseplant) : ALOE
53
Steered too close to the shoreline, say : RANAGROUND
54
How one might feel at a support group meeting : SEEN
55
"Ergo ..." : ANDSO
56
Wraps : ENDS
57
[Look at me!] : PSST
Down
1
___ Ann (classic Lily Tomlin character) : EDITH
2
"That's brilliant!" : GENIUSIDEA
3
Hollywood post-broadcast fete : OSCARPARTY
4
Export from Jamaica : SKA
5
Had a hankering : ITCHED
6
Sounds of fall? : THUDS
7
Sound wave amplifiers : EARS
8
Network debut of 1981 : MTV
9
Assessment of something enjoyed ironically : SOBADITSGOOD
10
Sports : WEARS
11
Part of a key chain : ISLE
12
Prop in "The Matrix" : PILL
13
"Keep Commerce Human" website : ETSY
16
Infer (from) : DERIVE
20
"I'll be sad if you leave" : PLEASEDONTGO
23
Fabric related to chambray : DENIM
24
Down under : BELOW
26
Bricks used in some castles : LEGOS
27
Timbits from Tim Hortons, e.g. : DONUTHOLES
28
Flawed protagonists : ANTIHEROES
29
Trial that an attorney may not remember fondly? : LSAT
30
Cash register part : TILL
31
Blue ___ (coral reef swimmers like Pixar's Dory) : TANGS
32
Lacks : HASNT
37
More compassionate : KINDER
41
Candy bar in the jingle that begins "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't" : MOUNDS
42
Ptolemy III? : IOTAS
43
Welcome advice from a financial planner : SPEND
44
Lavender or lilac : SCENT
45
City where Shah Jahan built a monument to his wife, Mumtaz Mahal : AGRA
46
Film composer Silvestri : ALAN
47
Pickle : BIND
48
Like silk or yarn : SPUN
51
Pseudonym cited repeatedly in the 2022 Dobbs decision : ROE
52
"The pretty worm of Nilus," per Shakespeare's Cleopatra : ASP

Answer summary:
8 unique to this puzzle.

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