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New York Times, Friday, May 15, 2026

Author:
Maddy Ziegler
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Here goes nothing!
TotalDebutLatest
28/30/20255/15/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000011
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.541340.273%
Maddy Ziegler

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 30 Missing: {JQX} This is puzzle # 2 for Ms. Ziegler. Grid flow: 40.6 Friday freshness: 67%
1
H
2
I
3
L
4
T
5
L
6
I
7
V
8
E
9
W
10
I
11
R
12
E
13
S
14
O
M
E
N
15
B
A
N
A
N
A
S
E
A
T
16
M
A
T
T
17
A
P
E
C
O
S
T
U
M
E
18
E
L
M
19
E
L
I
Z
A
20
H
O
S
E
A
21
C
L
E
22
A
V
E
S
23
N
24
I
T
25
E
S
L
26
H
E
A
D
E
D
27
S
T
R
U
28
M
29
E
A
T
I
N
30
B
E
L
A
B
O
31
R
32
S
33
F
R
E
D
34
T
A
G
O
N
35
D
O
E
36
S
37
S
M
A
38
S
H
C
U
T
39
B
E
G
A
T
40
S
H
A
K
E
41
T
E
L
U
G
U
42
G
43
M
44
C
45
E
W
W
46
C
I
S
T
E
R
N
47
R
E
A
48
D
E
49
O
50
G
R
E
S
51
W
A
N
52
I
T
S
U
P
53
T
O
Y
O
U
54
C
A
P
E
55
N
E
E
D
L
E
D
R
O
P
56
O
V
E
R
57
D
R
Y
S
E
A
S
O
N
58
M
E
S
S
© 2026, The New York Times5/15/26 ( No. 27,947 )
Across
1
To the ___ (as much as possible) : HILT
5
Electrifying people, so to speak : LIVEWIRES
14
Dog howling at night, maybe : OMEN
15
Vintage bike feature : BANANASEAT
16
Good name for a yoga instructor? : MATT
17
Hairy get-up : APECOSTUME
18
Wych ___ (tree type) : ELM
19
Miss Doolittle of "Pygmalion" : ELIZA
20
Civil rights activist Williams, an associate of Martin Luther King Jr. : HOSEA
21
Splits apart : CLEAVES
23
Annual coll. basketball competition : NIT
25
Class for some aspiring bilinguals, in brief : ESL
26
Led : HEADED
27
Play casually, say : STRUM
29
Like some kitchens : EATIN
30
Harps on : BELABORS
33
MacMurray of "Double Indemnity" : FRED
34
Throw in at the end : TAGON
35
Pulls off : DOES
37
Jarring film transition to a new scene : SMASHCUT
39
Sired : BEGAT
40
Give a hand? : SHAKE
41
Language of southern India : TELUGU
42
Sierra, e.g. : GMC
45
"Nasty!" : EWW
46
Rainwater reservoir : CISTERN
47
Duane ___ (New York-based pharmacy chain) : READE
49
Figures in "Puss in Boots" and "Hop-o'-My-Thumb" : OGRES
51
Sickly-looking : WAN
52
"I don't care either way" : ITSUPTOYOU
54
Magician's accessory : CAPE
55
Use of a popular song to make a scene iconic, in film-speak : NEEDLEDROP
56
"Your turn to speak" : OVER
57
Difficult time for farmers : DRYSEASON
58
Hot ___ : MESS
Down
1
Big name in meal prep kits : HOMECHEF
2
"Tell me!" : IMALLEARS
3
Line of attack? : LETMEATEM
4
Cause of a boom : TNT
5
Material for the blue eyebrows on the mask of Tutankhamen, in brief : LAPIS
6
Mother of Don Juan : INEZ
7
Here goes nothing! : VACANTLOT
8
Brian of ambient music : ENO
9
Part of a bass in a jug band : WASHTUB
10
: : ISTO
11
Get new life out of : REUSE
12
Eponym for a lounge chair : EAMES
13
"I can't believe that price" bargain : STEAL
15
Made hay? : BALED
19
Uniform : EVEN
22
Puma rival : ADIDAS
24
Setting for the graphic novel series "Persepolis" : IRAN
27
Transition : SEGUE
28
Competitor of the early Chevrolet 490 : MODELT
30
"Sticks" : BACKWOODS
31
Dangerous ocean phenomenon : ROGUEWAVE
32
Edible algae dubbed "green caviar" : SEAGRAPES
34
Break the ice? : THAW
36
Knockouts : STUNNERS
38
Blind followers, informally : SHEEPLE
39
Friend of Nancy Drew : BESS
41
Moor : TIEUP
42
Daily ___ : GRIND
43
Element of a poetry analysis, maybe : METER
44
Baseball's Stengel : CASEY
46
Sing like Michael Bublé : CROON
48
Threads : DUDS
50
Food item whose name comes from the Greek for "turn" : GYRO
53
Occasion that may involve fine china : TEA
54
Common end to an address : COM

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 4 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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