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

Big Draw

New York Times, Sunday, June 21, 2026

Author:
Hannah Slovut-Einertson
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
They're just one problem after another
TotalDebutLatest
55/21/20186/21/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1100102
CircleScrabFlowFresh
11.5837.979%
Hannah Slovut

This puzzle:

Rows: 27, Columns: 17 Words: 144, Blocks: 80 Missing: {Z} This is puzzle # 5 for Ms. Slovut. Grid flow: 30.8 Sunday freshness: 86%
Will Shortz notes:
Hannah Slovut-Einertson, of Golden Valley, Minn., is the data director for an organization that provides support to state legislative campaigns across ... read more
1
R
2
E
3
C
4
S
5
B
6
C
7
C
8
S
9
B
10
E
11
A
12
T
13
S
14
M
15
E
16
A
L
O
E
17
A
B
L
E
18
E
R
R
A
T
I
C
19
O
F
F
R
20
O
A
D
E
D
21
N
E
C
K
I
N
G
22
F
A
K
E
23
F
A
24
C
T
C
H
E
C
K
25
T
26
E
E
P
A
D
27
S
28
T
A
S
T
E
O
K
29
S
L
E
E
P
30
A
31
L
E
S
32
S
S
N
33
E
R
R
34
I
35
Q
T
E
S
T
36
S
37
E
38
S
39
T
40
E
41
N
O
U
42
N
43
T
I
N
44
S
E
45
R
46
B
47
T
O
E
48
G
Y
N
O
49
I
N
T
50
L
51
T
I
E
52
D
O
W
N
53
C
54
A
P
O
T
E
55
S
P
H
E
R
E
S
56
P
57
O
58
B
O
X
59
N
O
V
60
A
61
E
V
E
R
Y
62
I
C
E
S
I
63
N
64
E
D
65
T
66
L
O
C
S
67
T
H
A
T
S
A
68
T
69
A
L
L
O
70
R
D
E
R
71
T
O
R
72
C
A
N
W
E
G
O
73
E
74
O
75
N
76
W
77
O
78
R
L
D
G
I
R
A
F
79
F
80
E
D
A
Y
81
A
I
W
A
82
A
L
T
83
L
I
M
I
T
S
84
A
C
T
I
N
85
O
H
86
H
87
I
88
L
I
T
H
E
89
G
A
N
E
S
90
H
91
A
92
M
A
N
93
B
A
G
94
A
C
E
S
O
U
T
95
E
N
V
Y
96
R
97
A
98
J
99
A
100
S
I
S
101
M
E
T
102
S
103
G
I
T
104
E
L
A
N
105
P
A
S
106
A
107
N
E
108
G
A
T
E
109
S
110
M
U
G
111
T
112
A
113
U
114
P
E
R
E
115
P
116
H
O
N
E
117
C
O
R
N
118
P
I
T
119
S
120
P
O
O
N
E
R
121
C
O
M
E
S
E
A
S
122
Y
123
A
T
A
D
124
S
A
V
A
N
N
A
125
L
O
126
T
U
S
R
O
127
O
128
T
129
O
P
E
N
T
A
B
130
I
D
E
S
131
S
I
R
I
132
W
E
N
T
I
P
O
133
T
A
T
E
134
E
L
K
S
overlay
© 2026, The New York Times6/21/26 ( No. 27,984 )
Across
1
Letters accompanying applications, for short : RECS
5
Includes without others knowing, in a way : BCCS
9
"I haven't a clue" : BEATSME
16
Plant with an edible inner gel : ALOE
17
Up to snuff : ABLE
18
All over the place : ERRATIC
19
Drove in an A.T.V., say, informally : OFFROADED
21
Fighting technique used by [circled letters] (as explained at 76-Across) : NECKING
22
Unreal? : FAKE
23
Verify, as an editor might : FACTCHECK
25
Launch points in disc golf : TEEPADS
28
"Everything good?," as a cook might ask : TASTEOK
29
Laptop mode : SLEEP
30
Tap products : ALES
32
ID used for far more than its name suggests : SSN
33
Do wrong : ERR
34
They're just one problem after another : IQTESTS
37
Spanish direction : ESTE
41
Whatchamacallit : NOUN
43
"One ___ Soldier" (1969 antiwar song) : TIN
44
Belgrade resident : SERB
47
Word on either side of "to" : TOE
48
Physician specializing in reproductive health, informally : GYNO
49
Like some flights: Abbr. : INTL
51
Restrict : TIEDOWN
53
Long, hooded cloak that's also an author's name : CAPOTE
55
Areas of influence : SPHERES
56
Part of many a mailing address, in brief : POBOX
59
White dwarf phenomenon : NOVA
61
___ so often : EVERY
62
Traps during a storm, perhaps : ICESIN
64
Vermont summer hrs. : EDT
66
Certain natural hairstyle : LOCS
67
"Boy, you're asking too much" ... or what you might say after following the instructions at 76-Across? : THATSATALLORDER
71
Popular browser for accessing the dark web : TOR
72
"Is it OK for us to leave?" : CANWEGO
73
It's one for the history books : EON
76
Annual June 21 celebration of the animal depicted in this puzzle by connecting the circled letters from A to T and back to A : WORLDGIRAFFEDAY
81
Japanese audio brand : AIWA
82
Secondary account, in social media slang : ALT
83
Boundaries : LIMITS
84
Be part of, as a film : ACTIN
85
"Surprised to see you here!" : OHHI
88
Limber : LITHE
89
Hindu god with an elephant head : GANESHA
92
Satchel with a gendered name : MANBAG
94
Defeats without difficulty : ACESOUT
95
"I ___ you!" : ENVY
96
Indian royal : RAJA
100
Certain sib : SIS
101
M.L.B. team whose stadium is less than 10 miles from another M.L.B. team's : METS
103
"Go on, beat it!" : GIT
104
Pizazz : ELAN
105
"Qué ___ contigo?" ("What's wrong with you?") : PASA
107
Cancels out : NEGATES
110
Common holder of pens : MUG
111
Mathematical constant equal to two times pi : TAU
114
Honoré de Balzac's "___ Goriot" : PERE
115
Give a buzz : PHONE
117
Farm play area : CORNPIT
119
Clergyman known for his verbal gaffes : SPOONER
121
Takes little effort : COMESEASY
123
Minimally : ATAD
124
Habitat for [circled letters] : SAVANNA
125
Starchy plant part in Asian cooking : LOTUSROOT
129
Something running at a bar : OPENTAB
130
Fateful day : IDES
131
Digital know-it-all : SIRI
132
Debuted to stockholders, in Wall St. lingo : WENTIPO
133
Art museum that awards the annual Turner Prize : TATE
134
Reindeer cousins : ELKS
Down
1
Big name in the pasta aisle : RAO
2
One often pictured wearing pointy shoes : ELF
3
Task for an office gofer, maybe : COFFEERUN
4
Colorful wrap : SERAPE
5
Spoke sheepishly? : BAAED
6
Compound found in marijuana, for short : CBD
7
What sets the tone : CLEF
8
Calms : SEDATES
9
Natural predispositions : BENTS
10
Builds : ERECTS
11
National park in Utah : ARCHES
12
"Here, try a sample" : TAKEONE
13
Driver's alternative to automatic : STICK
14
Semiaquatic carnivore : MINK
15
Med. diagnostic : ECG
20
Closest living relative of the [circled letters] : OKAPI
24
Show groups : CASTS
25
Golfer Yani : TSENG
26
"The Jetsons" son : ELROY
27
Attended, as a lecture : SATINON
31
Temporarily gave : LENTTO
35
This goes in one ear : QTIP
36
{1, 2, 3} and {4, 5, 6} : SETS
38
Offering in lieu of a cash refund, perhaps : STORECREDIT
39
Term for groups of [circled letters] : TOWERS
40
Teeny-tiny : EENSY
42
Free : NOCOST
45
Sometimes-intentional jeans feature : RIP
46
Looked upon : BEHELD
50
"I want you to be honest ..." : LEVELWITHME
52
R&B group Bell Biv ___ : DEVOE
54
Follower of "x" or "y" : AXIS
56
Pennsylvania school, for short : PITT
57
Diez minus dos : OCHO
58
Testify : BEARWITNESS
60
Chicago's ___ Planetarium : ADLER
63
Salt's formula : NACL
65
Threads around a forum? : TOGA
68
"Look at this!" : TADA
69
Part of WASP : ANGLO
70
"HAHAHAHA!" : ROFL
74
Vow : OATH
75
Where Ferrari is "RACE," in brief : NYSE
77
Tot's injuries : OWIES
78
Price for a return, perhaps : RANSOM
79
Sneaker brand : FILA
80
Political exile : EMIGRE
81
Tree whose leaves are eaten by [circled letters] : ACACIA
84
Audibly shocked : AGASP
86
Big garage, essentially : HANGAR
87
They're sent after save-the-date cards : INVITES
90
Tone : HUE
91
Memo abbr. : ATTN
93
Eight bits : BYTE
97
Nutty extract : ALMONDOIL
98
French for "yellow" : JAUNE
99
Tick off : ANGER
102
Filter option : SEPIA
106
Small superhero whose catchphrase starts "Up and at 'em" : ATOMANT
108
Becomes wild, as a party : GETSLIT
109
Fur pattern on a [circled letters] : SPOTS
112
Self-reflective question : ARENTI
113
Start to take off, as a onesie : UNSNAP
116
Practically speechless? : HOARSE
117
Spelling bee? : COVEN
118
Late singer Bryson : PEABO
120
YouTube button with two lines : PAUSE
121
Bit of superhero wear : CAPE
122
"Star Wars" character whose species is never named : YODA
124
"You reap what you ___" : SOW
126
Holiday whose name means "festival" : TET
127
Mork's home planet : ORK
128
"Indeed" : TIS

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

  Please log in to use the Analyze feature.

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 © 2007-2026, Jim Horne
55 ms