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New York Times, Friday, August 14, 2026

Author:
Zhou Zhang
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Couple's last coupling, perhaps
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
97/6/20258/14/20266
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1102410
RebusCircleScrabFlowFresh
111.7131.832%
Zhou Zhang

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 32 Missing: {QVW} This is puzzle # 9 for Ms. Zhang. Grid flow: 49.9 Friday freshness: 61%
Zhou Zhang notes:
For me, every New York Times submission is like an incarnation of Schrödinger's cat — a submission is both rejected and accepted (or ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

Breakup sex! Maleska would be so jealous that Shortz can get away with entries like this.

1
G
2
I
3
Z
4
A
5
S
6
N
7
I
8
F
9
F
10
S
11
O
12
U
13
T
14
I
M
O
N
15
A
Y
C
A
R
A
M
B
A
16
N
E
O
N
17
B
R
E
A
K
U
P
S
E
X
18
S
A
M
U
19
R
A
I
20
R
I
C
21
U
N
F
A
I
R
22
R
E
N
T
23
A
24
C
25
O
26
P
27
C
A
L
O
R
28
I
E
29
G
O
L
O
C
O
30
C
O
T
S
31
E
T
C
32
H
33
S
I
N
C
E
34
A
M
I
35
I
N
C
L
O
36
S
E
37
F
A
M
38
S
E
G
39
E
R
40
H
U
S
H
41
S
A
M
S
42
C
O
U
S
I
43
N
44
S
E
A
45
L
A
B
S
46
A
N
E
C
D
O
47
T
E
48
L
E
M
U
R
49
S
50
E
R
R
51
G
O
S
P
L
A
T
52
T
53
H
54
A
55
T
S
M
Y
56
J
A
M
57
L
A
Z
E
58
R
A
P
A
C
I
O
U
S
59
E
T
O
N
60
U
M
P
T
E
E
N
T
H
61
S
E
R
T
© 2026, The New York Times8/14/26 ( No. 28,038 )
Across
1
___ Plateau, home to the tomb of King Khufu : GIZA
5
Discovers : SNIFFSOUT
14
"There's my cue" : IMON
15
"Dios mío!" : AYCARAMBA
16
Superbright : NEON
17
Couple's last coupling, perhaps : BREAKUPSEX
18
Mounted warrior skilled in martial arts : SAMURAI
20
Retired pro wrestler Flair : RIC
21
Sibling's cry of protest, maybe : UNFAIR
22
Guard for some time? : RENTACOP
27
Unit whose name derives from the Latin word for "heat" : CALORIE
29
Completely lose it : GOLOCO
30
Bunk alternatives : COTS
31
Leave a lasting mark on : ETCH
33
Because : SINCE
34
Self-doubter's question : AMI
35
Huddling, as teammates : INCLOSE
37
Mom-and-pop group : FAM
38
Rock musician Bob : SEGER
40
"Enough out of you!" : HUSH
41
Costco competitor, informally : SAMS
42
England's George V vis-à-vis Russia's Nicholas II : COUSIN
44
Good places for a deep dive into research? : SEALABS
46
Recollection, say : ANECDOTE
48
Primates found only in and around Madagascar : LEMURS
50
Slip : ERR
51
Explode, as a paintball : GOSPLAT
52
Enthusiastic cry when one's favorite song comes on the radio : THATSMYJAM
57
Idle : LAZE
58
Excessively greedy : RAPACIOUS
59
Berkshire town : ETON
60
Of an indefinitely large number : UMPTEENTH
61
Spanish muralist José María ___ : SERT
Down
1
Kitchen brand inspired by 18-Across : GINSU
2
"Seriously?!" : IMEANCOMEON
3
Issue in a modern remote work setting : ZOOMFATIGUE
4
Corn and wheat, for two : ANNUALS
5
Garment worn with a bodice called a choli : SARI
6
365th out of 365, in brief : NYE
7
Words of comfort : ICARE
8
Not being real about : FAKING
9
Honey is high in this : FRUCTOSE
10
Deplete : SAP
11
Yogis' utterances : OMS
12
Purple drink ingredient at a boba tea shop : UBE
13
"... plus ___" : TAX
17
Unfruitful : BARREN
19
Animated 2011 film set in Brazil : RIO
22
Person that's best left alone : RECLUSE
23
Wong of Netflix's "Beef" : ALI
24
Shoot the breeze : CONFABULATE
25
Philosophy of "Keep things simple," in a sense : OCCAMSRAZOR
26
"How do ___ grow? They grow out of your life": Robert Penn Warren : POEMS
28
Scratch that! : ITCH
30
"Julius Caesar" role : CASCA
32
Plot device? : HOSE
35
Shimmer colorfully : IRIDESCE
36
Hello or goodbye, abroad : SHALOM
39
Computer key that might be pressed repeatedly in a panic : ESC
41
Tastes : SAMPLES
43
Average Joe, in modern slang : NORMIE
45
___ Bleus, nickname for France's World Cup team : LES
47
Check for fit : TRYON
49
What might go straight to the heart? : STENT
51
Deep cut : GASH
52
Monodrama that debuted in 1989 : TRU
53
Country ___ : HAM
54
Unwanted place for bugs : APP
55
Parlor offering, for short : TAT
56
Project : JUT

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

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