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New York Times, Friday, November 21, 2025

Author:
Joyce Keller
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
It may bring out the kid in you
TotalDebut
111/21/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000010
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.53466.253%
Joyce Keller

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 72, Blocks: 30 Missing: {JQXZ} This is the debut puzzle for Ms. Keller. Grid flow: 66.2 Friday freshness: 14%
Jim Horne notes:
This is already the third appearance for AYO EDEBIRI. Get used to seeing her — that combination of letters is just too useful. LEA ... read more
1
A
2
D
3
M
4
I
5
T
6
C
7
R
8
O
9
C
10
M
11
A
12
C
13
S
14
L
E
A
M
I
15
C
H
E
L
E
16
E
Y
R
E
17
M
A
N
S
P
R
E
A
D
S
18
T
O
O
T
19
S
L
Y
20
T
O
A
D
21
A
22
T
R
E
S
T
23
S
O
F
T
24
F
R
A
I
D
S
O
25
R
26
O
27
C
K
E
T
S
28
C
I
E
N
C
E
29
A
V
O
I
D
30
H
O
R
A
S
31
B
32
I
33
D
34
G
E
M
S
35
H
E
L
E
N
36
R
I
R
I
37
A
R
E
38
S
E
E
D
S
39
S
A
R
A
N
40
H
41
E
A
R
T
S
T
42
O
P
P
I
N
G
43
E
44
D
I
B
L
E
S
45
A
B
U
T
46
T
I
T
L
E
S
47
G
R
I
T
48
R
49
I
50
B
51
H
A
H
A
52
W
53
H
I
T
E
N
54
O
I
S
E
55
I
N
E
S
56
H
O
L
E
S
I
N
O
N
E
57
C
A
R
T
58
Y
E
A
R
59
K
I
T
T
S
© 2025, The New York Times11/21/25 ( No. 27,772 )
Across
1
Allow : ADMIT
6
Snappy sort, for short? : CROC
10
Tahoe runners : MACS
14
Fanny Brice portrayer on Broadway : LEAMICHELE
16
Governess of Thornfield Hall : EYRE
17
Sits legs akimbo, pejoratively : MANSPREADS
18
Highway attention-getter : TOOT
19
Calculating : SLY
20
Symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt : TOAD
21
Settled down : ATREST
23
Shakespearean "Hush!" : SOFT
24
"Sorry to tell ya" : FRAIDSO
25
What "it's not," they say : ROCKETSCIENCE
29
Eschew : AVOID
30
Parts of some wedding rituals : HORAS
31
Clubs opening, perhaps : BID
34
Prized people : GEMS
35
She was totally taken by Paris : HELEN
36
Popular perfume named after a singing star : RIRI
37
Modern art? : ARE
38
Germs : SEEDS
39
That's a wrap! : SARAN
40
Suspenseful : HEARTSTOPPING
43
Grown-up gummies, e.g. : EDIBLES
45
Touch : ABUT
46
King and queen : TITLES
47
Strength of character : GRIT
48
One in a cage : RIB
51
That's a laugh! : HAHA
52
Insomniac's aid : WHITENOISE
55
Juana ___ de la Cruz, classic Mexican writer known as "The Tenth Muse" : INES
56
Aces : HOLESINONE
57
Schlep : CART
58
Alumni notes datum : YEAR
59
St. ___ (vacation spot) : KITTS
Down
1
Old-time charity : ALMS
2
Word with good or raw : DEAL
3
A host of : MANY
4
Hits up online, in a way : IMS
5
Crept cautiously : TIPTOED
6
Some memory aids : CHEATSHEETS
7
___-a-thon : READ
8
Senescent : OLD
9
It may bring out the kid in you : CESAREAN
10
Height or width, e.g. : METRIC
11
Sydney Adamu portrayer on "The Bear" : AYOEDEBIRI
12
Peeved : CROSS
13
Brief blowup : SETTO
15
"Tomb Raider" heroine : CROFT
22
Camel and fawn : TANS
23
Lodge rental : SKIS
24
Barbecuer's aid : FIRESTARTER
25
Sitarist's composition : RAGA
26
Totally done with : OVER
27
Flirtatious : COMEHITHER
28
Nose woes : COLDS
32
Azerbaijan neighbor : IRAN
33
Find fault with, informally : DING
35
Lead-in to a clarification : HERESWHY
36
Riveted : RAPT
38
Word often printed in red : SALE
39
"Fellow traveler," in Russian : SPUTNIK
41
Certain marketing deluge : EBLAST
42
Tony's cousins : OBIES
43
Moral virtue : ETHIC
44
Anne's best friend in "Anne of Green Gables" : DIANA
47
___ monster : GILA
48
Real hoot : RIOT
49
Ain't proper? : ISNT
50
They have five eyes and communicate by dancing : BEES
53
Break ground, in a way : HOE
54
Japanese ogre : ONI

Answer summary:
4 unique to this puzzle.

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