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New York Times, Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Author:
Nathan Hale
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Classic Hanukkah treat
TotalDebutLatest
31/31/202412/23/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0012000
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.641226.345%
Nathan Hale

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 75, Blocks: 35 Missing: {JQXZ} Spans: 1 Grid has mirror symmetry. This is puzzle # 3 for Mr. Hale. Grid flow: 22.8 Tuesday freshness: 94%
1
N
2
C
3
I
4
S
5
A
6
D
7
E
8
P
9
T
10
S
11
A
12
V
13
E
14
C
A
S
H
15
M
I
N
O
R
16
C
L
I
P
17
O
T
T
O
18
S
A
B
R
E
19
O
L
G
A
20
C
H
O
21
C
O
L
A
T
E
22
C
O
I
N
23
K
H
A
K
I
24
U
N
I
25
A
P
N
E
26
A
27
E
A
T
28
C
29
U
P
C
A
30
K
E
31
F
T
C
32
M
I
S
33
H
A
P
34
A
S
35
T
U
T
E
36
P
R
O
U
D
O
37
F
38
S
T
A
I
N
E
D
39
C
A
N
D
40
Y
C
O
R
N
41
T
42
A
43
S
K
44
N
E
O
45
E
46
T
47
C
48
H
49
U
S
E
50
S
51
A
Y
S
W
52
H
53
O
54
U
S
A
55
S
T
E
56
P
U
P
57
A
N
58
D
C
U
T
59
C
H
R
I
S
T
60
M
61
A
62
S
C
O
O
K
I
E
63
A
M
E
N
64
L
A
S
I
K
65
V
E
T
O
66
N
A
D
A
67
Y
E
L
P
S
68
E
D
E
N
© 2025, The New York Times12/23/25 ( No. 27,804 )
Across
1
Longtime CBS procedural with multiple spinoffs : NCIS
5
Highly capable : ADEPT
10
Ctrl+S command : SAVE
14
Alternative to check or credit card : CASH
15
Secondary subject for a college student : MINOR
16
Short video : CLIP
17
Appropriately named bus driver on "The Simpsons" : OTTO
18
Alternative to épée or foil, in British English : SABRE
19
Tokarczuk who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature : OLGA
20
Classic Hanukkah treat : CHOCOLATECOIN
23
Brownish-yellow fabric : KHAKI
24
Institution of higher education, to a Brit : UNI
25
Sleeper's breathing problem : APNEA
27
Lead-in to "drink and be merry" : EAT
28
Classic classroom party treat : CUPCAKE
31
Antitrust enforcement org. : FTC
32
Unfortunate accident : MISHAP
34
Clever : ASTUTE
36
Highly pleased about : PROUDOF
38
Colored, as church glass : STAINED
39
Classic Halloween treat : CANDYCORN
41
It's part of the job : TASK
44
Prefix with classic : NEO
45
Carve : ETCH
49
Take advantage of : USE
50
"Where'd you hear that?" : SAYSWHO
54
Dream Team country, for short : USA
55
Take responsibility : STEPUP
57
Cry from a movie director : ANDCUT
59
Classic Yuletide treat : CHRISTMASCOOKIE
63
Prayer ender : AMEN
64
This should clear things up! : LASIK
65
Reject, as a bill : VETO
66
Nothing, in Nogales : NADA
67
Cries out : YELPS
68
Biblical garden : EDEN
Down
1
Sgt. or cpl. : NCO
2
Go off a ski jump, say : CATCHAIR
3
"Oh, really?" : ISTHATSO
4
Tried to identify, in a way, as a wrapped gift : SHOOK
5
Playground retort : AMSO
6
1990s internet option : DIALUP
7
With all judges present : ENBANC
8
___ de Rossi, "Arrested Development" actress : PORTIA
9
Aspen or pine : TREE
10
Reporter's big get : SCOOP
11
Just for grins : ALLINFUN
12
Short version of an impactful story : VIGNETTE
13
Org. regulating water safety : EPA
21
Insect that emerges en masse every 13 or 17 years : CICADA
22
Kind of salad whose dressing contains anchovies : CAESAR
23
Former N.B.A. star Shawn with the nickname "Reign Man" : KEMP
26
Nailed, as a test : ACED
29
"Once ___ a time ..." : UPON
30
Character played by Bruce Lee on "The Green Hornet" : KATO
33
___ Finn : HUCK
35
One of three on the pitchfork in "American Gothic" : TINE
37
Big Apple org. that's going to blazes? : FDNY
38
Flat-bottomed boat : SCOW
40
"That's correct!" : YES
41
Resident of Pisa or Lucca : TUSCAN
42
Condition that may require an inhaler : ASTHMA
43
Get more than a little mad : SEERED
46
Like many a dress shirt, with "in" : TUCKED
47
Top execs, colloquially ... or what 20-, 28-, 39- and 59-Across are, phonetically? : CSUITE
48
Make negative remarks about : HATEON
50
Not on the up and up, slangily : SUS
51
In a fitting way : APTLY
52
Breaks (into), as a computer system : HACKS
53
Middle name for Lennon starting in 1969 : ONO
56
"Escape (The ___ Colada Song)" : PINA
58
Sign of peace : DOVE
60
Sallie or Fannie follower : MAE
61
Hand-y communication method, for short? : ASL
62
Drink slowly : SIP

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle.

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