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New York Times, Saturday, December 31, 2022

Author:
Billy Bratton
Editor:
Will Shortz
36-Down : Follow, as a lead
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
79/9/20214/2/20241
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0011113
ScrabbleFresh
1.6168%
Billy Bratton

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 32 Missing: {JQX} This is puzzle # 4 for Mr. Bratton. Saturday freshness: 52%
Billy Bratton notes:

Happy to debut 18-Across. Re: 3-Down — I solemnly swear I am not a redditor. Shoutout to the editors for the 45-Across clue.

Happy New Year to those who celebrate!

Jeff Chen notes:
A month ago, a kid I helped out through a foster care non-profit got back in touch, asking for some advice. It was fun to reconnect … ... read more
1
S
2
P
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A
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R
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S
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E
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F
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A
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N
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B
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A
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S
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E
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S
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W
I
S
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T
O
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I
D
E
A
L
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S
T
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I
N
K
P
E
N
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T
O
A
D
E
T
T
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S
C
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W
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M
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R
T
H
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B
E
N
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H
E
E
L
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F
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A
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S
Y
E
T
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E
N
D
27
M
R
T
28
S
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H
I
A
30
D
E
D
31
I
C
A
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32
E
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A
R
T
34
E
35
Z
I
G
G
Y
S
T
36
A
R
D
U
S
37
T
38
T
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R
E
39
S
C
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A
P
P
E
40
D
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V
I
D
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S
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T
O
Y
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E
R
E
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B
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U
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S
E
D
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O
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W
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W
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B
R
A
N
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E
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E
52
D
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R
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K
R
A
F
T
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R
E
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D
L
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P
S
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K
E
E
N
L
Y
58
G
U
M
M
E
D
U
P
59
O
N
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T
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S
P
Y
V
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P
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61
S
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D
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© 2022, The New York Times12/31/22 ( No. 26,716 )
Across
1
Few and far between : SPARSE
7
YouTube influencers have big ones : FANBASES
15
In on : WISETO
16
Utopian : IDEALIST
17
One end of it might be felt : INKPEN
18
Mario character with a mushroom head and pink braids : TOADETTE
19
Turning point in construction? : SCREW
20
Jollity : MIRTH
21
___ Solo, son of Leia Organa : BEN
22
Lab order? : HEEL
23
Perfectly cromulent : FINE
24
Heretofore : ASYET
26
Windup : END
27
His initial stands for Tureaud : MRT
28
About one in 10 Muslims : SHIA
30
Devote (to) : DEDICATE
33
Works in el Museo del Prado : ARTE
35
David Bowie persona in 1970s glam rock : ZIGGYSTARDUST
38
Rear-view feature on a Jeep? : TIRE
39
Sent to the junkyard : SCRAPPED
41
Some social media posts, for short : VIDS
43
Trifle (with) : TOY
44
Afore : ERE
45
Didn't wait for a restaurant job? : BUSED
48
"Man, that hurts!" : OWOW
50
Edible husk : BRAN
51
Suffix with official : ESE
52
Sap : DRAIN
54
Producer of many popular singles : KRAFT
55
Understand without listening : READLIPS
57
At a high interest rate? : KEENLY
58
Caused all sorts of problems with : GUMMEDUP
59
Kind of pickup : ONETON
60
Mad magazine staple : SPYVSSPY
61
Da bomb : SODOPE
Down
1
Barely rustled the net : SWISHED
2
Sort of spectacles not much seen nowadays : PINCENEZ
3
Forum that provides material for many BuzzFeed articles : ASKREDDIT
4
Ward off : REPEL
5
Fret about a fricassee? : STEW
6
Long division : EON
7
Not stick out like a sore thumb : FITIN
8
Thinks the world of : ADORES
9
Dandy : NEAT
10
Something winds might cause : BADHAIRDAY
11
Pale ___ : ALE
12
Not get involved : SITBY
13
First name in cosmetics : ESTEE
14
Duct tube : STENT
20
Grubby little paws : MITTS
23
Raggedy : FRAYED
25
Snapped out of a daydream, perhaps : SATUP
27
Fast-food fare in which two pancakes form a sandwich : MCGRIDDLES
29
Soil-loosening tool : HARROW
31
Resignation notice? : IGIVE
32
35-Across and others, in brief : ETS
34
Language with its own "green star" flag : ESPERANTO
36
Follow, as a lead : ACTON
37
Large unit of computing speed : TERAFLOP
40
Breath-freshening brand : DENTYNE
42
Get frothy : SOAPUP
45
Sights in the Arctic : BERGS
46
Burn through : USEUP
47
Disreputable : SEAMY
49
Feathery : WISPY
50
Stir up : BREED
53
Purges : RIDS
54
Casino game with "hits" and "catches" : KENO
56
Patty and Selma's workplace on "The Simpsons," for short : DMV
57
Floors in a ring : KOS

Answer summary:
7 unique to this puzzle, 1 debuted here and reused later, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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