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New York Times, Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Author:
Joseph Gangi
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
"Oh, for heaven's sake!"
TotalDebutLatest
83/16/20224/29/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0007100
CircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
21.623830.930%
Joseph Gangi

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 16 Words: 79, Blocks: 38 Missing: {KQVXZ} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 7 for Mr. Gangi. Grid flow: 46.7 Wednesday freshness: 70%
Jim Horne notes:

The letters F-I-R-E are found in each of the great balls superimposed on the grid. Each instance shows a different rotation.

1
W
2
A
3
L
4
R
5
U
6
S
7
S
8
H
9
O
10
E
11
A
12
S
13
I
14
F
15
A
M
O
U
N
T
16
Y
O
U
L
17
O
S
T
M
E
18
G
O
O
D
N
E
19
S
S
G
R
A
C
I
O
U
S
20
S
N
E
E
R
A
T
21
T
A
R
P
S
22
E
E
N
23
A
24
R
25
C
A
N
A
26
E
27
E
28
O
29
D
O
G
30
B
R
E
E
D
31
G
32
P
33
A
34
D
E
F
35
I
E
S
36
L
I
F
E
37
B
E
A
M
38
G
R
I
N
D
39
S
A
S
S
40
S
O
F
I
A
41
E
I
N
S
42
M
I
R
E
43
C
A
T
E
R
S
44
S
E
T
45
S
A
F
E
S
46
E
A
T
47
E
S
S
48
E
49
J
E
C
T
S
50
O
P
I
51
L
52
O
R
D
E
53
E
N
S
N
54
A
55
R
56
E
57
G
R
E
A
T
58
B
59
A
60
L
L
S
O
F
F
I
R
61
E
62
B
E
S
T
O
F
A
L
L
63
F
O
R
M
A
L
64
T
O
T
E
65
F
A
C
E
66
F
R
O
S
T
S
overlay
© 2026, The New York Times2/11/26 ( No. 27,854 )
Across
1
Lewis Carroll's "The ___ and the Carpenter" : WALRUS
7
Something you might leave at the front door when entering a house : SHOE
11
"Yeah, right!" : ASIF
15
Quantity : AMOUNT
16
Words from someone who failed to understand : YOULOSTME
18
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" : GOODNESSGRACIOUS
20
Show contempt for, in a way : SNEERAT
21
Rain delay coverings : TARPS
22
Poet's dusk : EEN
23
Mystical stuff : ARCANA
26
"We don't discriminate in this workplace," in job ads : EEO
29
Newfoundland or Labrador retriever : DOGBREED
31
Transcript fig. : GPA
34
Openly resists : DEFIES
36
"Then, window, let day in, and let ___ out": Juliet : LIFE
37
Smile broadly : BEAM
38
Arduous routine : GRIND
39
Get smart? : SASS
40
"Priscilla" director Coppola : SOFIA
41
How a German count might get started : EINS
42
Swampy land : MIRE
43
Does the dishes? : CATERS
44
Complete collection : SET
45
Hoped-for prognosis for an election incumbent : SAFESEAT
47
Twisty curve : ESS
48
Spews out : EJECTS
50
Big name in nail polish : OPI
51
One-named singer with the 2017 platinum album "Melodrama" : LORDE
53
Trap : ENSNARE
57
1957 rock 'n' roll classic suggested by this puzzle's circled letters : GREATBALLSOFFIRE
62
Crème de la crème : BESTOFALL
63
Prom, e.g. : FORMAL
64
Iconic bit of NPR merch : TOTE
65
Confront : FACE
66
Puts icing on : FROSTS
Down
1
Tail or finger motion : WAG
2
Andy's partner in an old radio sitcom : AMOS
3
State bird of Minnesota : LOON
4
Ill-mannered : RUDE
5
Superfluous : UNNEEDED
6
Purchases for some audiophiles : STEREOS
7
Part of GPS: Abbr. : SYST
8
Not share, as the covers : HOG
9
Taylor Swift's "___ Song" : OUR
10
She, in São Paulo : ELA
11
___ pear (applelike fruit) : ASIAN
12
Cost required to stow furniture, say : STORAGEFEE
13
"My turn to play!" : IMUP
14
Come clean, with "up" : FESS
17
Eightsome : OCTAD
19
Belted out : SANG
23
Comes into play : ARISES
24
Play callers? : REFS
25
It's for "cookie," to Cookie Monster : CEE
26
Sides : EDGES
27
Inducing goose bumps : EERIE
28
Worth exploring : OFINTEREST
30
Plays at full blast : BLARES
32
What pants come in that shirts don't : PAIRS
33
Accumulate : AMASS
35
Useful contacts : INS
37
Online automaton : BOT
39
Search (through) : SIFT
40
Replaced as a substitute : SATINFOR
42
___ and cheese : MAC
43
Finishes with flair : CAPSOFF
45
Take care of, as a task : SEETO
46
Seeming eternities : EONS
49
Matchmaking site with a "synagogue attendance" filter : JDATE
51
Pride Month letters : LGBT
52
Black-and-white mouthful : OREO
53
Actress Fanning : ELLE
54
Lead-in to Cuban or Caribbean : AFRO
55
Glasses sans glass : RIMS
56
Q.E.D. part : ERAT
58
Fave pal : BFF
59
Small battery : AAA
60
Cousin of Inc. : LLC
61
Enrollment center? : ELS

Answer summary:
7 unique to this puzzle.

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