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New York Times, Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Author:
Stephan Prock and Jeff Chen
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
14-Across : Buddy
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
212/4/20252/17/20262
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0010100
CircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
11.53824.720%
Stephan Prock
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
1677/5/20105/7/2026119
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatAcr
441218303911121
RebusCircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
11451.6296632.853%
Jeff Chen

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JV} This is puzzle # 2 for Mr. Prock. This is puzzle # 165 for Mr. Chen. Grid flow: 26.7 Tuesday freshness: 28%
Jim Horne notes:

The circled baroque musical forms ORATORIO, FUGUE, SONATA, and CHORALE are all baroquen-up by black squares.

1
S
2
K
3
A
4
S
5
I
6
N
7
C
8
E
9
A
10
B
11
A
12
S
13
H
14
P
A
L
15
O
P
E
R
A
16
D
A
R
L
A
17
A
L
B
18
I
N
O
R
A
T
19
O
R
I
O
N
20
N
E
A
T
O
21
F
I
S
22
T
23
I
A
M
S
24
S
N
A
F
25
U
26
G
U
E
27
S
S
S
O
28
N
A
I
L
A
R
29
T
30
P
E
A
T
31
O
L
A
Y
32
S
A
33
G
34
T
A
35
P
36
A
37
S
38
P
A
N
39
B
A
R
O
40
Q
41
U
E
42
A
C
H
43
E
D
S
44
E
L
45
D
E
N
46
U
P
T
O
47
A
T
48
M
49
S
50
D
I
51
S
B
A
N
D
52
P
53
E
R
S
O
N
54
A
55
T
A
E
B
O
56
S
A
R
A
57
P
O
P
58
S
59
F
R
E
R
60
E
61
L
U
R
C
62
H
63
O
R
A
64
L
E
X
A
M
S
65
A
L
O
H
A
66
Z
O
N
E
S
67
R
A
P
68
W
I
R
E
D
69
E
N
D
I
T
70
S
L
Y
© 2026, The New York Times2/17/26 ( No. 27,860 )
Across
1
Forerunner of reggae : SKA
4
Because : SINCE
9
Fluster with embarrassment : ABASH
14
Buddy : PAL
15
"L'Orfeo" or "Idomeneo" : OPERA
16
Spoiled girl in "Finding Nemo" : DARLA
17
White rodent often used in lab research : ALBINORAT
19
Hunter in the night sky : ORION
20
"Cool!" : NEATO
21
Hit maker? : FIST
23
Big name in pet food : IAMS
24
Complete fiasco : SNAFU
26
"I suppose that's right" : GUESSSO
28
Some fancy finger painting : NAILART
30
Flavoring in an earthy whiskey : PEAT
31
Classic skin-care brand : OLAY
32
Film performers' union, for short : SAG
34
Spanish appetizers : TAPAS
38
Prospector's receptacle : PAN
39
Music genre for the words hidden in this puzzle's circled letters ... or a punny description for them? : BAROQUE
42
German cry of dismay : ACH
43
Old Ford Motor offering : EDSEL
45
Site for hibernation ... or a Super Bowl party : DEN
46
No more than : UPTO
47
Sources of quick $$$ : ATMS
50
Break up, as a group : DISBAND
52
Someone's public identity : PERSONA
55
Workout inspired by martial arts : TAEBO
56
"Nobody doesn't like ___ Lee" (classic food slogan) : SARA
57
Daddy-o : POPS
59
"___ Jacques" (children's song) : FRERE
61
"The Addams Family" butler : LURCH
63
Spoken evaluations : ORALEXAMS
65
Island greeting : ALOHA
66
Starts daydreaming, with "out" : ZONES
67
Sound heard at the door : RAP
68
Amped up : WIRED
69
Call off the relationship : ENDIT
70
Furtive : SLY
Down
1
Distance from end to end : SPAN
2
Leafy side dish rich in vitamin K : KALESALAD
3
Residents of Tirana : ALBANIANS
4
"Oh, that stupid little punk ..." : SONOFA
5
Wall Street debut, for short : IPO
6
Toy brand with foam ammo : NERF
7
Daniel of the "Knives Out" movies : CRAIG
8
Devours : EATSUP
9
Fuss and flurry : ADO
10
Many a Starbucks employee : BARISTA
11
Highlights of a 15-Across : ARIAS
12
Smartphone video effect : SLOMO
13
Film composer Zimmer : HANS
18
Boot out of Europe? : ITALY
22
Item stored in a small hole in a golf cart : TEE
25
___ Major : URSA
27
Fill fully : SATE
28
"Uh-uh" : NOPE
29
Material for a roof repair : TAR
33
Mars, but not Earth : GOD
35
Tough-but-loving fathers, informally : PAPABEARS
36
"Don't be so weird!" : ACTNORMAL
37
Equipped with footwear : SHOD
39
Sandwiches often on toasted bread : BLTS
40
Proof-ending inits. : QED
41
Troop group : UNIT
44
Aural ailment : EARACHE
46
Standard option on a rideshare app : UBERX
48
Shaggy head of hair : MOP
49
Get some Z's : SNOOZE
51
Least risky : SAFEST
52
Physicist Wolfgang who proposed the "exclusion principle" : PAULI
53
Blunder : ERROR
54
Front part of a stage : APRON
56
Barbecue side dish : SLAW
58
Material in a classical timepiece : SAND
60
Sneak a peek at : ESPY
62
Suckered : HAD
64
Ring of flowers : LEI

Answer summary:
1 unique to this puzzle, 2 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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