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New York Times, Saturday, February 7, 2026

Author:
Mark Diehl
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
They make low digits smaller
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
7811/11/19842/7/20263
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
3214720383
RebusScrabDebutPre‑WSFlowFresh
31.57603850.087%
Mark Diehl

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 62, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JQVXZ} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 78 for Mr. Diehl. Grid flow: 44.8 Saturday freshness: 85%
1
W
2
A
3
F
4
F
5
L
6
E
7
M
8
A
9
K
10
E
11
R
12
M
A
C
A
R
O
N
I
S
A
L
A
13
D
14
G
E
N
U
S
A
N
D
S
P
E
C
I
E
15
S
16
O
D
D
I
T
Y
17
S
O
L
A
N
G
E
18
D
I
E
T
S
19
G
20
R
I
T
21
M
I
R
E
22
N
A
R
Y
23
F
O
O
L
24
L
I
N
E
N
25
O
N
S
26
C
L
O
S
E
27
R
A
N
G
E
28
R
E
A
D
Y
T
O
G
O
29
S
30
P
O
R
T
S
B
E
T
S
31
D
32
A
33
B
34
S
T
U
P
A
35
P
O
S
H
36
Y
A
L
L
37
L
U
T
E
38
F
E
A
T
39
H
E
D
G
E
40
O
P
T
I
41
M
A
L
42
L
E
S
B
O
S
43
T
O
E
N
A
I
L
44
S
45
C
I
S
S
O
R
S
46
R
E
T
I
R
E
T
H
E
S
I
D
E
47
S
O
N
Y
R
E
A
D
E
R
S
© 2026, The New York Times2/7/26 ( No. 27,850 )
Across
1
Breakfast bar item : WAFFLEMAKER
12
Summer picnic side dish : MACARONISALAD
14
Homo sapiens, e.g. : GENUSANDSPECIES
16
Curio shop treasure : ODDITY
17
Singer with the 2016 Grammy-winning soul ballad "Cranes in the Sky" : SOLANGE
18
Losing propositions? : DIETS
19
Keep-on-keeping-on quality : GRIT
21
Cause for getting stuck : MIRE
22
Not, colloquially : NARY
23
Misdirect : FOOL
24
Airbnb inclusion, usually : LINEN
25
Some control buttons : ONS
26
Like hand-to-hand fighting : CLOSERANGE
28
On the starting line : READYTOGO
29
Over/under and point spread : SPORTSBETS
31
Small squeeze from a tube : DAB
34
Dome-shaped Buddhist shrine : STUPA
35
Fancy-schmancy : POSH
36
Pronoun in Texas : YALL
37
Instrument depicted in paintings by Hals and Caravaggio : LUTE
38
"OMG"-evoking deed : FEAT
39
Use for a yew : HEDGE
40
As good as it gets : OPTIMAL
42
Isle of Sappho : LESBOS
43
They make low digits smaller : TOENAILSCISSORS
46
What a pitcher tries to do : RETIRETHESIDE
47
Former e-book devices, until 2014 : SONYREADERS
Down
1
Can't keep on topic : WANDERS
2
Sharpshooter's asset : ACUITY
3
Preps for surgery, perhaps : FASTS
4
Wear out around the edges : FRAY
5
First name in Universal horror : LON
6
Seldom-used PC key : END
7
Long shot practice : MISSILETEST
8
"Save me ___!" : ASPOT
9
Pauline ___, former New Yorker film critic : KAEL
10
Classic Chevy model : ELCAMINO
11
Not fair, in a way : RAINING
12
Strip down the Interstate : MEDIAN
13
Student's goal : DEGREE
14
"That can't possibly be right!" : GODNO
15
Enjoying recognition : SEEN
19
One of many in a bee, typically : GOODSPELLER
20
Reptile with a colorful name : ROSYBOA
23
Having lost all its fizz : FLAT
24
Isn't keeping up : LAGS
26
Michael who plays Allan in "Barbie" : CERA
27
"Divergent" author Veronica : ROTH
28
Ensnare for, as some undertakings : ROPEINTO
29
A heavy drinker may be found in one : STUPOR
30
Woolen leggings, as worn by W.W. I soldiers : PUTTEES
31
Physiques that have gone a little soft : DADBODS
32
Former veep with a Nobel Prize : ALGORE
33
"___ This Mess" : BLESS
34
Opening for a mail carrier : SLOT
36
Private reply : YESSIR
38
One of Oberon's subjects : FAIRY
39
Author of "Steppenwolf' : HESSE
41
Street ending at Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle : MAIN
42
Wrote fiction? : LIED
44
Many a professional office: Abbr. : STE
45
The Hornets, on scoreboards : CHA

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

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