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PASSING GRADES

New York Times, Sunday, February 16, 2014

Author:
Yaakov Bendavid
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
10-Down : More wan
TotalDebutLatest
62/28/20101/31/2016
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
6000000
DebutFresh
5473%
Yaakov Bendavid

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 134, Blocks: 64 Missing: {QZ} This is puzzle # 5 for Mr. Bendavid. Sunday freshness: 89%
Yaakov Bendavid notes:
Once again, I'm thrilled to be published in the NY Times, my 5th puzzle. In my previous puzzles — all Sundays — I never had as few as six theme answers, as in today's offering. Having ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
Themers today are phrases with their F's changed to D's, thus giving "passing grades." At just 134 words and six themers, this is another one in Will's experiment of mashing up a ... read more
1
A
2
D
3
E
4
S
5
B
6
I
7
B
8
I
9
H
10
A
11
T
12
S
13
R
14
A
15
D
16
A
17
R
18
S
19
L
E
F
T
20
S
I
D
E
S
21
I
S
I
S
22
E
L
I
S
H
A
23
D
A
I
R
Y
G
O
D
M
24
O
T
H
E
R
25
D
I
S
P
E
L
26
A
L
L
U
D
E
T
O
27
R
I
I
S
28
M
A
C
H
E
T
E
29
S
T
E
M
30
O
F
31
N
O
T
E
32
V
A
R
I
A
N
T
S
33
M
34
A
35
L
36
R
E
M
37
R
38
A
I
N
M
A
N
39
O
40
T
41
S
E
G
O
42
O
R
E
43
O
44
C
L
O
Y
45
D
46
R
47
A
48
M
49
T
W
O
D
I
V
50
E
S
F
O
R
51
A
T
E
N
52
J
C
O
L
E
53
T
I
L
54
T
E
T
E
S
55
A
N
I
L
56
M
O
H
A
I
R
57
O
X
I
58
D
A
N
T
S
59
A
N
N
O
Y
60
A
B
I
D
E
S
61
A
T
E
E
62
B
B
G
U
N
63
L
I
S
P
64
C
65
L
66
O
R
I
S
67
S
A
L
E
M
68
M
O
L
E
S
69
K
70
I
71
N
72
L
A
T
E
N
T
73
C
L
E
O
74
S
U
L
L
A
75
N
S
A
76
U
N
R
I
G
77
N
O
D
R
I
78
L
L
S
A
I
R
79
L
I
N
E
80
B
E
A
N
81
J
A
P
E
82
L
A
I
C
83
S
C
O
T
T
S
84
C
85
H
I
M
E
R
86
A
87
T
E
L
88
T
H
O
89
S
90
P
91
I
R
A
L
E
D
92
T
93
H
E
R
E
94
S
95
S
96
A
97
S
98
H
99
T
A
L
E
N
T
S
100
S
T
Y
E
101
C
O
102
M
103
O
E
S
T
A
104
A
T
E
A
S
E
105
S
C
I
E
N
106
C
E
D
I
C
T
I
O
N
107
C
E
N
S
E
R
108
E
A
R
N
109
B
L
O
N
D
E
A
L
E
110
K
N
E
E
L
S
111
A
R
E
A
112
S
L
I
T
113
A
M
E
S
© 2014, The New York Times2/16/14 ( No. 23,476 )
Across
1
Summer refreshers : ADES
5
Israel's Netanyahu, informally : BIBI
9
Bowler and sailor : HATS
13
Tracking systems : RADARS
19
Ports : LEFTSIDES
21
Memphis deity : ISIS
22
Actress Cuthbert of "24" : ELISHA
23
One who turned Cinderella's pumpkin into pumpkin cheesecake? : DAIRYGODMOTHER
25
Drive away : DISPEL
26
Reference : ALLUDETO
27
New York's Jacob ___ Park : RIIS
28
Crude coconut opener : MACHETE
29
Cherry part : STEM
30
Worth mentioning : OFNOTE
32
Iglu and yoghurt, e.g. : VARIANTS
33
Bad beginning? : MAL
36
___ cycle : REM
37
Dustin Hoffman title role : RAINMAN
39
County or lake of Cooperstown, N.Y. : OTSEGO
42
Dunking cookie : OREO
44
Be too syrupy : CLOY
45
Liquor unit : DRAM
49
Snorkeling bargain? : TWODIVESFORATEN
52
Hip-hop artist with the 2013 #1 album "Born Sinner" : JCOLE
53
Up to, shortly : TIL
54
French noodles? : TETES
55
What makes blue jeans blue : ANIL
56
"She's got electric boots, a ___ suit" ("Bennie and the Jets" lyric) : MOHAIR
57
Rust-causing agents : OXIDANTS
59
Vex : ANNOY
60
Stomachs : ABIDES
61
Fit to ___ : ATEE
62
Tin can plinker, maybe : BBGUN
63
Challenge for a speech coach : LISP
64
Oscar winner Leachman : CLORIS
67
Setting of "The Crucible" : SALEM
68
Nappy fabric : MOLESKIN
72
Undeveloped : LATENT
73
Elizabeth Taylor role of '63 : CLEO
74
Roman ruler before Caesar : SULLA
75
Subj. of Snowden leaks : NSA
76
Dismantle on a ship : UNRIG
77
Transportation company that skimps on safety? : NODRILLSAIRLINE
80
Conk : BEAN
81
Wisecrack : JAPE
82
Of the flock : LAIC
83
Lawn care brand : SCOTTS
84
Mythological monster : CHIMERA
87
Addr. book datum : TEL
88
Even if, in brief : THO
89
Corkscrewed : SPIRALED
92
"___ no turning back" : THERES
95
Dress accessory : SASH
99
Knacks : TALENTS
100
Reason for an ophthalmologist's visit : STYE
101
It might be answered "Muy bien, gracias" : COMOESTA
104
Sergeant's order : ATEASE
105
Stephen Hawking's computer-generated voice? : SCIENCEDICTION
107
Church vessel : CENSER
108
Bring in : EARN
109
Duvel pub offering : BLONDEALE
110
Prepares to propose : KNEELS
111
Kind of rug : AREA
112
Buttonhole, for example : SLIT
113
NASA's ___ Research Center : AMES
Down
1
Acting family : ALDAS
2
Did a Vegas job : DEALT
3
Return option : EFILE
4
Pulled strings, maybe? : STRUMMED
5
Former 6'9" N.B.A.'er Hayes, to fans : BIGE
6
"What did ___ deserve this?" : IDOTO
7
Comfortable state : BEDOFROSES
8
Suffix with age : ISM
9
Band's cue : HITIT
10
More wan : ASHIER
11
Draws : TIES
12
Old atlas initials : SSR
13
Force under Stalin : REDARMY
14
Keys on a piano : ALICIA
15
Two things seen beside James Bond at a casino? : DISHANDCHIPS
16
Popular ski spot : ASPEN
17
Butler of literature : RHETT
18
Register ring-ups : SALES
20
Screenwriting guru Field : SYD
24
Call from a balcony : OROMEO
28
Massenet opera : MANON
31
Indoor balls : NERFS
32
In a loathsome way : VILELY
34
Starting trouble : AGITATING
35
Tryst site : LOVENEST
38
Director's cry : ACTION
39
"The Simpsons" character with a habit of calling things "gnarly" : OTTO
40
Candy bar that comes two to a pack : TWIX
41
Most arias : SOLI
43
Insect repellent ingredient : ORANGEOIL
46
Artery : ROAD
47
"That's ___!" : ALIE
48
Bodies of eau : MERS
50
Little: Suffix : ETTE
51
Per ___ : ANNUM
52
Use for a résumé : JOBSEARCH
56
Spammer enabler : MAILLIST
58
"Oh yeah? Let's see you hold your breath for TWO minutes!," e.g.? : DAREINCREASE
59
Better qualified : ABLER
62
Like Bruce Willis, in his later movie roles : BALDER
63
She "drank champagne and danced all night," in song : LOLA
64
Crude weapon : CLUB
65
46-Down division : LANE
66
Spanish alternative? : OTRA
67
Checked (out) : SCOPED
68
Myocyte : MUSCLECELL
69
Sweater, e.g. : KNIT
70
"___ it rich?" (Sondheim lyric) : ISNT
71
Highlands refusals : NAES
74
Better at conniving : SLIER
77
Handles : NAMES
78
Triangular sail : LATEEN
79
Infuser contents : LOOSETEA
81
Altar no-shows : JILTERS
85
Gingerbread house visitor : HANSEL
86
Enrobe : ATTIRE
89
Heap : STACK
90
Eucharist holder : PATEN
91
TV actress Graff : ILENE
93
Spotted scavenger : HYENA
94
"Ditto" : SODOI
96
"Take me ___" : ASIAM
97
Lifted : STOLE
98
Hosiery brand : HANES
100
Kind of tissue : SCAR
102
Coin grade : MINT
103
Repetitive behavior condition, for short : OCD
105
View from a boardwalk : SEA
106
Grammy Awards airer : CBS

Answer summary:
11 unique to this puzzle, 2 debuted here and reused later, 2 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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