This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

IT'S NEXT TO NOTHING

New York Times, Sunday, February 19, 2006

Author:
Joe DiPietro
Editor:
Will Shortz
Letters within the theme entries that are, literally, next to nothing
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
1418/26/19955/9/20241
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
311092443303
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
331.591,23673%
Joe DiPietro

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 75 Missing: {JWZ} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 85 for Mr. DiPietro. Sunday freshness: 13%
1
S
2
A
3
M
4
O
5
S
6
A
7
S
8
L
9
A
10
P
11
D
12
A
13
S
14
H
15
A
16
G
17
I
18
T
19
A
20
P
E
A
H
E
N
21
N
I
L
E
B
L
U
E
22
T
O
N
E
S
23
A
N
D
M
A
K
24
E
I
T
S
N
A
P
P
Y
25
E
N
A
C
T
26
R
E
A
27
S
L
E
P
T
O
N
28
H
E
S
29
S
30
E
S
S
O
31
T
I
M
32
C
E
N
S
E
R
33
T
A
R
34
C
35
U
S
P
36
A
D
E
37
L
A
38
R
A
39
C
Y
40
F
I
N
E
L
41
Y
42
A
P
43
O
44
P
45
S
N
A
P
46
P
47
E
R
48
O
N
I
O
49
N
50
B
51
I
52
G
D
E
A
L
53
N
E
H
R
U
54
I
T
G
O
55
E
V
I
L
56
S
A
57
V
58
E
59
M
E
60
A
N
I
61
N
62
L
S
A
T
63
L
O
V
E
64
S
65
Y
A
X
I
S
66
R
E
T
I
67
R
E
E
68
T
R
E
69
P
70
A
I
N
T
S
71
H
A
S
S
L
E
72
C
73
E
74
L
75
I
76
N
A
S
T
I
R
77
Q
U
O
T
A
78
P
79
R
O
V
O
80
A
81
C
T
I
82
I
S
L
A
83
U
P
H
O
L
84
D
85
O
N
E
G
86
N
A
S
L
87
A
L
C
88
E
E
89
A
R
90
I
A
D
N
E
91
A
L
O
E
92
S
93
F
A
T
L
E
94
S
95
S
96
D
E
N
S
97
I
M
S
U
98
R
E
99
A
R
P
A
100
A
T
101
R
102
A
103
S
104
E
C
R
U
105
S
106
S
N
107
A
G
108
O
109
R
110
A
S
111
A
V
E
112
A
113
S
T
R
114
M
115
I
C
A
116
A
N
I
L
I
N
E
117
D
E
A
118
I
L
I
A
119
D
120
D
E
F
121
I
C
I
T
S
P
E
N
122
D
I
N
G
123
L
I
M
N
S
124
O
N
E
T
A
S
T
E
125
A
S
I
A
G
O
126
S
T
E
E
L
127
L
E
S
S
T
H
A
N
128
R
E
E
L
E
D
© 2006, The New York Times2/19/6 ( No. 20,557 )
Across
1
Small turnover : SAMOSA
7
Careless : SLAPDASH
15
Gut feeling? : AGITA
20
Preener's partner : PEAHEN
21
Color similar to turquoise : NILEBLUE
22
Shades : TONES
23
25
Make into law : ENACT
26
Stephen of "Breakfast on Pluto" : REA
27
Thought some more about : SLEPTON
28
Gas company known for its toy trucks : HESS
30
Gas company known for its tiger slogan : ESSO
31
Tiny ___ : TIM
32
Ceremonial burner : CENSER
33
Gob : TAR
34
Crescent point : CUSP
36
"A Passage to India" woman : ADELA
38
Bawdy : RACY
40
One way to chop peppers : FINELY
42
For one : APOP
45
Certain turtle : SNAPPER
48
One with a thin skin? : ONION
50
"I'm not impressed" : BIGDEAL
53
Jacket style : NEHRU
54
"Make ___ away" : ITGO
55
Vice : EVIL
56
Cry of distress : SAVEME
60
What the connected may have : ANIN
62
The D.A. probably took it once : LSAT
63
Dear ones : LOVES
65
Graph component : YAXIS
66
Pension recipient : RETIREE
68
Afternoon hour in Italy : TRE
69
Puts on a coat : PAINTS
71
Bother : HASSLE
72
Cartoon collectible : CEL
75
Worked up : INASTIR
77
It may be met or filled : QUOTA
78
2002 Olympics venue : PROVO
80
Musical opening : ACTI
82
Gran Canaria, for one : ISLA
83
Support : UPHOLD
85
Blood designation, for short : ONEG
86
Old sports org. featuring the Minnesota Kicks : NASL
87
Florida Rep. ___ Hastings : ALCEE
89
Theseus abandoned her : ARIADNE
91
Fugard's "A Lesson From ___" : ALOES
93
Not just lean : FATLESS
96
Shelters : DENS
97
"Yeah, right" : IMSURE
99
Angelo's instrument : ARPA
100
Trac II alternatives : ATRAS
104
Off-white : ECRU
105
It has nine figures: Abbr. : SSN
107
Markets of yore : AGORAS
111
Greeting of yore : AVE
112
Carl Sagan's subj. : ASTR
114
Popular insulator : MICA
116
Dyemaking material : ANILINE
117
Raiders' org. : DEA
118
Old war story : ILIAD
120
Debt cause : DEFICITSPENDING
123
Describes : LIMNS
124
"Just a little bite?" : ONETASTE
125
Crumbly Italian cheese : ASIAGO
126
Symbol of strength : STEEL
127
Certain math sign : LESSTHAN
128
Staggered : REELED
Down
1
Ancient military hub : SPARTA
2
Work recounting Dido's suicide : AENEID
3
Butterfly, e.g. : MADAME
4
An omega stands for it : OHM
5
Specialty of Russian painter Aivazovsky : SEASCAPE
6
A joint that's hopping? : ANKLE
7
Short cuts : SNIPS
8
Leaves something behind : LITTERS
9
Loser : ALSORAN
10
___ Station : PENN
11
Under the name of, as a co. : DBA
12
Part of many stars' names : ALPHA
13
A-one, or one living in 1-A, perhaps : SUPER
14
Attention getters : HEYS
15
Had a beef? : ATE
16
Declined : GONESENILE
17
Instantly : INASPLITSECOND
18
P.I.'s : TECS
19
Concerning : ASTO
24
Poetic time of day : EEN
29
Genetics, e.g.: Abbr. : SCI
33
Use keys : TYPE
35
Afternoon hour in Italy : UNO
37
Dish out the beans? : LADLE
39
Punishes, in a way : CANES
40
Healthful dessert : FRUITSALAD
41
Eastern discipline : YOGA
43
Alliance created in 1948: Abbr. : OAS
44
Not take risks : PLAYITSAFE
46
Ikhnaton, for one : PHARAOH
47
Automaker Maserati : ERNESTO
49
"Hardly" : NOT
50
Swig : BELT
51
Actor Novello : IVOR
52
"Be a little more patient" : GIVEITSOMETIME
57
With 58-Down, common cake ingredient : VANILLA
58
See 57-Down : EXTRACT
59
Fire starter? : MIS
61
Nothing that plays a prominent role in this puzzle : NIL
64
Resting place : SPA
67
Ad salesman, informally : REP
70
"___ was saying ..." : ASI
71
March word : HUP
73
Knotted up : EVEN
74
Ticket choice : LOGE
76
Character on "Frasier" : NILESCRANE
77
Quite odd : QUEER
79
Not just poke fun at : ROAST
80
Santa in California : ANA
81
Cartel city : CALI
84
"___ Day" (1993 rap hit) : DRE
88
Dash : ELAN
90
Just partly : INASENSE
92
It's 94-Down for south : SUR
94
See 92-Down : SPANISH
95
The Arrow constellation : SAGITTA
98
Coke's partner : RUM
101
Michelin offering : RADIAL
102
Get payback for : AVENGE
103
Neptune, e.g. : SEAGOD
105
Display : SCENE
106
Vaults : SAFES
108
Football Hall-of-Famer Merlin : OLSEN
109
Splitting image? : RIP
110
Something lent or bent, in a phrase : ANEAR
112
Hurts : AILS
113
Opening : SLIT
115
Object of worship : IDOL
116
Room to swing ___ : ACAT
119
Cable alternative : DSL
121
Letters within the theme entries that are, literally, next to nothing : ITS
122
Quit working : DIE

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle, 2 debuted here and reused later, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Like this puzzle? Please share this page on social media to help spread the word about XWord Info. Thanks!

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2024, Jim Horne
67 ms