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New York Times, Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Author:
Erik Agard
Editor:
Will Shortz
Erik Agard
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
4111/6/20127/6/201918
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
94565381
ScrabbleRebusCirclePangram
1.62150
Erik Agard

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 40 Missing: {QVXZ} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 32 for Mr. Agard. Jeff Chen's Puzzle of the Week pick. NYT links: Across Lite PDF
Jeff Chen notes:
Loved this one. I use the phrase SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN all the time, but I've never made the leap to 'what three words, when said ... read more

Loved this one. I use the phrase SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN all the time, but I've never made the leap to "what three words, when said together, sound like a synonym for PLAN?" ARE + AINGE + MINT = arrangement = Jeff being envious of Erik's versatile and wide-ranging mind.

Bang-up execution, too. All sorts of goodies in FRY BREAD, the IMAC PRO, a summer SHANDY, UP AGAINST IT. Talk about an INSTINCTUAL feel for strong execution!

I did hesitate on MID-JUNE – feels like it opens an unwanted pathway for randos such as EARLY WINTER, EIGHT ELEVENTHS, who knows what else. But a nice save on the clue, referring to the commemoration of the abolition of slavery. (I believe it's referring to Juneteenth?)

I've seen a lot of "last words in theme phrases form a maxim" puzzles. But this one adds such a welcome twist; a clever extra layer that makes it stand out. Excellent work all around earns Erik yet another POW!

1
H
2
A
3
M
4
M
5
Y
6
S
7
P
8
F
9
L
10
U
11
B
12
E
13
A
P
B
I
O
14
C
H
E
R
15
A
P
O
P
16
R
E
A
D
Y
17
W
H
E
N
Y
18
O
U
A
R
E
19
J
O
N
I
20
B
U
N
G
E
E
21
L
22
I
U
23
B
L
24
U
25
R
I
C
A
26
D
A
N
N
27
Y
A
I
N
28
G
E
29
H
I
30
S
31
S
32
A
T
S
E
A
33
S
E
A
34
M
35
N
I
T
36
M
I
T
37
P
38
R
39
E
C
E
D
E
40
S
M
U
41
U
N
I
42
S
O
A
R
43
S
44
I
T
O
N
45
P
A
N
46
S
47
B
R
E
48
A
49
T
H
M
I
N
T
50
C
H
51
A
I
52
W
W
I
53
A
T
E
54
O
55
B
T
A
I
N
56
A
L
57
E
C
58
S
O
U
N
D
S
59
L
60
I
K
E
A
P
61
L
62
A
63
N
64
L
O
A
D
65
O
G
R
E
66
C
R
E
M
E
67
O
N
L
Y
68
N
A
E
69
H
O
I
S
T
© 2019, The New York TimesNo. 0205 ( 25,291 )

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Across
1
Leg muscle, in sports slang : HAMMY
6
Beach lotion letters : SPF
9
Grease, informally : LUBE
13
Tough H.S. science course : APBIO
14
"If I Could Turn Back Time" singer, 1989 : CHER
15
Per item : APOP
16
"I'm game -- just give me the signal" : READYWHENYOUARE
19
Iowa senator Ernst : JONI
20
Kind of cord for a daredevil : BUNGEE
21
Emmy-nominated Lucy : LIU
23
___-ray Disc : BLU
25
Costa ___ : RICA
26
Celtics player-turned-executive : DANNYAINGE
29
Snake warning : HISS
32
On the open ocean : ATSEA
33
Stitch line : SEAM
35
Something a pedant picks : NIT
36
Cambridge sch. : MIT
37
Come before : PRECEDE
40
Dallas sch. : SMU
41
Prefix with brow : UNI
42
Fly majestically : SOAR
43
Suppress : SITON
45
Pots' partners : PANS
47
Something to take after a garlicky meal : BREATHMINT
50
Cinnamony tea : CHAI
52
1914-18 conflict, for short : WWI
53
Broke a fast : ATE
54
Get hold of : OBTAIN
56
1960s British P.M. ___ Douglas-Home : ALEC
58
"Let's do it!" ... or comment on the last words of 16-, 26- and 47-Across, when said together out loud : SOUNDSLIKEAPLAN
64
Laundry basketful : LOAD
65
Horrible person : OGRE
66
Oreo filler : CREME
67
The first "O" in YOLO : ONLY
68
Scot's "not" : NAE
69
Lift up : HOIST
Down
1
Sarcastic laugh syllable : HAR
2
Human's closest relative : APE
3
Many a C.F.O.'s degree : MBA
4
When the abolition of slavery is commemorated : MIDJUNE
5
Toy on a string : YOYO
6
"Thar ___ blows!" : SHE
7
Calligraphy tool : PEN
8
Naan-like Native American food : FRYBREAD
9
Cape Canaveral event : LAUNCH
10
In quite a spot : UPAGAINSTIT
11
Yawner : BORE
12
Sword's name with two accents : EPEE
14
"Four-alarm" food : CHILI
17
Org. for the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream : WNBA
18
"Yes, Pierre" : OUI
21
Sonia Sotomayor, e.g. : LATINA
22
Like a gut feeling : INSTINCTUAL
24
Remove, as a light bulb : UNSCREW
26
Block, as a stream : DAMUP
27
Pups' protests : YAPS
28
"___ whiz!" : GEE
30
Biles of the 2016 Olympics : SIMONE
31
Publicity-grabbing move, maybe : STUNT
34
Go together well : MESH
38
Smokey of R&B : ROBINSON
39
Body part that might be "sympathetic" : EAR
44
Pricey Apple computer : IMACPRO
46
Beer-and-lemonade drink : SHANDY
48
Slumbering no more : AWAKE
49
Piece of a mosaic : TILE
51
Assistance : AID
54
Flight hub for Norwegian : OSLO
55
Godsend : BOON
57
Per item : EACH
59
Airport code hidden in FUEL GAUGE : LGA
60
Ticked-off feeling : IRE
61
Island garland : LEI
62
Mornings, for short : AMS
63
Court divider : NET

Answer summary: 6 unique to this puzzle, 2 unique to Shortz Era but used previously.

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