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

New York Times, Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Author:
Gary Larson and Doug Peterson
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Was the bigger person, say
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
1212/28/201712/17/20256
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
3233100
RebusScrabDebutFlowFresh
21.574726.823%
Gary Larson
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
602/20/200612/17/202538
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
7384313193
RebusScrabDebutFlowFresh
31.6227641.267%
Doug Peterson

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JVWX} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 12 for Mr. Larson. This is puzzle # 60 for Mr. Peterson. Grid flow: 20.0 Wednesday freshness: 29%
Jim Horne notes:

Per 60-Across, change the spelling of OUT to IT, so POUTY PARTY becomes PITY PARTY. SImilarly for CHAMPS AT THE BIT and SPIT IN THE OCEAN.

1
C
2
O
3
I
4
F
5
S
6
A
7
R
8
A
9
B
10
S
11
T
12
E
13
P
14
U
B
O
A
T
15
L
A
N
A
16
U
R
G
E
17
P
O
U
T
Y
18
P
A
R
T
Y
19
B
U
G
S
20
S
E
S
H
21
U
S
E
S
22
Q
U
E
S
T
23
O
24
U
R
25
C
U
R
T
26
C
27
H
28
A
M
P
S
29
A
30
T
31
T
H
E
B
O
32
U
33
T
34
R
A
P
35
D
E
C
R
E
E
36
A
L
L
Y
37
A
M
O
38
C
O
39
T
U
E
40
K
N
I
T
S
41
B
U
L
L
42
N
O
S
T
43
R
A
44
F
R
O
45
S
P
O
U
46
T
I
N
T
H
E
O
47
C
E
A
N
48
G
E
E
K
49
P
S
A
50
C
51
H
I
L
E
52
S
53
L
54
O
E
55
T
56
I
57
P
58
S
59
O
O
Z
E
60
S
P
E
L
L
61
I
T
O
U
T
62
S
E
E
S
63
K
I
N
D
64
C
O
T
T
A
65
A
D
D
S
66
A
N
T
E
67
H
Y
A
T
T
© 2025, The New York Times12/17/25 ( No. 27,798 )
Across
1
Lock combinations? : COIFS
6
___ League : ARAB
10
Single instruction : STEP
14
Enemy W.W. II vessel : UBOAT
15
Turner of old movies : LANA
16
Powerful impulse : URGE
17
Group of grumps sitting around kvetching? : POUTYPARTY
19
Elmer's nemesis : BUGS
20
Meeting, casually : SESH
21
A smartphone has lots of these : USES
22
Centerpiece of "The Hobbit" : QUEST
23
Community property pronoun : OUR
25
Like barked orders : CURT
26
Ali vs. Frazier, e.g.? : CHAMPSATTHEBOUT
34
Genre for GloRilla : RAP
35
Official mandate : DECREE
36
Fellow fighter : ALLY
37
Brand once known as "Standard Oil Company of Indiana" : AMOCO
39
Mardi Gras day, in brief : TUE
40
Works on a muffler, say : KNITS
41
Welcome figure on Wall Street, unwelcome figure in a china shop : BULL
42
See 50-Down : NOSTRA
44
To and ___ : FRO
45
Welcome sight on a whale-watching cruise? : SPOUTINTHEOCEAN
48
Poindexter : GEEK
49
TV freebie of a sort : PSA
50
Easter Island's country : CHILE
52
Dark-skinned fruit : SLOE
55
Pieces of advice : TIPS
59
Primordial substance : OOZE
60
Painstakingly explain something ... or a hint to 17-, 26- and 45-Across : SPELLITOUT
62
Takes a tour of : SEES
63
Compassionate : KIND
64
Terra ___ : COTTA
65
Does the math, in a way : ADDS
66
Pot grower? : ANTE
67
H, on the N.Y.S.E. : HYATT
Down
1
Tarot suit associated with the element of water : CUPS
2
Yamaha product : OBOE
3
What makes a stud become studious? : IOUS
4
Fully get : FATHOM
5
Hog's home : STY
6
"That's a real shame" : ALAS
7
Steakhouse order : RARE
8
Marchers in sidewalk cracks : ANTS
9
Howl at the moon : BAY
10
Chevy S.U.V. : SUBURBAN
11
Authentic : TRUETOLIFE
12
Ones from platypuses have leathery shells : EGGS
13
Fly by night ... or by day : PEST
18
Compact holder : PURSE
22
Neighbor of Ont. : QUE
24
Red carpet hairstyle, perhaps : UPDO
25
Jost's longtime "Weekend Update" co-anchor : CHE
26
Food you might eat wearing a bib : CRABS
27
Overplay for the audience : HAMUP
28
Was the bigger person, say : APOLOGIZED
29
Follow, as advice : ACTON
30
Have faith in : TRUST
31
Canines, e.g. : TEETH
32
Mega- : ULTRA
33
Big name in chicken or boxing : TYSON
38
1990s comedy inspired by "Emma" : CLUELESS
40
"Get Smart" bad guys : KAOS
42
Suffix with beat or neat : NIK
43
Throw off : REPEL
46
Stick in the ground? : TEE
47
Just about anything on a string : CATTOY
50
With 42-Across, the Mafia : COSA
51
Cultivated, in a way : HOED
52
Start a turn in Twister : SPIN
53
Time to do without : LENT
54
Gary's ___ Towne Tavern (rival bar on "Cheers") : OLDE
56
Minuscule amount : IOTA
57
Short stroke : PUTT
58
Batting avg., e.g. : STAT
60
Rocksteady relative : SKA
61
"___ bin ein Berliner" : ICH

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle, 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 © 2007-2025, Jim Horne
118 ms