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

Force Play

New York Times, Sunday, May 4, 2025

Author:
Brandon Koppy
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Companion who might take your breath away?
TotalDebutLatest
2111/21/20185/4/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
3108342
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
511.5813764%
Brandon Koppy

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 76 Spans: 1 Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 21 for Mr. Koppy. Sunday freshness: 90%
Will Shortz notes:
Brandon Koppy, of Dripping Springs, Texas, is a performance director for an ad agency. This is his 21st crossword for The Times. He thought of its time-sensitive theme idea in late ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

May the fourth (letter) be (crammed into a box) with U. Happy Star Wars Day to all who celebrate.

1
A
2
D
3
S
4
M
5
U
6
C
7
H
8
M
9
A
10
S
11
K
12
I
13
B
14
S
15
E
16
N
17
F
O
O
18
A
R
R
I
19
D
20
P
O
S
T
S
21
S
E
E
T
O
22
G
I
N
23
SU
K
N
I
F
E
24
R
I
P
A
T
25
H
E
M
A
N
26
H
E
N
R
I
27
T
I
L
28
D
E
S
29
T
E
30
D
31
R
I
T
E
32
A
V
E
E
N
33
O
34
L
E
T
TU
35
C
E
W
R
36
A
P
S
37
N
E
T
38
G
D
39
P
40
A
P
E
R
O
L
41
S
C
O
O
42
T
43
S
44
I
R
S
45
AU
D
I
T
46
S
47
A
N
E
M
I
48
A
49
I
N
N
I
E
50
G
O
E
S
H
51
A
R
D
52
B
E
G
53
RU
D
G
I
N
G
54
S
55
D
56
S
U
57
D
I
R
T
58
R
N
S
59
C
Y
A
60
I
N
K
S
61
A
62
C
63
S
T
U
64
A
65
R
66
T
67
E
T
68
A
69
S
70
M
A
Y
T
H
E
71
F
O
U
R
T
H
B
72
E
W
I
T
H
73
Y
74
O
75
U
76
A
I
D
S
77
R
E
V
O
I
R
78
C
L
O
A
K
S
79
A
80
C
81
L
82
E
T
83
E
84
D
R
I
85
P
86
C
O
C
O
87
B
L
O
88
WU
89
P
D
O
L
90
L
91
B
E
D
C
H
92
E
93
C
K
94
B
A
R
R
E
95
P
I
A
96
N
O
S
97
A
D
N
AU
S
98
E
99
A
100
M
101
A
D
D
L
E
102
D
103
C
R
A
N
I
104
A
105
S
I
S
106
F
B
I
107
V
I
T
RU
108
V
I
A
N
M
A
N
109
D
E
110
N
I
E
S
111
S
112
P
A
T
113
G
O
T
114
N
O
N
G
115
M
116
O
117
W
I
L
T
S
118
K
U
D
Z
119
U
120
D
I
121
G
I
T
122
S
E
N
123
SU
A
L
I
T
Y
124
I
C
E
E
S
125
K
N
E
E
S
126
T
A
M
M
Y
127
N
E
O
128
T
E
R
R
A
129
A
G
E
S
130
L
E
O
S
131
G
R
U
© 2025, The New York Times5/4/25 ( No. 27,571 )
Across
1
Things hidden after purchasing a premium account, maybe : ADS
4
Follower of a bit? : MUCH
8
Bank robber's accessory : MASK
12
"The Wild Duck" playwright : IBSEN
17
Egg ___ yung : FOO
18
Big name in deodorant : ARRID
20
Contents of a blog : POSTS
21
Handle : SEETO
22
Product that "can cut a slice of bread so thin you can almost see through it!," in old ads : GINSUKNIFE
24
Try to open, as a gift : RIPAT
25
Toon fighter of Skeletor : HEMAN
26
French name that's an anagram of a mostly German river : HENRI
27
Features of jalapeños and piña coladas : TILDES
29
Coach Lasso on TV : TED
31
Confirmation, e.g. : RITE
32
Brand with a line of "Calm + Restore" products : AVEENO
34
Bunless cookout entrees : LETTUCEWRAPS
37
Land : NET
38
Natl. economic stat : GDP
40
Spirit for a spritz : APEROL
41
Moves one's butt (over) : SCOOTS
44
Book reviews of sorts? : IRSAUDITS
47
Reason to take iron supplements : ANEMIA
49
Concave umbilicus : INNIE
50
Gives one's all : GOESHARD
52
Given reluctantly : BEGRUDGING
54
The Aztecs of the N.C.A.A. : SDSU
57
Damning info : DIRT
58
Some hosp. workers : RNS
59
Texter's "Bye!" : CYA
60
It squirts on a squid : INKSAC
63
Royal house of Mary, Queen of Scots : STUART
67
Many air travelers' texts, for short : ETAS
70
Sci-fi-inspired greeting that's a hint to eight squares in this puzzle : MAYTHEFOURTHBEWITHYOU
76
Gives a hand : AIDS
77
"Au ___ les Enfants" (1987 film) : REVOIR
78
Apparel for wizards and thieves : CLOAKS
79
Bad spot for a tear, in brief : ACL
82
Saison avant l'automne : ETE
84
Possible cause of insomnia : DRIP
86
2017 Pixar film inspired by el Día de los Muertos : COCO
87
Companion who might take your breath away? : BLOWUPDOLL
91
Camp inspection after lights out : BEDCHECK
94
Ballet handrail : BARRE
95
"Grand" things : PIANOS
97
Over and over : ADNAUSEAM
101
All mixed up : ADDLED
103
They contain brains : CRANIA
105
Sorority member, endearingly : SIS
106
Org. with a tip line : FBI
107
Famous Leonardo da Vinci drawing with four arms and four legs : VITRUVIANMAN
109
Turns down : DENIES
111
Little feud : SPAT
113
Contracted : GOT
114
Like organic food products, for short : NONGMO
117
Droops : WILTS
118
Invasive Japanese vine : KUDZU
120
Alphanumeric component : DIGIT
122
Steaminess : SENSUALITY
124
Drinks that get slushy over time : ICEES
125
Places for some braces : KNEES
126
Senator Baldwin or Duckworth : TAMMY
127
Prefix with -lithic : NEO
128
Alternative name for our planet : TERRA
129
Goes from 0 to 60? : AGES
130
Some summer babies : LEOS
131
"Despicable Me" character voiced by Steve Carell : GRU
Down
1
Currency unit of Kabul : AFGHANI
2
Enthusiastic reply to "Want to?" : DOIEVER
3
Poems also fancily known as quatorzains : SONNETS
4
Barely managing : MAKINGDO
5
Coffee holder : URN
6
Lit ___ (rhyming class nickname) : CRIT
7
Antique purchase for an audiophile : HIFI
8
Dew, for example : MOISTURE
9
A nemesissssss to Indiana Jones? : ASP
10
More dignified : STATELIER
11
Lead actress in the "Twilight" movies, in tabloids : KSTEW
12
"More or less" : ISH
13
Game you likely get worse at the longer you play : BEERPONG
14
Band with the 1998 hit "Closing Time" : SEMISONIC
15
Coup d'___ : ETAT
16
Zip : NONE
19
Gospel/jazz singer Reese : DELLA
20
Make believe : PRETEND
23
"Well, OK" : SURE
28
Exodus : DEPARTURE
30
Practice group?: Abbr. : DRS
33
Drooling pooch of the comics : ODIE
35
Tool for grooming : COMB
36
What vinegar or lemon juice adds to a dressing : ACID
39
Focus of some psychotherapy, for short : PTSD
42
Lilliputian : TINY
43
Company behind the Saturn and Dreamcast consoles : SEGA
45
The Masters host city : AUGUSTA
46
Minty herb used in Japanese cuisine : SHISO
48
Veep from 1969 to 1973 : AGNEW
51
Boxer Beterbiev : ARTUR
53
Countrylike : RUSTIC
54
___ card : SIM
55
Kendrick Lamar title that completes the lyric "I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my ..." : DNA
56
Where to see contrails : SKY
61
Tuna type : AHI
62
Handed over : CEDED
64
Dune buggy, e.g., in brief : ATV
65
___ Ridgeback, dog breed originally from Zimbabwe : RHODESIAN
66
Classic sports car, familiarly : TBIRD
68
Hub code for Delta : ATL
69
Necessity for off-roading : SHOCKS
71
Photog's setting : FSTOP
72
___ Kane, longtime role on "All My Children" : ERICA
73
Chairman ___ (old N.B.A. nickname) : YAO
74
The N.B.A.'s Thunder, on scoreboards : OKC
75
Grp. with so-called "camp shows" : USO
79
"Money, Money, Money" group : ABBA
80
Attired : CLAD
81
Term of address aboard the Death Star : LORDVADER
83
Bringing forth : ELICITING
85
Third degrees? : PHDS
88
Big name in organs : WURLITZER
89
Amanda of film : PEET
90
"___ Croft: Tomb Raider" : LARA
91
Witticisms : BONMOTS
92
Wednesday Addams's werewolf roommate on TV's "Wednesday" : ENID
93
Routes across low waters : CAUSEWAYS
96
Baby monitors : NANNIES
98
TurboTax activity : EFILING
99
Getaway driver, for instance : ABETTER
100
Sentiment in a letter from home : MISSYOU
102
Just what the doctor ordered? : DRUG
104
Perturbation : ANGST
108
Screwdriver component : VODKA
110
Zip : NIL
111
Piece of improv : SKIT
112
Hue of a dry bloodstain, maybe : PUCE
115
Cafeteria offering : MEAL
116
"I've got this one" : ONME
119
Women's soccer powerhouse : USA
121
"Who knew?!" : GEE
123
Sport that takes place in a dohyo : SUMO

Answer summary:
16 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
101 ms