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New York Times, Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Author:
Kathy Bloomer
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
28-Down : Bad calls?
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
511/12/20186/23/20261
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1112000
CircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
21.592924.935%
Kathy Bloomer

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 38 Missing: {JQWZ} This is puzzle # 5 for Ms. Bloomer. Grid flow: 26.1 Tuesday freshness: 37%
Jim Horne notes:

Groups of cirlced letters spell "bent" synonyms for TRUTH.

1
F
2
R
3
A
4
N
5
C
6
A
7
L
8
T
9
O
10
S
11
T
12
A
13
Y
14
D
E
V
I
L
15
B
O
O
K
16
T
A
M
E
17
I
D
I
N
A
18
A
G
U
A
19
A
X
O
N
20
C
O
V
E
R
21
S
T
O
R
Y
22
T
S
K
S
23
I
R
E
24
O
25
P
E
C
26
C
27
S
28
P
29
O
T
S
30
F
31
A
K
E
N
A
32
M
33
E
34
O
H
H
E
Y
35
V
I
C
A
R
36
N
O
R
37
M
O
O
D
38
H
A
S
T
Y
39
O
D
O
R
40
B
U
N
41
S
A
L
T
S
42
E
R
A
S
E
43
S
T
E
44
E
P
L
E
S
45
G
A
B
L
E
D
46
S
T
Y
E
47
A
A
S
48
I
49
N
C
A
50
B
51
E
52
N
D
S
T
53
H
54
E
55
T
56
R
57
F
O
A
L
58
O
L
E
O
59
B
A
Y
O
U
60
S
E
M
I
61
P
L
O
P
62
A
R
R
E
T
63
O
S
S
A
64
P
A
N
T
65
Y
E
E
S
H
© 2026, The New York Times6/23/26 ( No. 27,986 )
Across
1
Swiss currency : FRANC
6
Kind of clef used for the viola : ALTO
10
Command to Rover : STAY
14
Word after lucky or little : DEVIL
15
Reserve in advance : BOOK
16
Only PG-rated in terms of sexual content, say : TAME
17
Menzel with a Tony for "Wicked" : IDINA
18
___ fresca (Latin American refreshment) : AGUA
19
Neural signal conductor : AXON
20
One might involve a false account : COVERSTORY
22
Judgmental sounds : TSKS
23
Outrage : IRE
24
Grp. that adjusts oil production : OPEC
26
$100 bills, slangily : CSPOTS
30
Alias : FAKENAME
34
Casual greeting : OHHEY
35
The Rev. Leonard Clement, in an Agatha Christie novel : VICAR
36
Hide ___ hair : NOR
37
Emotional state : MOOD
38
Rash : HASTY
39
Target of Glade or Febreze : ODOR
40
Tidy updo, say : BUN
41
Deices, as a road : SALTS
42
Wipe out : ERASE
43
Notable features of the Charleston, S.C., skyline : STEEPLES
45
Like some roofs : GABLED
46
Eye irritation : STYE
47
Some small batteries : AAS
48
Member of an ancient Peruvian empire : INCA
50
Doesn't lie, exactly ... or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters : BENDSTHETRUTH
57
Babe in a stable : FOAL
58
Nondairy spread : OLEO
59
"Blue" locale in a 1977 Linda Ronstadt classic : BAYOU
60
Big rig : SEMI
61
Sit (down) heavily : PLOP
62
Montréal traffic sign : ARRET
63
Peak in Greek myth : OSSA
64
Huff and puff : PANT
65
"Geez-o-Pete!" : YEESH
Down
1
Bank-protecting agcy. : FDIC
2
Make over : REDO
3
Tel ___ : AVIV
4
Number of digits in a Social Security number : NINE
5
Transparent quality : CLARITY
6
Taper off : ABATE
7
Apple's apple, for one : LOGO
8
College campus offering : TOUR
9
"All right! Enough already!" : OKAYOKAY
10
New York's ___ Island : STATEN
11
One might involve false accounts : TAXSCANDAL
12
In a frenzy : AMOK
13
Yearnings : YENS
21
Yearbook div. : SRS
25
For each : PER
26
Detangles, in a way : COMBS
27
Big whoop : SHOUT
28
Bad calls? : PHONESCAMS
29
It took more than 70 yrs. to complete its first edition : OED
30
They may be raised in defiance : FISTS
31
Follower of the Gospels? : ACTS
32
Most dangerous animal in Maine, it's said : MOOSE
33
Messed up : ERRED
35
Word of farewell in old Rome : VALE
38
Comet discovered in 1995 : HALEBOPP
39
Globe : ORB
41
Secretly watch, with "on" : SPY
42
Region of Oakland and Alameda : EASTBAY
44
Plus other things, in Latin : ETALIA
45
Rip-roaring good time : GAS
47
Take in a stray, say : ADOPT
48
"In that event ..." : IFSO
49
Vetoes : NOES
51
Jazzy Fitzgerald : ELLA
52
Like the color of a safety vest, typically : NEON
53
"Hyde and ___" (1955 Bugs Bunny short) : HARE
54
Literary Jane : EYRE
55
Things stepped on by bad ballroom dancers : TOES
56
The "R" of R.B.G. : RUTH

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle.

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