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New York Times, Thursday, July 23, 2026

Author:
Damon Gulczynski
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
16-Across : "The Devil's radio"
TotalDebutLatest
4911/8/20047/23/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1662121111
RebusCircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
531.6519139.358%
Damon J. Gulczynski

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 74, Blocks: 42 Missing: {JXZ} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 49 for Mr. Gulczynski. Grid flow: 24.6 Thursday freshness: 71%
Jim Horne notes:

ENERGY is spelled out in dark squares.

I would have clued 19-Across as "How a confident conductor shows off". (Guilty.)

1
D
2
E
3
A
4
T
5
H
6
S
7
T
8
A
9
R
10
A
11
P
12
E
13
E
N
C
H
I
L
A
D
A
14
S
15
A
R
O
D
16
I
D
L
E
G
O
S
S
I
P
17
S
M
O
G
18
H
O
T
19
N
O
20
S
C
O
R
E
21
Q
22
U
23
I
P
P
E
24
D
25
U
S
E
R
I
D
26
S
U
P
R
A
S
27
N
28
I
S
A
N
29
T
O
P
S
Y
30
R
A
C
E
31
T
32
R
33
O
34
T
35
A
T
E
36
O
L
E
37
A
A
H
38
B
A
D
39
U
40
A
T
A
D
41
C
42
A
N
T
I
43
N
44
A
M
I
B
45
M
O
L
T
E
N
46
S
47
C
48
A
R
A
B
49
S
50
W
A
N
S
O
N
51
O
R
D
E
A
L
52
S
53
A
D
V
54
L
E
D
A
55
E
P
56
I
C
D
E
57
F
58
E
59
A
60
T
61
I
P
O
D
62
D
A
R
K
E
N
E
R
G
Y
63
D
E
N
64
S
T
O
N
E
W
A
R
E
© 2026, The New York Times7/23/26 ( No. 28,016 )
Across
1
More than just a disapproving look : DEATHSTARE
10
Scruff of the neck : NAPE
13
Fondita offerings : ENCHILADAS
15
Three-time A.L. M.V.P. of the 2000s, familiarly : AROD
16
"The Devil's radio" : IDLEGOSSIP
17
Pollution portmanteau : SMOG
18
Really peeved : HOT
19
What a pointless game has? : NOSCORE
21
Outfitted : EQUIPPED
25
Password preceder : USERID
26
Former Toyota sports cars named for a Latin prefix : SUPRAS
27
Passover month : NISAN
29
___-turvy : TOPSY
30
Sprint, e.g. : RACE
31
Home run hitter's gait : TROT
35
Downed : ATE
36
Part in a play : ROLE
37
"That's the spot!" : AAH
38
"Tyrone" singer Erykah : BADU
40
Not much : ATAD
41
"Will you let me?" : CANTI
43
Desert for which an African country is named : NAMIB
45
Like obsidian rock, once : MOLTEN
46
Symbol of rebirth in ancient Egypt : SCARAB
49
Last hurrah : SWANSONG
51
Trials by fire : ORDEALS
53
Wholly, but not holey or holy, e.g.: Abbr. : ADV
54
Helen of Troy's mother : LEDA
55
Ignominious outcome : EPICDEFEAT
61
Tech product discontinued in 2022 : IPOD
62
Proposed cosmological phenomenon that could make up 70% of the universe — and six squares in this puzzle's grid? : DARKENERGY
63
Not admit : DENY
64
Pottery so named for its hardness : STONEWARE
Down
1
Agnus ___ : DEI
2
Word after tight or defensive : END
3
Knee stabilizer, in brief : ACL
4
Not just any : THE
5
Attractive feature of a job : HIGHPAY
6
Single-masted vessels : SLOOPS
7
Sweet or sour : TASTE
8
Podcast interruptions : ADS
9
Frequent forecast in Seattle : RAIN
10
Strong suit? : ARMOR
11
Unleavened South Asian flatbread : POORI
12
Follower of double or gilt : EDGED
14
Champion, as a cause : ESPOUSE
15
Budding : NASCENT
20
Org. with a list of popular baby names : SSA
21
Minimum, in a way : QUOTA
22
Increased : UPPED
23
Letters before ".gov" : IRS
24
Forensic facilities : DNALABS
26
Sign abbr. meaning "founded in" : ESTAB
28
Coffee or tea specification : ICED
30
Unleavened South Asian flatbread : ROTI
32
Sought comfort from, say : RANTO
33
Like granola : OATEN
34
Unnamed article : THING
39
Ill-prepared : UNREADY
40
Didn't stay on topic : RAMBLED
41
Come together : CONVENE
42
Lou Gehrig's disease, for short : ALS
44
One level below the majors : AAA
45
Infuriate : MADDEN
46
Sphere, e.g. : SOLID
47
Crinkly fabric : CREPE
48
Extension : ADDON
50
Totally bizarre : WACKO
52
Places to get masks : SPAS
56
Original N.Y.C. subway line : IRT
57
Handful : FEW
58
Long stretch : ERA
59
Cabinet dept. since 1889 : AGR
60
Gospel musician Tribbett : TYE

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

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