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Down the Tubes

New York Times, Sunday, July 26, 2026

Author:
Kim Alswager
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
What this puzzle's subject uses to travel to a new location
TotalDebut
17/26/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1000000
CircleFlowFresh
129.081%
Kim Alswager

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 136, Blocks: 88 Missing: {QX} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is the debut puzzle for Ms. Alswager. Grid flow: 29.0 Sunday freshness: 87%
Will Shortz notes:
Kim Alswager, of Saint Paul, Minn., is a choir director at St. Croix Preparatory Academy in Stillwater. As a child, she often lay in bed late at night solving all kinds of word puzzles. ... read more
Kim Alswager notes:
I am so excited to share my debut puzzle for NYT! I'm a choir teacher from St. Paul, Minnesota. I picked up constructing a year and a half ago, and it now takes up most of my free time. I ... read more
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overlay
© 2026, The New York Times7/26/26 ( No. 28,019 )
Across
1
"Joanie Loves ___" ("Happy Days" spinoff) : CHACHI
7
Peddles : VENDS
12
Chain whose merch includes mulch : LOWES
17
Encase in protection : COCOON
18
Something might disappear into it : THINAIR
20
Lacking sense : INANE
21
Darlings : CUTIES
22
Yoga style in which each movement is synchronized with a breath : VINYASA
23
Bag : PURSE
24
Whom this puzzle's subject must save! : PRINCESSPEACH
26
Source of fries, informally : SPUD
27
On : ATOP
28
Nuggets of wisdom : PEARLS
33
Pizza parlor purchase : PIE
34
Hough of "Dancing With the Stars" fame : DEREK
38
Green friend of this puzzle's subject : YOSHI
42
Elitist : SNOOT
43
"___ be an honor" : ITD
44
Not say, say : ELIDE
45
"___ right!" : THATS
47
Vehicle puller : TOWROPE
49
Disqualifies (oneself) : RECUSES
52
"Waaaah!" : IMSAD
54
Union Army general who was victorious over Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg : MEADE
55
Texter's caveat : IMO
56
How a "miracle product" is said to work : LIKEMAGIC
59
Host of the 2016 Olympics : RIO
60
Old pros : VETS
62
Primates' realm : APEDOM
63
Batman and Robin, e.g. : DUO
65
Many a musical chord : TRIAD
69
Total heat content of a thermodynamic system : ENTHALPY
71
Platform with a "Super" popular character, in brief? : NES
73
"Kind of" : INASENSE
75
Decorous : STAID
76
"Scrumptious!" : YUM
78
Way : MANNER
80
Someone who might put you on a list : DEAN
81
U.K. military branch : RAF
83
Classic kids' toy weapon : POTATOGUN
85
Sleepover "comfies" : PJS
86
Bialik of "The Big Bang Theory" : MAYIM
88
Antagonist of this puzzle's subject : WARIO
89
Shoe style with a small opening in the front : PEEPTOE
92
Man whom Jesus raised from the dead in John 11 : LAZARUS
94
Salmon and coral : PINKS
96
Takes full advantage of : MILKS
97
Dot follower : COM
98
"Beau ___" : GESTE
100
___ Davis, actor and eulogist for Malcolm X : OSSIE
102
Until now : ASYET
103
Big name in trucks : RAM
104
Useful : OFHELP
106
Sportscaster Andrews : ERIN
108
Excessively uptight : ANAL
110
Enemy lair where 24-Across is held captive : BOWSERSCASTLE
118
"To me, 'sexy' is a ___ with confidence": Allegra Versace : WOMAN
120
Striking feature of Jessica Rabbit : REDHAIR
121
Achieve : ATTAIN
122
Brother of this puzzle's subject : LUIGI
123
Author and entrepreneur Huffington : ARIANNA
124
Virtual animal companion popularized in the 2000s : NEOPET
125
Secret supply : STASH
126
Tabasco, for one : STATE
127
Highlight for a QB : TDPASS
Down
1
Cyrillic way to write "U.S.S.R." : CCCP
2
Short hand? : HOUR
3
When "One Day More" is sung in "Les Misérables" : ACTI
4
Collectible item from the box below : COIN
5
Fried cornbread concoctions : HOECAKES
6
___ map : INSET
7
Green transport from the box below : VINE
8
Best-selling Irish solo musical artist : ENYA
9
Image Awards org. : NAACP
10
Spills : DISHES
11
Madrid Mrs. : SRA
12
Word before service or sync : LIP
13
Duty : ONUS
14
What this puzzle's subject uses to travel to a new location : WARPPIPE
15
Like many primary bathrooms : ENSUITE
16
Like teams in March Madness : SEEDED
18
Expensive Super Bowl purchase : TVSPOT
19
In : HIP
25
___ lecithin (food additive) : SOY
29
Raid target, at times : ANT
30
Space : ROOM
31
Let down : LOWER
32
Sea connectors : STRAITS
34
Obtains (from) : DERIVES
35
Gold or silver, but not bronze : ELEMENT
36
This might be stuffed inside a shell : RICOTTA
37
Dot follower : EDU
39
Recoiled : SHIED
40
Jupiter ___, first African American poet published in North America : HAMMON
41
Catchphrase of this puzzle's subject : ITSAMEMARIO
46
Wilt : SAG
48
Scented : ODORED
50
Carrier that takes its name from the Book of Hosea : ELAL
51
___ cup : SIPPY
53
Achieved : DID
57
Excite : KEYUP
58
Job for a stage assistant, maybe : CUING
61
Australia's most popular wine : SHIRAZ
64
"Extra life" item from the box below : ONEUP
66
How a total dummkopf might handle something : INEPTLY
67
In jest : ASAJOKE
68
Like New Jersey among all U.S. states, population-wise : DENSEST
70
In the very recent past : ADAYAGO
72
Gown fabrics : SATINS
74
___ Duncan, education secretary under Obama : ARNE
77
Razor blades? : MOW
79
Cozy corners : NOOKS
82
With 31-Down, power-up that lets this puzzle's subject throw flames : FIREFLOWER
84
Alternative to "sparkling" : TAP
86
Catchphrase of this puzzle's subject : MAMMAMIA
87
With 30-Down, power-up that supersizes this puzzle's subject : MUSHROOM
90
Flowed (from) : EMANATED
91
Some film noir figures, for short : PIS
92
Give for a time : LOANOUT
93
Business address abbr. : STE
95
Popular GMC pickup : SIERRA
97
Proceeds like congested traffic : CRAWLS
99
Mount ___, highest peak in the Rockies : ELBERT
101
Mumbled stumbles : ERS
105
Daises : PODIA
107
"Sorry, my calendar's full" : ICANT
109
Falls behind : LAGS
111
"?!?!?!?!" : WHAT
112
Sensible : SANE
113
___ für alle Mal (once and for all, in German) : EIN
114
What a rest indicates ... or a word after rest : STOP
115
Small bite abroad : TAPA
116
Makeup of a certain web : LIES
117
Docs who really get in your face? : ENTS
119
Medical research ctr. : NIH
120
Dorm leaders, in brief : RAS

Answer summary:
8 unique to this puzzle.

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