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New York Times, Saturday, July 29, 2023

Author:
Sam Ezersky
Editor:
Will Shortz
36-Down : Precious plastic
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
557/28/20123/23/20249
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
7213571911
RebusCircleScrabblePGramFresh
221.71190%
Sam Ezersky

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 28 Missing: {Z} Scrabble average: 1.90 This is puzzle # 51 for Mr. Ezersky. Saturday freshness: 66%
Sam Ezersky notes:

Sometimes, a single terrible pun — anchored at 1-Across — is more than enough to inspire an entire themeless puzzle.

Jeff Chen notes:
I always brace myself when I see Sam's byline, given his penchant for skewing waaaaay hard, even on the Saturday scale. What a joy to ... read more
1
C
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A
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M
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L
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H
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U
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M
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P
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S
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Q
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T
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I
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P
15
A
R
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H
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G
H
16
R
A
N
D
17
T
I
M
E
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F
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A
R
18
C
O
I
F
19
S
A
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F
E
N
C
E
21
P
O
S
T
S
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H
O
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O
P
S
24
O
W
E
D
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S
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H
I
N
T
O
27
Q
U
I
T
E
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B
29
A
30
D
31
C
O
S
M
O
32
P
U
R
S
E
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E
P
I
34
R
U
B
E
35
L
E
A
S
H
36
B
I
B
S
37
U
S
B
38
J
E
S
S
E
39
P
A
N
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C
40
B
E
Q
41
U
E
A
T
H
42
M
A
N
G
O
S
43
P
A
D
S
44
T
O
N
K
A
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I
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G
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O
T
N
O
T
48
H
I
N
49
C
L
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A
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P
52
M
A
X
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F
R
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G
I
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D
A
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E
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A
L
E
C
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F
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V
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Y
A
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K
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S
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D
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S
K
© 2023, The New York Times7/29/23 ( No. 26,926 )
Across
1
These don't hold water : CAMELHUMPS
11
Canal implement : QTIP
15
"What?! That's absurd!" : AREYOUHIGH
16
100 cents, in Africa : RAND
17
Season : TIMEOFYEAR
18
Arrangement for a prom, say : COIF
19
Chuckleheads : SAPS
20
Stakes in the grass? : FENCEPOSTS
22
Court activity, familiarly : HOOPS
24
Like some stakes : OWED
25
Literally, "way of the gods" : SHINTO
27
Not just subpar : QUITEBAD
31
Vodka cran alternative : COSMO
32
Prizewinner's winnings : PURSE
33
Delivery room offering, informally : EPI
34
Simple sort : RUBE
35
Line at the vet's : LEASH
36
Lobster catchers? : BIBS
37
___ hub (tech device) : USB
38
Biblical father of David : JESSE
39
Freak out : PANIC
40
Pass on : BEQUEATH
42
Foods that can be prepared "hedgehog-style," so-named for the crisscross patterns of cuts : MANGOS
43
See 52-Across : PADS
44
Truck maker since 1947 : TONKA
45
Sad declaration in a card game : IGOTNOTHIN
49
Storm warning, maybe : CLAP
52
With 43-Across, some feminine care products : MAXI
53
Cool brand to have around the kitchen : FRIGIDAIRE
55
Novelist Waugh : ALEC
56
Download source : FILESERVER
57
Quite a jerk : YANK
58
Purveyor of game pieces : SPORTSDESK
Down
1
Subjects of many viral videos : CATS
2
Song in mariachi? : ARIA
3
Some slow-cooked Southern fare, informally : MEMPHISBBQ
4
Command for attention : EYESONME
5
Looky-___ (overcurious sort) : LOO
6
Daily Beast alternative, familiarly : HUFFPO
7
"I mean, obviously!" : UHYES
8
Attitude : MIEN
9
Pebble Beach or Quail Hollow, e.g. : PGACOURSE
10
Like Shakespeare's Katherina : SHREWISH
11
Element of many modern ads : QRCODE
12
Where Southern Methodist University has a satellite campus : TAOS
13
Still fighting : INIT
14
Things that a Mac's Preview app helps to preview : PDFS
21
St. ___ (popular spring break locale, informally) : PETE
23
Prefix with -plasty : OTO
25
Cancel : SCRUB
26
Accommodate, in a way : HOUSE
27
Shut down : QUASH
28
Song from "Company" that marks the show's climax : BEINGALIVE
29
Class for future scientists, in brief : APBIO
30
Nickels and dimes : DISCS
32
Fly catcher, maybe : PESTSTRIP
35
They're up before anyone else : LEADOFFS
36
Precious plastic : BANKCARD
38
Unfancy jacket material : JEAN
39
Work (out) : PAN
41
Increase : UPTICK
42
Philosophical denier of duality : MONIST
44
Year of the ___ (2022) : TIGER
45
"Perhaps" : IMAY
46
Met highlight : GALA
47
Weight pullers : OXEN
48
Home of Wailuku River State Park : HILO
50
Epic battle figure : ARES
51
Free lunches, maybe : PERK
54
Bleu ___ Causses (cheese) : DES

Answer summary:
11 unique to this puzzle, 1 debuted here and reused later.

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