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New York Times, Friday, August 14, 2026

Author:
Zhou Zhang
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
51-Across : Explode, as a paintball
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
97/6/20258/14/20266
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1102410
RebusCircleScrabFlowFresh
111.7131.832%
Zhou Zhang

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 32 Missing: {QVW} This is puzzle # 9 for Ms. Zhang. Grid flow: 49.9 Friday freshness: 61%
Zhou Zhang notes:
For me, every New York Times submission is like an incarnation of Schrödinger's cat — a submission is both rejected and accepted (or ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

Breakup sex! Maleska would be so jealous that Shortz can get away with entries like this.

1
G
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I
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A
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S
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N
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I
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F
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F
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S
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O
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U
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T
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I
M
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N
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A
Y
C
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R
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B
A
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N
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B
R
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A
K
U
P
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X
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S
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U
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R
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R
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U
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A
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C
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O
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P
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C
A
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I
E
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G
O
L
O
C
O
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C
O
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E
T
C
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H
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S
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N
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A
M
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I
N
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L
O
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S
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F
A
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G
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R
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H
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H
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S
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M
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C
O
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N
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S
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L
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B
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A
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C
D
O
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T
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L
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M
U
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S
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E
R
R
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G
O
S
P
L
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T
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T
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H
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A
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T
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M
Y
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J
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M
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L
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Z
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R
A
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A
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U
M
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T
© 2026, The New York Times8/14/26 ( No. 28,038 )
Across
1
___ Plateau, home to the tomb of King Khufu : GIZA
5
Discovers : SNIFFSOUT
14
"There's my cue" : IMON
15
"Dios mío!" : AYCARAMBA
16
Superbright : NEON
17
Couple's last coupling, perhaps : BREAKUPSEX
18
Mounted warrior skilled in martial arts : SAMURAI
20
Retired pro wrestler Flair : RIC
21
Sibling's cry of protest, maybe : UNFAIR
22
Guard for some time? : RENTACOP
27
Unit whose name derives from the Latin word for "heat" : CALORIE
29
Completely lose it : GOLOCO
30
Bunk alternatives : COTS
31
Leave a lasting mark on : ETCH
33
Because : SINCE
34
Self-doubter's question : AMI
35
Huddling, as teammates : INCLOSE
37
Mom-and-pop group : FAM
38
Rock musician Bob : SEGER
40
"Enough out of you!" : HUSH
41
Costco competitor, informally : SAMS
42
England's George V vis-à-vis Russia's Nicholas II : COUSIN
44
Good places for a deep dive into research? : SEALABS
46
Recollection, say : ANECDOTE
48
Primates found only in and around Madagascar : LEMURS
50
Slip : ERR
51
Explode, as a paintball : GOSPLAT
52
Enthusiastic cry when one's favorite song comes on the radio : THATSMYJAM
57
Idle : LAZE
58
Excessively greedy : RAPACIOUS
59
Berkshire town : ETON
60
Of an indefinitely large number : UMPTEENTH
61
Spanish muralist José María ___ : SERT
Down
1
Kitchen brand inspired by 18-Across : GINSU
2
"Seriously?!" : IMEANCOMEON
3
Issue in a modern remote work setting : ZOOMFATIGUE
4
Corn and wheat, for two : ANNUALS
5
Garment worn with a bodice called a choli : SARI
6
365th out of 365, in brief : NYE
7
Words of comfort : ICARE
8
Not being real about : FAKING
9
Honey is high in this : FRUCTOSE
10
Deplete : SAP
11
Yogis' utterances : OMS
12
Purple drink ingredient at a boba tea shop : UBE
13
"... plus ___" : TAX
17
Unfruitful : BARREN
19
Animated 2011 film set in Brazil : RIO
22
Person that's best left alone : RECLUSE
23
Wong of Netflix's "Beef" : ALI
24
Shoot the breeze : CONFABULATE
25
Philosophy of "Keep things simple," in a sense : OCCAMSRAZOR
26
"How do ___ grow? They grow out of your life": Robert Penn Warren : POEMS
28
Scratch that! : ITCH
30
"Julius Caesar" role : CASCA
32
Plot device? : HOSE
35
Shimmer colorfully : IRIDESCE
36
Hello or goodbye, abroad : SHALOM
39
Computer key that might be pressed repeatedly in a panic : ESC
41
Tastes : SAMPLES
43
Average Joe, in modern slang : NORMIE
45
___ Bleus, nickname for France's World Cup team : LES
47
Check for fit : TRYON
49
What might go straight to the heart? : STENT
51
Deep cut : GASH
52
Monodrama that debuted in 1989 : TRU
53
Country ___ : HAM
54
Unwanted place for bugs : APP
55
Parlor offering, for short : TAT
56
Project : JUT

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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