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New York Times, Sunday, August 16, 2026

Author:
Sam Brody
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Chemistry test?
TotalDebutLatest
46/1/20258/16/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
2000200
ScrabFlowFresh
1.5832.224%
Sam Brody

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 73 Missing: {JQZ} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 4 for Mr. Brody. Grid flow: 38.3 Sunday freshness: 3%
Will Shortz notes:
Sam Brody, of Brooklyn, is a research scientist and software engineer specializing in Natural Language Processing. This is his fourth crossword (and second Sunday) for The Times. "The idea ... read more
Jim Horne notes:
Altered clue Restored form Theme answer Mechanism _ATSO_ and _EKYL_ Watson and Jekyll DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS Two doctors with both outer letters removed _RAVES CRAVES NEEDS NO ... read more
1
L
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O
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L
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I
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T
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A
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N
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L
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M
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A
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F
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E
M
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S
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R
A
P
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D
O
C
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O
R
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S
W
I
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H
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O
U
T
B
O
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R
D
E
R
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S
H
O
O
K
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P
E
N
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O
P
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A
T
E
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T
I
O
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N
A
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A
D
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E
R
A
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O
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S
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L
O
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N
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E
E
D
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N
O
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I
N
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R
O
D
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U
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C
T
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N
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F
O
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S
I
L
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N
O
D
A
T
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P
A
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O
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L
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P
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P
A
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L
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N
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G
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P
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L
O
D
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N
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G
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R
N
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V
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B
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B
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K
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A
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P
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G
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H
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D
L
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N
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R
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D
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A
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O
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D
D
L
E
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T
C
O
M
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P
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L
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L
Y
103
H
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R
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R
E
A
D
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G
O
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S
107
O
R
E
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A
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T
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P
E
A
C
E
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R
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E
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U
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P
116
U
N
L
117
I
M
I
T
E
D
T
A
118
L
K
A
N
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D
T
E
X
T
S
120
T
I
E
D
121
R
A
N
T
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L
O
I
N
123
W
E
D
G
E
S
124
H
A
G
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125
E
S
S
O
126
T
N
T
127
I
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T
© 2026, The New York Times8/16/26 ( No. 28,040 )
Across
1
Work parodied by Umberto Eco's "Granita" : LOLITA
7
Subject of Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" : SIN
10
One's opponents : THEM
14
Uncool : LAME
18
Untold : ATONOF
19
Down Under runners : EMUS
21
Caramel-filled candy : ROLO
22
Word following bear or honey : TRAP
23
_ATSO_ and _EKYL_ : DOCTORSWITHOUTBORDERS
27
Astonished, informally : SHOOK
28
With 45-Across, many a correspondent : PEN
29
Do business : OPERATE
30
Uncle, in Uruguay : TIO
31
Water nymph of Greek myth : NAIAD
33
Poet's Muse : ERATO
34
Memorial ___ Kettering (New York City medical facility) : SLOAN
36
41
It may be petrified : FOSSIL
42
Acknowledge : NODAT
43
El ___, Tex. : PASO
44
Sass : LIP
45
See 28-Across : PAL
47
Eggy quaff : NOG
48
Trudge : PLOD
50
Approaching : NIGH
54
Some funerary selections : URNS
56
60
Stands for speakers : PODIA
62
Preserver of freshness : SEAL
63
Sent : ELATED
64
Place for a sailor's anchor, informally : BICEP
67
Hunk : SLAB
70
Disapproving syllables : TSKS
72
It may be mental : IMAGE
73
Out, in a way : ASLEEP
75
"That's cool, man" : IDIG
77
Words that may open doors : ITSME
79
83
Learning method : ROTE
87
Guard, as a goal : TEND
88
Get rid of : SHED
89
"Yadda, yadda" : ETC
90
Squeaker ... or squealer : RAT
92
Home improvement initials : DIY
93
Italian wine city : ASTI
95
Fiber also known as viscose : RAYON
97
Toddler's jumping spot on a rainy day : PUDDLE
99
104
More reasonable : SANER
105
Interprets : READS
106
Suspended musical instruments : GONGS
107
Vein contents : ORE
108
Calm : ATPEACE
111
Title that becomes loftier when an E is added : SIR
112
Escort to a penthouse, say : SEEUP
116
120
Even : TIED
121
Carry on : RANT
122
Tender cut : LOIN
123
Pie portions, shapewise : WEDGES
124
Crones : HAGS
125
Gas brand that sounds like two letters of the alphabet : ESSO
126
Invention originally developed as a yellow dye : TNT
127
Refuse to budge : INSIST
Down
1
Striplings : LADS
2
Texter's "Then again ..." : OTOH
3
Bananas : LOCO
4
Chants : INTONES
5
Briefly swam : TOOKADIP
6
Home to more than 1,500 languages: Abbr. : AFR
7
Affixed, as a patch : SEWEDON
8
"Let's do this!" : IMIN
9
Macadamia, for one : NUT
10
Closely following : TRUETO
11
Racing vehicle : HOTROD
12
Napoleon exile site : ELBA
13
No longer relevant : MOOT
14
Inc., abroad : LTD
15
Childish comeback : ARETOO
16
Maid of Sherwood Forest : MARIAN
17
Many a printer : EPSON
20
Consequences of supply chain problems : SHORTAGES
24
Cross : SPAN
25
Dizzying gallery works : OPART
26
Pauses while playing : RESTS
32
Treasure or desert follower : ISLAND
33
Ewoks' home moon : ENDOR
35
Job that may involve jumping through hoops : LIONTAMER
36
Form of detective fiction : NOIR
37
Channel for gaming enthusiasts? : ESPN
38
Actress Skye : IONE
39
Words after check, follow or catch : UPON
40
Bum : CADGE
41
Reason to take a shot : FLU
46
Some odoriferous gifts : LEIS
48
Smartphone predecessors, for short : PDAS
49
Female rapper with a longtime feud with Foxy Brown : LILKIM
51
"Diminutive" Greek letter : IOTA
52
Nickname that omits "-ory" : GREG
53
London park : HYDE
55
Chemistry test? : SPEEDDATE
57
Travel bag : VALISE
58
Bag : NET
59
Not very favorable, as some 84-Down : SLIM
61
Car with a stylized lightning bolt logo : OPEL
64
Thai money : BAHT
65
"Gotcha" : ISEE
66
Group with a tartan : CLAN
68
It may drive one to distraction, in brief : ADHD
69
Thumbnail, maybe : BIO
71
A-lister : STAR
74
Sauce traditionally made in a mortar : PESTO
76
Steal : GREATDEAL
78
Attach with a click : SNAPON
80
Carpenter's spacer : SHIM
81
Ophthalmology concerns : STYES
82
Green sci. : ECOL
84
2 to 5, say : ODDS
85
Infraction at an arcade : TILT
86
___ of Horus (Egyptian symbol of healing) : EYE
91
Element used in bulb filaments : TUNGSTEN
94
"Shoo!" : SCRAM
95
Display some emotion, perhaps : REACT
96
Member of the N.F.L.'s "Big Blue," in brief : NYGIANT
98
Prepares to puree, perhaps, as papayas : DESEEDS
99
Fantasy realm ruled by King Caspian : NARNIA
100
Feature of Anthony Robles, a 2011 N.C.A.A. national champion wrestler : ONELEG
101
Shows pride in one's appearance, in a way : PREENS
102
Result in : LEADTO
103
Producer of a call to arms : HORN
104
Go ___ (fail) : SOUTH
109
Poop : TIRE
110
School grps. : PTAS
111
Hide : SKIN
113
Vet : EXGI
114
Western Indians : UTES
115
Subtle summons : PSST
117
Fingers : IDS
118
Park place? : LOT
119
Road recklessness of a sort, for short : DWI

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

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