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New York Times, Monday, August 24, 2026

Author:
Steven Jopek
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Stop in the afterlife
TotalDebut
18/24/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0100000
ScrabFlowFresh
1.6723.920%
Steven Jopek

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 42 Missing: {JQX} Spans: 1 This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Jopek. Grid flow: 23.9 Monday freshness: 61%
1
A
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C
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M
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E
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C
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U
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M
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I
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N
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B
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A
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L
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P
O
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A
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D
A
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O
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U
N
D
E
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R
W
O
R
L
D
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W
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T
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I
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S
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D
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F
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O
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M
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T
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L
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W
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V
E
28
R
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V
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N
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G
E
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O
N
T
O
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C
M
A
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A
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L
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R
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B
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H
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L
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O
R
H
I
38
G
H
W
A
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T
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R
42
A
L
B
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P
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Z
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A
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G
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R
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C
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D
B
Y
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P
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T
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P
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H
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E
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F
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L
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S
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E
C
H
O
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S
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I
K
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S
H
A
G
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E
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69
R
S
V
P
© 2026, The New York Times8/24/26 ( No. 28,048 )
Across
1
Apex : ACME
5
Curry ingredient : CUMIN
10
Hay unit : BALE
14
Robert Frost creation : POEM
15
Grilled, at a taqueria : ASADA
16
Mined metals : ORES
17
Criminals' sphere : UNDERWORLD
19
Have a hankering for : WANT
20
Floral Van Gogh subject : IRIS
21
Latin gods : DEI
22
Enemy : FOE
23
End of the Greek alphabet : OMEGA
25
Tsunami : TIDALWAVE
28
Common motive in a murder case : REVENGE
30
Follower of latch or catch : ONTO
31
Nashville honor, briefly : CMA
32
Oft-torn knee part, in brief : ACL
34
Confederate soldier, informally : REB
35
Any foreseeable difficulty ... with a hint to 17-, 25-, 50- and 60-Across : HELLORHIGHWATER
42
Clerical vestment : ALB
43
Writer Edgar Allan ___ : POE
44
She, in Portuguese : ELA
45
Zing ___ (brand of Bloody Mary mix) : ZANG
47
Zoomed past : RACEDBY
50
Stop in the afterlife : PURGATORY
54
Fill in for : ACTAS
55
Fury : IRE
56
Source of fleece : EWE
57
Jazz great Fitzgerald : ELLA
58
White part of an orange : PITH
60
Natural wonder in Venezuela : ANGELFALLS
64
Sound in a cavernous empty room : ECHO
65
Arctic creatures with flippers : SEALS
66
International retailer with a three-syllable name : IKEA
67
Dance whose name is also a hairstyle : SHAG
68
Golfer Els : ERNIE
69
Letters on an invitation : RSVP
Down
1
Storekeeper on "The Simpsons" : APU
2
Trick : CON
3
Like the period known as the Middle Ages : MEDIEVAL
4
Leave the cocoon : EMERGE
5
Sparrows : cheeps :: crows : ___ : CAWS
6
Grp. that entertains troops : USO
7
Tuesday, in Lyon : MARDI
8
Sat at a red light : IDLED
9
Gymnast Comaneci : NADIA
10
Cousin of a curtsy : BOW
11
Yasir of the P.L.O. : ARAFAT
12
Chinese computer giant : LENOVO
13
Lauder of cosmetics : ESTEE
18
"Knives Out" director Johnson : RIAN
23
Philharmonic grp. : ORCH
24
Many a viral post : MEME
25
Word after Georgia, Virginia or low : TECH
26
Big name in movie theaters : LOEW
27
Caitlin Clark's league : WNBA
29
Apparel : GARB
33
Place for gloss : LIP
34
Actress Perlman of "Cheers" : RHEA
36
"Auld ___ Syne" : LANG
37
"Three Sisters" sister : OLGA
38
Like many horror flicks : GORY
39
Presentations with an 18-minute limit : TEDTALKS
40
Actor Idris : ELBA
41
Tampa Bay players : RAYS
45
Financial center of Switzerland : ZURICH
46
Franklin who sang "Chain of Fools" : ARETHA
48
Baby bovine : CALF
49
Filled pastry : ECLAIR
50
Plumbing conduits : PIPES
51
Needle mischievously : TEASE
52
Renter's counterpart : OWNER
53
Daughter of King Lear : REGAN
57
Coder's counterpart to "if" : ELSE
59
Non-sharer : HOG
61
One of football's Mannings : ELI
62
"The Magicians" novelist Grossman : LEV
63
Maple syrup base : SAP

Answer summary:
2 unique to this puzzle.

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