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A Man of Character

New York Times, Sunday, August 31, 2025

Author:
Danny J. Rooney
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Part of a personal air filtration system
TotalDebut
18/31/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1000000
CircleDebutFresh
11056%
Danny J. Rooney

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 76 Missing: {QXZ} Spans: 1 This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Rooney. Sunday freshness: 32%
Will Shortz notes:
Danny J. Rooney is a musical theater writer in New York City. His credits as a composer/lyricist include "The Game Boy," "A Smalltowne Christmas" and "GLUE: A Pony Tale." Last year he ... read more
Danny J. Rooney notes:
I'm thrilled to be making my crossword-constructor debut for the NYTimes! This puzzle seems particularly apt as my middle name is James and my surname features a double-O. I actually ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

Here's another James Bond connect-the-dots puzzle from 2008.

1
H
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I
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L
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T
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I
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T
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L
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L
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D
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O
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B
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L
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H
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P
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M
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H
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O
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A
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G
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T
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A
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B
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O
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G
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K
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C
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111
J
A
M
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B
O
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S
E
A
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N
C
O
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A
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E
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M
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N
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S
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S
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© 2025, The New York Times8/31/25 ( No. 27,690 )
Across
1
Maximum extent, in an idiom : HILT
5
"Suitable, I guess" : ITLLDO
11
Small storage unit : BYTE
15
"___ News Central" (daily program) : CNN
18
Sea adventure novel by Herman Melville : OMOO
19
Rump : PATOOT
20
Sounds of amazement : OOHS
21
Spoils : LOOT
22
"Don't flick that cigarette over here!" : MOVEYOURASH
24
"Incredible! This mosquito net didn't let in even one bug!" : WHATAMESH
26
Greatest potential accomplishment, metaphorically : EVEREST
27
Non-free-range farm fixture : FEEDLOT
29
Container weight : TARE
30
Pick up at school : LEARN
31
Actor Pascal : PEDRO
32
Kiss : SMOOCH
34
Celestial sphere : ORB
35
Went from 0 to 60, say : AGED
37
Nipsey Russell's role in 1978's "The Wiz" : TINMAN
40
"___ America (And So Can You!)" (Stephen Colbert best seller) : IAM
42
Device for cutting bangs? : SILENCER
45
More in need of a sticky roller : LINTIER
47
Zealous : AVID
48
Guide for writing a perfect letter : STENCIL
49
Adorn : BEDECK
50
Some skin care products : TONERS
52
"Dear Lord! His Majesty's beard is out of control!" : GODSHAVETHEKING
55
Comics cry of dismay : ACK
58
___ code : AREA
59
Tiny and scurrying, perhaps : ANTLIKE
63
"Just dropped off some of your newly buffed knight's protection!" : SHINEDSHIELDDELIVERED
71
Green gemstone : PERIDOT
72
Brand of bubbly, informally : MOET
73
___ de vie : EAU
74
"Can you offer me anything bigger than skiffs, dinghies and pontoons?" : COULDIHAVEASHIP
82
Composure under pressure : APLOMB
85
Firmly planted : ROOTED
86
Sizable wine orders : CARAFES
90
Zest : PEEL
91
Hero's partner in myth : LEANDER
93
Real ladies' man : CASANOVA
94
Bit of work : ERG
95
It's always getting into hot water : TEABAG
96
Theatrical constructions : SETS
97
Unburden : RID
98
Computer shortcuts : MACROS
100
Muse of love poetry : ERATO
103
"You can't win ___" : EMALL
105
Writer ___ Stanley Gardner : ERLE
106
"Is that a certainty?" : YOUSURE
109
Unruly, as a beard : SCRAGGY
111
Secret agent first introduced in 1953 : JAMESBOND
113
Classic 111-Across portrayer, whose iconic accent is suggested by the answers to the italicized clues : SEANCONNERY
115
Langston Hughes poem : ITOO
116
Aston Martin, e.g. : AUTO
117
Charm : ENDEAR
118
Member of a watery quintet : ERIE
119
Adriatique, e.g. : MER
120
School attended by both 111-Across and his creator : ETON
121
Debate-ending reply : SAYSME
122
Figs. most people have memorized : SSNS
Down
1
Win for an away team : HOMELOSS
2
"That doesn't bother me anymore" : IMOVERIT
3
Winsome : LOVEABLE
4
It's human, in a saying : TOERR
5
Big events on Wall St. : IPOS
6
Full of tension : TAUT
7
Abbr. on a paper tray : LTR
8
Whiled away the hours : LOAFED
9
Gave medicine : DOSED
10
Different : OTHER
11
Poke ___ : BOWL
12
Start of a pirate chant : YOHO
13
"There I am in the photo" : THATSME
14
Winter hours in Conn. : EST
15
Exhibiting some force : COERCIVE
16
Part of a personal air filtration system : NOSEHAIR
17
Degree in math? : NTH
21
["Ha ha 2 funny!!!!] : LMAO
23
Thirst : YEN
25
Lots and lots : ATON
28
Certain URL ending : DOTNET
31
A pop : PER
33
Favorite drink of 111-Across : MARTINI
35
What wine or citrus adds to a sauce : ACID
36
Hairstyle helpers : GELS
38
Allergic reaction : ITCH
39
Company originally named Blue Ribbon Sports : NIKE
41
E.R. V.I.P.s : MDS
43
High school subj. : ENG
44
Base figure, for short : NCO
45
Bank security feature : LEVEE
46
Perfect match : IDEALMATE
47
It's right on a square : ANGLE
49
Port on the Adriatic : BARI
51
Airing : ONTV
53
Shout of triumph : HAH
54
___-El (Superman's birth name) : KAL
55
Relative of an adder : ASP
56
"Evita" role for Antonio Banderas : CHE
57
___ royale (cocktail) : KIR
60
Indignation : IRE
61
New Zealand parrot that can solve logic puzzles : KEA
62
End of an academic address : EDU
64
Williamson who played Merlin in "Excalibur" : NICOL
65
Biblical kingdom near the Dead Sea : EDOM
66
Feature of this puzzle's circled squares that, when connected by a single line, visually represents 111-Across : DOUBLEO
67
Stitching on a Cardinal's cap : STL
68
Mid-Atlantic state capital : DOVER
69
A good one might generate good karma : DEED
70
J.F.K. prediction : ETA
75
Far from bright : DRAB
76
University in New Rochelle, N.Y. : IONA
77
Obergefell v. ___, milestone case for marriage equality : HODGES
78
Improvise à la Ella Fitzgerald : SCAT
79
Avocado variety : HASS
80
Portfolio holding, for short : IRA
81
Give a bad review : PAN
82
Imitate : APE
83
Spread throughout : PERMEATE
84
Greaves and cuisses, but not gauntlets and helmets : LEGARMOR
87
Those who hunt and gather : FORAGERS
88
Feature of many a gloating movie villain : EVILGRIN
89
"Alas, it is true" : SADLYYES
92
Grounder to second, often : EASYOUT
93
Corp. bigwig : CEO
95
___ leches cake : TRES
96
Beau : STEADY
99
Late jazz singer ___ Laine : CLEO
101
Sly schemes : RUSES
102
Paris's Dôme de Paris, e.g. : ARENA
103
Sea eagle : ERN
104
Zebra features that mirror their body stripes : MANES
107
"You're ___ something" : ONTO
108
Japanese noodle : UDON
109
Many a get-rich-quick offer : SCAM
110
Heart : CORE
111
Beam on a bottle : JIM
112
Modern pet name : BAE
114
Platform for Super Mario Bros., for short : NES

Answer summary:
9 unique to this puzzle, 4 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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