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Thinking Inside the Box

New York Times, Sunday, September 13, 2026

Author:
Henry Lin-David and Frank S. David
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Large insect named from Greek myth
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
212/3/20249/13/20261
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1010000
ScrabFlowFresh
1.8032.948%
Henry Lin-David
TotalDebutCollabs
19/13/20261
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1000000
Fresh
23%
Frank S. David

This puzzle:

Rows: 22, Columns: 22 Words: 160, Blocks: 85 Missing: {JQ} Grid has diagonal symmetry. This is puzzle # 2 for Mr. Lin-David. This is the debut puzzle for Mr. David. Grid flow: 0.0 Sunday freshness: 1%
Will Shortz notes:
Frank S. David is a biotech consultant and professor at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. His son, Henry Lin-David, is a writer in Pittsburgh. The two started brainstorming theme entries for this ... read more
Jim Horne notes:
Think inside the 4 x 4 box: Box word References Connection STEM FLUTE SECTION Section of a champagne flute TAXI CAR SERVICE A taxi is a car service AKIN RELATED Straight synonym YETI GIANT SNOWMAN ... read more
1
S
2
A
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F
4
E
5
R
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S
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P
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A
9
T
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A
11
T
12
D
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I
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N
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A
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R
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S
18
O
19
D
20
I
L
L
B
E
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K
A
R
A
T
E
22
I
N
O
N
E
23
C
P
U
24
F
L
U
T
E
25
S
E
C
T
I
O
N
26
A
T
L
A
S
27
M
O
T
H
28
T
U
G
29
L
E
D
E
30
L
P
S
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N
E
O
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O
A
R
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E
R
E
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S
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L
A
S
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S
O
37
C
A
R
S
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E
R
V
I
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C
40
E
41
R
E
L
A
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T
E
D
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P
R
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O
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M
O
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M
E
L
T
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G
E
M
48
H
Y
U
N
D
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A
I
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R
A
D
51
I
I
52
A
T
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E
A
S
E
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B
55
R
O
56
T
A
L
O
N
57
G
I
A
N
T
58
S
N
O
W
M
A
N
59
A
I
R
60
S
61
G
E
N
E
62
S
T
L
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W
E
I
R
D
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M
O
N
K
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M
O
D
E
66
S
67
T
68
E
69
M
70
E
A
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R
N
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I
A
M
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T
A
X
I
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N
Y
E
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S
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P
77
O
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T
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N
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O
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T
I
C
E
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M
83
E
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A
K
I
N
85
T
S
A
86
H
A
R
I
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E
V
A
N
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Z
E
N
89
Y
E
T
I
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C
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U
E
S
I
N
92
V
I
R
G
93
O
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N
D
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A
96
C
97
L
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O
T
H
99
S
O
S
100
E
N
T
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K
102
I
T
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H
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B
105
O
106
S
L
A
V
107
U
108
T
I
L
E
109
R
E
S
110
E
R
V
A
111
T
I
O
N
112
T
I
M
E
113
T
R
A
V
E
L
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P
A
B
L
O
115
A
P
116
P
R
O
P
R
I
A
T
E
117
T
118
H
119
A
I
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A
N
T
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S
122
A
R
E
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S
A
T
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A
S
125
P
126
S
127
W
A
Y
T
128
O
G
O
129
P
130
O
R
O
U
131
S
132
L
T
133
E
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M
O
E
135
I
S
T
O
O
136
T
137
A
E
B
O
138
S
C
139
A
L
E
D
140
D
O
W
N
141
S
T
O
M
P
142
E
M
A
I
L
143
E
O
N
144
R
E
E
K
E
D
145
T
O
N
E
S
146
S
P
R
E
E
147
L
T
D
148
S
N
E
E
R
S
© 2026, The New York Times9/13/26 ( No. 28,068 )
Across
1
Less injurious : SAFER
6
Showed some real malice toward : SPATAT
12
Mideast currency : DINAR
17
Landscaper's timesaver : SOD
20
"Well, how about that?!" : ILLBE
21
Practice taught in a dojo : KARATE
22
Combined : INONE
23
Computer's "brain," in brief : CPU
24
Certain group of orchestral winds : FLUTESECTION
26
Large insect named from Greek myth : ATLASMOTH
28
Yank : TUG
29
Hook for a newspaper article : LEDE
30
Forerunners of CDs : LPS
31
New start? : NEO
32
Nautical lever : OAR
33
"De dónde ___ tú?" ("Where are you from?": Sp.) : ERES
35
Rope in : LASSO
37
Mechanic's offering : CARSERVICE
41
Told, as a story : RELATED
43
Special offer : PROMO
46
Turn from solid to liquid : MELT
47
Diamond, e.g. : GEM
48
Santa Fe automaker : HYUNDAI
50
Two of them make up a diameter : RADII
52
Chilling : ATEASE
54
Frat ___ : BRO
56
Sharp nail : TALON
57
Group project on a winter's day, perhaps : GIANTSNOWMAN
59
What snobby people put on : AIRS
61
___ Simmons, founding member of Kiss : GENE
62
Missouri airport code : STL
63
Highly anomalous : WEIRD
64
Distraction-limiting lifestyle trend : MONKMODE
66
[24-Across] : STEM
70
Rake in : EARN
72
Enthusiastic response to "Who's ready?" : IAM
73
[37-Across] : TAXI
74
Celebration between Xmas and M.L.K. Day : NYE
75
Classic Dalmatian name : SPOT
79
"Am I invisible or what?!" : NOTICEME
84
[41-Across] : AKIN
85
Airport screening org. : TSA
86
Another name for Vishnu, translating to "the remover" : HARI
87
Broadway's "Dear ___ Hansen" : EVAN
88
Mellow, in a way : ZEN
89
[57-Across] : YETI
90
Prompts to play, while conducting : CUESIN
92
Largest zodiac constellation : VIRGO
94
Privacy doc : NDA
96
Material in reusable diapers : CLOTH
99
Rihanna song with the lyric "Please, someone help me" : SOS
100
Tonsil doc : ENT
101
Baby fox : KIT
103
Pioneering premium channel : HBO
106
Pole, e.g. : SLAV
107
Advantageous : UTILE
109
Qualm : RESERVATION
112
Plot feature of "Planet of the Apes" : TIMETRAVEL
114
Casals who popularized Bach's cello suites : PABLO
115
Suitable : APPROPRIATE
117
Source of the word "tuk-tuk" used for a motorized rickshaw : THAI
120
Crumb carriers : ANTS
122
"What ___ we doing?" : ARE
123
Took a load off : SAT
124
Cousins of cobras : ASPS
127
"Good job!" : WAYTOGO
129
Absorbent : POROUS
132
Cell network letters : LTE
134
Co-Stooge of Larry : MOE
135
Reply to "Nuh-uh!" : ISTOO
136
1990s exercise fad : TAEBO
138
Descended with rappelling ropes : SCALEDDOWN
141
Step forcefully : STOMP
142
Alternative to a username when logging in : EMAIL
143
1,000,000,000 years : EON
144
Stank : REEKED
145
Builds muscle : TONES
146
Period of letting loose : SPREE
147
Abbr. after some business names : LTD
148
Looks of contempt : SNEERS
Down
1
Flour de-clumper : SIFTER
2
Intriguing appeal : ALLURE
3
Cornet lookalike : FLUGELHORN
4
Food assistance syst. : EBT
5
Easily recite, with "off" : REEL
6
Scampered away : SKEDADDLED
7
Walks nervously, in a way : PACES
8
Jazz drummer Blakey : ART
9
Customize (to) : TAILOR
10
Over : ATOP
11
Stunners, so to speak : TENS
12
William and Harry's mum : DIANA
13
Occasional : INTERMITTENT
14
Like choices that can't turn out that badly : NOLOSE
15
Japan's largest carrier : ANA
16
Locale with many seasonal businesses : RESORTTOWN
17
Previously unseen sporting result (term coined in 2014) : SCORIGAMI
18
Pick, with "for" : OPT
19
"That's obvious!" : DUH
25
Mabel Mora's portrayer on "Only Murders in the Building" : SELENAGOMEZ
27
Dallas baller : MAV
34
Use your words? : SAY
36
Central support : SPINE
37
Concluding passage, in music : CODA
38
Enthusiasm : ELAN
39
French film award : CESAR
40
Reword, perhaps : EMEND
42
Child king of Egypt : TUT
44
URL ender for many nonprofits : ORG
45
___ tai : MAI
49
Primo : AONE
51
Hookups : INS
53
Isle of ___ (Scottish locale whose name sounds like an expression of endearment) : EWE
54
Sound of impact : BAM
55
Home of the Christ the Redeemer statue : RIO
58
Brings the house down, like a comic : SLAYS
60
Moving between the poles? : SKIING
65
Computer covered by AppleCare : MAC
66
[109-Across] : STAY
67
[115-Across] : TAKE
68
[127-Across] : EXIT
69
[138-Across] : MINI
71
What acids do when mixed with bases : REACT
75
___-wolf : SHE
76
Secondhand lung irritant : PASSIVESMOKE
77
Bird whose name comes from the Latin for "golden" : ORIOLE
78
Glittery holiday strands : TINSEL
79
Not even once : NEVER
80
Sheeplike : OVINE
81
Pastries that can be very sweet, ironically : TARTS
82
Tucked-away observations : MENTALNOTES
83
Conclude : END
91
Shipmate of Spock : UHURA
93
Pods in bhindi masala : OKRA
95
Yellowfin tuna : AHI
96
Advertising award : CLIO
97
Home décor options : LAMPS
98
As a whole : OVERALL
102
Hookup during infusion therapy, in brief : IVBAG
104
Mardi Gras accessory : BOA
105
Released with conditions : ONPAROLE
106
Topping for an apple crisp : STREUSEL
108
"Toodles!" : TATA
110
Embodiment : EPITOME
111
Young 'un : TOT
113
Snickers : TITTERS
116
Expert : PRO
117
Soft-serve request : TWIST
118
Must : HASTO
119
Deandre ___, N.B.A. center who was picked first in the 2018 draft : AYTON
121
Weapon used by some chimpanzees : SPEAR
125
Lead-in to grid or play : POWER
126
Puts in the mail : SENDS
128
"My bad!" : OOPS
130
Off Broadway award : OBIE
131
___-free : SCOT
133
Heaven on earth : EDEN
137
Boomer at a concert : AMP
139
It's sometimes shortened to the letter "N" : AND
140
Dennis's sister on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" : DEE

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

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