This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

New York Times, Friday, September 4, 2026

Author:
Julian Xiao
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
35-Down : Toddler's walking aid
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
31/6/20249/4/20261
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000021
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.571867.975%
Julian Xiao

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 66, Blocks: 25 Missing: {BFQXZ} Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 3 for Mr. Xiao. Grid flow: 41.0 Friday freshness: 95%
Jim Horne notes:

The Jenga Tower in Manhattan.

Yes, I know. 1-Across is about the game.

1
J
2
E
3
N
4
G
5
A
6
T
7
O
8
W
9
E
10
R
11
A
12
C
13
E
14
D
15
I
N
A
U
G
U
R
A
T
E
16
M
O
V
E
17
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L
T
V
18
I
R
I
S
19
G
M
A
N
20
E
L
L
A
21
S
W
O
L
E
22
L
O
S
E
23
S
24
S
O
J
25
O
U
R
N
E
R
26
E
R
H
A
R
27
D
28
P
A
N
R
O
A
S
T
29
S
S
A
30
I
R
31
S
32
M
A
G
N
E
T
S
33
S
L
A
P
34
E
C
I
G
35
P
36
O
37
T
T
A
G
E
38
S
I
C
39
V
40
E
41
G
42
U
N
H
I
N
G
E
43
S
44
D
A
45
T
I
V
E
46
S
L
I
N
K
Y
D
O
47
G
48
L
A
T
I
N
49
H
E
C
K
A
50
S
L
U
51
R
52
M
A
D
E
53
T
A
K
E
54
A
T
A
R
I
55
G
A
M
E
S
56
O
V
E
R
57
S
E
C
U
R
E
L
I
N
E
58
Y
E
N
S
59
P
R
E
S
I
D
E
N
T
S
© 2026, The New York Times9/4/26 ( No. 28,059 )
Across
1
Result of a tense build-up? : JENGATOWER
11
Hit a point of no return? : ACED
15
Kick off : INAUGURATE
16
"Outta my way!" : MOVE
17
ABC's realm : NATIONALTV
18
Body part affected by heterochromia : IRIS
19
Fed : GMAN
20
___ Mai, Grammy-winning R&B singer : ELLA
21
Buff : SWOLE
22
Drops : LOSES
24
Mars rover named in honor of a 19th-century activist : SOJOURNER
26
Ludwig ___, post-W.W. II leader who led West Germany's economic recovery : ERHARD
28
Cooking term whose name is composed of two synonyms for "criticize" : PANROAST
29
Agcy. tracking popular baby names : SSA
30
Agcy. concerned with declarations : IRS
32
Parts of some high-speed rail systems : MAGNETS
33
Be exceptionally good, in modern slang : SLAP
34
Vaper's purchase : ECIG
35
What Esau got in exchange for selling his birthright to Jacob : POTTAGE
38
Disclaimer in a quote : SIC
39
"Hang" : VEG
42
Detaches from the frame, perhaps : UNHINGES
44
Grammatical case in 48-Across : DATIVE
46
Longtime Pixar character who saiys "I might be old, but I still got a spring in my step!" : SLINKYDOG
48
See 44-Across : LATIN
49
Super, slangily : HECKA
50
Curve on a score : SLUR
52
Follower of hand or home : MADE
53
Bit of filming : TAKE
54
Asteroids and Space Invaders : ATARIGAMES
56
In the past : OVER
57
System by which all speech is protected? : SECURELINE
58
Cravings : YENS
59
Club runners : PRESIDENTS
Down
1
Change sounds : JINGLES
2
Captivates : ENAMORS
3
Actress Lyonne : NATASHA
4
Neighbor of Sierra Leone : GUINEA
5
In the past : AGO
6
Use a fork for, in a way : TUNE
7
Some thesis defenses : ORALS
8
Trounce : WALLOP
9
Singer dubbed the "Matriarch of the Blues" : ETTAJAMES
10
Gun before the green, say : REV
11
"Is it not?" : AMIWRONG
12
Stellar visual effects : CORONAE
13
Adjective that becomes its own synonym after its first letter is dropped : EVILEST
14
Strands : DESERTS
21
Precise and calculated : SURGICAL
23
First country to elect a female prime minister (1960) : SRILANKA
25
Tripping : ONACID
27
Sluggish : DRAGGY
31
One putting the pedal to the metal : SPEEDSTER
33
No-goodniks : STINKERS
35
Toddler's walking aid : PUSHTOY
36
Like someone using autoreply, perhaps : ONLEAVE
37
Start to congeal : THICKEN
39
Part of some gummies : VITAMIN
40
Clear : EVIDENT
41
Births : GENESES
43
Comfort : SOLACE
45
Mesoamerican staple with a "hot" variety : TAMALE
47
Mentors : GURUS
51
"Rude Boy" singer, to fans : RIRI
54
Ancient symbol of royalty : ASP
55
Test not offered in high school, for short : GED

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 3 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

Log in or purchase a subscription to view an analysis of this puzzle.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Like this puzzle? Please share this page on social media to help spread the word about XWord Info. Thanks!

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2026, Jim Horne
22 ms