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New York Times, Monday, September 8, 2025

Author:
Margaret Seikel
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
*Days off following October midterms
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
109/2/20209/8/20252
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0241021
CircleScrabDebutFresh
11.594844%
Margaret Seikel

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 38 Missing: {JQXZ} This is puzzle # 10 for Ms. Seikel. Monday freshness: 60%
Jim Horne notes:
To "take a powder" means to leave abruptly. It's origin is uncertain, but here are some theories: Gangster Slang of the 1920s: ... read more
1
C
2
A
3
L
4
M
5
F
6
R
7
Y
8
E
9
R
10
C
11
O
12
W
13
O
B
O
E
14
A
I
O
L
I
15
P
A
P
A
16
P
O
W
D
17
E
R
P
U
F
F
18
O
K
A
Y
19
E
V
E
20
A
M
E
N
21
L
22
A
P
E
L
S
23
D
E
S
24
E
R
T
25
G
26
R
E
A
T
S
27
P
L
E
28
A
29
A
D
R
A
T
30
E
31
A
32
R
33
F
S
34
A
C
35
D
C
36
O
B
A
M
37
A
38
L
O
A
39
I
M
T
A
K
40
E
N
41
N
I
T
42
L
I
L
43
A
C
44
O
B
E
Y
45
H
D
T
V
46
L
L
B
E
47
A
N
48
T
E
49
T
E
50
B
R
I
D
E
51
S
52
C
U
R
53
T
54
S
55
Y
56
E
57
R
R
A
N
D
58
L
59
S
A
T
60
A
H
A
61
T
E
E
M
62
S
63
E
A
T
N
U
64
M
B
E
R
65
N
D
A
S
66
O
P
T
E
D
67
S
L
E
D
68
A
S
K
69
N
A
S
T
Y
70
G
E
T
S
© 2025, The New York Times9/8/25 ( No. 27,698 )
Across
1
Like the proverbial period before a storm : CALM
5
Cooking device in a fast-food restaurant : FRYER
10
Animal that moos : COW
13
Thin woodwind : OBOE
14
Condiment with four vowels in its name : AIOLI
15
Father : PAPA
16
*Pad in a makeup kit : POWDERPUFF
18
"Fine by me" : OKAY
19
December 24 is a notable one : EVE
20
Prayer's end : AMEN
21
Places for flag pins or mics : LAPELS
23
Oasis setting : DESERT
25
Outstanding people : GREATS
27
No contest, for example : PLEA
29
$7 million for 30 seconds during the Super Bowl, say : ADRATE
31
Pound sounds : ARFS
34
"Highway to Hell" band : ACDC
36
Winner of 2008 and 2012 : OBAMA
38
Mauna ___ Observatory : LOA
39
Polite rejection at a dance ... or a hint to each half of the answers to the starred clues : IMTAKEN
41
Small criticism : NIT
42
Flower symbolizing early love : LILAC
44
Follow commands : OBEY
45
4K screen precursor : HDTV
46
Big clothing retailer headquartered in Freeport, Maine : LLBEAN
48
Place for un béret : TETE
50
Ones wearing white at weddings : BRIDES
52
Show of respect to a queen : CURTSY
56
Dropping off mail at the post office or picking up a prescription : ERRAND
58
Exam on which Elle Woods scored 179 in "Legally Blonde," for short : LSAT
60
Cry of discovery : AHA
61
Swarm (with) : TEEM
62
*Assignment on a plane : SEATNUMBER
65
Signed vows of secrecy, for short : NDAS
66
Chose : OPTED
67
Toboggan, e.g. : SLED
68
Pop, as "the question" : ASK
69
Filthy : NASTY
70
Totally understands : GETS
Down
1
Managed well enough : COPED
2
Higher than on the totem pole : ABOVE
3
Home Depot competitor : LOWES
4
Size between small and large: Abbr. : MED
5
Minor-league club : FARMTEAM
6
Ready to be picked : RIPE
7
The "Y" of Y.A. books : YOUNG
8
Keebler worker : ELF
9
Hunted (through) : RIFLED
10
*Bakery display piece : CAKESTAND
11
Iridescent stone : OPAL
12
House ___ and Means Committee : WAYS
15
Can-opening mechanism : POPTAB
17
___ Grey tea : EARL
22
Slugger Judge : AARON
24
Limited releases on Spotify, informally : EPS
26
Article of sports equipment that needs to be strung : RACKET
28
Part of a play with the opening scene : ACTONE
30
Send off : EMIT
31
100% : ALL
32
Make annoyed : ROIL
33
*Days off following October midterms : FALLBREAK
35
Hit on a vape pen : DAB
37
Off-roading transport, in brief : ATV
39
Strand during winter, say : ICEIN
40
Superficially attractive sort : EYECANDY
43
Georgia politico Stacey ___ : ABRAMS
45
2013 movie about an A.I. crush : HER
47
Attaches : ADDSON
49
Ballerina's garb : TUTU
51
Some bed supports : SLATS
53
Hold to discuss at a later time : TABLE
54
Word before metal or music : SHEET
55
Fabric amounts : YARDS
56
Italian erupter : ETNA
57
Cincinnati baseball franchise : REDS
59
Editor's mark : STET
63
Pesticide regulator, in brief : EPA
64
Food seasoning, for short : MSG

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle.

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