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New York Times, Friday, December 19, 2025

Author:
Hemant Mehta
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Their talent may not be as important as their last names
TotalDebutLatest
92/8/202012/19/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000063
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.598552.981%
Hemant Mehta

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 72, Blocks: 34 Missing: {JQVXYZ} Spans: 1 This is puzzle # 9 for Mr. Mehta. Grid flow: 56.8 Friday freshness: 18%
1
E
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G
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H
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C
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P
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E
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D
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R
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I
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M
A
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N
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D
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T
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W
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F
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B
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O
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C
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W
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K
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T
O
© 2025, The New York Times12/19/25 ( No. 27,800 )
Across
1
Fashion designer Schiaparelli : ELSA
5
Boomer playing in a band : BASSDRUM
13
Things that may be connected : DOTS
14
2023 musical with a Tony for Best Choreography : ILLINOISE
15
Some arthritis : GOUT
16
Climbed without ropes : FREESOLOED
17
Fire in one's belly : AMBITION
19
Old money, for short? : IRA
20
Jewish honorific : REB
21
They work around the clock : HANDS
23
Big Apple athlete : KNICK
27
Home ___ : DEPOT
29
Summer Olympics event : EPEE
31
Gram alternative : NAN
32
Trusted one, typically : ELDER
33
Mr. Right, e.g. : IDEALMATE
35
Silver of the Silver Bulletin : NATE
36
Deduce : INFER
37
L.G.B.T.Q.+ rights activist Windsor : EDIE
38
Suddenly kicks the bucket : DROPSDEAD
40
Go viral : TREND
41
"Opportunity," per Henry Wadsworth Longfellow : AGE
42
Introductory dissection subject : WORM
43
Plane on a diamond : FACET
44
___ Hadley, "Clever Girl" novelist : TESSA
46
Certain put-back shot : TIPIN
48
Golden ratio symbol : PHI
50
Rx dosages : MGS
52
Extend : LENGTHEN
54
Their talent may not be as important as their last names : NEPOBABIES
58
Awed reactions : OOHS
59
One who enjoys the high C's? : OPERAGOER
60
Slow ___ (response from the unamused) : CLAP
61
Disparities studied by economists : WAGEGAPS
62
High-fat diet, informally : KETO
Down
1
Annual mystery award : EDGAR
2
Had an outsize presence : LOOMEDLARGE
3
They may recently have been in a jam : STUBBEDTOES
4
Prosecco relative : ASTI
5
Results of some remarriages : BLENDEDFAMILIES
6
Yard sale? : ALE
7
Afirmativa enfática : SISI
8
Swim with the fishes? : SNORKEL
9
Larry ___, longtime owner of the Cleveland Guardians : DOLAN
10
Grande opening? : RIO
11
Fair ___ (concept in copyright law) : USE
12
Kind of school : MED
14
Wrinkle remover : IRON
16
Diktat : FIAT
18
Repeated role for Chris Hemsworth : THOR
22
Word with dating or skating : SPEED
24
Bad place to be while gambling : INADEEPHOLE
25
Fictional companion of Thing One and Thing Two : CATINTHEHAT
26
Hit below the belt, in a way : KNEED
28
Easter basket treat : PEEP
30
Pitch catcher? : EAR
32
Wrap up by : ENDAT
33
Like He and Xe : INERT
34
Windy City exchange, in brief : MERC
36
Altar-ed statement? : IDO
39
Expo take-home : SWAGBAG
40
Zesty flavor : TANG
43
Parts of submarines also known as fairwaters : FINS
45
D.I.Y. dessert item : SMORE
47
Pressure source : PEER
49
Source of motivation, informally : INSPO
51
It's a long story : SAGA
53
Half time? : TOCK
54
When you're reading this : NOW
55
Grp. with geologists and biologists : EPA
56
Piece in the game Battleship : PEG
57
Genre for Miles Davis or Dizzy Gillespie : BOP

Answer summary:
10 unique to this puzzle, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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