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

New York Times, Thursday, October 28, 2021

Author:
Alan Massengill
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
52-Across : "Abso-lutely not!"
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
48/17/202010/28/20213
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0210100
ScrabDebutFresh
1.631718%
Alan Massengill

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JQV} This is puzzle # 4 for Mr. Massengill. Thursday freshness: 15%
Alan Massengill notes:
Glad to be back in the Times. This was a really fun puzzle to make. I got the idea last Halloween while looking at some lawn ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
A second Halloween joke puzzle in one week? What is this, Groundhog Day of the Living Dead? Zombies saying I FALL TO PIECES, IT'S A ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

"Reason the zombies are, of course, skipping the empty house" is a clue-of-the-year candidate.

1
B
2
A
3
D
4
P
5
R
6
A
7
B
8
A
9
F
10
T
11
T
12
B
13
S
14
A
M
O
R
E
15
N
O
M
A
S
16
H
O
W
17
B
E
R
I
G
18
H
T
B
A
C
K
19
A
C
E
20
E
X
A
M
21
A
I
O
L
I
22
I
N
C
A
23
A
24
B
S
25
F
L
26
I
C
K
E
R
27
I
28
F
29
A
L
L
T
30
O
31
P
I
E
C
E
S
32
M
I
L
33
T
E
L
L
34
K
E
A
35
T
36
S
37
U
R
L
38
S
39
N
E
A
40
R
41
S
42
S
T
A
T
43
P
E
N
A
44
L
45
T
I
P
46
S
47
O
P
I
48
I
T
S
49
A
50
N
O
B
R
A
51
I
N
E
R
52
O
53
H
G
O
D
N
O
54
E
N
D
55
Z
A
H
N
56
G
R
57
A
58
P
E
59
I
60
D
61
L
62
E
63
A
N
T
64
W
E
A
R
E
S
65
O
D
E
A
D
66
R
O
E
67
A
L
I
G
N
68
P
I
N
K
Y
69
K
I
R
70
N
A
N
O
S
71
S
T
Y
E
S
© 2021, The New York Times10/28/21 ( No. 26,287 )
Across
1
Possible result of a TMZ story : BADPR
6
Behind, nautically : ABAFT
11
"American Dad!" network : TBS
14
Theme of la festa di San Valentino : AMORE
15
Spanish equivalent of "Basta!" : NOMAS
16
Word with know or show : HOW
17
Future zombie's last words? : BERIGHTBACK
19
Virtuoso : ACE
20
This is only a test : EXAM
21
Sauce that's 80% vowels : AIOLI
22
Worshiper at the ancient Qorikancha ("Golden Temple") : INCA
23
Core group : ABS
25
Black-and-white movie effect : FLICKER
27
Country music standard at zombie karaoke night? : IFALLTOPIECES
32
Ending for some government 37-Across : MIL
33
Poker giveaway : TELL
34
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty" poet : KEATS
37
Info in a modern bibliography : URLS
39
Gets warmer, so to speak : NEARS
42
Tackles, say : STAT
43
Kind of reform or code : PENAL
45
"Read the clues carefully" and "Check your crossing answers" [You're welcome!] : TIPS
47
Big name in nail polish : OPI
48
Reason the zombies are, of course, skipping the empty house? : ITSANOBRAINER
52
"Abso-lutely not!" : OHGODNO
54
Be over : END
55
Broadcast journalist Paula : ZAHN
56
Purple shade : GRAPE
59
Not do anything : IDLE
63
___-Man : ANT
64
Zombies' cry in the face of defeat? : WEARESODEAD
66
Landmark 1973 court case, familiarly : ROE
67
Sync up : ALIGN
68
With 13-Down, playground promise : PINKY
69
White wine aperitif : KIR
70
Old Apple Store offerings : NANOS
71
Ophthalmological ailments : STYES
Down
1
Sweets : BABE
2
Discover alternative, for short : AMEX
3
Toon with a talking map : DORA
4
Fundamental : PRIMAL
5
On the ___ (frequently, in modern slang) : REG
6
Pro's opposite : ANTI
7
Classic clown name : BOBO
8
Picturesque town on the Gulf of Salerno : AMALFI
9
Adroit : FACILE
10
Sound made with one's tongue : TSK
11
"I really appreciate it!" : THANKSATON
12
Ball game : BOCCE
13
See 68-Across : SWEAR
18
Expedite : HASTEN
22
Causes of some brain freezes : ICEES
24
Sandwich that's 100% consonants : BLT
26
"Ugh!" : ICK
27
"My turn!" : IMUP
28
Can : FIRE
29
Something that may be pulled in college : ALLNIGHTER
30
"Bravo!" relative : OLE
31
Author of the "Symposium" : PLATO
35
Stick with it! : TAPE
36
Commotion : STIR
38
Suppressed : SATON
40
"Spare" item : RIB
41
Wild times at the mall, say : SPREES
44
What the D.E.A. might keep tabs on? : LSD
46
___ Ysidro, Calif. : SAN
49
Bassett of "Black Panther" : ANGELA
50
Ideal picnic forecast : NORAIN
51
"Yay, me!" : IDIDIT
52
Netflix crime drama set in the Midwest : OZARK
53
World capital with traditional water puppet shows for tourists : HANOI
57
Preceder of a certain "-naut" : ARGO
58
Puts on paper : PENS
60
Withhold from : DENY
61
Canoeing locale : LAKE
62
Turkey Hill competitor : EDYS
64
Colorless : WAN
65
Photo finish? : OPS

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 1 debuted here and reused later.

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 © 2007-2024, Jim Horne
89 ms