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

New York Times, Thursday, December 13, 2018

Author:
John Westwig
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
15-Across : Word with power or zero
TotalDebutLatest
97/20/20151/21/2024
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
2110203
ScrabDebutFresh
1.748781%
John Westwig

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 72, Blocks: 29 Missing: {QXZ} Grid has both 90- and 180-degree symmetry. There are unchecked squares Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 3 for Mr. Westwig. Thursday freshness: 97%
John Westwig notes:
Hello again, Crossworld! I hope that the gimmick in this puzzle was the X-factor in your solving experience … I'm a senior at Tufts ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
I imagine I'm going to get a lot of confusion-laden emails today, from people who missed the giant black X in the grid — four ... read more
1
S
2
A
3
U
4
T
5
E
6
P
7
A
8
N
9
M
10
A
11
T
12
C
13
H
14
A
15
A
B
S
O
L
U
T
E
16
O
N
A
R
U
N
17
H
O
M
E
B
R
E
W
18
D
O
T
I
M
E
19
A
D
A
20
A
R
M
Y
21
M
E
N
22
M
A
C
23
R
E
P
24
S
25
S
P
O
O
L
26
B
E
N
D
27
A
S
S
A
28
M
29
O
R
B
30
F
O
L
I
O
31
D
O
32
S
K
33
J
J
W
A
T
T
34
M
35
A
36
L
C
O
L
M
37
G
O
O
D
B
Y
E
38
C
L
E
A
R
Y
39
S
40
B
R
O
41
G
L
A
S
S
42
V
E
43
T
44
D
I
45
D
46
I
47
T
48
R
I
D
E
49
N
A
C
R
50
E
51
N
A
D
A
52
E
N
O
53
B
O
T
T
O
M
54
S
55
G
E
N
56
G
O
F
57
L
A
T
58
I
M
B
A
59
T
M
A
N
60
O
N
F
I
R
E
61
O
P
E
N
L
A
T
E
62
R
E
S
T
E
D
63
N
E
R
D
C
R
E
D
© 2018, The New York Times12/13/18 ( No. 25,237 )
Across
1
Vessel for frying food : SAUTEPAN
9
Variety of green tea : MATCHA
15
Word with power or zero : ABSOLUTE
16
Having win after win : ONARUN
17
Beer you make yourself : HOMEBREW
18
Get cell service? : DOTIME
19
Lovelace of computing fame : ADA
20
Some West Point grads : ARMYMEN
22
Non-PC? : MAC
23
Is an agent for, informally : REPS
25
One end of a kite string : SPOOL
26
Genuflect, e.g. : BEND
27
Indian state known for its tea : ASSAM
29
The moon, e.g. : ORB
30
Book leaf : FOLIO
31
Two, to Teo : DOS
33
N.F.L. star who was a Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year in 2017 : JJWATT
34
Who said "If you're not ready to die for it, put the word 'freedom' out of your vocabulary" : MALCOLMX
37
Accept the sudden loss of, as an opportunity : KISSGOODBYE
38
Children's author Beverly : CLEARY
40
"Duuuude!" : BRO
41
Flute, e.g. : GLASS
42
One doing cat scans? : VET
44
"Finished!" : DIDIT
48
Lift : RIDE
49
Mother-of-pearl : NACRE
51
Zippo : NADA
52
"Here Come the Warm Jets" musician : ENO
53
Butts : BOTTOMS
55
Lead-in to X, Y or Z : GEN
56
Lose fizz : GOFLAT
58
Classic declaration in Gotham City : IMBATMAN
60
Burning : ONFIRE
61
Not closing before 10 or 11 p.m. : OPENLATE
62
Back from a vacation, say : RESTED
63
Acceptance from fellow brainiacs, in slang : NERDCRED
Down
1
Name that comes from Arabic for "desert" : SAHARA
2
Dwellings : ABODES
3
Many graphics on election night : USMAPS
4
Use it for kicks : TOE
5
Italy's third-largest island, after Sicily and Sardinia : ELBA
6
Engine sounds : PURRS
7
At the original speed, in music : ATEMPO
8
Publishing debut of 1851, with "The" : NEWYORKTIMES
9
Lead-in to T, A or X : MODEL
10
In short order : ANON
11
Bit of ink : TAT
12
What might have a large collection of prints : CRIMELAB
13
What Gandhi once likened to an ocean : HUMANITY
14
Opening of many a speech : ANECDOTE
21
Swarm : MOB
24
Pathetic one : SADCASE
26
College in Brunswick, Me. : BOWDOIN
28
Ties up, in a way : MOORS
30
Oslo setting : FJORD
32
Furtive : SLY
33
LinkedIn listing : JOB
34
Mixed martial arts champion Conor ___ : MCGREGOR
35
Multipurpose : ALLINONE
36
First ones to bat : LEADOFFS
39
Representative sample of a larger group : CROSSSECTION
42
Acid holder : VAT
43
___ l'oeil (illusion) : TROMPE
45
One-named 1950s TV sex symbol : DAGMAR
46
Imagine : IDEATE
47
Back from a vacation, say : TANNED
49
"Gotcha" : NOTED
50
Old flame? : EMBER
53
Like Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard : BARE
54
Smooth : SAND
57
Burning : LIT
59
Spa offering, briefly : TLC

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 3 debuted here and reused later, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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
146 ms