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New York Times, Saturday, February 17, 2018

Author:
Peter Wentz
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
44-Across : What makes a possum play possum
TotalDebutLatest
409/27/20071/1/2022
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
200121520
ScrabDebutFresh
1.8029392%
Peter Wentz

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 68, Blocks: 28 Missing: {Z} This is puzzle # 30 for Mr. Wentz. Saturday freshness: 71%
Peter Wentz notes:
This puzzle's creation began with an old-school approach of mine... Namely, cramming a bunch of Scrabbly letters into the opening ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
Peter produces such remarkably smooth, clean themeless grids. Even more impressive, given that he's been generally working with lowish ... read more
1
B
2
M
3
X
4
G
5
O
6
T
7
M
8
E
9
C
10
H
11
A
12
S
13
M
14
B
O
D
15
Y
S
P
R
A
Y
16
R
A
N
T
S
17
Q
U
I
E
T
T
I
M
E
18
I
D
T
A
G
19
S
E
N
O
R
I
T
A
S
20
P
A
S
T
21
M
I
C
E
22
T
23
R
E
F
O
I
24
L
25
A
26
S
27
I
A
N
S
28
P
R
E
S
E
N
C
E
29
C
H
A
N
G
30
F
O
A
L
31
W
A
L
T
32
C
O
M
33
S
34
E
A
L
I
O
35
N
36
L
I
T
37
O
P
A
38
L
39
T
R
O
N
40
B
41
O
O
N
E
42
S
A
M
A
43
D
A
M
S
44
D
A
N
G
E
R
45
T
H
E
B
E
S
T
46
V
E
G
A
47
O
R
C
A
48
E
49
R
I
C
A
J
50
O
51
N
52
G
53
E
L
I
O
T
54
A
U
T
O
M
A
K
E
R
55
M
I
C
A
H
56
M
B
A
D
E
G
R
E
E
57
S
C
A
T
S
58
S
E
L
E
S
59
A
D
S
© 2018, The New York Times2/17/18 ( No. 24,938 )
Across
1
Sport with stunt riding, informally : BMX
4
"Heck if I know" : GOTME
9
Big difference : CHASM
14
Axe product : BODYSPRAY
16
Goes on and on : RANTS
17
Reflective stretch : QUIETTIME
18
Item checked at an airport : IDTAG
19
Misses overseas : SENORITAS
20
Gone : PAST
21
Trio in a children's rhyme : MICE
22
Three-lobed design : TREFOIL
25
Roughly 37% of U.S. immigrants : ASIANS
28
Personal bearing : PRESENCE
29
Jung ___, author of the 1991 best seller "Wild Swans" : CHANG
30
It's generally up and running within a few hours : FOAL
31
"Breaking Bad" protagonist : WALT
32
Lead-in to sat : COM
33
Aquarium performer : SEALION
36
Like a happening party, in slang : LIT
37
Olympic Australis, for one : OPAL
39
Suffix with Jumbo : TRON
40
North Carolina home of Appalachian State University : BOONE
42
Brand with the slogan "Fill your glass" : SAMADAMS
44
What makes a possum play possum : DANGER
45
A-number-one : THEBEST
46
Fifth-brightest star in the night sky : VEGA
47
Part of a pod : ORCA
48
Author who wrote "Show me a woman who doesn't feel guilty and I'll show you a man" : ERICAJONG
53
"The Cocktail Party" dramatist : ELIOT
54
Model company? : AUTOMAKER
55
Book in which the Israelites are rebuked for idolatry : MICAH
56
Common board requirement, in brief : MBADEGREE
57
Vamooses : SCATS
58
Winner of nine Grand Slam tournaments in the 1990s : SELES
59
Components of many free apps : ADS
Down
1
Summer outdoor events, informally : BBQS
2
Manifestation of sulkiness : MOUE
3
Chose at the ballot box : XDIN
4
Almost nothing on? : GSTRINGS
5
Public perception : OPTICS
6
Worn-out : TRITE
7
2Pac's "Dear ___" : MAMA
8
Result of prolonged screen time, maybe : EYESTRAIN
9
"Golly!" : CRIPES
10
Threw some back : HADAFEW
11
Celery sticks topped with peanut butter and raisins : ANTSONALOG
12
Fixed cord for a paratrooper : STATICLINE
13
One source of the umami taste : MSG
15
Title figure in a Gilbert and Sullivan opera : YEOMAN
23
Quick move? : RELO
24
Word with fan or form : LETTER
25
Come right up to : ACCOST
26
One who always has time to spend? : SHOPAHOLIC
27
2007 satirical best seller : IAMAMERICA
28
Tops in athletics : POLOS
30
Professional feeders : FARMTEAMS
34
Constantly updating GPS figs. : ETAS
35
Widely followed court battles : NBAGAMES
38
You might experiment with this on : LABCOAT
41
Bingeing : ONAJAG
43
Ends : DEATHS
44
Crack, in a way : DECODE
46
Like some very important signs : VITAL
49
Carny's target : RUBE
50
Plant also known as ladies' fingers : OKRA
51
Grant consideration : NEED
52
E.T.S. offerings : GRES
53
Middle of summer? : EMS

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

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