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New York Times, Thursday, February 5, 2026

Author:
Dario Salvucci
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
48-Across : Racer's final go-round
TotalDebut
12/5/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000100
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.69322.329%
Dario Salvucci

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 34 Missing: {QZ} This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Salvucci. Grid flow: 22.3 Thursday freshness: 21%
1
H
2
A
3
S
4
A
5
T
6
S
7
L
8
A
9
Y
10
S
11
H
12
A
13
M
14
O
C
A
L
A
15
T
A
S
E
16
P
E
T
A
17
T
O
L
L
B
18
O
O
T
H
S
19
A
L
E
E
20
D
U
T
Y
21
A
R
K
22
G
R
I
D
S
23
O
P
T
24
F
R
E
E
25
W
26
A
Y
E
X
I
T
27
G
L
A
28
R
E
S
29
E
L
M
30
E
R
R
31
S
E
X
E
R
32
C
33
L
A
P
34
A
S
T
O
35
O
N
36
T
H
E
R
O
37
A
D
38
A
39
B
40
C
S
41
A
I
D
S
42
D
I
43
S
44
C
45
S
46
L
E
A
47
P
I
N
48
G
U
N
L
A
P
49
L
A
N
50
E
C
L
O
51
S
52
U
R
E
53
I
R
A
54
C
R
A
M
S
55
C
P
A
56
A
M
F
M
57
A
P
S
E
58
T
59
R
A
F
F
60
I
C
J
A
M
61
P
A
T
E
62
A
E
R
O
63
S
H
I
R
E
64
S
W
A
T
65
O
V
E
R
66
M
E
M
E
D
© 2026, The New York Times2/5/26 ( No. 27,848 )
Across
1
Dives into : HASAT
6
Cause to crack up : SLAY
10
Pillow covering : SHAM
14
Florida's ___ National Forest : OCALA
15
Give quite a shock : TASE
16
Antifur org. : PETA
17
| $ | $ | $ | $ | : TOLLBOOTHS
19
Sheltered from the wind : ALEE
20
Charge on imports : DUTY
21
Bible-inspired tourist attraction in Williamstown, Ky. : ARK
22
Excel spreadsheets, essentially : GRIDS
23
Go (for) : OPT
24
| : : : | / / : FREEWAYEXIT
27
"How dare you!" looks : GLARES
29
Tree whose "slippery" variety has medicinal bark : ELM
30
Mistake "air" for "heir," say : ERR
31
Chick checker of a sort : SEXER
32
Put one's hands together : CLAP
34
About : ASTO
35
Classic Jack Kerouac novel ... or where you'll find 17-, 24-, 49- and 58-Across : ONTHEROAD
38
Fundamentals : ABCS
41
Helps out : AIDS
42
Spinal stack : DISCS
46
Grassy grazing ground : LEA
47
Wrestling match ender : PIN
48
Racer's final go-round : GUNLAP
49
| : : :--| : LANECLOSURE
53
Gershwin brother : IRA
54
Adds to a stuffed suitcase, say : CRAMS
55
Schedule pro : CPA
56
Choice of bands, for short : AMFM
57
Church nook : APSE
58
|X:X:X:X|
|X:X:X:X|
|X:X:X:X| : TRAFFICJAM
61
Crown : PATE
62
Dynamic starter? : AERO
63
Fictional region that includes Bag End : SHIRE
64
Slap (at) : SWAT
65
"Your turn," on a radio : OVER
66
Sent up on social media, say : MEMED
Down
1
Show-offs : HOTDOGS
2
Not many : ACOUPLE
3
Levy that helped fund the Erie Canal : SALTTAX
4
Friend in tough times : ALLY
5
Paragraph starter, perhaps : TAB
6
Archive : STORE
7
Potato pancake for Hanukkah : LATKE
8
Campfire residue : ASH
9
"Definitely!" : YES
10
Prince Harry, per his memoir's title : SPARE
11
Genomic shapes : HELIXES
12
Put up with put-downs : ATEDIRT
13
Baton wielder : MAESTRO
18
Galley implements : OARS
22
Class that may require a change of clothes : GYM
24
Leaves in a waiting room? : FERN
25
Becomes tiresome : WEARS
26
Brand in the pet aisle : ALPO
28
Some vintage autos : REOS
32
Khaki alternative : CHINO
33
Played the first card : LED
34
Possible score seven points after love-love : ADIN
36
Follow : TAIL
37
In unison, musically : ADUE
38
Case of emergency? : ALLCAPS
39
Source of a large print : BEARPAW
40
Card game played with two decks : CANASTA
43
Meat stick brand : SLIMJIM
44
Commuter's charge : CARFARE
45
Barraged with irrelevant material : SPAMMED
47
HPs, e.g. : PCS
48
First tennis player to achieve a Golden Slam : GRAF
50
Become acquainted via Gmail, say : EMEET
51
Jump ___ (horror movie staple) : SCARE
52
Willing to take part in : UPFOR
56
Pine : ACHE
58
Confucian "way" : TAO
59
Energize, with "up" : REV
60
Suffix with capital : ISM

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle.

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