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Blank Expressions

New York Times, Sunday, May 1, 2022

Author:
Brandon Koppy
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
36-Across : Dangerous part of a tour
TotalDebutLatest
1711/21/20188/17/2024
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
2107232
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
311.5810363%
Brandon Koppy

This puzzle:

Rows: 23, Columns: 23 Words: 171, Blocks: 89 Grid has mirror symmetry. This is puzzle # 8 for Mr. Koppy. Sunday freshness: 39%
Notepad: After you've finished solving, look for an appropriate bonus phrase.
Will Shortz notes:
Brandon Koppy works for a digital ad agency in Austin, Tex. He has two girls, 2 and 4 years old — which he calls "black hole ages" that seem to consume all his time. This puzzle started with a general ... read more
Brandon Koppy notes:
Despite the shorter theme entries, this puzzle was deceptively challenging to construct. Eight pairs of crossing answers with limited options (the U only had two) all in a set order is tough to build ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
Some interesting finds! I've spent a ton of time with these space-changing concepts, and I still stared in amazement at HARP ON -> HARP O ON = HARPOON. (Space additions or shifts attract my attention more ... read more
1
A
2
H
3
A
4
L
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T
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E
7
S
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C
9
H
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M
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O
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I
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S
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H
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N
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I
17
B
18
R
E
X
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R
E
E
D
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S
H
O
O
I
N
21
S
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D
U
A
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L
I
P
A
24
P
H
L
E
G
M
Y
25
F
O
R
T
L
E
E
26
A
B
R
A
H
A
M
27
W
A
P
28
G
O
O
D
E
A
T
29
S
30
A
D
S
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A
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N
33
G
E
L
E
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N
O
35
P
A
P
A
L
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W
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A
R
Z
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O
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N
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E
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D
E
A
D
H
E
A
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D
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T
O
G
44
C
A
S
U
A
L
S
E
X
45
L
A
S
S
I
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P
L
A
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N
E
T
E
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A
R
T
H
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S
O
A
M
I
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I
T
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D
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O
T
I
M
E
53
L
O
C
A
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L
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G
E
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B
O
Y
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S
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D
U
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I
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B
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A
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R
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63
H
M
O
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S
E
A
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65
O
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W
E
N
67
C
L
A
R
I
O
68
N
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E
L
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O
N
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A
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B
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A
S
E
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E
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W
E
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D
M
S
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E
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I
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U
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G
81
A
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L
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84
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O
K
O
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V
E
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F
I
G
A
R
O
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A
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R
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91
E
F
92
L
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H
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R
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M
U
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B
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A
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R
A
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D
100
H
A
R
101
P
O
N
102
A
B
E
F
O
R
T
103
A
S
104
M
I
O
105
R
106
O
C
K
S
O
L
I
D
107
M
A
T
S
108
S
O
109
L
A
R
S
110
A
I
L
111
D
I
R
E
112
A
C
E
113
L
114
U
115
P
I
N
E
116
P
E
D
117
A
118
N
119
T
120
N
E
D
121
K
A
122
R
A
T
E
123
E
N
124
D
125
U
126
S
E
R
127
G
O
O
128
S
E
S
129
E
B
E
R
130
T
131
O
U
S
T
S
132
S
L
O
P
E
133
S
134
W
135
E
A
T
S
I
136
T
137
M
A
R
138
S
T
A
R
D
139
A
140
T
141
E
142
T
I
L
D
E
143
S
N
O
144
W
P
I
E
145
R
C
E
R
146
H
U
M
O
R
147
A
D
A
M
S
148
E
T
P
H
O
N
E
H
O
M
E
149
A
C
E
L
A
150
T
E
N
E
T
151
S
E
A
N
152
T
O
T
S
153
T
E
N
D
S
© 2022, The New York Times5/1/22 ( No. 26,472 )
Across
1
You say it when you "get it" : AHA
4
Cell connection inits. : LTE
7
Dope : SCHMO
12
Sorta : ISH
15
Writing tip : NIB
18
Film critic with a cameo in 1978's "Superman" : REXREED
20
Safe bets : SHOOINS
22
"Levitating" singer, 2020 : DUALIPA
24
Stuffed up, in a way : PHLEGMY
25
Northern New Jersey town : FORTLEE
26
Literally, "father of many" : ABRAHAM
27
2020 #1 hit for Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion : WAP
28
Longtime cooking show hosted by Alton Brown : GOODEATS
30
They may be classified : ADS
31
Resident of the U.S.'s second-largest city : ANGELENO
35
Like some bulls : PAPAL
36
Dangerous part of a tour : WARZONE
41
Fan of the album "Aoxomoxoa," say : DEADHEAD
43
Dress (up) : TOG
44
Flings without strings : CASUALSEX
45
Yogurt-based Indian drink : LASSI
46
The Blue Marble : PLANETEARTH
49
"Ditto!" : SOAMI
50
Part of "fwiw" : ITS
51
Sit in stir : DOTIME
53
Good people to ask for directions : LOCALS
55
Grok : GET
56
Clothing store sign : BOYS
58
Owed : DUE
59
Parts of many skyscrapers : IBARS
63
Med. care option : HMO
64
South ___ : SEAS
65
Wilson of film : OWEN
67
Loud and clear, as a call to action : CLARION
69
First name among billionaires : ELON
71
Demean : ABASE
74
Woolly ma'am : EWE
76
Chats over Twitter, for short : DMS
77
___ al-Fitr (holiday) : EID
79
Lump sum? : SUGAR
83
Hawaiian home parts : LANAIS
85
Grabbed the reins : TOOKOVER
88
The barber of Seville : FIGARO
89
Singer Grande, to fans : ARI
90
Diverse ecosystem : REEF
92
Christine of "The Blacklist" : LAHTI
93
French 101 verb : ETRE
95
Mustangs' sch. : SMU
96
Back tracks? : BSIDES
98
Made bubbly : AERATED
100
Not stop talking about : HARPON
102
Supreme Court appointee before Thurgood Marshall : ABEFORTAS
104
"Dios ___!" : MIO
105
Firm : ROCKSOLID
107
Pin points? : MATS
108
Spacecraft's reflective attachment : SOLARSAIL
111
Ominous : DIRE
112
Flexible spade, say : ACE
113
Like werewolves : LUPINE
116
Hairsplitter : PEDANT
120
Late actor Eisenberg : NED
121
In which belts are worn : KARATE
123
Ideal beta tester : ENDUSER
127
Gives a boost, informally : GOOSES
129
Roger ___, first film critic to win a Pulitzer for criticism : EBERT
131
Boots : OUSTS
132
Algebra I calculation : SLOPE
133
Worries : SWEATSIT
137
Calendar mo. : MAR
138
Captain's log entry, maybe : STARDATE
142
Quinceañera feature : TILDE
143
2013 Bong Joon Ho thriller : SNOWPIERCER
146
Hear out, say : HUMOR
147
N.Y.C. mayor after de Blasio : ADAMS
148
Alien's line of communication? : ETPHONEHOME
149
Speedy travel option : ACELA
150
Precept : TENET
151
John, abroad : SEAN
152
Young 'uns : TOTS
153
Cares for : TENDS
Down
1
Pioneer in Dadaism : ARP
2
"That's amusing" : HEH
3
Rose of Guns N' Roses : AXL
4
Passport, for one : LEGALID
5
Vegan protein source made from fermented soybeans : TEMPEH
6
Big name in ice cream : EDY
7
1993 Salt-N-Pepa hit : SHOOP
8
Heart-shaped, as leaves : CORDATE
9
Entree with boiling broth : HOTPOT
10
Dash figure : MILEAGE
11
#1 N.B.A. draft pick in 1992 : ONEAL
12
Journalist ___ B. Wells : IDA
13
Outback, e.g. : SUBARU
14
Stereotypical football coach : HARDASS
15
Org. with grants : NIH
16
It's got hops, for short : IPA
17
Superhero comics sound : BAM
19
Ties another knot : REWEDS
20
Bay Area airport code : SFO
21
Tennis division : SET
23
Victor ___, role in "Casablanca" : LASZLO
28
Professional saver? : GOALIE
29
Fad accessory of the 1980s : SWATCH
31
It comes off the top of one's head : ADLIB
32
"Cool beans!" : NEATO
33
Verbose : GASSY
34
The eighth of eight : NEPTUNE
37
Feeling bad, in a way : ASHAMED
38
"August: ___ County" (Tracy Letts play) : OSAGE
39
Site of Hercules' first labor : NEMEA
40
Ramps up or down? : EXITS
42
Leave it to beavers : DAM
44
___-Magnon : CRO
47
Author Gaiman : NEIL
48
Plus : ALSO
52
Pablo Neruda wrote one "to a large tuna in the market" : ODE
54
Has online? : LOL
57
Slugger with 609 homers : SOSA
60
Bit of cosmic justice : BADKARMA
61
Unlikely feature for competitive swimmers : ARMHAIR
62
Some trattoria offerings : RISOTTOS
64
All tucked in : SNUG
66
Eccentric : WEIRDO
67
Top dog, for short : CEO
68
Wedding notice word : NEE
70
Basket-weaving materials : OSIERS
71
Home of Gulf State Park : ALABAMA
72
Behind-the-counter helper : BARBACK
73
Licorice-flavored quaff : ANISETEA
75
"___ With Marc Maron" (popular podcast) : WTF
78
Rage : IRE
80
Main connection? : GASLINE
81
Some antique furniture : ARMOIRES
82
Like 100 vis-à-vis 99, say : ROUNDED
84
The Trojan priestess Cassandra, e.g. : SEER
86
Two-syllable cheer : OLE
87
Contest : VIE
88
Softened expletive on "Battlestar Galactica" : FRAK
91
Cutesy ending with most : EST
94
Marijuana compound, for short : THC
97
Some coding statements : IFS
98
United : ASONE
99
Having less vermouth, say : DRIER
101
Air or Ear ender, in tech : POD
103
"___ live and breathe!" : ASI
106
No longer funny : OLD
109
Jay with jokes : LENO
110
Does the same as : APES
113
Blood typing, e.g. : LABTEST
114
Runnin' ___ (N.C.A.A. basketball team) : UTES
115
In and of itself : PERSE
117
Shining brightly : AGLARE
118
Former Jordanian queen : NOOR
119
Formal accessory : TOPHAT
122
Text file in a software package : README
124
Inundate, as with work : DUMPON
125
Runner Bolt : USAIN
126
Like some parking : STREET
128
Attract while exploiting someone's weakness : SEDUCE
130
Shades : TINTS
132
Cuts off the flow of : STEMS
133
"P.D.Q." in the O.R. : STAT
134
Way off the mark : WIDE
135
Flair : ELAN
136
Imbibe, old-style : TOPE
138
Scrooge McDuck, for one : SCOT
139
Last word of the New Testament : AMEN
140
"All ___ ..." : TOLD
141
Chapters in history : ERAS
144
"Hunh?" : WHA
145
P : RHO

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle, 3 debuted here and reused later, 2 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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