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New York Times, Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Author:
Tom Pepper and Zhouqin Burnikel
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
31-Across : Microsoft virtual assistant introduced in 2014
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
162/6/201210/6/20238
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1431232
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
121.658852%
Tom Pepper
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
8011/13/201210/4/202424
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
6272275103
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
281.5636338%
Zhouqin Burnikel

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 76, Blocks: 36 Missing: {GJQXZ} This is puzzle # 9 for Mr. Pepper. This is puzzle # 69 for Ms. Burnikel. Tuesday freshness: 46%
Constructor notes:
C.C.: I originally had a set of entries where each theme entry is clued as [This is not a toy], [This is not a joke], etc. Will and ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
I love the potential of this puzzle. Can't you see some poor kid, clapping his hands and jumping up and down as his dad gets home from ... read more
1
R
2
A
3
F
4
T
5
S
6
U
7
N
8
I
9
T
10
S
11
I
12
S
13
I
14
O
R
I
O
N
15
N
A
N
O
16
E
T
O
N
17
M
A
R
B
L
18
E
C
A
K
E
19
N
A
B
S
20
A
R
M
Y
21
M
A
C
22
H
O
L
S
T
23
N
A
E
24
T
O
P
P
25
R
26
I
O
R
I
T
Y
27
S
T
R
28
A
W
29
U
R
N
30
A
O
L
31
C
O
32
R
33
T
34
A
N
A
35
I
N
R
E
36
T
37
H
I
S
I
S
N
O
T
38
A
T
O
Y
39
C
O
E
D
40
F
A
N
F
E
S
T
41
E
T
A
42
S
L
R
43
H
Y
44
P
45
E
46
S
47
R
A
T
48
T
L
E
S
49
N
50
A
51
K
E
52
H
U
H
53
E
L
W
A
Y
54
S
R
I
55
M
O
R
E
56
A
L
A
S
57
Y
58
O
Y
O
D
59
I
E
T
E
R
60
L
I
V
E
61
I
N
N
S
62
S
M
O
K
Y
63
S
E
E
D
64
P
A
C
E
65
P
E
N
A
L
© 2020, The New York Times5/12/20 ( No. 25,753 )
Across
1
Rapids transits? : RAFTS
6
Foot or furlong : UNIT
10
With 10-Down, enthusiastic south-of-the-border assent : SISI
14
Constellation with Rigel and Betelgeuse : ORION
15
Prefix with second : NANO
16
Prep school near Windsor Castle : ETON
17
*Dessert with light and dark streaks : MARBLECAKE
19
Puts the cuffs on : NABS
20
The Black Knights of college football : ARMY
21
Computer seen at a Genius Bar : MAC
22
Gustav who composed "The Planets" : HOLST
23
Dundee denial : NAE
24
*First thing to do on a to-do list : TOPPRIORITY
27
Building material that was no problem for the Big Bad Wolf : STRAW
29
Catering hall dispenser : URN
30
Pioneer in email : AOL
31
Microsoft virtual assistant introduced in 2014 : CORTANA
35
About, on a memo : INRE
36
Product warning label appropriate for the answers to the four starred clues : THISISNOTATOY
39
Like Brown University since 1971 : COED
40
Comic convention, for one : FANFEST
41
Info for an Uber or Lyft customer, for short : ETA
42
35mm camera type : SLR
43
Sells hard : HYPES
47
*Sidewinder, for one : RATTLESNAKE
52
"Whaaa?" : HUH
53
Broncos Hall-of-Famer John : ELWAY
54
___ Lanka : SRI
55
"Encore!" : MORE
56
"What a pity" : ALAS
57
*One having trouble keeping weight off : YOYODIETER
60
Not prerecorded : LIVE
61
Establishments at many highway interchanges : INNS
62
Like the flavor of some barbecue sauces : SMOKY
63
Discarded part of a watermelon : SEED
64
Walk back and forth : PACE
65
___ code : PENAL
Down
1
Residents of the Eternal City : ROMANS
2
Noah's Ark landing site : ARARAT
3
Less yielding, as a mattress : FIRMER
4
Country singer Keith : TOBY
5
Show with Kate McKinnon, in brief : SNL
6
Open, as a bottle : UNCAP
7
___ Image Awards : NAACP
8
Printed publicity, slangily : INK
9
One of 20 for a bear : TOE
10
See 10-Across : SENOR
11
Language in which "thank you" is "grazie," to natives : ITALIANO
12
Excuse meant to elicit sympathy : SOBSTORY
13
Au courant : INSTYLE
18
Angst-ridden rock genre : EMO
22
Pumpkin : HON
24
Deuces : TWOS
25
___ the mill (ordinary) : RUNOF
26
Steaming mad : IRATE
28
It's below 7 on the pH scale : ACID
32
Rummage (through) : RIFLE
33
Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great : TSARS
34
___ Arbor, Mich. : ANN
35
Wee : ITTY
36
What a whopper! : TOTALLIE
37
When air-conditioners really hum : HEATWAVE
38
ESPN's Arthur ___ Courage Award : ASHE
39
Post boxes? : CEREALS
42
On the ___ (sneakily) : SLY
44
Light particle : PHOTON
45
"I've found it!" : EUREKA
46
Crow with nine Grammys : SHERYL
48
Used a stun gun on : TASED
49
Justin Timberlake's former band : NSYNC
50
Came to light : AROSE
51
Not be serious : KID
55
Something frequently reposted : MEME
57
Puppy's bark : YIP
58
"I'm ___ roll!" : ONA
59
Comcast, e.g., for short : ISP

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

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