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New York Times, Saturday, August 19, 2023

Author:
David P. Williams
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
51-Across : Minimal
TotalDebutLatest
58/19/20239/7/2024
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000014
ScrabDebutFresh
1.571490%
David P. Williams

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 66, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JQZ} This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Williams. Saturday freshness: 66%
Jeff Chen notes:
Debuting with a 66-word themeless containing a gaping-wide middle? HELL YEAH, hardly PROSAIC, no need to MOLLYCODDLE David! GILD THE ... read more
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M
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A
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G
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M
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M
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V
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© 2023, The New York Times8/19/23 ( No. 26,947 )
Across
1
"Excuse me while I light my ___" (Bob Marley lyric) : SPLIFF
7
Theater backers? : SCRIMS
13
Ho-hum : PROSAIC
15
11-sided coin, informally : LOONIE
16
"Damn right!" : HELLYEAH
18
Not learned : INNATE
19
Word shortened from a three-word phrase that can be further shortened by dropping its first, fourth and fifth letters : EMCEE
20
Ball game : BOCCE
22
Very much in : HOT
23
Narragansett Bay and New York Harbor, for two : RIAS
24
Broadcast alternative : CABLE
25
Labor demand? : PUSH
26
Numbers after a no. : EXT
27
"The Swedish Sphinx" : GARBO
28
Uncanny : EERIE
29
Coupons, e.g. : MONEYSAVERS
31
Embellish something unnecessarily : GILDTHELILY
32
33
Asian appetizer : SATAY
34
Locale of van Gogh's "The Bedroom" paintings : ARLES
35
Ones calling the shots, in brief? : MDS
38
Ending with cyclo- : TRON
39
Harsh lighting? : ARSON
40
Acquiescent : MEEK
41
Routine : ACT
42
Component of a Zoom call : VIDEO
43
Dig, say : FANCY
44
"Tough cookies" : TOOBAD
46
Bronze finish, maybe : SPRAYTAN
48
Foolish : UNWISE
49
Skeptical look : SIDEEYE
50
Takes a little hair off, perhaps : SINGES
51
Minimal : MEREST
Down
1
Basketball, e.g. : SPHERE
2
Get ready, as concrete : PREMIX
3
Meme creature : LOLCAT
4
Key chain : ISLES
5
She played Bonnie in 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" : FAYE
6
Giant syllable : FIE
7
Common golf mistake : SLICE
8
It might receive scoops : CONE
9
The anchorman in "Anchorman" : RON
10
Rushed : INAHURRY
11
Cell division : MITOSIS
12
Boil : SEETHE
14
Permit required of old jazz musicians : CABARETCARD
17
Preoccupations : HOBBYHORSES
21
They come full circle : CLOSEDLOOPS
24
Risk for people with braces : CANDY
25
Key's partner : PEELE
27
Word after good or by : GOLLY
28
Weariness, vice and want, in Voltaire's "Candide" : EVILS
29
Where most of the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci are stored : MILAN
30
___ Ehrenreich, Han Solo's portrayer in "Solo: A Star Wars Story" : ALDEN
31
"Knock yourself out!" : GOTOTOWN
32
1909 Nobelist for contributions to the invention of radio : MARCONI
33
Level : STATUS
35
One getting schooled : MENTEE
36
Goes radioactive? : DECAYS
37
N.S.A. surveillance program that shares its name with an entity in the "Terminator" movies : SKYNET
39
Seconds : AIDES
40
Supposed subject of Taylor Swift's "Dear John" : MAYER
42
Potter's product : VASE
43
Fall behind in the end : FADE
45
Popular : BIG
47
Swish miss? : RIM

Answer summary:
3 unique to this puzzle.

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