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New York Times, Thursday, November 20, 2025

Author:
Adam Wagner
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
2-Down : "Guess I'm the dummy"
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
294/20/202111/20/20258
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
91521200
RebusCircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
3111.6120831.960%
Adam Wagner

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 74, Blocks: 39 Missing: {QXZ} This is puzzle # 29 for Mr. Wagner. Grid flow: 46.7 Thursday freshness: 40%
Adam Wagner notes:
A very creative (human) person recently said to me, "I don't want A.I. to make art. I want A.I. to fold my laundry and clean my toilet ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

"He" refers to the names spelled in the odd circled letters. They "don't belong," so remove them to match the clue.

At 16-Across, remove SID from SKINDIVES to get KNIVES, etc.

1
P
2
J
3
S
4
B
5
E
6
A
7
C
8
H
9
S
10
A
11
K
12
S
13
S
O
P
14
U
L
T
R
A
15
A
N
A
L
16
S
K
I
17
N
D
I
V
E
S
18
E
L
I
T
E
19
T
E
C
H
S
20
S
I
21
T
U
A
T
E
D
22
S
E
L
23
B
24
E
T
T
E
R
D
A
Y
S
25
P
O
R
26
A
V
E
27
N
E
B
28
S
N
U
29
B
30
R
I
D
31
E
32
K
A
33
U
34
A
35
I
36
A
M
B
I
37
E
N
T
38
S
39
T
A
R
M
A
P
40
T
E
S
T
S
41
A
42
S
T
O
43
S
A
R
A
44
I
T
45
O
46
H
E
Y
47
M
O
D
48
D
49
A
50
M
N
E
D
51
L
I
E
S
52
F
I
N
53
E
V
A
G
R
E
E
N
54
J
A
B
B
55
A
56
B
R
O
W
S
57
O
D
58
D
59
M
A
N
O
U
T
60
R
I
R
I
61
N
I
N
E
R
62
M
R
T
63
A
L
I
T
64
E
G
A
D
S
65
B
R
A
© 2025, The New York Times11/20/25 ( No. 27,771 )
Across
1
Duds in bed? : PJS
4
Place for a castle : BEACH
9
Retailer across the street from Rockefeller Center : SAKS
13
Bread for dipping : SOP
14
Very, very : ULTRA
15
Very, very particular : ANAL
16
Cubing needs : SKINDIVES
18
Like an S-Tier video game character : ELITE
19
Computer pros : TECHS
20
In position : SITUATED
22
Beurre demi-___ (salted butter, in France) : SEL
23
Turns on : BETTERDAYS
25
___ ejemplo : POR
26
"Hail," in Latin : AVE
27
Scottsbluff's state: Abbr. : NEB
28
Overlook for an award, say : SNUB
30
Hitchhiker's hope : RIDE
32
Niihau neighbor : KAUAI
36
Make, as money : AMBIENT
38
Ensnare : STARMAP
40
Puts through the paces : TESTS
41
On the topic of : ASTO
43
Spanx founder Blakely : SARA
44
Spanish diminutive suffix : ITO
46
"Excuse me!" : HEY
47
Video game customization, informally : MOD
48
Fops : DAMNEDLIES
52
Surfboard stabilizer : FIN
53
Vesper Lynd portrayer in "Casino Royale" : EVAGREEN
54
"Star Wars" character originally portrayed by a puppet that weighed over a ton : JABBA
56
They may be threaded : BROWS
57
He doesn't belong ... or a hint to the circled letters in 16-, 23-, 36-, 38- and 48-Across : ODDMANOUT
60
Singer with the #1 hits "Umbrella" and "Disturbia," familiarly : RIRI
61
Levi's Stadium player, informally : NINER
62
Actor who participated in the first WrestleMania event, in 1985 : MRT
63
Came down to earth : ALIT
64
"Jumping Jehoshaphat!" : EGADS
65
Supporting article? : BRA
Down
1
Subtle attention-getter : PSST
2
"Guess I'm the dummy" : JOKESONME
3
Dry seasons? : SPICERUBS
4
Signs of spring : BUDS
5
Yalie : ELI
6
Off-road rover, for short : ATV
7
Sporting a tuft of feathers : CRESTED
8
Knows the solution : HASIT
9
Restaurants' "serve yourself" features : SALADBARS
10
Baker of R&B : ANITA
11
Actress Sagal : KATEY
12
They make runs at the Winter Olympics : SLEDS
17
Blues' grp. : NHL
18
"I've got the answer!" : EUREKA
21
Atomic number of neon : TEN
23
Rustic wedding venue : BARN
24
Musical with the showstopper "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" : EVITA
25
Exam for some sophs. : PSAT
29
Humor with an edge : BITINGWIT
31
First name in cosmetics : ESTEE
33
Dish that creates an explosion of rich flavors, in modern parlance : UMAMIBOMB
34
Narrator/antagonist in "Hamilton" : AARONBURR
35
Pixel alternative : IPAD
37
Perfume compounds : ESTERS
39
Most characters in Pixar's first film : TOYS
42
Bash : SHINDIG
45
"___ to Joy" : ODE
48
Messing around on TV? : DEBRA
49
Mars follower, in Marseille : AVRIL
50
Source of the word "tiki" : MAORI
51
Sierra ___ : LEONE
52
Summer cooler : FAN
54
Tipping points? : JARS
55
Palindromic flour : ATTA
58
The stuff of life : DNA
59
___ school : MED

Answer summary:
6 unique to this puzzle.

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