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New York Times, Friday, December 24, 2021

Author:
Evan Kalish
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
2-Down : Polish
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
227/2/201811/5/20242
SunMonTueWedThuFriSatVariety
15511513
CircleScrabDebutFresh
31.6011440%
Evan Kalish

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 68, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JQXZ} Spans: 1 This is puzzle # 17 for Mr. Kalish. Friday freshness: 35%
Evan Kalish notes:
I've previously expressed my philosophy of themeless crossword construction, and it holds true for this puzzle: pack as many ... read more
Jeff Chen notes:
What a perfect way to end a Dec. 24th puzzle, not only a great entry in NICE LIST (think "who's naughty or nice"), but a festive ... read more
1
D
2
R
3
E
4
W
5
B
6
A
7
C
8
K
9
O
10
M
11
I
12
T
13
N
E
U
R
A
L
N
E
14
T
15
M
E
M
E
16
A
F
R
I
K
A
N
E
R
17
S
18
A
T
O
N
19
L
I
E
G
E
S
20
P
A
T
21
N
A
V
Y
22
A
N
K
H
S
23
L
A
C
E
24
S
25
D
E
E
26
B
E
A
T
27
B
O
C
K
28
T
29
I
A
R
A
30
C
O
W
L
S
31
A
S
T
I
R
32
Y
33
E
34
A
H
A
B
O
U
35
T
T
H
A
T
36
P
O
S
S
E
37
A
S
I
D
E
38
H
U
C
K
S
39
L
E
T
S
40
G
41
A
42
S
43
P
44
S
A
O
45
S
46
O
L
E
S
47
T
O
S
C
A
48
T
W
O
49
S
50
R
E
Y
51
T
A
S
S
E
L
52
R
A
T
E
53
G
R
E
54
W
A
S
P
I
N
E
55
I
K
E
A
56
S
O
I
L
T
E
S
T
S
57
P
E
R
M
58
N
I
C
E
L
I
S
T
© 2021, The New York Times12/24/21 ( No. 26,344 )
Across
1
Retreated : DREWBACK
9
Drop : OMIT
13
Artificial intelligence system modeled on the human brain : NEURALNET
15
Something that gets passed around a lot : MEME
16
Golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, for two : AFRIKANERS
18
So much : ATON
19
All the king's men? : LIEGES
20
Simple and glib : PAT
21
School with the slogan "Ex scientia tridens," familiarly : NAVY
22
Ancient symbols of life : ANKHS
23
Velcro alternative : LACES
25
Democratic leader? : DEE
26
Recipe direction : BEAT
27
Strong, dark quaff : BOCK
28
The British royal family has one called the Cambridge Lover's Knot : TIARA
30
Some abbey attire : COWLS
31
Up : ASTIR
32
"I wasn't going to say anything, but since you brought it up ..." : YEAHABOUTTHAT
36
Crew : POSSE
37
Many a confession on a theater stage : ASIDE
38
Throws, informally : HUCKS
39
"I'm game" : LETS
40
Last ___ : GASP
44
___ Miguel Island, largest of the Azores : SAO
45
Currency units in Peru : SOLES
47
Puccini opera ... or the first five letters of the maestro who conducted its La Scala premiere : TOSCA
48
What Twix bars are sold in : TWOS
50
Companion of the droid BB-8, in the "Star Wars" universe : REY
51
Ear hair? : TASSEL
52
Calculus calculation : RATE
53
Gained some courage : GREWASPINE
55
What Shøp on "The Simpsons" is a parody of : IKEA
56
Agronomic analyses : SOILTESTS
57
A cold wave can produce one : PERM
58
Yule log? : NICELIST
Down
1
Sequencing locale : DNALAB
2
Polish : REFINE
3
Triumphant shout : EUREKA
4
"Black Boy" memoirist Richard : WRIGHT
5
Gets the batter out, say : BAKES
6
"___ poor Romeo!": Shak. : ALAS
7
Wolf's home : CNN
8
Monitor : KEEPACLOSEEYEON
9
Besides Brunei, the only current sovereign sultanate : OMAN
10
Creation date, file size and location, for an iPhone photo : METADATA
11
"That doesn't bother me anymore" : IMOVERIT
12
Like an F.B.I. director's term : TENYEAR
14
Fast fashion? : TRACKSUITS
17
Office address abbr. : STE
23
Ones making insulting offers : LOWBALLERS
24
Part of many university names : STATE
27
Flamboyant prop : BOA
29
"Black" follower : ISH
30
"The gymnasium of the mind," per Blaise Pascal : CHESS
32
Question that cannot be answered if its answer is "no" : YOUAWAKE
33
Two-wheeler at a charging station : ESCOOTER
34
"___ away!" : ASK
35
Cardinal points?: Abbr. : TDS
36
Alternative to litmus paper : PHSTRIP
40
It's the truth! : GOSPEL
41
Noted basilica town : ASSISI
42
Things picked up on a trail : SCENTS
43
Most likely to burn, maybe : PALEST
46
Kind of chart, informally : ORG
47
Decorum : TASTE
49
Underground band : SEAM
51
One end of the Mohs scale : TALC
54
GameCube successor : WII

Answer summary:
10 unique to this puzzle, 2 debuted here and reused later.

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