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New York Times, Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Author:
Neil Shook
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
17-Down : Middles of Mr. Potato Head faces
TotalDebut
112/26/2023
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0010000
ScrabDebutFresh
1.57253%
Neil Shook

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 36 Missing: {FJQZ} This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Shook. Tuesday freshness: 90%
1
B
2
U
3
B
4
O
5
N
6
E
7
S
8
P
9
A
10
L
11
E
12
S
13
U
N
E
14
D
A
D
A
15
A
L
B
I
N
O
16
G
R
A
17
N
D
K
I
D
18
R
E
E
K
E
D
19
L
E
G
O
S
E
T
20
S
T
A
T
E
21
E
E
L
S
22
D
E
23
C
A
Y
24
T
L
25
D
26
R
27
S
L
E
E
28
P
29
D
H
L
30
V
O
I
C
E
31
S
A
32
G
33
E
M
34
B
A
R
K
O
N
35
D
36
A
37
S
38
D
R
39
Y
W
A
L
L
40
E
N
D
41
O
P
T
42
I
M
U
M
S
43
T
O
44
P
45
N
O
R
M
A
46
C
U
47
E
48
R
E
49
N
50
A
51
L
52
S
P
A
S
53
C
A
P
E
54
D
55
D
O
L
E
56
D
O
57
D
O
S
58
Y
O
59
U
R
E
I
T
60
M
61
T
D
O
O
M
62
T
O
Y
B
O
X
E
S
63
C
A
L
L
M
E
64
E
R
L
E
65
I
N
G
66
S
U
E
D
E
67
N
E
E
R
68
T
S
O
© 2023, The New York Times12/26/23 ( No. 27,076 )
Across
1
Fella : BUB
4
Digits carried in long division : ONES
8
Lightens up? : PALES
13
A, as in Avignon : UNE
14
Baby's first word, maybe : DADA
15
Lacking pigment : ALBINO
16
Frequent object of doting attention : GRANDKID
18
Stunk : REEKED
19
Gift for a budding architect, maybe : LEGOSET
20
___ of the Union : STATE
21
Shocking fish in the Amazon : EELS
22
Dental concern : DECAY
24
"Here's a short summary," in internet lingo : TLDR
27
What Santa doesn't get much of on Christmas Eve : SLEEP
29
UPS competitor : DHL
30
Alto or soprano : VOICE
31
Union of Hollywood performers, for short : SAG
33
Begin, as an adventure : EMBARKON
35
Govt. prosecutors : DAS
38
Material for an interior renovation : DRYWALL
40
Quash : END
41
Best-case scenarios : OPTIMUMS
43
Blouse or tee : TOP
45
Fashion designer Kamali : NORMA
46
"That's my ___!" ("I'm up!") : CUE
48
Of the kidneys : RENAL
52
Health resorts : SPAS
53
Attired like Batman or Superman : CAPED
55
Hand (out) : DOLE
56
Extinct birds of Mauritius : DODOS
58
Words that start a game of tag : YOUREIT
60
Volcanic peak ruled by Sauron in "The Lord of the Rings" : MTDOOM
62
Places for playthings, with a hint to this puzzle's shaded squares : TOYBOXES
63
"I'll wait to hear from you" : CALLME
64
___ Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason : ERLE
65
Gerund suffix : ING
66
Soft leather : SUEDE
67
___-do-well : NEER
68
General on a Chinese menu : TSO
Down
1
Some military brass? : BUGLES
2
Pull off a spool : UNREEL
3
Long-eared hound : BEAGLE
4
3:1 or 5:2, e.g. : ODDS
5
Unadorned : NAKED
6
Readied for publication : EDITED
7
Disconsolate : SAD
8
"Not guilty," e.g. : PLEA
9
Partner in crime : ABETTOR
10
Have a crush on, cutesily : LIKELIKE
11
Suffix with benz- : ENE
12
Turf : SOD
15
Showily bohemian : ARTY
17
Middles of Mr. Potato Head faces : NOSES
20
Actress Hayek : SALMA
23
Destroys, as a dog might a stuffed animal : CHEWSUP
25
Pest control brand : DCON
26
Tear up : REND
28
Lakshmi who wrote the memoir "Love, Loss, and What We Ate" : PADMA
30
Bravery : VALOR
32
"Despicable Me" protagonist : GRU
34
Classic sandwich order, in brief : BLT
35
Puts on : DONS
36
Each : APOP
37
Sit on, as a seesaw : STRADDLE
39
Some recreation ctrs. : YMCAS
42
Over-the-hill lament : IMSOOLD
44
Three-time Cy Young winner Martinez : PEDRO
47
Long-eared pal of Pooh : EEYORE
49
"You can't leave this way" sign : NOEXIT
50
U.F.O. crew : ALIENS
51
"Move it, already!" : LETSGO
53
Arrive : COME
54
Arthur Conan ___ : DOYLE
57
Part of a mosque, typically : DOME
59
Transportation company headquartered in San Francisco : UBER
60
Hosts, for short : MCS
61
Letter after sigma : TAU
62
What's rolled to get from Free Parking to Go to Jail, in Monopoly : TEN

Answer summary:
2 unique to this puzzle.

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