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New York Times, Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Author:
Jackson Matz
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
4-Down : Alternative to a strike [cough cough]
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
43/8/20249/17/20251
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0002020
RebusScrabDebutFresh
11.58954%
Jackson Matz

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 16 Words: 83, Blocks: 40 This is puzzle # 4 for Mr. Matz. Wednesday freshness: 95%
Jim Horne notes:

24 K's smashes the old record for most in a grid.

1
E
2
L
3
M
4
S
5
I
6
D
7
E
8
M
9
S
10
T
11
A
12
C
13
K
14
L
E
O
I
15
L
U
B
E
16
S
17
K
E
R
R
I
18
K
N
O
C
19
K
K
N
O
C
K
20
A
A
R
O
N
21
S
A
N
K
A
22
N
O
H
I
23
T
24
B
O
N
K
25
R
O
O
26
F
27
K
A
M
I
28
K
A
Z
E
S
29
A
30
R
O
U
S
A
31
L
32
A
R
G
33
T
A
C
T
34
B
I
35
O
36
T
37
A
38
O
S
39
T
40
E
41
R
42
A
C
K
43
2
4
K
M
A
G
44
I
C
45
H
A
H
46
D
E
S
47
K
S
48
E
G
G
E
D
49
D
I
R
E
50
R
E
51
P
52
R
I
53
H
A
N
N
A
54
K
55
A
56
R
A
T
E
57
K
58
I
59
D
60
D
U
S
K
61
O
K
O
K
62
G
E
N
R
63
E
64
S
A
T
65
A
66
T
67
O
I
L
E
68
R
69
K
N
I
C
70
K
K
N
A
C
K
71
K
R
O
N
A
72
E
I
E
I
O
73
I
N
T
O
74
S
A
S
S
Y
75
E
D
G
Y
76
S
K
I
S
© 2025, The New York Times9/17/25 ( No. 27,707 )
Across
1
State trees of North Dakota : ELMS
5
Ditto, in footnotes : IDEM
9
Measure (up) : STACK
14
First in a line of 14 popes : LEOI
15
Some garage jobs : LUBES
17
Olympian Strug : KERRI
18
Start of a joke : KNOCKKNOCK
20
Elder brother of Moses : AARON
21
Brand whose name is derived from the French phrase "sans caféine" : SANKA
22
Perfectly pitched? : NOHIT
24
Sound effect in a slapstick routine : BONK
25
One might hit it or raise it, metaphorically : ROOF
27
Vodka cocktails with orange liqueur and lime juice : KAMIKAZES
29
Awakening : AROUSAL
32
World Cup champs of 1978, 1986 and 2022: Abbr. : ARG
33
Knowing what not to say, say : TACT
34
Regional life forms : BIOTA
38
Kitchen appliance brand : OSTER
42
Cry of dismay : ACK
43
Grammy-winning Bruno Mars album of 2016 … or a hint to an unusual feature of this puzzle's answer grid : 24KMAGIC
45
"Fat chance!" : HAH
46
Classroom assignments : DESKS
48
Encouraged, with "on" : EGGED
49
Pressing : DIRE
50
Cred : REP
52
One-named Barbadian superstar : RIHANNA
54
Title nickname in a classic 1984 sports film : KARATEKID
60
Time when streetlights turn on : DUSK
61
"All right already, I'll do it!" : OKOK
62
Punk or funk : GENRE
64
Joined, as a table : SATAT
67
Edmonton athlete : OILER
69
Trinket : KNICKKNACK
71
Swedish coin : KRONA
72
Nursery song refrain : EIEIO
73
Really loving : INTO
74
Like a smart aleck : SASSY
75
Pushing against a boundary … like this answer? : EDGY
76
"Shreds," in winter sports lingo : SKIS
Down
1
___ Club : ELKS
2
Actress Dunham : LENA
3
Apollo mission mementos : MOONROCKS
4
Alternative to a strike [cough cough] : SICKOUT
5
Variety : ILK
6
Brooks & ___ (country duo) : DUNN
7
Literary download : EBOOK
8
Anime style involving giant robots : MECHA
9
Rocksteady precursor : SKA
10
Soothing home remedy for puffy eyes : TEABAGS
11
Spanish rice : ARROZ
12
Sorcerous elder of folklore : CRONE
13
Garden hose problems : KINKS
16
Go over lightly : SKIM
19
Enemy agency in "Get Smart" : KAOS
23
___ Maria (liqueur) : TIA
26
Beatles sobriquet : FAB4
28
See 68-Down : KROC
29
Slightly : ATAD
30
Go pit-a-pat : RACE
31
Enjoy : LIKE
35
Texter's [!!!] : OMG
36
Make "it," in a kids' game : TAG
37
Ripening agent : AGER
39
Body of policy advisers : THINKTANK
40
Take home : EARN
41
Bird named for a Titan : RHEA
43
Like some short tennis matches : 2SET
44
Contrite answer to "Who put the empty ice cream carton back in the freezer?" : IDID
47
Legendary sea monsters : KRAKENS
49
Some bottled waters : DASANIS
51
String tightener on a guitar : PEG
53
Ear covering : HUSK
54
Screwballs : KOOKS
55
Director Kurosawa : AKIRA
56
Caramel-filled candies : ROLOS
57
Actress Palmer of "Nope" : KEKE
58
Outie's counterpart : INNIE
59
Hung on the clothesline : DRIED
63
Vape pen, informally : ECIG
65
When Hamilton arrives in New York City, in "Hamilton" : ACTI
66
Some ring decisions, in brief : TKOS
68
With 28-Down, longtime McDonald's chief : RAY
70
Comedian Jo : KOY

Answer summary:
5 unique to this puzzle.

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