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New York Times, Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Author:
Morton J. Mendelson
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Game that everyone but one person barely loses?
TotalDebutLatest
45/19/20161/17/2024
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0002200
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.591623.246%
Morton J. Mendelson

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 39 Missing: {JQWXZ} This is puzzle # 4 for Mr. Mendelson. Grid flow: 22.7 Wednesday freshness: 73%
Jim Horne notes:

Eight theme answers start reading across, then drop down, repeating the crossing letter. For example, the answer at 1-Across is FAST TRACK.

1
F
2
A
3
S
T
5
S
6
P
7
L
8
I
T
10
H
11
O
12
L
D
14
U
S
E
R
15
U
T
E
R
I
16
A
M
I
E
17
N
A
D
A
18
M
A
G
I
C
19
L
I
M
A
20
K
N
A
C
21
K
S
22
A
S
K
23
A
F
T
E
R
24
S
A
N
K
A
25
I
T
H
E
L
P
26
N
27
E
R
O
28
T
E
A
29
S
30
E
R
32
P
33
E
P
35
G
R
A
S
S
37
S
O
D
A
38
I
S
I
39
T
A
R
T
40
K
41
E
42
P
T
F
I
T
43
B
A
L
E
44
E
45
D
I
T
H
46
A
T
E
47
B
U
L
L
48
E
T
50
O
R
C
A
51
L
A
R
52
I
A
T
53
S
54
T
55
R
56
I
P
58
S
59
A
60
H
A
R
A
N
S
61
Y
E
A
H
N
O
62
L
O
A
F
63
I
G
I
64
V
E
65
C
O
N
K
66
A
N
T
I
67
N
O
D
A
T
68
O
D
I
E
69
B
E
E
B
70
S
T
O
L
I
71
S
E
E
R
© 2024, The New York Times1/17/24 ( No. 27,098 )
Across
1
Accelerated path of advancement : FASTTRACK
5
Ballot with votes for multiple parties : SPLITTICKET
10
Cherish : HOLDDEAR
14
___ manual : USER
15
Pre-nursing homes? : UTERI
16
Female friend, in French : AMIE
17
Nothin' : NADA
18
Potter's area of expertise : MAGIC
19
Kind of bean in succotash : LIMA
20
Special talents : KNACKS
22
Inquire about the health of : ASKAFTER
24
Product once advertised with the slogan "Everything you love about coffee without everything you don't" : SANKA
25
What an office computer whiz might provide, for short : ITHELP
26
Last Julio-Claudian emperor : NERO
28
Promotion for a new credit account, maybe : TEASERRATE
32
Stimulating drug, informally : PEPPILL
35
Bit of traditional Polynesian attire : GRASSSKIRT
37
Mixed drink mixer : SODA
38
Question often preceded by "But ..." : ISITART
40
Stayed in shape : KEPTFIT
43
Big bundle : BALE
44
Novelist Wharton : EDITH
46
Eroded, with "away" : ATE
47
Ultra-rapid transit options : BULLETTRAINS
50
Orcinus ___ (marine species) : ORCA
51
Bit of cowhand's gear : LARIAT
53
Game that everyone but one person barely loses? : STRIPPOKER
58
Many North Africans : SAHARANS
61
"Interesting idea, but ... huh-uh" : YEAHNO
62
Kick back : LOAF
63
"OK, that's it for me!" : IGIVE
65
Crash, with "out" : CONK
66
Prefix with thesis : ANTI
67
Silently acknowledge : NODAT
68
Toon with yellow fur : ODIE
69
U.K. network moniker, with "the" : BEEB
70
Smirnoff competitor, familiarly : STOLI
71
One with an eye on the future? : SEER
Down
1
Low states : FUNKS
2
Downward dog in yoga, e.g. : ASANA
3
Hatchback alternative : SEDAN
5
Totals : SUMS
6
Org. that may be involved in field trip planning : PTA
7
Musical passages with smooth, connected notes : LEGATOS
8
Kind of terrier : IRISH
10
1:30 or 2:30, e.g. : HALFPAST
11
Drop : OMIT
12
Shade of green : LIME
21
Mother in the Hundred Acre Wood : KANGA
23
Sierra Nevada, e.g. : ALE
25
Really ticked off : IRATE
27
What you might do on the side of caution : ERR
29
Two-seater, perhaps : SOFA
30
Toolbar heading : EDIT
32
___ Xtra (soft drink) : PIBB
33
Biblical twin : ESAU
39
Bend the truth, say : TELLAFIB
41
When doubled, "You get the idea" : ETC
42
Adolescence, for one : PHASE
45
"Copy me" : DOASIDO
48
You might play something by this : EAR
52
Expensive bar : INGOT
54
Section of Chipotle's menu : TACOS
55
___ Island : RHODE
56
Bellybutton type, informally : INNIE
58
Big slice : SLAB
59
Top-notch : AONE
60
"I am free of all prejudices. I ___ everyone equally": W. C. Fields : HATE
61
Subject of a hairy hoax : YETI
64
Kilmer of Batman fame : VAL

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

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