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Open-Faced

New York Times, Sunday, November 2, 2025

Author:
Rafael Musa
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Agreements where one party takes some heat?
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
2210/21/202211/2/202515
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
60000115
CircleScrabDebutFlowFresh
21.5615945.876%
Rafael Musa

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 117, Blocks: 71 Missing: {JQZ} Grid has mirror symmetry. Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 22 for Mr. Musa. Grid flow: 49.5 Sunday freshness: 100%
Will Shortz notes:
Rafael Musa, of San Francisco, is a software engineer. His favorite kind of crossword to construct is themeless, like this one, because of the freedom it gives him in filling the ... read more
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© 2025, The New York Times11/2/25 ( No. 27,753 )
Across
1
Cause a mess, as with frying oil : SPLATTER
9
Create an intricate series of lies, say : SPINAWEB
17
Offerings to prospective bicycle buyers : TESTRIDES
19
"Ben-Hur" or "Lawrence of Arabia" : EPICDRAMA
20
Or more : ATAMINIMUM
22
Like many public housing projects : STATEAIDED
23
Comprehends : GETS
24
Way to manipulate public opinion through fear : SCARETACTIC
26
"The ___ is done" : DEED
27
Some ambulance destinations, for short : ERS
28
Ceramicists' devices : POTTERYWHEELS
30
Hog heaven? : STY
31
Wrong idea : FALSEIMPRESSION
33
Word with bean or lemon : CURD
34
___ Jones, author of "How We Fight for Our Lives" : SAEED
35
Tick off : MIFF
37
Pieces of art? : MOSAICS
40
Allude (to) : NOD
41
Winter Olympics event : BOBSLED
44
Agreements where one party takes some heat? : ARMSDEALS
46
Old-time theater item : MOVIEREEL
48
They point toward Mecca while salah is performed : PRAYERMATS
50
Evergreen pointer : PINENEEDLE
51
Sharpen : HONE
52
Natural process of maturing : SUNRIPENING
54
Airplane wing feature : FLAP
55
Girder whose name assumes a serif font : IBEAM
57
Paleolithic-era tools : STONEAXES
58
Have spiritual unity (with) : BEONE
59
Falsify : DOCTOR
61
___ syndrome (allergic reaction to some bug bites) : SKEETER
62
Actress and model Ali ___ : LARTER
63
Like some pricing strategies : TIERED
65
Annual awards whose name is an acronym : ESPYS
66
Affectedly clever : CUTESY
67
Allude (to) : REFER
69
Southwest landform : BUTTE
70
Smokey Bear spot, e.g., for short : PSA
73
Area with the highest percentage of homes valued at $1 million or more : SILICONVALLEY
79
[ha ha!] : LOL
82
Reddish-brown color : RUST
84
Ones skilled in governance : TECHNOCRATS
85
Gram : NANA
86
Return analogue : ENTER
88
"You're one to talk!" : THATSRICH
89
Mumbo jumbo : HOOEY
90
Instrument for which Beethoven and Mozart composed : FORTEPIANO
92
Drink order at a sushi restaurant : SAKEBOTTLE
94
What might have green rooms? : ECORESORT
95
Unlikely sportsmanship award winner : SORELOSER
96
___ Lupton, author of the 2010 best seller "Sister" : ROSAMUND
97
Quarter-barrel containers of beer : PONYKEGS
Down
1
Talking ___ (early dating period, in modern lingo) : STAGE
2
Fizzle (out) : PETER
3
Exams whose analytical reasoning sections were removed in 2024 : LSATS
4
PINpoints? : ATMS
5
Lead-in to state or Star : TRI
6
Typically red-coated toy figurines : TINSOLDIERS
7
Official proclamations : EDICTS
8
Try to produce better offspring from : REMATE
9
Bursts : SPATES
10
Feels for : PITIES
11
Sport with crampons and carabiners : ICECLIMBING
12
Document that promises secrecy, for short : NDA
13
Like the climate in Antarctica : ARID
14
Does the Narrows hike at Zion National Park, say : WADES
15
Become acquainted over Zoom, e.g. : EMEET
16
Villain : BADDY
18
"No doubt about it!" : SUREIS
19
Inscribed : ETCHED
21
Mythical creature with scales : MERMAN
22
Lost one's temper : SAWRED
25
Like some donations that anyone can accept : TYPEO
28
Pride celebration : PARADE
29
"That much is obvious" : SOISEE
31
Child who refuses to put things away? : FUSSYEATER
32
Flag thrower : NFLREFEREE
33
Olympic gymnast Nadia who was the first to receive a perfect 10 score : COMANECI
36
Livestock facilities regulated by the E.P.A. : FEEDLOTS
37
TV series starring Rami Malek as a hacktivist : MRROBOT
38
Absurdist philosopher born in Algeria : CAMUS
39
Perspectives : SLANTS
41
More difficult to eat, as fish : BONIER
42
Tandoors, e.g. : OVENS
43
Lucy ___, African American slave narrator : DELANEY
44
Garden pest : APHID
45
Butterfly, e.g. : STROKE
46
Cheeky flirts : MINXES
47
Sufferer healed by Jesus : LEPER
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Unit circle ratios : SINES
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Like some soils high in organic matter : PEATY
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Small protestation : PEEP
56
Sociologist's concern : MORES
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Eccentric : BATTY
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Update the equipment in : REFIT
62
Musical instruments that become other musical instruments when an F is added to the front : LUTES
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Erasure : DELETION
66
Person idolized by a niche audience : CULTHERO
68
Physics Nobelist Feynman : RICHARD
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Covert mission, familiarly : BLACKOP
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Be partial to : PREFER
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Shell competitor : SUNOCO
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Daikin Park team : ASTROS
74
Gregorian ___ : CHANT
75
Aware of : ONTO
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We, in Portuguese : NOS
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Bygone devices whose tapes had to be rewound : VCRS
78
Teatro alla Scala solos : ARIAS
79
Ancient philosopher whose name means "old master" : LAOTSE
80
Support for the tree pose in yoga : ONELEG
81
Strategy against fickle weather : LAYERS
83
One more than 5-Down : TETRA
85
Unacceptable : NOTOK
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___ Kassis, author of "The Arabesque Table" : REEM
89
Hallowed : HOLY
91
Nittany Lions' sch. : PSU
93
Big ___ : BEN

Answer summary:
18 unique to this puzzle, 5 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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