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Swing States

New York Times, Sunday, November 9, 2025

Author:
Amie Walker
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Like someone who experiences little to no amorous and sexual attraction, for short
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
412/25/202311/9/20254
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1210000
RebusScrabDebutFlowFresh
11.662436.036%
Amie Walker

This puzzle:

Rows: 21, Columns: 21 Words: 140, Blocks: 68 Puzzle has duplicate clues. This is puzzle # 4 for Ms. Walker. Grid flow: 47.7 Sunday freshness: 83%
Will Shortz notes:
Amie Walker is an attorney in Chandler, Ariz., a locale that's relevant to this puzzle. Her starting point was her reinterpretation of the answer at 117-Across. Besides the theme, Amie ... read more
Jim Horne notes:

If you're solving online, the bi-directional rebus squares accept a variety of different formats as correct. "UT/NV", "NV/UT", "UTNV", "NVUT", "UT", and "NV" all work for the first one.

1
S
2
I
3
F
4
T
5
S
6
M
7
A
8
R
9
T
10
Y
11
R
12
I
13
S
14
L
15
E
16
B
17
I
18
D
19
A
S
A
H
I
20
I
N
A
W
A
Y
21
M
C
A
T
22
E
D
U
23
Y
O
UTNV
A
L
24
K
I
N
T
O
M
E
25
N
O
S
H
26
E
I
D
27
I
G
O
T
T
A
28
A
I
M
29
C
O
N
T
E
30
S
T
S
31
D
O
T
32
M
33
E
N
T
A
34
L
35
N
O
T
E
36
R
O
J
A
37
S
38
O
N
E
39
S
40
T
A
R
41
E
N
O
U
G
HIAK
S
42
E
N
O
U
G
H
43
P
I
L
A
44
F
45
O
M
N
I
46
R
E
T
I
R
E
47
B
48
A
49
T
O
N
50
T
E
51
C
52
H
53
B
A
D
54
F
I
T
55
C
E
L
56
C
L
O
T
57
M
O
MTWA
O
B
58
E
59
C
A
L
C
60
F
E
E
L
61
C
O
U
L
62
D
A
63
N
O
C
A
64
L
65
N
E
I
66
L
L
67
S
T
R
E
A
K
68
E
D
69
U
S
O
70
Y
A
D
A
Y
71
A
72
D
73
A
74
S
H
E
L
F
75
S
E
R
76
U
M
77
L
O
L
C
A
T
78
A
79
P
80
B
S
81
A
S
A
82
P
83
S
I
M
O
84
N
E
85
U
H
N
O
86
S
O
O
87
N
B
A
R
E
88
F
89
S
A
R
I
90
T
R
Y
O
N
91
I
T
S
92
O
NMOR
E
93
B
Y
E
94
S
95
E
M
96
C
E
E
97
C
A
S
S
E
T
98
T
E
T
A
P
99
E
100
S
101
B
O
X
S
102
E
103
T
104
S
105
S
T
I
L
T
106
S
T
O
R
A
G
E
107
B
I
N
108
Q
V
C
109
O
N
O
U
110
R
O
W
N
111
G
A
L
112
A
113
S
114
S
U
R
E
115
A
B
E
116
R
O
T
E
117
W
118
E
S
T
E
119
R
N
U
N
I
O
N
120
B
U
S
121
N
O
S
E
122
A
R
O
A
C
E
123
P
I
N
O
T
124
A
D
S
125
S
K
I
N
126
R
A
N
C
H
O
127
S
T
E
M
S
© 2025, The New York Times11/9/25 ( No. 27,760 )
Across
1
Prepares for baking, as flour : SIFTS
6
Joan of Arc, for one : MARTYR
12
Aruba or Jamaica : ISLE
16
Pinochle action : BID
19
Popular Japanese beer : ASAHI
20
"Sort of" : INAWAY
21
Exam for a future OB/GYN : MCAT
22
www.asu.___ : EDU
23
Iconic line from Robert De Niro in "Taxi Driver" : YOUTALKINTOME
25
Have a little snack : NOSH
26
End-of-Ramadan feast : EID
27
"No other option for me" : IGOTTA
28
Early chat app with a Buddy List, in brief : AIM
29
Challenges : CONTESTS
31
What distinguishes "bet" from "vet" in Hebrew : DOT
32
Reminder to oneself : MENTALNOTE
36
M.L.B. shortstop Miguel : ROJAS
38
"Don't see this movie" rating : ONESTAR
41
"I've had it!" : ENOUGHISENOUGH
43
Seasoned rice dish : PILAF
45
Prefix meaning "all" : OMNI
46
Call it a night : RETIRE
47
Something a majorette twirls : BATON
50
Part of STEM, for short : TECH
53
Incompatibility : BADFIT
55
Animation sheet : CEL
56
Form a clump : CLOT
57
Certain expectant parent : MOMTOBE
59
A.P. math subj. : CALC
60
Intuitive sense : FEEL
61
Woulda-shoulda connector : COULDA
63
Very lite : NOCAL
65
Sam of "Jurassic Park" : NEILL
67
Was gone in a flash? : STREAKED
69
G.I. entertainment grp. : USO
70
"... you get the picture" : YADAYADA
74
Elevated seabed : SHELF
75
Moisturizing product : SERUM
77
Meme feline : LOLCAT
78
Emergency alerts, for short : APBS
81
"Don't dillydally!" : ASAP
83
Gymnast Biles : SIMONE
85
"Sorry, I don't think so" : UHNO
86
Phillipa of the original "Hamilton" cast : SOO
87
Traveler's check, in brief? : NBAREF
89
Wrapped garment : SARI
90
Wear for just a moment, say : TRYON
91
"Put your wallet away" : ITSONME
93
Tournament advantages : BYES
95
Show host : EMCEE
97
Any activities on them need to be wound up : CASSETTETAPES
101
"Best of" collections, often : BOXSETS
105
Circus prop : STILT
106
Crate & Barrel product : STORAGEBIN
108
Home shopping channel : QVC
109
1990s ABC sitcom about kids growing up without their parents : ONOUROWN
111
___ pal (rhyming friend) : GAL
112
Leave with no doubt : ASSURE
115
Homer Simpson's dad : ABE
116
Repetitive way of learning : ROTE
117
Telegraph pioneer, or a description of four squares in this puzzle : WESTERNUNION
120
Do a restaurant job : BUS
121
The "N" in E.N.T. : NOSE
122
Like someone who experiences little to no amorous and sexual attraction, for short : AROACE
123
Wine specialty of the Burgundy region : PINOT
124
Sponsored spots : ADS
125
Hide : SKIN
126
___ Cucamonga, Calif. : RANCHO
127
Features of some wineglasses : STEMS
Down
1
Tie the knot : SAYIDO
2
Figure with equal angles : ISOGON
3
Chance for supporters to induct athletes into the All-Star Game : FANVOTE
4
"You can say ___ again!" : THAT
5
River deposit : SILT
6
1,002, in old Rome : MII
7
Peace Nobelist Kofi : ANNAN
8
Kiwi or ostrich : RATITE
9
Like the teams of Starsky & Hutch and Cheech & Chong : TWOMAN
10
West African crop : YAM
11
Bread for a corned beef sandwich : RYE
12
"Treat me like an adult, MOM!" : IMNOTAKIDANYMORE
13
Servings at teas : SCONES
14
Hold up well : LAST
15
Way to get online : ETHERNET
16
V8 component : BEETJUICE
17
"Au contraire" : IDISAGREE
18
Disappointing firework : DUD
24
"The ___ Smith Show" (Apple TV offering) : KAMAL
29
After-dinner brandy : COGNAC
30
Residue on Santa's suit : SOOT
33
Muse of lyric poetry : ERATO
34
Bathroom, to Mary Poppins : LOO
35
Like a foot that's fallen asleep : NUMB
37
Pistachio eater's discard : SHELL
39
Pristine : SPOTLESS
40
Cookie container : TIN
42
"Spamalot" co-creator : ERICIDLE
44
47
Emails discreetly : BCCS
48
Bunches and bunches : ALOT
49
Sightseeing excursion : TOUR
51
Whisper affectionately : COO
52
Howard and Spelman, for two: Abbr. : HBCUS
54
Pet-biting pest : FLEA
57
Wager : MAKEABET
58
Reduces, as anxiety : EASES
60
Handcrafted items in a fishing tackle box : FLYLURES
62
"Lah-di-___!" : DAH
64
Nocturnal primate of the Indian forest : LORIS
66
Language in which "one, two, three" is "neung, song, sam" : LAO
68
"Frozen" queen : ELSA
71
"___ Breaky Heart" : ACHY
72
Paul ___, "There Will Be Blood" actor : DANO
73
Bunches and bunches : ATON
76
Actress Thurman : UMA
78
New Balance competitor : ASICS
79
"Eye" on a spud : POTATOBUD
80
What strong leadership may be perceived as : BOSSINESS
82
Former QB Manning : PEYTON
84
Rain clouds : NIMBI
87
"All sales final" : NORETURNS
88
Phobia : FEAR
90
State that spans two time zones: Abbr. : TEX
92
City that's home to the Munch Museum : OSLO
94
Beauty spot : SPA
96
Funny O'Brien : CONAN
98
Athol Fugard novel adapted as an Academy Award-winning film : TSOTSI
99
Goads into action : EGGSON
100
Airport near Puget Sound : SEATAC
102
Like onagers and zebras : EQUINE
103
Where you might put on a show? : TVROOM
104
Air freshener choices : SCENTS
107
"Yuck!" : BLECH
110
Corner chess piece : ROOK
113
Has an evening meal : SUPS
114
Grumpy mood : SNIT
115
Org. for lawyers : ABA
117
Luck-based card game : WAR
118
"The Life of a Showgirl," for Taylor Swift : ERA
119
Rock's ___ Speedwagon : REO

Answer summary:
13 unique to this puzzle, 1 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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