This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

New York Times, Saturday, July 18, 2026

Author:
Ryan Judge
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
"Sorry, that's way above my pay grade"
TotalDebutLatest
72/2/20247/18/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0000016
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.583957.677%
Ryan Judge

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 35 Missing: {Z} This is puzzle # 7 for Mr. Judge. Grid flow: 55.1 Saturday freshness: 30%
Ryan Judge notes:
I made this puzzle toward the end of my five-month super-long summer after my college graduation last year, and it was accepted a ... read more
1
T
2
E
3
A
4
M
5
E
6
L
7
F
8
S
9
W
10
I
11
S
12
S
13
O
X
F
A
14
M
15
T
E
R
16
M
L
I
M
I
T
17
S
C
O
R
E
18
S
T
U
D
Y
D
A
T
E
19
P
U
R
I
S
20
T
21
S
I
S
22
E
G
A
N
23
A
S
T
O
24
H
25
E
F
T
26
Q
B
E
R
T
27
R
E
I
28
S
E
L
L
29
H
U
E
30
E
M
O
31
J
I
K
E
Y
32
B
O
A
R
33
D
34
E
R
O
T
I
C
35
L
A
C
T
I
36
C
37
I
J
U
S
T
38
W
O
R
K
H
E
R
39
E
40
O
P
S
41
R
O
D
S
42
G
E
M
43
G
44
R
45
U
B
S
46
T
I
M
E
47
T
O
M
B
48
L
O
L
A
49
F
I
T
50
D
51
E
A
L
E
R
52
A
U
T
O
53
S
A
V
E
54
S
55
B
L
U
E
Y
56
S
T
R
I
K
E
O
U
T
57
B
O
N
G
O
58
S
E
A
L
Y
59
S
P
Y
60
N
A
G
S
© 2026, The New York Times7/18/26 ( No. 28,011 )
Across
1
Unite, with "up" : TEAM
5
Many an extra in the "Lord of the Rings" movies : ELF
8
Like fondue, traditionally : SWISS
13
Nairobi-based collection of NGOs : OXFAM
15
Restriction on how much one can serve : TERMLIMIT
17
Conductor's reference : SCORE
18
Opportunity to compare notes, perhaps : STUDYDATE
19
Very traditional sort : PURIST
21
Khloe, Kim or Kourtney, familiarly : SIS
22
Jennifer who won a Pulitzer for "A Visit From the Goon Squad" : EGAN
23
Concerning : ASTO
24
Weight : HEFT
26
Orange video game character who appears in "Wreck-It Ralph" : QBERT
27
Retailer with mountains in its logo : REI
28
Persuade, as on a course of action : SELL
29
Shade : HUE
30
Smartphone feature that debuted worldwide in 2011 : EMOJIKEYBOARD
34
Hot : EROTIC
35
Kind of acid partly responsible for sourdough's tang : LACTIC
37
"Sorry, that's way above my pay grade" : IJUSTWORKHERE
40
Black ___ : OPS
41
Line holders : RODS
42
Brilliant example : GEM
43
Digs up by the roots : GRUBS
46
Cry at the end of a countdown : TIME
47
Dead center? : TOMB
48
Song whose titular subject has a "dark brown voice" : LOLA
49
Mesh : FIT
50
One side of many a transaction : DEALER
52
Backs up on its own, say : AUTOSAVES
55
Titular animated dog of children's TV : BLUEY
56
Go down swinging, perhaps : STRIKEOUT
57
What might add a bit of flavor to a salsa? : BONGO
58
Company bought by Tempur-Pedic in 2012 : SEALY
59
W.W. II-era occupation for baseball's Moe Berg, following his playing career : SPY
60
Rides : NAGS
Down
1
Left : TOSPARE
2
"Um ... what?!" : EXCUSEME
3
With even stronger reasoning, in law : AFORTIORI
4
Super man? : MARIO
5
Quite a few characters in 2025's "Elio," for short : ETS
6
Unleashes : LETSFLY
7
Results of one's labors, so to speak : FRUIT
8
Shrewd : SLY
9
You might give this to someone you want to avoid : WIDEBERTH
10
Outward appearance : IMAGE
11
Instrument that's held at about a 45-degree angle from the player's body : SITAR
12
Inner tube? : STENT
14
"Bonjour, ___ amis!" : MES
16
Figures listed on Zocdoc, for short : MDS
20
Gustav Klimt masterpiece : THEKISS
25
Choose : ELECT
26
Charlatans : QUACKS
28
Exercises with a "butterfly" variation, in which the soles of one's feet are pressed together : SITUPS
29
Overtook? : HOARDED
31
Cosmetic additive that comes from the Southwest : JOJOBAOIL
32
Flowering period : BLOOM
33
Actor who plays the title role on TV's "Andor" : DIEGOLUNA
36
Classic Easter treat : CREMEEGG
38
Report : WRITEUP
39
Items frozen in cryopreservation : EMBRYOS
43
Flute, for one : GLASS
44
Way : ROUTE
45
Prefix with marathon : ULTRA
46
Bygone recorders : TIVOS
47
Grabber : TALON
49
Race of supernatural spirits : FAE
51
Fall back : EBB
53
You might look up to this : SKY
54
Unpleasant digs : STY

Answer summary:
4 unique to this puzzle.

Log in or purchase a subscription to view an analysis of this puzzle.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Like this puzzle? Please share this page on social media to help spread the word about XWord Info. Thanks!

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2026, Jim Horne
27 ms