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New York Times, Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Author:
Mac Motz
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Mild-mannered characteristic?
TotalDebut
19/2/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0001000
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.65122.122%
Mac Motz

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 38 Missing: {JQZ} Spans: 1 This is the debut puzzle for Mr. Motz. Grid flow: 22.1 Wednesday freshness: 32%
Jim Horne notes:

Each theme answer and all the clues have two words starting with M. There are no other Ms in the grid or the clues.

Note the constructor's name.

1
M
2
A
3
N
4
D
5
M
6
S
7
P
8
A
9
D
10
B
11
A
12
T
13
H
14
M
A
T
R
O
N
15
O
N
E
16
A
S
I
A
17
S
A
H
A
R
A
18
R
I
C
19
O
C
H
E
T
20
M
A
G
21
I
C
M
A
R
K
E
R
S
22
D
23
E
A
L
24
S
H
A
D
E
S
25
T
U
X
26
S
27
I
S
28
L
E
G
29
A
30
K
31
A
32
A
R
I
33
A
34
C
U
35
E
36
O
37
G
L
E
D
38
M
I
S
C
39
H
I
E
F
40
M
41
A
N
A
G
E
D
42
P
A
T
T
Y
43
T
O
M
44
D
O
P
E
45
A
N
S
46
P
47
D
48
A
49
U
P
50
S
51
R
I
D
52
S
H
A
R
53
E
R
54
A
55
T
E
N
56
M
57
I
58
C
K
E
Y
M
A
N
59
T
L
E
60
I
L
L
I
N
O
I
S
61
R
I
P
62
S
63
A
64
W
65
C
L
O
P
66
L
E
E
67
A
V
I
A
T
E
68
E
S
T
S
69
D
S
L
70
M
A
D
M
E
N
© 2026, The New York Times9/2/26 ( No. 28,057 )
Across
1
"Melts in your mouth" candies ... or a hint to this puzzle's theme : MANDMS
7
Mattress or memo follower : PAD
10
Maine city near the mouth of the Kennebec River : BATH
14
Mama Morton of "Chicago," for one : MATRON
15
Meaning of "mono-" : ONE
16
Marco Polo made his way across it : ASIA
17
Much of Mali : SAHARA
18
Meet and glance off a bumper, as a pool ball might : RICOCHET
20
Multicolored implements in many art drawers : MAGICMARKERS
22
Markdown on Cyber Monday, e.g. : DEAL
24
Maroon and mahogany, for two : SHADES
25
Man's "monkey suit" : TUX
26
Mom-to-aunt moniker : SIS
28
Muscular part of a marathoner : LEG
29
Marshall Mathers ___ Eminem : AKA
32
Met melody : ARIA
34
Make sure not to miss it! : CUE
36
Made eyes at in the manner of a satyr : OGLED
38
Marauder's Map encryption phrase in "Harry Potter" : MISCHIEFMANAGED
42
Minced-meat cake : PATTY
43
Male meower : TOM
44
"Mega cool!," in modern lingo : DOPE
45
Multiple-choice selection on a midterm, say: Abbr. : ANS
46
Making out openly or a mobile device, in brief : PDA
49
Modern-day name for the American Messenger Co. : UPS
51
Make free (of), maybe : RID
52
Munificent man : SHARER
54
Maximum measure of attractiveness, say : ATEN
56
M.L.B. M.V.P. nicknamed the "Commerce Comet" : MICKEYMANTLE
60
Midwest state that's home to Moline : ILLINOIS
61
Many-toothed metal tool : RIPSAW
65
Much-heard sound from a horse in motion : CLOP
66
Martial arts master Bruce : LEE
67
Maneuver a monoplane, e.g. : AVIATE
68
Mechanics might provide them for their work: Abbr. : ESTS
69
Modern modem inits. : DSL
70
Maniacs, maybe : MADMEN
Down
1
Metric measurements: Abbr. : MMS
2
Motorists make up this org. : AAA
3
Maximum degree in math : NTH
4
Molière's or Mamet's field : DRAMA
5
Maxims discouraging misconduct : MORALS
6
Minor mishap : SNAG
7
Many a mailbox locale : PORCH
8
Marmot or marmoset : ANIMAL
9
Month multiplied by 120 : DECADE
10
Musters support for, as a mission : BACKS
11
Men's tennis champ with a Presidential Medal of Freedom : ASHE
12
Measure of a membership : TIER
13
Milliners manufacture them : HATS
19
Milwaukie and Mount Hood are here : OREGON
21
Matter to mull over : ISSUE
22
Malodorous Malaysian fruit : DURIAN
23
Manifests in the material world : EXISTS
25
Major metropolis on a bay of the same name : TAMPA
27
Map word in Marseille : ICI
29
Main man for Bill Clinton, 1993-2001 : ALGORE
30
Maintain, as movie footage : KEEPIN
31
Made a basic math calculation : ADDED
33
Magician's or marionettist's performance : ACT
35
Movement of money digitally from bank to bank, in brief : EFT
37
Meander mindlessly (about) : GAD
39
Mild-mannered characteristic? : HYPHEN
40
Miss badly, maybe : MOURN
41
Music magnifier at a concert : AMP
47
Made a mere 24 hours ago : DAYOLD
48
Military groups that meet in battle : ARMIES
50
Mouth moistener : SALIVA
52
Moves merrily : SKIPS
53
Mobile stand at a meeting : EASEL
55
Meh ... or medium-temp : TEPID
56
Miniature maze runners : MICE
57
Major misfortunes : ILLS
58
Medical mass : CLOT
59
Means of transport in a mine : TRAM
62
Musician Cooke who sang "You Send Me" : SAM
63
Made a meal of : ATE
64
Ming-Na of 1998's "Mulan" : WEN

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

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