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New York Times, Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Author:
Dario Salvucci
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
Character in "Monsters, Inc."
TotalDebutLatest
32/5/20269/9/2026
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0002100
ScrabDebutFlowFresh
1.65927.837%
Dario Salvucci

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JQYZ} This is puzzle # 3 for Mr. Salvucci. Grid flow: 27.4 Wednesday freshness: 55%
Jim Horne notes:

Six idioms are clued via their original (or purported) nautical meanings.

1
B
2
E
3
T
4
B
5
U
6
I
7
L
8
D
9
P
10
U
11
P
12
A
13
E
14
E
X
O
15
E
N
D
O
R
16
E
R
U
P
T
17
A
C
E
18
L
O
O
S
E
19
C
A
N
N
O
N
20
M
O
T
21
T
O
22
L
E
G
U
P
23
S
P
A
24
S
P
H
I
N
25
X
26
S
T
O
27
P
28
E
D
G
E
29
R
30
S
31
E
D
I
32
T
33
O
34
R
35
M
36
U
L
E
37
N
O
U
38
N
39
S
P
A
D
E
40
O
H
I
O
41
A
T
S
E
42
A
43
E
K
E
D
44
C
O
N
V
45
O
46
H
A
R
K
47
D
E
A
D
48
S
H
E
E
N
49
S
50
N
O
I
51
R
O
N
52
R
E
E
53
F
54
N
E
W
A
55
G
56
E
57
I
58
S
59
H
60
C
L
A
61
P
62
S
63
U
N
B
O
X
64
T
H
E
65
D
O
L
D
R
U
66
M
S
67
A
T
E
68
C
O
M
M
A
69
E
E
R
I
E
70
C
T
R
71
H
O
I
S
T
72
S
P
E
N
D
73
K
I
T
© 2026, The New York Times9/9/26 ( No. 28,064 )
Across
1
"OK," in modern slang : BET
4
Develop : BUILD
9
Postlarval insects : PUPAE
14
Prefix with skeleton : EXO
15
Ewok's home : ENDOR
16
Blow, as 13-Down does repeatedly : ERUPT
17
Top starter : ACE
18
Unsecured artillery that can slide across the deck : LOOSECANNON
20
"Semper Fidelis," for one : MOTTO
22
Advantage : LEGUP
23
Me-time destination : SPA
24
Creature of Egyptian myth : SPHINX
26
Bus schedule component : STOP
28
Some landscaping equipment : EDGERS
31
Worker who's behind the Times? : EDITOR
35
Plow puller of old : MULE
37
"Verb," ironically : NOUN
39
Part of a black suit : SPADE
40
Its three largest cities all have names starting with C : OHIO
41
Completely lost ... or where the now-idiomatic answer to each italicized clue has a literal meaning : ATSEA
43
Barely made (out) : EKED
44
Chat, informally : CONVO
46
Old-timey "Listen!" : HARK
47
Out of juice : DEAD
48
Paint options : SHEENS
50
Permanent-press : NOIRON
52
Part of many a shallow-water ecosystem : REEF
54
Music genre for some yoga classes : NEWAGE
57
Suffix with devil : ISH
60
Expresses approval, in a way : CLAPS
63
Remove from its original packaging, say : UNBOX
64
Equatorial ocean area notorious for lack of winds : THEDOLDRUMS
67
Consumed : ATE
68
Character in "Monsters, Inc." : COMMA
69
Like many a campfire story : EERIE
70
Hiker to a QB: Abbr. : CTR
71
Elevate, as a flag : HOIST
72
Shell out cash : SPEND
73
Word with sewing or starter : KIT
Down
1
Has a happy face : BEAMS
2
Former member of the force : EXCOP
3
Stand barefoot in formation along seams of deck planks : TOETHELINE
4
Fit in : BELONG
5
Game in which players draw and skip : UNO
6
Big celebrity : IDOL
7
When repeated, leading only to bad outcomes : LOSE
8
Leftovers : DREGS
9
Stir-fry add-ins : PEAPODS
10
Decorative vessel : URN
11
"Sofa, so good" and such : PUNS
12
Each : APOP
13
Sicilian smoker : ETNA
19
___ as a bug's ear : CUTE
21
Drift with the natural flow of currents : TIDEOVER
25
TV's "Warrior Princess" : XENA
27
Bosun's whistled call signaling a shift change : PIPEDOWN
29
I.R.A. classification : ROTH
30
Lazy ___ : SUSAN
32
Flattened against the masts in a changing wind : TAKENABACK
33
Roman theaters : ODEA
34
Comedian Foxx : REDD
35
Soft leather shoes, for short : MOCS
36
"That's not good" : UHOH
38
Fiddler-emperor, legend has it : NERO
42
Similar : AKIN
45
Minimal paint job : ONECOAT
49
Promote : SELL
51
Not just thrown away, say : REUSED
53
Gradually tapered cuts : FADES
55
Jailed New York crime boss : GOTTI
56
Wield, as authority : EXERT
57
Bite reminder, maybe : ITCH
58
"Get away!" : SHOO
59
Prefix with sphere : HEMI
61
Dice peppers, e.g. : PREP
62
Positive : SURE
65
Personally contacts online, for short : DMS
66
Max's opposite : MIN

Answer summary:
1 unique to this puzzle.

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