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Eugene T. Maleska
Eugene T. Maleska

"STEPQUOTE"

New York Times, Sunday, January 19, 1969

9-Down : Very short pencil

Author:
Eugene T. Maleska
Editor:
Will Weng
Rows: 23, Columns: 23, Words: 162, Blocks: 90, Avg Word Len: 5.42, Missing: { J Q X Z }, Scrabble score: 603 (avg 1.37)
Open Squares: 150, Cheaters: 12, FITB: 7, XRef: 1, Words that never appeared in a previous NYT crossword: 18 Grid has duplicate clues.
Eugene T. Maleska has 411 known pre-Shortz puzzles in our database.
Jim Horne notes:

The stepquote reads, "Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits."

1
N
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O
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T
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H
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U
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R
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B
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A
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R
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D
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S
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T
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R
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G
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S
A
L
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P
A
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S
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C
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A
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M
A
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P
R
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C
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R
A
L
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B
E
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G
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A
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G
A
R
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H
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T
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E
N
O
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A
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S
M
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A
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L
O
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G
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A
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U
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P
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R
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E
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A
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A
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T
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D
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S
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O
F
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F
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S
A
Y
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T
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O
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E
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S
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D
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R
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E
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A
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L
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D
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D
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T
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M
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C
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T
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S
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M
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A
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U
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A
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I
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D
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N
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E
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U
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N
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A
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M
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P
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F
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G
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Y
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L
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S
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D
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S
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N
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O
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C
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C
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E
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E
W
E
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S
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C
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N
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S
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D
O
U
R
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T
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M
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A
R
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G
P
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S
113
S
T
R
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I
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T
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T
R
O
116
P
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E
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S
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A
L
E
M
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M
E
A
121
D
122
H
E
R
P
E
123
O
124
B
U
R
N
T
125
L
E
N
I
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S
127
E
A
G
E
128
R
129
C
H
I
P
130
S
131
S
E
G
O
132
I
N
D
133
T
134
I
N
K
E
R
E
135
R
136
H
O
L
L
O
137
S
138
C
I
A
139
A
D
A
140
M
A
N
T
141
N
I
N
E
142
T
E
N
143
E
L
E
144
M
E
N
T
145
N
A
T
I
V
E
S
146
E
V
A
D
E
R
S
147
S
T
R
I
P
E
S
148
R
E
N
E
E
149
S
E
N
S
E
S
150
H
A
B
I
T
S
© 1969, The New York TimesNo. 7,099
Across
1
Start of an eight-word "Stepquote" ending at 150 Across : NOTHIN
7
Small-time operator : BUSHER
13
Parnassians : BARDS
18
Road job : TARRING
19
Crisp cracker : SALTINE
20
Soirees : PARTIES
22
Gets one's bearings : ORIENTS
23
Franken heroine : CLAUDIA
24
Chilean desert : ATACAMA
25
Money player : PRO
26
Bach opus : CHORAL
28
Exceeded the resources of : BEGGARED
30
Needlefish : GAR
31
Standstill : HALT
33
___ Gay, historic plane : ENOLA
34
Trifling : SMALL
35
Together : ALONG
37
Took pleasure in : ATEUP
39
Part of "Stepquote" : EEDSRE
42
B'way group : ANTA
43
Sweeten the pot : ANTE
44
Proven : TESTED
46
Put in relief : SETOFF
48
Utter : SAY
49
Author of "Stepquote" : TWAIN
50
Bills : ONES
52
Roundabout way : DETOUR
54
Construct : REAR
56
D-Day vessel : LCT
57
Certain rummy cards : TURNUPS
60
Moved swiftly : DARTED
62
Mind over platter : DIET
64
Science fiction site : MARS
65
Social asset : TACT
67
Hits hard : SMITES
69
Raid : MARAUD
73
Eastern title : AGA
74
Very funny! : HAHA
76
Actress Massey : ILONA
77
Turkish city : EDIRNE
78
Zero : NONE
80
Stubborn : UNREGENERATED
83
Southern France : MIDI
84
Prayer : ORISON
86
Part of an antler : PRONG
87
Tupelo or wicopy : TREE
88
Family member : SIS
89
Rich repasts : FEASTS
90
Knitted cape : SONTAG
92
Whoop : YELL
94
Mailed : SENT
95
Sweetsop : ATES
97
Printers' double daggers : DIESES
99
Geological period : NEOCENE
101
Cold cubes : ICE
104
Sheep : EWES
106
Hags : CRONES
108
Sullen : DOUR
109
David's daughter : TAMAR
111
A.M.A. members : GPS
113
Gide's "___ Is the Gate" : STRAIT
115
Figures of speech : TROPES
119
Turkish standard : ALEM
120
Man-made lake : MEAD
122
Part of "Stepquote" : HERPEO
124
___ umber : BURNT
125
Opp. of fortis : LENIS
127
Fervent : EAGER
129
Partner of fish : CHIPS
131
Utah flower : SEGO
132
Neither Dem. nor Rep. : IND
133
Do-it-yourself man : TINKERER
136
Shouts : HOLLOS
138
D.C. group : CIA
139
Unyielding : ADAMANT
141
End of a K.O. count : NINETEN
143
Krypton, for one : ELEMENT
145
Indigenous group : NATIVES
146
Dodgers : EVADERS
147
Rank symbols : STRIPES
148
Ballerina Jeanmaire : RENEE
149
Perceives : SENSES
150
End of "Stepquote" : HABITS
Down
1
Tell : NARRATE
2
Memorial Stadium team : ORIOLES
3
Three in Roma : TRE
4
Hence: Latin : HINC
5
___ dark : INTHE
6
Part of "Stepquote" : NGSONE
7
Stabilized : BALLASTED
8
Gums : ULA
9
Very short pencil : STUB
10
Trapper's cache : HIDES
11
Mystery : ENIGMA
12
Family at Sacramento : REAGANS
13
Moderate : BATE
14
Tilled land : ARADA
15
Army group: Abbr. : RTC
16
Twill weave : DIAGONAL
17
Of word meanings : SEMANTIC
18
Items for heads with tails : TOPHAT
19
Cooked, in a way : SCALDED
20
Reinvested stakes : PARLAYED
21
U. S. painter : SARGENT
27
Some Richards : ROES
29
Place for a frontal : ALTAR
32
Coaches : TUTORS
36
Principle : LAW
38
Ivy League team : PENN
40
Rosters : ROTAS
41
Part of "Stepquote" : EFORMINGASOTH
45
Part of O. T. : DEUT
47
Vain : FUTILE
49
Tire mark : TREAD
51
Famous southpaw : SPAHN
53
Wry reply : RETORT
55
Intended : AIMED
57
Sir Rabindranath : TAGORE
58
Sister of Clio : URANIA
59
Steep slopes : SCARPS
61
Tenfold : DENARY
63
Shipshape : TRIM
64
___ few words : MANOF
66
Symbol of discipline : THEROD
68
Glossy fabric : SATEEN
70
Gone up : ARISEN
71
Water nymph : UNDINE
72
Follower of a belief : DEIST
75
Not forming an angle : AGONIC
79
Artificial satellite : ESSA
80
Take out stitches : UNSEW
81
Makes a debut : ENTERS
82
Sniggled : EELED
85
Coat fur : OTTER
91
Category : GENRE
93
Boodle : LOOT
94
Like an antitoxin : SEROUS
96
Parts : SEGMENTS
98
Customs officers : SEARCHERS
100
Check : CURB
101
Romance language : ITALIAN
102
"Pudd'nhead Wilson's ___," source of "Stepquote" : CALENDAR
103
Correct mss. : EMENDATE
105
Hold forth : SPEAK
107
Draws off : SIPHONS
110
"What ___ bid?" : AMI
112
Russian length units : SAGENES
114
European linden : TEIL
116
Maxim : PRECEPT
117
Airport roarers : ENGINES
118
Ermines in brown : STOATS
121
Infer : DERIVE
123
Part of "Stepquote" : OPLESH
126
Rung : STAVE
128
French writer: 1823-92 : RENAN
130
Adriatic island : SOLTA
134
Arrow poison : INEE
135
Colors : REDS
137
Belgradian : SERB
140
Sixty secs : MIN
142
Kickoff gadget : TEE
144
Twice DI : MII

Answer summary:
10 unique to this puzzle, 8 debuted here and reused later, 12 appeared only in pre-Shortz puzzles.

Found bugs or have suggestions? Please let us know.

Crosswords published prior to Nov. 21, 1993 are provided by David Steinberg and The Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project.

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