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Michael Lieberman
NY Times, Sun Feb 15, 2026 Puns and Anagrams
Author:
Michael Lieberman
Editor:
Will Shortz
Rows: 15, Columns: 15, Words: 72, Blocks: 34
1 A | 2 I | 3 L | 4 S | | 5 B | 6 A | 7 S | 8 S | | 9 S | 10 P | 11 A | 12 C | 13 E |
14 S | T | A | T | 15 E | L | I | N | E | | 16 A | R | M | O | R |
17 A | S | P | E | N | T | R | E | E | | 18 T | I | B | I | A |
19 P | O | S | E | D | | 20 B | E | T | 21 H | | 22 C | E | L | S |
| 23 N | E | R | U | 24 D | A | | 25 H | I | 26 K | E | R | | |
| | | | 27 S | I | G | 28 N | I | F | I | C | A | 29 N | 30 T |
31 B | 32 A | 33 D | 34 B | E | T | | 35 A | N | I | M | A | L | I | A |
36 A | B | I | E | | | 37 B | O | G | | | 38 P | E | L | T |
39 M | U | S | H | 40 R | 41 O | O | M | | 42 M | 43 A | S | S | E | S |
44 S | T | R | E | A | M | L | I | 45 N | E | D | | | | |
| | 46 E | M | E | N | D | | 47 A | D | O | 48 R | 49 B | 50 S | |
51 O | 52 P | P | O | | 53 I | M | 54 A | M | | 55 P | O | U | T | 56 S |
57 M | O | A | T | 58 S | | 59 O | V | E | 60 R | T | O | N | E | S |
61 E | L | I | H | U | | 62 V | I | R | U | S | S | C | A | N |
63 N | O | R | S | E | | 64 E | A | S | T | | 65 T | O | M | S |
© 2026, The New York Times
Across
1
5
Deepest range of fish :
BASS9
Momentarily can't think of a spec :
SPACE14
16
Hear more about a knight's protection :
ARMOR17
18
Part of the leg that helps propel one a bit :
TIBIA19
Sat for a dope's portrait :
POSED20
Woman's name starting with the "B" :
BETH22
Brain ___ (some "Pinky and the Brain" collectibles) :
CELS23
Poet who's not unread :
NERUDA25
Los Angeles : Laker :: Hawaii : ____ :
HIKER27
31
Tabbed an unwise wager :
BADBET35
36
Boy's name seen in babies :
ABIE37
Preceder of art in old Hollywood :
BOG38
Pet with large coat of fur :
PELT39
42
Hordes of 1,000 fools :
MASSES44
46
47
Like some totally cute Pinterest boards :
ADORBS51
Political dirt from both sides :
OPPO53
This leads Islamic men at mosques :
IMAM55
57
Atoms' protective rings :
MOATS59
61
Root found in deli hummus :
ELIHU62
Security process for a Russian V.C. :
VIRUSSCAN63
Feature of cots vis-à-vis corsets :
NORSE64
Source of many teas, with "the" :
EAST65
Down
1
One who might quickly fall for a scam :
ASAP2
"The TV's showing that scary clown movie" :
ITSON3
Running ____ (marathon mishap) :
LAPSE4
5
Clu__ a__terna__ive :
BLT6
Safety device on an A.B.A. rig :
AIRBAG7
Dagger seen in olden times :
SNEE8
9
Plopped down for an exam :
SAT10
11
12
Castor, canola or cottonseed :
COIL13
Times at the end of operas :
ERAS15
What a louse, a mouse and a grouse all do :
ENDUSE21
A greeting and a curse heard on a record player :
HIFI24
It'd be an "E" in Morse code :
DIT26
__orean fam__ly na__e :
KIM28
29
Line on a map of Africa :
NILE30
Body art that's missing an "H" :
TATS31
Loud bangs in Club Amsterdam :
BAMS32
Something that gets blown up :
ABUT33
34
37
40
41
Hotel chain involved in prom night :
OMNI42
Leader of U.S.A., in myth :
MED43
45
48
49
Firm that makes holders for hamburgers :
BUNCO50
It's used to cook some meats :
STEAM51
52
54
Shoe brand from eastern Moldavia :
AVIA56
__ome phi__hi__g target__ :
SSNS58
Use a plaintiff's lawyer :
SUE60
Answer summary: 2 unique to this puzzle, 2 unique to Modern Era but used previously.
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