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New York Times, Friday, February 21, 2025

Author:
Colin Adams
Editor:
Will Shortz
Blog:
53-Across : Politician's platform
TotalDebutLatest
52/16/20242/21/2025
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0100040
ScrabDebutFresh
1.632066%
Colin Adams

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 70, Blocks: 28 Missing: {JQ} This is puzzle # 5 for Mr. Adams. Friday freshness: 68%
1
B
2
A
3
R
4
H
5
O
6
P
7
P
8
I
9
N
10
G
11
A
12
Z
13
O
14
V
15
O
R
E
O
C
O
O
K
I
E
16
N
E
N
E
17
T
I
M
E
T
O
K
I
L
L
18
T
R
E
X
19
S
A
Y
20
A
P
E
D
21
P
22
A
L
O
M
A
23
A
V
E
R
24
F
A
C
E
T
A
T
25
P
26
W
N
E
D
27
M
A
C
A
R
O
N
I
28
M
I
E
N
S
29
N
I
K
K
I
30
H
B
O
31
A
N
T
E
32
D
E
N
I
S
33
M
E
A
N
34
N
A
M
35
V
O
I
C
E
36
W
A
R
N
S
37
S
C
A
38
V
E
N
G
E
39
B
I
P
O
D
40
C
O
R
I
N
T
H
41
D
E
N
S
42
A
L
T
O
I
D
43
S
W
A
K
44
R
45
A
46
P
47
P
A
I
L
48
O
49
U
T
E
R
S
50
P
A
C
E
51
E
D
N
A
52
I
N
E
E
D
A
H
I
N
T
53
D
A
I
S
54
T
O
M
B
S
T
O
N
E
S
© 2025, The New York Times2/21/25 ( No. 27,499 )
Across
1
Bachelorette party activity : BARHOPPING
11
Sea of ___, body of water at one end of the Kerch Strait : AZOV
15
Classic milk accompaniment : OREOCOOKIE
16
Rarest of all state birds : NENE
17
A few hours for doing whatever : TIMETOKILL
18
Sue at Chicago's Field Museum, e.g. : TREX
19
For instance : SAY
20
Made an impression? : APED
21
Jewelry designer Picasso : PALOMA
23
State : AVER
24
Bold bit of ink : FACETAT
25
Utterly defeated, as n00bs : PWNED
27
Elbows for a chef? : MACARONI
28
Appearances : MIENS
29
Comedian Glaser : NIKKI
30
Pioneer in subscription TV : HBO
31
Chip in, in a way : ANTE
32
Villeneuve who directed "Dune" : DENIS
33
Suggest : MEAN
34
"Fortunate Son" subject, informally : NAM
35
Word with actor or mail : VOICE
36
Tips off : WARNS
37
Dumpster-dive, for example : SCAVENGE
39
Gun support : BIPOD
40
Ancient Greek city known for its ornate columns : CORINTH
41
Caves : DENS
42
"Curiously strong" mint : ALTOID
43
Love letters : SWAK
44
50 Cent piece? : RAP
47
Toy shovel holder : PAIL
48
Where stars are born : OUTERSPACE
51
___ Lewis, first recipient of the James Beard Living Legend Award : EDNA
52
"Help me get the answer" : INEEDAHINT
53
Politician's platform : DAIS
54
Some October lawn decorations : TOMBSTONES
Down
1
Amazon nuisances : BOTS
2
Mozart's "Der Hölle Rache," for one : ARIA
3
Pixar character described as "nothing less than the finest chef in France" : REMY
4
Lead-in to cake in Southern cuisine : HOE
5
Musical units : OCTAVES
6
Spent : POOPED
7
Pot grower's activity? : POKER
8
"Just yankin' your chain, that's all" : IKID
9
Donut, in soccer : NIL
10
Frozen, flexible first-aid items : GELPACKS
11
Part of a rack : ANTLER
12
Rhyming trajectory for success : ZEROTOHERO
13
Sort who might go for all the bells and whistles? : ONEMANBAND
14
Annoyances : VEXATIONS
22
Berry in a Playa Bowl : ACAI
23
Claudia Harrison's role on "The Crown" : ANNE
24
Going backward, in skateboarding slang : FAKIE
25
Cocktail served with an umbrella : PINACOLADA
26
Cocktail served with an olive : WETMARTINI
27
Chop chop! : MINCE
28
Did some personal grooming : MANSCAPED
29
Negative vote in a stable? : NEIGH
32
"Stop! Think of the consequences!" : DONTDOIT
33
Explorers' aids : MAPS
35
Part of a Caesarean boast : VENI
36
Subtly flirts with : WINKSAT
38
Instruments whose players read alto clef : VIOLAS
39
What pogonophobia is the fear of : BEARDS
41
Square : DWEEB
43
Stalk : STEM
44
Its name in Botswana is the same as the word for "money" : RAIN
45
Teen trouble : ACNE
46
Four-footed friends : PETS
49
Game with numbered cards : UNO
50
Soup with rice noodles : PHO

Answer summary:
6 unique to this puzzle, 2 unique to Modern Era but used previously.

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