6 d. Maybe it’s because this entry is similar to “Asteroids” at the beginning and end, but that was a bit of a stretch for me. “Galaxies, for example,” solves ANDROIDS; This is trivia about the brand, including a range of Samsung smartphones that use the technology The operating system in question.
25 D. I needed every letter of the jumper entry in this one, “Rafael ______,” the All-Star third baseman for the Red Sox. It’s not my experience, this is the first time Raphael Devers has been in a Times Mystery, although he was Major league player since 2017.
35 D. “Lying?” Solves the beautiful and unforgettable word game: ON A DARE. (Talk about Pavlovian! I thought of a game of Truth or Dare at a summer camp I attended last century, though I have no idea if anyone will be playing it in 2024.)
Creator Notes
I’m so excited to be back at The New York Times! Thank you to everyone who solved this puzzle and made it possible.
This puzzle, like my last one, is built around the wrenches 1 down and 15 across. The phrase in 1D was my primary initial entry, which I thought about one day last summer and felt would be particularly worthy of the network. I decided to try diagonal symmetry for fun, and I’m really happy with the result.
Of the clues that made it into the final puzzle, my favorites were 41A, 25D and 48D, which I was very glad the editors kept. Of the clues they changed, I liked the 19A and especially the 10D the most, which I thought was clever.
On a personal note, I’m turning 21 in a little over a week, so I see this puzzle as an early birthday present to myself. Thanks for the solution, I hope to come back soon!
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