Friday, April 17, 2026 |

LAT tk (pannonica) rate it
NYT 5:29 (Amy) rate it
Universal tk (Jim P) rate it
USA Today tk (tk) rate it

Rachel Fabi’s New York Times crossword — Amy’s recap

NY Times crossword solution, 4/17/26 – no. 0417

Erstwhile Fiend blogger Rachel is back with a themeless whose criss-crossed 15s are a point in contrast: We may be living in the DARKEST TIMELINE, but ON A POSITIVE NOTE, winter is over? If you’re not big on social media, the answer to 36A. [Worst of all imaginable chronologies] might have seemed odd, but I see it a lot on Bluesky.

Other fave fill: SQUARE UP, CIVIC DUTY, “GROW UP!”, NAYSAYER, GRAN TORINO (never saw the movie), LORD IT OVER, DATABANK, “We’re here, we’re queer, GET USED TO IT,” discussion FACILITATOR, modern slang DEADASS (Merriam-Webster has plenty of example sentences using it), LAUDANUM, TAKES A HINT.

New to me but I’m sure my niece knows it: 11D. [2000 song for Aaron Carter about seeking someone “tough but sweet”], “I WANT CANDY.”

Awkward answer saved by its clue: 17D. [“Mars, the ___ of War” (first movement of “The Planets”)], BRINGER. In crosswords, a solid classical music reference has grid cred.

Clue I liked: 10A. [50, on a table], TIN. First thought was of 50 points or dollars on some sort of gaming table, but no, it’s the periodic table.

4.25 stars from me. Plenty of fun!