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Puzzled? No more cross words! Read Kosman and Picciotto on “Solving The Nation’s Cryptic Puzzles.” Or watch this video.
ACROSS
1 Name one independent state in the Middle East (5)
4 Showed compassion in play about decent orchestra space (4,4)
9 Aviator-poets tilt wildly (4,5)
10 Container vessel carrying organic fiber (5)
11 How to improve your aim: Slander cop and appear in charge (6,8)
13 See 4D
14 Collaborator’s outside of the audio device with a hen (4,6)
17 Percussionist and bandleader connect around best arrangement of tune (4,6)
19 One old lunatic’s object of worship (4)
Even before February 28, the reasons for Donald Trump’s imploding approval rating were abundantly clear: untrammeled corruption and personal enrichment to the tune of billions of dollars during an affordability crisis, a foreign policy guided only by his own derelict sense of morality, and the deployment of a murderous campaign of occupation, detention, and deportation on American streets.
Now an undeclared, unauthorized, unpopular, and unconstitutional war of aggression against Iran has spread like wildfire through the region and into Europe. A new “forever war”—with an ever-increasing likelihood of American troops on the ground—may very well be upon us.
As we’ve seen over and over, this administration uses lies, misdirection, and attempts to flood the zone to justify its abuses of power at home and abroad. Just as Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth offer erratic and contradictory rationales for the attacks on Iran, the administration is also spreading the lie that the upcoming midterm elections are under threat from noncitizens on voter rolls. When these lies go unchecked, they become the basis for further authoritarian encroachment and war.
In these dark times, independent journalism is uniquely able to uncover the falsehoods that threaten our republic—and civilians around the world—and shine a bright light on the truth.
The Nation’s experienced team of writers, editors, and fact-checkers understands the scale of what we’re up against and the urgency with which we have to act. That’s why we’re publishing critical reporting and analysis of the war on Iran, ICE violence at home, new forms of voter suppression emerging in the courts, and much more.
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22 Type of publication in which agent mimicked skill? (5,9)
25 Expected Eliot’s performances by two (5)
26 Throw it in reverse to get old sheet just beneath the cover? (5,4)
28 Right-wingers retreating, but taking apart… (3,5)
29 …dwelling found in eight Across entries? (5)
DOWN
1 Department of Treasury statement: “Leaders connect these to find out what is really going on” (4)
2 Crashed Saab with Tim Rice (7)
3 Attack demon with broken gun (6)
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4 and 13A Long live rent rollback in city (3,4)
5 Swimmer is warmer after removing cap (5)
6 Redesign help icon for game (8)
7 Scare Gilliam when accepting condition (7)
8 Life, for instance, overwhelms extremely bitter intellectual (8)
12 One of two comforting words that would timelessly turn into its opposite (5)
13 Absurdly, audit pet talent (8)
15 Dull toy company cuts its losses (5)
16 Kitty, making a case for profound returns, moves more quickly (6,2)
18 Capture effortlessness when announcing circus routine (7)
20 French artist in Berlin: “You set upon the winner” (7)
21 First-rate, hallowed, and maximally proficient… (6)
23 …flower expert is discovered (5)
24 Jump from plane, using parachute at the end (4)
27 Judge is oddly tardy (3) SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3525
Joshua Kosman and Henri PicciottoJoshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto are The Nation’s puzzlers. To read more about Kosman, click here. To read more about Picciotto, click here. Kosman and Picciotto explain what they’re up to in “Solving The Nation’s Cryptic Crosswords” (also available as a PDF).