NYT Crossword Answers for Feb. 15, 2024

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THURSDAY PUZZLE — If you are here after trying to solve today’s crossword by the father-and-son team of Rich and Teddy Katz and you have gotten yourself into a tizzy, come sit right here next to me. We’re going to make sense of this.

Oh, and you’re not seeing things. More about that later.

Rich Katz, Teddy’s father, has had three puzzles in The New York Times, and today the younger Mr. Katz makes his Times Crossword debut. Their constructor notes suggest that the theme was Teddy’s idea, and it’s an exciting one. I hope we see more from both Katzes soon.

Today’s Theme

Before we get started with the theme, let us take a moment to admire two constructors, both named Katz, who decided to make a crossword in which we are not completely sure whether the letters in the circled squares need to be there or not. Get it? Katz/cats? Schrödinger puzzles? Is this thing on?

Even if you don’t appreciate that duality, stay tuned. This is an impressive theme nonetheless.

Anyway, the theme revealer at 32A is DOUBLE OR NOTHING, clued as “Risky wager … with a hint to the letters in this puzzle’s circled squares.” There are five circled squares in the grid, and each one needs a double-letter rebus to complete both the Across and Down answers.

Or does it?

Let’s look at the intersection of 19A and 3D. The answer to 19A’s “Disturb, in a way” is RIPPLE, with the double P entered in the circled square. At 3D, the answer to “Sat on a clothesline, say” is DRIPPED.