X's and O's

a cryptic puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Solution grid
O's spell DROP THE BALL; X's spell TIMES SQUARE.

Across

  • 1.
    STROPS: STROPS (rev.)
  • 3.
    SARCASM: SARCASM (anag.)
  • 5.
    MILADY: MIL(A)DY ("dimly" anag.)
  • 9.
    NEWYEARSEVE: NEW YEAR'S EVE
  • 10.
    ADIEU: A(DIE)U
  • 13.
    FOSTER: FOSTER (2 defs.)
  • 14.
    AMULET: A + MULE + T
  • 15.
    CHALET: CHA(LE)T
  • 16.
    SATIRES: SA + TIRES
  • 17.
    MADAME: MAD(AM)E

Down

  • 2.
    TEAR: TEAR (2 defs.)
  • 4.
    ANON: AN + ON
  • 6.
    BADGER: BADGE + R
  • 7.
    ANODES: AN(O)DES
  • 8.
    AVATAR: AVA + TAR
  • 11.
    ABUT: ABUT (rev.)
  • 12.
    TEEM: TEEM ("team" hom.)

X's

  • OMIT: OMIT
  • AQUINAS: AQUINAS
  • LARDS: LARDS
  • TALE: TALE
  • MOUSSE: MOUSSE
  • POLITE: POLITE
  • REGULUS: REGULUS
  • GRATIS: GRATIS
  • LEANTO: LEANTO
  • HOISTING: HOISTING
  • CAVIAR: CAVIAR
  • SLIGHTS: SLIGHTS
  • SEDANS: SEDANS
  • LEMMON: LEMMON
  • MAILED: MAILED

O's

  • GELATO: GELATO
  • GARBO: GARBO
  • DALLAS: DALLAS
  • EARL: EARL
  • LEARNER: LEARNER
  • INEPT: INEPT
  • ELNORTE: ELNORTE
  • YOUNGER: YOUNGER
  • ARETHA: ARETHA
  • NEROLI: NEROLI
  • THORNTON: THORNTON
  • LEAD: LEAD
  • THROES: THROwES