17 Across

NYT Daily • August 28, 2025

Recently dated

Answer:

GOOD ENOUGH (Decently rated)

Hint:

Think of a phrase that means "adequate" but can also be split to describe something that was "newly paired" in time.

Explanation:

The clue "Recently dated" is a play on words where "dated" hints at both time and romantic history. The answer "GOOD ENOUGH" sounds like "good enough" but is rephrased as "decently rated" to fit the definition. The trick lies in interpreting "dated" as a pun—"recently" suggests something current, while "dated" also means evaluated or rated, leading to the answer’s meaning.

More Clues from This Puzzle

4 Across

6 letters

Messy abode

8 Down

5 letters

Go-getter

22 Across

4 letters

Riddled (with)

37 Across

5 letters

Poem that’s typically unrhymed