16 Across
NYT Daily • September 8, 2025
*Pad in a makeup kit
Answer:
POWDER PUFF (take a powder & take a puff)
Hint:
Think of what you might use to apply loose face powder—it’s soft, fluffy, and shares its name with a playful way to say "leave quickly" or "inhale sharply.
Explanation:
The clue plays on two phrases: "take a powder" (slang for leaving quickly) and "take a puff" (like inhaling smoke). A "powder puff" is a soft pad used to apply face powder, so the answer combines both meanings—it’s literally a puff for powder, while also hinting at the two expressions. The wordplay ties the makeup item to familiar idioms for a clever twist.