Friday, Jun 12th, 2026 ~ Emma Oxford

 ANTI-FACTERIAL DISPUNSER

This is my fourth Emma Oxford crossword - the last one was the memorial to my friend Greg and our mutual enjoyment of playing poker puzzle.  I breezed through this Friday fill-in, with only a typo slowing me down.  Today we have five themers, no reveal, totaling 51 squares, that are a punny play on common phrases, redefined as types of ( mostly ) popular bars of soap.  A standard grid, no circles, a three-knight "dog" (🙄), eleven 3LWs, a handful of names, a ridiculous number of abbreviations and/or acronyms - but - was missing just the F & J for a pangram~!

17. Soap that's easy to conceal?: POCKET DIAL - Not the "politically incorrect" butt-dial, this soap -

23. Soap that could use a friend?: LONESOME DOVE - Not the town from the 1986 Pulitzer-prize winning book ( and TV series ), but a solitary bar from this collection - 

37. Soap that's super popular?: HOT LAVA - Not the exercise we used to 'play' in Phys Ed., but this - 

Check out this "soap" artwork on Artsy

49. Soap that's falling apart?: BREAKING DAWN - Not the early rising sun, but the outlier, as this is more dish detergent soap - "Dawn is breaking everywhere . . . " lyric @ 0:30

Refreshing Rain scent is the one on my kitchen sink, and I buy the gallon refill at BJs

61. Soap that's perfect for adding color to a shower routine?: ORANGE ZEST - not the 'shaved' skin of the fruit, but this cleansing product - 

This racing version was a NASCAR promo

But Wash, There's More~!

ACROSS:

1. Easter month, often: APRIL - It can be March - the convoluted way it's calculated; the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon after the Spring equinox 🙏

6. Apple resource with curated guides: MAPS - I am Android, so it's Google's version

10. Bygone handhelds, for short: PDAs - Personal Digital Assistan - it could be either, as in 'holding hands' being a bygone Public Display of Affection - either way, it's abbr/acr #1

14. Lift a finger?: POINT - 👉

15. Landed: ALIT

16. Reply to "I'm sure they'll be fine without you," perhaps: "OUCH." - Harsh, man . . . 

19. Low-carb diet: KETO - My friend Jay was a "keto" dieter; I missed his B-day last month, so I reached out via text a week late; he responded with "it's OK - btw, I met the love of my life, quit my job, sold my house, moved to North Carolina - oh, and had triple by-pass surgery in November . . . '  - and he's younger than me.  Sheesh.  Reminded me of this song

Billy Joel, My Life

20. Hunk: SLAB

21. Setting of the graphic novel "Persepolis": IRAN - filled via perps, Geo name #1

22. Arrive: GET IN

26. Estimate from a contractor: QUOTE - I tried PRICE first; Bzzzzt~!

28. "Me too": SAME - I wanted SO AM I, then AS ME - which was close, but, wrong

29. Relish: GUSTO - the noun, usu. in the prepositional phrase "with gusto" - you're welcome.

30. Big name in gaming monitors: ACER - filled via perps, crossword staple, name(ish)

32. Dec. holiday: XMAS - abbr/acr #2 - only 195 shopping days til . . . the countdown clock

36. Goal: AIM - Still have the same goal / aim / desire / intent to produce my board games - and now I have a fourth one to promote, too; I ran off a simplified version of the board on paper so I could work out the play details

40. Computer file suffix: EXE - for adding programs to PCs / Windows, "executable" - abbr/acr #3

41. School gps.: PTAs - PDAs and PTAs - abbr/acr #4

43. Root vegetable related to Swiss chard: BEET - I had the "EE" from my Down fills

44. SF NFLer: NINER - AND - 52D. SF MLBer: GIANT - five-letter San Fransisco major league teams, football and baseball respectively

46. Astronomical light show: NOVA - meh.  Technically, yes, but I think aurora is a better match

48. Birthplace of K-pop: SEOUL - Geo name #2

54. Signs on for another tour: RE-UPS

55. Pop diva Celine: DION - name #3 - the hot dogs go on . . . 

Peter May, comedian

56. American white __: Gulf Coast bird: IBIS - mostly perps

60. Org. with sponsored Medicare plans: AARP - American Association of Retired Persons - you can actually join at the age of 18 - but I doubt you've 'retired'.  I got my letter from UPS last month, saying I was now eligible for my retirement, having turned 55 in February this year - I think it's a whopping $337/mo., but I'll take it~! abbr/acr #5

63. Pop sensation: IDOL

64. Have too little of: WANT

65. Bowie's role in "The Prestige": TESLA - name #4, I had T _ _ _ A, but not having seen the movie . . . IMDb

66. Where Anheuser-Busch is BUD: NYSE - the New York Stock Exchange listing = BUDweiser beer - abbr/acr #6

67. Some specialist MDs: ENTs - Ears, Nose, Throat - abbr/acr #7

68. Autumn bloom: ASTER

DOWN:

1. Starters, casually: APPS - I was in sport mode, so I tried "ACES" - but this is the meals version "appetizers" - abbr/acr #8

2. Combine: POOL - I 64A. wanted MELD

3. Costa __: RICA - Geo name #5

4. Test pattern?: INKBLOT - the Rorshach inkblot test - I see Bigfoot from under a sheet of ice at #4

5. 5G precursor: LTE - a good WAG on my part, Long-Term Evolution - smartphone tech, abbr/acr #9

6. Spanish parent: MADRE - and another good WAG, 'mother' in Español

7. Cover name: ALIAS - my new board game involves spies

8. Support for a key player?: PIANO SEAT - cute, but meh.  I wanted BENCH or STOOL . . .

Hey, I found some good-looking legs on a piano CHAIR 🙄

9. Mo. town: STL - St. Louis, MissOuri - abbr/acr #10

10. Progress tracker for one trying to "catch 'em all": POKEDEX - I figured it was something like this, but waited on perps - the index of the Pokémon universe - more here

11. Caused by: DUE TO

12. When the fate of Ophelia is revealed: ACT IV - been doing crosswords long enough to know that this type of clue is looking for "ACT _ _", so it was either II or IV, possibly other Roman numerals

13. Sparkled: SHONE - ha~!  Nailed it

18. Prong: TINE

22. Jewel: GEM

24. Letters of equivocation: OTOH - On the Other Hand . . . I just read George Carlin's book, 'How to Rid Yourself of Doubt - or, Should You~?' abbr/acr #11

25. Harry's accomplice in "Home Alone": MARV - I did not know this name, #6

26. Walk out: QUIT - Dah~! Not EXit, but 50% correct

27. Home of the NCAA's Black Knights: USMA - knights #1, abbr/acr #12 - wait - 

there's a whole team of them~?

Uh, no - the United States Military Academy - the West Point football squad

29. Word with age or wage: GAP

30. Took off right after dinner: ATE AND RAN - Cool fill, and a nine-letter Thwurd

31. Rock & Roll HoF city: CLEveland, abbr/acr #13

33. Grubhub link: MENU

34. Rink leap: AXEL

35. Title for a knight in Westeros: SER - I am ashamed to say, I have not seen Game of Thrones

knight #2 - Ser Duncan, in the prequel

38. Short "Duh": OBVI - 21st century-speak for "obviously" - abbr/acr #14

39. Over again: ANEW

42. Maker of Trop-a-Rocka tea: SNAPPLE - Ah.  I didn't see this fill until I did the blog, and I was today-years-old when I learned that this was a flavor "invented" by the band Poison's frontman Bret Michaels for The Apprentice, though I did know he was a diabetic

45. Charges, in a way: IONIZES - WARNING~!  Science content

47. Gives a thumbs-up: OKs - 👍

48. Performed in a choir: SANG

49. Scarecrow's desire: BRAIN - ooops; I put in HEART, but that was the Tin Man - no, Oz never did give nuthin' to him - and an Easter ( see 1A) Egg chorus lyric at 1:11

America - Tin Man

50. Good to go: READY

51. Money in Monaco: EUROS - I didn't take the 'plural' into account, but I did think EURO - and I also learned today that this place is a "microstate", not a 'city' in France . . . Huh 

You can just see my "other" house up on the left, overlooking the Frawnche Riviera . . . 

53. Taboos: DON'Ts - I had "NO-NOs", 60% correct

57. One-up: BEST - the 'Canes are one-up on the LV Knights - knight #3, and my musical pun

58. Tropical spot: ISLE - I'd prefer a trip to Europe over any tropical vacation

59. Movie lead: STAR

61. Be in arrears: OWE - "I know the rent is in arrears" - see the themer link at 49A., lyric @ 3:30

62. GPS prediction: ETA - Estim . . . oh , never mind, it's another abbr/acr, #15

. . . and here's the missing F, J 

Here's my buddy Cooper - chillin' in the humidity on Long Island

Splynter

Grid Flow 29.2

Thursday June 11, 2026 Guilherme Gilioli

Guilherme Gilioli is a Brazilian constructor who mostly creates puzzles in Portuguese. I'm always impressed by people who can do this when English is not their mother tongue (hi CC!). As you know, crosswords involve many idioms and word-play, and that's hard enough to do even when being born here!

16A. *Wham! hit on "Make It Big": CARELESS WHISPER. Written by George Michael, this song sold more than eleven million copies so I've probably heard it.

26A. *No Doubt hit on "Tragic Kingdom": DON'T SPEAK. This one was big in 1996 for the alternative/indie/punk rock band. It didn't sell as well as the Wham song, but at least I recognize the title. 

50A. *The Beatles hit on "Please Please Me": TWIST AND SHOUT. The only one of the three that I knew right off the bat. What I didn't know was that it originally was recorded by The Top Notes, and later covered by the Isley Brothers before the Fab Four got a hold of it. It's the only Top Ten Beatles song not written by them.

39D. NBC singing competition that completed its 29th season in 2026, or what appears to get louder at the ends of the answers to the starred clues?: THE VOICE. The theme answers all contain a tone of VOICE that build to a crescendo: WHISPER, SPEAK, then SHOUT. And since THE VOICE is a music competition, song titles are very appropriate.

It's interesting that Guilherme chose left-right symmetry with a downward reveal. And even if you didn't know the songs, this still was a pretty straightforward puzzle. BTW, I rarely include external links to  things like these songs because I feel they take you away from the core of what's happening here. I like to pick a fun fact or two, and if that piques your interest, then Google is just a click away.

Let's see what else he's talking about:

Across:

1. "Shoot!": ASK.

4. Greek vowel: ALPHA. Part of a complete breakfast!

 9. Watermelon keg need: TAP. I didn't know about watermelon kegs, but they are simply a hollowed out watermelon with the top sliced off to use as a dispenser. You can buy a special TAP made for these.

12. Wander: ROAM. Had to wait to see if it could be ROVE.

14. __ butter: COCOA.

15. Greek vowel: IOTA. They're in that cereal bowl somewhere.

16. [theme]

19. Hockey gear: SKATES.

20. Get testy with: SNAP AT.

21. Flute part: STEM. A little misdirect. Not the instrument but a tall, narrow champagne glass. 

22. Blue area on a map: SEA. The blue used to go right to the edge where you'd fall off.

25. Go the distance: LAST.

26. [theme]

29. "Shark Tank" airer: ABC. The American Broadcasting Company. Shark Tank is a reality TV series where panelists decide whether to invest in products being pitched by contestant entrepreneurs. It is the  American franchise for BBC's Dragons' Den, which itself is a remake of the Japanese television show The Tigers of Money. 

32. __ rhyme: NURSERY.

33. __ worker: GIG. Many in the labor force don't work full time, or augment their regular job with a GIG. A GIG economy is a labor market characterized by short-term contracts, freelance work, and independent contracting rather than permanent, traditional employment. Unfortunately, that also means no benefits.

36. Foot-to-thigh yoga pose: TREE. Occasionally, the arms are held upward like branches.

38. Angels and Devils: TEAMS. Baseball's Los Angeles Angels vs. hockey's New Jersey Devils would be an epic battle of biblical proportions!

39. Big addition to a to-be-read pile: TOME. Now that's heavy reading.

40. Food from heaven: MANNA.

42. Potato spot: EYE. 

43. Self-storage and self-moving company based in Phoenix, Arizona: UHAUL. I once helped a cousin move from Arkansas to Florida. Our old UHAUL van had an early version of cruise control - a brick on the accelerator. We rarely reached 55 mph. except downhill with a tail wind.

44. Thingamabob: GADGET. I had WIDGET at first, but that was NO HELP.

46. Totally useless: NO HELP. Like a WIDGET.

48. Countdown start: TEN. 

49. Spacious ride: SUV. I still prefer a station wagon over a Sport Utility Vehicle, but that class of vehicle has been virtually wiped out by families who also need to traverse a canyon on the way to soccer practice.

50. [theme]

57. Appear to be: SEEM.

58. Smiling face with heart-eyes, for one: EMOJI. This one expresses feelings of love.

59. Fruity frozen treats: ICES.

61. Iron-rich vegetable: KALE.

62. "Judy" star Zellweger: RENEE. She won the 2020 Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Judy Garland. RENEE also sang all the songs. Quite a talent!

63. Pat-a-cake motion: CLAP.

64. Part of MMA: ARTS. Mixed Martial Arts is a fighting sport akin to boxing.

65. Glum: SAD.

66. "Child's play!": EASY. This puzzle was EASY peasy.

Down:

1. Story trajectories: ARCS.

2. Long baths: SOAKS.

3. Gold standard: KARAT. A KARAT is a unit used to measure the purity of gold. It is measured on a 24-part scale, meaning 1 karat represents 1/24 of pure gold in alloy. Thus 24 KARAT is 100% pure.

4. High cards in bridge: ACES.

5. __ Angeles Dodgers: LOS. As much as the LOS Angeles Angels love to fight the Devil, it's more likely they will face the Dodgers in a Freeway Series. 

6. Some HPs: PCS. Hewlett-Packard was founded in 1939 in a Palo Alto garage. They make Personal Computers, among many other electronics.

7. "By what means?": HOW. HOW did a multi-billion dollar corporation rise from this garage?

8. Satisfied sighs: AAHS.

9. Big name in trading cards: TOPPS.

10. Seriously annoyed: ATE AT. This one ATE AT me.

11. Divide: PART.

13. Dished (out): METED.

15. "Stuck in the Middle" actor Presley: ISAAK. He's no Elvis, apparently, just a Middle-of-the-road actor. If you're his agent, then I meant he's really great. Really.

17. Dish soap scent: LEMON. 

18. Dental filling: INLAY. It may be 16 KARAT gold (24 KARAT is too soft).

22. Wall in Manhattan, e.g.: STREET.

23. Writing assignment: ESSAY.

24. Primitive bipeds, informally: APEMEN. Unlike modern humans who are obligate (permanent) bipeds. That's why your mom told you to stand up straight.

27. Snack mix morsel: NUT.

28. Backpedaling sounds: ERS.

29. PIN point?: ATM. Winner: Best Clue. You may enter your Personal Identification Number at an Automate Teller Machine.

30. Toot one's own horn: BRAG.

31. John of "Peacemaker": CENA. I like John CENA because he isn't afraid to poke fun at himself, in spite of all his accomplishments in wrestling and movies. 

33. Striker's target: GOAL.

34. "My turn!": I'M UP. Last Thursday, this was the answer to, "Are you awake?" This clue fits better.

35. Product often used to create a wet look: GEL.

37. Meeting scheduler's concerns: END TIMES. In spite of this, meetings always run long.

39. [theme]

41. Matures, as whiskey: AGES.

43. "Forget about it": UH UH.

45. Host's invitation: ENTER. UH OH. This sounds rather ominous. 

You may ENTER...

47. Davis of "Grumpy Old Men": OSSIE. OSSIE Davis was an award-winning actor and activist. He appeared in over 50 movies, 50 TV shows and 30 plays. Quite the career.

50. Sign of sorrow: TEAR.

51. Paintball injury: WELT.

52. Home of Iowa State: AMES. A common crossword town populated with useful letters.

53. Deca- minus one: NONA. Greek numerical prefixes. Deca (10) -1 = NONA (9).

54. Worked a wedding reception, say: DJED. This abbreviation for Disc Jockeyed looks wrong somehow.

55. Campus near Sunset Blvd.: UCLA. The University of California at Los Angeles was originally called the Southern Branch. The first UC campus was in Oakland before moving to Berkeley.

56. Socials with cucumber sandwiches: TEAS.

57. Reggae kin: SKA.

60. Intelligence agent: SPY. 

Be good. RB

Wednesday, June 10, 2026, Aidan Deshong

 TEAMWORK! 

18 Across. Sharp reply to unsolicited advice: DID I ASK YOU. The Chicago Sky ( Basketball) A Team?

29 Across. Rib cut with a long bone: TOMAHAWK STEAK. The Atlanta Hawks (Basketball) A Team?

50 Across. News that may interrupt regular programming: BREAKING STORY. The Sacramento Kings (Basketball) A team?

66 Across. Bodies beyond the Solar System: EXOPLANETS. The Brooklyn Nets (Basketball) A Team?

75 Across. Elite squad, or what's found in each set of circled letters: A TEAM. 

CrossEyedDave here, to try and dribble you through this puzzle without drooling...  Note that each Basketball Team's name is preceded by the letter A.  I am not very savvy when it comes to sports, and I thought there might be a deeper rabbit hole here, as here in the East, The Brooklyn Nets could be considered the "A" team, while the Long Island Nets might be the "B" team. So I asked CC for her expertise, and she replied, "it's just an A in front of the team name, and it is a very tight theme!"

I started reading this Blog years ago because I don't understand Crosswords...

Aidan Deshong is a prolific, widely published crossword constructor who gained national recognition while still a college student. Originally from Los Angeles, he is a student at Harvey Mudd College who regularly constructs clever grids for publications like The New York Times, Defector, and Spyscape. 

Known for his creativity, his thematic crossword puzzles frequently feature pop-culture references, trivia, and engaging wordplay. 

Notable highlights from his crossword career include:

• The New York Times: He has authored multiple NYT puzzles, including several co-creations with other young constructors like Jacob Reed and his former high school classmate Oren Hartstein. His works feature distinct grid designs ranging from clever themes to Saturday-level challenges. 
• Defector: He constructed the Monday crossword for Defector (published in partnership with AVCX), featuring unique middle-of-the-grid designs. 
• Spyscape: Deshong has been a regular contributor to the Spyscape Consider the Following series, offering unique themed puzzles. 

Aidan Deshong debuted on the LAT with Nate Cardin January 5th, 2024. This 15x16 grid is another example of his style and fresh approach. While A Team has probably been used as a theme before, no one has thought to put "A" ahead of a team name before...  Circles are definitely needed to point out the quirkiness of the themers.

Across:
1. Always complaining: WHINY. Hmm, reminds me of certain Anons. (Go Blue! Yay Team!)

6. Dog tail motions: WAGS.

10. Storyline: PLOT.

14. Navaratri celebrant: HINDU. Navaratri is a major Hindu festival spanning 9 nights and 10 days, dedicated to the worship of the Divine Feminine (Shakti/Devi). It celebrates the triumph of good over evil and culminates in Vijaya Dashami (or Dussehra), commemorating Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura.

15. Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions: AIDAN.

Name #1

16. Courtroom pledge: OATH.

17. Luggage dangler: ID TAG.

18. [Theme]

20. So-so: MEH. The origins and evolution of the word involve three key milestones:

• Yiddish Roots (1928): Etymologists, including those at the Oxford English Dictionary, trace "meh" to the Yiddish word me (meaning "so-so" or "be as it may"). It was documented in this context in Alexander Harkavy’s Yiddish-English-Hebrew dictionary published in 1928. 
• Early Internet Use (1992): Before it became a pop-culture phenomenon, the earliest known written evidence of "meh" in modern English appeared in a 1992 online discussion board about the show Melrose Place. 
The Simpsons (1994–2001): The term was popularized by The Simpsons. It was first uttered by a store clerk in a 1994 episode and later famously spelled out by Lisa Simpson to express complete disinterest in 2001. 

21. Magazine copy: ISSUE.

23. Like an apple pie's apples, typically: PEELED. I wanted Green, or Granny...(as in Granny Smith.)

24. Business maj.: ECON. Economics.

26. Knocks: RAPS.

28. Burro: ASS.

29. [Theme]

34. Lab assistant of cinema: IGOR.

Obligatory insert...

35. Old Navy parent company: GAP. Everything you ever wanted to know about Gap... well, Actually there is even more...

36. Steamed cantina dishes: TAMALES.

40. Wear away: ERODE.

42. Golden Globe winner Seehorn: RHEA. Name #2

44. "Wicked" co-star Cynthia: ERIVO. Name #3

45. Tries calling again: REDIALS. (It's shorter than re-buttonization...)

47. Lucy of "Elementary": LIU.

Name #4

49. Prayer ender: AMEN.

50. [Theme]

53. Cyberchats, briefly: IMS. (Instant Messaging.)

56. Doe's kid: FAWN.

57. In __ of: LIEU. Definition can be found here...

58. Synagogue text: TALMUD. Info can be found here...

60. Nail polish brand: ESSIE.

63. Plopped down: SAT.

66. [Theme]

68. Church steeple: SPIRE.

70. Silent performer: MIME.

71. Ratio punctuation: COLON. :)

72. Part of a skin care regimen: TONER.

73. Unhealthy haze: SMOG.

74. Recipe meas.: TBSP. (Tablespoon)

75. [Theme Reveal]

Down:
1. Sudden urge: WHIM.

2. Conceal: HIDE.

3. Game, in a way: IN THE MOOD.

4. Secret letters?: NDA. Non Disclosure Agreement.

5. Trading card game based on a manga series: YUGIOH.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

6. Game console that preceded the Nintendo Switch: WIIU. Wii, U, Me, Whatever...

7. Some venomous snakes: ADDERS. More here, (if you are into snakes...)

8. Moo goo __ pan: GAI.

Looks better than it sounds...

9. Green stir-fry ingredient: SNAP PEA. (See above.)

10. Jab with a finger: POKE.

11. Wrestler who won the WWE Women's Championship in 2010: LAYLA. Name #5

12. Missouri River Natives: OTOES. I went to get you a list, but it turns out there are 574 Federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States...

13. Lands heavily: THUDS. Like my search for a Native American tribe list...

15. Commercials: ADS. Advertisements, seen so many times, they shortened it to Ads, and then lengthened them...

19. Word in an opening line?: SESAME.😀

22. Grab: SNAG.

25. "Am I the Drama?" rapper: CARDI B. Name #6

27. Reach, as a goal: ATTAIN.

29. Stratum: TIER. Tier makes me think of cakes, stratum makes me think of dirt. Hardly compatible.

30. Fairy tale baddie: OGRE.

31. Capital of Poland: WARSAW.

32. Metric speed meas.: KPH. Kilometers Per Hour

33. Sport with belts: KARATE. 

37. Long car ride?: LIMOUSINE. 😀

38. "Will I __ learn?": EVER. ( Not if it's sports...)

39. Walkman maker: SONY.

41. Talking-to: EARFUL.

43. Yale alum: ELI.

46. Headliner: LEAD ACT.

48. Wrinkled tangelo: UGLI. I posted images of this too many times...

51. Genuflects: KNEELS. 

I only know this word from The Wizard of Oz.

"The chipmunks genuflect to me..."

52. Remedy for post-lunch drowsiness: SIESTA.

53. Inventory list: ITEMS.

54. Saying: MAXIM. A.I. Overview

55. Replay speed, familiarly: SLOMO. One word colloquial abbreviation of Slow Motion.

59. Video file format: MPEG. Did not know it stood for this...

61. "Knock it off!": STOP.

62. Hyphenated ID: SSN. Social Security Number.

64. Length x width: AREA.

65. Part of an academic year: TERM.

67. San Francisco's __ Hill: NOB.

If a picture is worth a thousand words,

What a short video worth?

69. Cauldron: POT. (Or an NYC nabe compared to Swanky Nob Hill...)

And, The Grid...

So, what do you think of this A Team puzzle? Were you a first rate solver, or did you get stuck on the bench...  spill your beans in the comments.

CE:D out...

≽^- ˕ -^≼

P.S.

Here's a freebie!

I was trying to "splain" the puzzle to Daughter #3

And she said, "there's a music tie in too!"