Sunday September 6, 2026 Katie Hale

Theme: "READ THE INSTRUCTIONS" - Each answer ends with something that's meant to be followed, and each clue is a literal example of it.

22. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," e.g.?: GUIDING PRINCIPLE.

32. "Oral contracts are binding," e.g.?: UNWRITTEN LAW.

50. "A new pope shall be chosen at a conclave," e.g.?: CARDINAL DIRECTION.

66. "The strike zone is between the chest and knees," e.g.?: BATTING PRACTICE.

87. "The ball must hit the cushion before dropping into the pocket," e.g.?: BANKING REGULATION.

102. "Chickens will be fed in the coop," e.g.?: PECKING ORDER.

119. "Wear sensible shoes and a lumbar support belt," e.g.?: LONG-STANDING RULE.

Every clue is a literal example of the second word in the answer, while the first word naturally fits that literal context. Very consistent set.

I wouldn't be surprised if the theme set required very little editing. Katie is an outstanding Sunday constructor as well as Patti's assistant.

The grid is also a model LAT Sunday: the total word count, black-square count, and number of three-letter entries all align with the style Patti has long favored.

Across:

1. Add some oomph to: AMP UP.

6. In good __: STEAD.

11. "The Marvels" director DaCosta: NIA. Didn't fare well in the box office.

14. Latch (onto): GLOM.

18. Speckled horses: ROANS.

19. Dodge: EVADE.

20. Zingy flavor: TANG.

21. "Sorry, I slipped": OOPS.

25. "Frozen" reindeer: SVEN.

26. "Come back __!": HERE.

27. See 91-Across: EAGLE. 91. With 27-Across, patriotic Muppet: SAM.

28. Like rum barrels: OAKEN.

29. Ms. Marvel, for one: HERO.

30. Fruity drink suffix: ADE.

35. Cause of a soccer ball bending midair: SIDE SPIN.

40. Vigor: ELAN.

41. Fish eggs: ROE.

42. Character who calls Homer "neighborino": NED. Flanders.

43. Romania neighbor: MOLDOVA.

45. Letters said while showing a badge: FBI.

47. "Ew, stop talking!": TMI.

55. Fall (over): TIP.

56. Et __: and others: ALIA.

57. Polite contraction: YES'M.

58. Castle protectors: MOATS.

59. Turn to rubble, briefly: DEMO. 81. 59-Across stuff: TNT.

60. Ancient land of the Fertile Crescent: ASSYRIA.

63. Scout leader?: GIRL. Girl Scout. Literal sense.  

64. NHL trophy namesake: NORRIS.

71. Significant amount of spots?: AD FEES. Ad spots on TV/radio.

74. Piglet moms: SOWS.

75. Drank daintily: HAD A SIP.

79. __-back: LAID.

80. Unsettling look: STARE.

82. Target of some laser therapy: SCAR.

85. City bond, for short: MUNI.

86. Birthplace of MLK: ATL.

92. Home security co.: ADT.

93. Malaysian fleet: AIR ASIA. One of Asia's largest low-cost airlines.

94. __ for tat: TIT.

95. Mexican lager: SOL.

97. AKB48 genre: J POP. AKB48 is Japan's best-selling idol group, with dozens of rotating members.

100. Miami Beach fair for gallerists and curators: ART BASEL.

107. Designer initials: YSL.

108. Former Yankee slugger, familiarly: A-ROD.

109. "That wasn't wholly true": I LIED.

110. Tennis star Naomi: OSAKA.

114. Airport pickup option: UBER.

118. Space City pro: STRO.  Short for Astro, Houston is nicknamed "Space City" because of NASA.

122. Coming-of-age story subject, often: TEEN.

123. Cheap, plastic camera type: LOMO.  Refers to the inexpensive film cameras associated with the lomography movement. Learning moment for me.

124. Curtain beam, often: I RAIL.

125. Agree to take part: OPT IN.

126. Latin 101 verb: ESSE.

127. Copy: APE.

128. Public affairs network: C-SPAN.

129. Source of wealth: ASSET.

Down:

1. Petulant cry: ARGH. And  2. Petulant look: MOUE.

3. Salt and pepper, e.g.: PAIR.

4. Like Dracula: UNDEAD.

5. Air pump meas.: PSI.

6. Super Monkey Ball developer: SEGA.

7. Rating for mild language, perhaps: TV PG.

8. Countess counterpart: EARL.

9. French farewell: ADIEU. Or "Salut".

10. Recliner room: DEN.

11. Part of a table setting: NAPKIN.

12. Shoreline feature: INLET.

13. Sales rep: AGENT.

14. "Gee, that seems unlikely": GOSH NO.

15. Treasure-y note?: LOVE LETTER. Cute clue.

16. __ glasses: OPERA.

17. Jen Psaki's network: MSNOW.

20. Dress-up box item: TIARA.

23. Liam of "The Naked Gun": NEESON.

24. Draped neckline: COWL.

31. Moore of "The Substance": DEMI.

33. Get close: NEAR.

34. "__ go bragh!": ERIN.

35. Shuts up tight: SEALS.

36. "Hijack" star Elba: IDRIS. Who do you think will be the next Bond?

37. Dabble in: PLAY AT.

38. Just hanging about: IDLE.

39. Dozes (off): NODS.

42. Sweet Sixteen org.: NCAA.

44. __ and vigor: VIM.

45. Toned: FIT.

46. Sarajevo's region: BOSNIA.

48. "Light My Candle" singer in 117-Down: MIMI. 117. Musical set in Alphabet City: RENT.

49. Long-term goals for some startups: IPOS.

51. Sleeper sofa: DAYBED.

52. Dubai leader: EMIR.

53. "Downton Abbey" countess: CORA. Cora Crawley.

54. Powdery mineral: TALC.

59. Imagined: DREAMT.

61. Issa of "Barbie": RAE.

62. "What a downer": IT'S SAD.

63. Rte. finder: GPS.

65. Anxiety-related med. condition: OCD. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

67. Novelist Dinesen: ISAK.

68. Tuna roll wrap: NORI.

69. Singer Stefani: GWEN.

70. Force measured in newtons: THRUST.

71. Start of a lament: ALAS.

72. "Star Trek" android: DATA.

73. Movie soundtracks: FILM SCORES.

76. Family-friendly hotel room: SUITE.

77. How anchovies may be packed: IN OIL. I liked dried anchovies.

78. Guinness serving, often: PINT.

82. __ Lanka: SRI.

83. Michael of "Barbie": CERA.

84. Vegan thickener: AGAR.

87. Indonesian island: BALI.

88. Gawk: GAPE.

89. Tripoli resident: LIBYAN.

90. Small clock inserts: AAAS.

96. "And I'm finished": OK DONE. And  97. "Come along for the ride": JOIN ME.

98. Italian "You're welcome": PREGO.

99. Bet calculations: ODDS.

101. Drinks noisily: SLURPS.

102. Wasabi product: PASTE. You can find this brand in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store.

103. Some deco pieces: ERTES.

104. __ Wafers: NILLA.

105. Sludgy stuff: GLOOP.

106. Big cat sounds: ROARS.

111. Finger click: SNAP.

112. College basketball coach Barnes: ADIA. Head coach of the SMU Mustangs. Another learning moment for me.

113. Potter's oven: KILN.

115. Objections: BUTS.

116. Author Wiesel: ELIE.

120. Involuntary spasm: TIC.

121. Southwestern Indian state: GOA.

C.C.

Saturday, September 5, 2026, Matthew Luter

Saturday Themeless by Matthew Luter

xDr. Matthew Luter is a writer and teacher in Jackson, MS. Originally from Laurel, MS, he is an alumnus of Millsaps College and of the University of North Carolina. He teaches courses in American literature at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.

The solve was fun until the NE corner where INTERROBANG was really "out there". Usually long fill is very helpful but it provided no help with a part of the puzzle that was a challenge to me. It MADE NO SENSE.

ACROSS

1. Nowhere near: AFAR.

5. Allegro: RAPID. - I'm confident that our cultured solvers here at the corner know at the Allegro Spring movement from Vivaldi's Four Seasons! Listen to this unique presentation of this Allegro piece

10. Improvise: VAMP.

14. Podcaster's software option: GARAGE BAND - A Mac product 

16. Cricket field shape: OVAL.

17. Conversion that some pray will be successful?: EXTRA POINT 😀

18. Work with Python, say: CODE.

19. Arise: EMERGE.

20. Retraced one's steps, in a way: PACED.

21. Light touch: PAT.

24. Hybrid punctuation mark: INTERROBANG ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Can you believe this word‽

26. Unsure where to go: ADRIFT.

28. Logical start: GEO.

29. Jane in a suit?: DOE 😀 Jane DOE is the female equivalent of John Doe. They simply refer to an unknown person in a legal matter.

30. Pantheon honoree: DEITY.

31. Cereal with a vanilla-flavored Confetti version: CHEERIOS.

34. Back up: SAVE.

35. Kleptocracy ruler: THIEF.

36. "The Mystery at Lilac Inn" sleuth: DREW - From October 1930

38. Setting of Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes": LIMERICK - You can join this tour at 20 O'Connell St, Prior's-Land, Limerick, Ireland

                                 

40. Hermitlike: ALONE.

. Wanders in an airport?: TSA. 😀

42. Sportscaster Patrick: DAN.

43. Words of warning: OR ELSE.

44. Absolute noob: RANK AMATEUR - Me at chess

48. Steered: LED.

49. Pretty penny or bad penny: IDIOM.

50. Collection of highlights, perhaps: TOP TEN

Current List

Same time of year 1964

52. Dreamcast maker: SEGA.

53. Help line?: DO ME A SOLID.

57. Kathryn of "WandaVision": HAHN ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

58. Strong desire for one in search of just desserts?: SWEET TOOTH. 😀

59. Secondary social media accounts: ALTS - I barely have any primaries let alone any secondaries 

60. Pernod flavor: ANISE.

61. Headphones maker based in Milwaukee: KOSS - You really have to look closely to see the word KOSS on these headphones

Down:

1. Actuarial stat: AGE - I'll soon turn 80 and this is what one actuarial says my future looks like.

2. Quaint transmission: FAX -  😀 Not transmitting much anymore

3. Word with pop or op: ART.

4. Like an Inverted Jenny stamp: RARE - This misprint can be worth as much as two million dollars.

5. Turn sharply to the right?: REPENT - Assuming you had been turning to the wrong 😀

6. "Cancel the launch!": ABORT - Jim Lovell considered this option during the launch of Apollo 13

7. 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Bueckers: PAIGE.

8. Something that may be on display while playing D&D: INNER GEEK 😀

9. "Silent Spring" subj.: DDT.

10. Informal lexicon: VOCAB.

11. Vegetarian sushi option: AVOCADO ROLL.

12. Beggared belief: MADE NO SENSE.

13. Fundraising promise: PLEDGE.

15. Turn into a competition, say: GAMIFY - The most famous example of this (3:10)

20. Subpar: POOR.

21. Trampoline park gear: PADS.

22. "We agreed on this!": A DEAL'S A DEAL.

23. Bar exam setting?: TRIVIA NIGHT - Matthew took some pretty big liberties with the language here but it was fun when I "got it"!

25. Utah's Capitol __ National Park: REEF.

27. Article: ITEM.

31. Neighborhood that may contain a paifang: CHINA TOWN.

32. Minute Maid brand: HI-C.

33. Unserious: IDLE.

35. Mine wagon: TRAM - An electric TRAM hauling gold or silver at the Bohemia Mine in Cottage Grove, OR. Postmarked 1909.

37. Intruder from under the surface: WEED.

39. Semisoft cheese: EDAM.

40. Halt: ARREST.

41. Country star Yearwood: TRISHA - She has been married to this "other singer" since 2005.

43. Showed up at dinner?: OUTATE - If. you GAMIFY eating...

45. Zen riddles: KOANS - I learned this in cwd and I know the example of, "What is the sound made by one hand clapping?"

46. "The Wrestler" Oscar nominee: TOMEI - Her portrayal a stripper won accolades for her acting and 44-year-old body.

47. Light blades: EPEES.

51. Alcove: NOOK.

53. Mamdani political org.: DSA.

54. Bath lav: LOO.

55. "__ no use": ITS.

56. Org. that oversees 41-Across: DHS.