Saturday, July 25, 2026, Mike Graczyk

 Saturday Themeless by Mike Graczyk

A fun solve on what appears to be Mike's initial LA Times puzzle. My trek started in the NE with my Greek wife's least favorite salad and expanding out from there.

Across:

1. "Who's interested?": ANY TAKERS - Knowing the real issues for this trip, this NASA guy knows all the perils and is a hard no! 

NOT ME!

10. Saw: ADAGE.

15. "Do I know you?": HAVE WE MET.

16. Historic site in Jordan known as the Rose City: PETRA - One of the new seven wonders of the world

17. Eggs-cellent breakfast spot: 😀 OMELET BAR.

18. "Door's open!": ENTER.

19. "You bet!": YES.

20. Pinch-hit: STEP IN - What we subs do during the school year

22. Next: THEN.

23. Hardly pusillanimous: BOLD.

24. Bears named for an Alaskan archipelago: KODIAKS.

26. Call it a day: GO HOME.

29. People who pay flat rates?: TENANTS - I think we all know what an apartment is called in the UK

30. Wistful words: I HOPE.

31. Went to court?: WOOED - 😀 Court is a verb here.

32. One who loves ewe very much: RAM.

34. Migrators in the Maasai Mara's Great Migration: GNUS.

35. Brook swimmer: TROUT.

36. Brand of shapewear: BALI.

37. Brief alarm: SOS.

38. Essence: POINT.

39. Test versions: BETAS.

40. Takes back: RECANTS.

42. "You bet!": SURE DO.

43. Ouster: DEPOSAL - Ouster : Oust :: Deposal : Depose 

44. One thing after another: LIST.

45. Campus building: HALL - My home for two years

46. Connecticut governor Ned: LAMONT ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

48. Rugby ball prop: TEE.

51. Taco truck option: ASADA.

53. Places to break some records?: RAGE ROOMS - or break most anything else

55. Hammer and anvil, for two: BONES.

56. "I wish wearing flat-irons on our heads would keep us from __": "Little Women": GROWING UP.

57. IV part: INTRA.

58. "No prob": EASY PEASY.

Down:

1. "Hello, sailor!": AHOY.

2. Appellation: NAME - For wine: An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the ingredients of a food or beverage originated,

3. __ Rocher cosmetics: YVES ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

4. Office no.: TEL.

5. "Way cool!": AWESOME - In my opinion, this is the most overused adjective used today

6. Boiling point?: KETTLE 😀

7. War zone journalist: EMBED.

8. Bring in: REAP.

9. Go down swinging, perhaps: STRIKE OUT.

10. Mimic: APE.

11. Tooth component: DENTIN.

12. "If we stayed on such a road ... ": AT THAT RATE - Ten minutes/hole. AT THAT RATE we should be done in three hours.

13. Dish with feta and Kalamatas: GREEK SALAD.

14. Brings in: EARNS.

21. Largish combo: NONET - Nine, count 'em, nine

23. Catchy tunes, informally: BOPS.

25. Pops: DAD.

26. Some play dates?: GIGS - My grandson will be taking his years of experience, his Master's Degree and connections to NYC to play some GIGS.

27. "Just wondering": OH NO REASON - Yeah, right...

28. Leaves for one's residence?: HOUSE PLANT.

29. Pluto and others: TOONS.

31. Plain to see: WRITLARGE.

33. Soup often served with gyoza: MISO.

35. Like some languages: TONAL.

36. Muppet who loves pigeons: BERT.

38. Faux finish?: PAS - I have made many a faux PAS in my life.

39. Way to travel with class?: BUS TRIP - I travelled the 1,400 miles to KSC with 23 classes with airplanes but never on a BUS. 😳

41. "You're even farther now ... ": COLDER - The opposite...

42. Muscular: SINEWY.

43. Abu __: DHABI - The silent "H" threw me for a while 

44. Screen icons: LOGOS.

47. "Matilda" star Wilson: MARA.

48. Caesar wrap?: TOGA. 😀

49. Cassowary kin: EMUS.

50. Award for top plays?: ESPY - ESPN's yearly awards for top sports plays 

52. Butterfield of "Sex Education": ASA.

54. Number worn by Oscar Robertson: ONE.