L.A.Times Crossword Corner

Jan 13, 2026

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Richard Liu and Katherine Xiong

The Hills Are Alive with a Solfège.

17-Across. Actress who plays Honey Chandler on "Bosch" and "Bosch: Legacy": MIMI ROGERS. Mi is the Third musical note on the scale. Mimi Rogers (née Miriam Ann Spickler; b. Jan. 17, 1956) was Tom Cruise's first wife. I am not familiar with the Bosch television series.

25-Across. Flightless species last seen in the 1660s: DODO BIRD. Do is the first note of the musical scale. A shout-out to our dear friend Dodo. The dodo is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to Mauritius, an island east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

56.-Across Musical film starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling: LA LA LAND. La is the fourth musical note on the scale. The movie, La La Land, was the center of a controversy at the 2017 Oscars when the presenters mistakenly announced it was the Best Picture winner, when in fact, the winner was Moonlight.

66-Across. Lukewarm critique: SO-SO REVIEW. So, sometimes written as Sol, is the fifth note of the musical scale.

And the unifier:

38-Across. Type of exam that allows crib sheets, or a hint to 17-, 25-, 56-, and 66-Across: OPEN NOTES. A Solfège is a system for teaching sight-singing by assigning syllables, such as Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La Ti, Do, to musical notes.

Here's the Grid:

Today's puzzle had two other sound-alikes: 1-Across (SEW) and 28-Across (SOW).

Across:

1. Attaches patches, say: SEWS. It also sounds like it should fit in with today's theme.

5. To be, en español: ESTAR. Today's Spanish lesson.

10. Hop, skip, or jump: VERB.

14. State boldly: AVOW.

15. Two-time Nobel Prize winner Curie: MARIE. Marie Curie (née Maria Salomea Skłodowska; Nov. 7, 1867 ~ July 4, 1934) has the distinction of being (1) the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize; (2) the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes; (3), along with her husband, was part of the first married couple to be awarded the Prize; and (4) the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes in two different fields. In 1903, she shared a Nobel Prize in Physics with her husband, Pierre Curie () and Henri Becquerel () for their joint work in radioactivity research. She was awarded the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work in isolating radium and polonium. Interestingly, in 1935, her daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie (Sept. 12, 1897 ~ Mar. 17, 1856), and her husband, Jean Frédéric Joliot (Mar. 19, 1900 ~ Aug. 14, 1958) ware also awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. They became the second married couple to be awarded the Prize.

16. "Your turn," on a walkie-talkie: OVER.

19. Give in: CAVE.

20. City near Dallas: PLANO.

21. Heritage gp. with roots in China, India, and Samoa: AAPI. As in Asian American and Pacific Islander. Who knew?

22. Far from shore: ASEA.

23. Running time: LENGTH.

27. Subj. for some immigrants: ESL. English as a Second Language has become a crossword staple.

28. Scatter, as seeds: SOW. Another answer that sounds like it could fit with today's musical theme.

30. Ctrl-Alt-__: PC reboot combo: DEL.

31. Tiebreakers, briefly: OTs. As in OverTimes.

32. Eyelid malady: STYE.

34. Prefix with day or night: MID-.

36. Family rooms: DENS.

42. Not full-size: MINI.

44. Tailless primate: APE.

45. Buddies: PALS.

49. Ultrasound goop: GEL.

50. Summer zodiac sign: LEO.

53. Smidgen: TAD.

55. Casual shoe, casually: MOC.

59. Like some algebra: LINEAR.

Correct? You be the judge.

61. X __ xylophone: AS IN.

62. Typical high schooler: TEEN.

64. Science fiction author Jules: VERNE. Jules Gabriel Verne (Feb, 8, 1828 ~ Mar. 24, 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright. Some of his work includes: Around the World in 80 Days, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

65. Channel: DUCT.

68. Southernmost Great Lake: ERIE. And a shout out to our old friend Abejo.

69. Used a pen: INKED.

70. Light brown shade: ECRU.

71. Complete groups: SETS. Beanie Babies were all the rage 30 years ago.

72. Inventor Nikola: TESLA. Nikola Tesla (July 10, 1856 ~ Jan. 7, 1943) was an amazing inventor.

73. Hoarse voice: RASP.

Down:

1. Grocery store freebies: SAMPLES. Since Covid, we don't see these freebies as often.

2. Most wicked: EVILEST. I am currently reading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. One of the characters, Cathy Ames, is the most wicket character in the novel. She has no conscience and enjoys creating the destruction of those around her.