Thursday, December 25, 2025, Katie Hale

Theme:  $omething extra in your stocking.

Today's crossword puzzle comes to us from Katie Hale, assistant crossword editor of the Los Angeles Times, who lives in London, England.  Thanks, Katie, for spreading Christmas cheer from across the pond!  We have some lovely, long theme answers today, and four circled letters.  The circled letters are added to English phrases, transforming the meaning of those phrases so that they match the clues.

16-Across. Produces apian-themed bedroom decor?: MAKES A BEE LINE[N].  Original phrase:  Makes a beeline, that is, goes quickly and directly toward a specific goal.  Adding N gives us MAKES A BEE LINEN, which is apian (bee related) sheets, pillowcases, and other fabric items that decorate a bed.

23-Across. Brand stylization such as camel case?: BUMP ON A LOG[O].  Original phrase:  Bump on a log, that is, someone who sits idle.  Adding O gives us BUMP ON A LOGO.  The reference is to "camel case," a writing format that eliminates spaces between words and indicates separation with capital letters:  PowerPoint, iPhone, FedEx, eBay.  The capital letter sticks up like the hump on a camel, and is often used in brand names.

40-Across. Creates cabernet with mallets?: HAMMERS OUT A WIN[E].  Original phrase:  Hammers out a win, that is, achieves a successful outcome through intense effort.  Adding E gives us HAMMERS OUT A WINE.  Imagine using mallets, which are hammers with large heads, to beat grapes into wine.

51-Across. English noble with an eyebrow ring?: PIERCED EAR[L].  Original phrase:  Pierced ear, that is, an ear in which a hole has been made to allow an earring to pass through.  Adding L gives us PIERCED EARL, a nobleman with additional body piercings.

61-Across. End-of-year perk, and what this puzzle's circled letters form: CHRISTMAS BONUS.  The circled letters spell NOEL, which means Christmas, and comes from the Latin natalis meaning birth or birthday.  A Christmas bonus usually connotes extra money added to one's paycheck at the end of the year, but in this case, we get some extra meanings thanks to NOEL.  The extra Christmas is a bonus!

What other Christmas treats does Katie have in store for us?  Let's open all the gifts.

Across:

1. Extract in some dog treats, briefly: CBD.  Cannabidiol (CBD) is an extract of Cannabis, and has been used to treat anxiety and pain, without much clinical evidence to support that usage.  Still, anything to help Fido feel better.

4. Fare ways?: CABS.  One way to get where you're going?  Pay a fare to ride in a cab.

8. Blue Ribbon beer: PABST.  Pabst claims that its beer was renamed Pabst Blue Ribbon following its win as "America's Best" at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Whether the brand actually won an award in 1893 is unclear, but the beer had won many other awards at other fairs, and Pabst had already started tying blue ribbons around every bottle.  It was such a great marketing ploy that this was an easy answer for you today.

13. Mine material: ORE.

14. Tech gift-guide site: CNET.  Check it out.  

15. Uneasy feeling: AGITA.  Agitation or anxiety.

16. [Theme clue]

19. Jessica of "The Better Sister": BIEL.  Jessica Biel is an American movie and television actress. She co-starred with Elizabeth Banks in "The Better Sister," a 2025 Amazon limited series TV thriller.  The premise:  two estranged sisters, one married to and the other divorced from the same man, are forced together after he is murdered.

Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks

20. London's prov.: ONT.  London is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada.  Not the same London where our crossword constructor resides.

21. Step up from amateur night: GIG.  A gig is a paid performance.

22. Cal. column: MON.  Calendar column:  Monday.

23. [Theme clue]

28. "R u 4 real!?": OMG.  Are you for real?  Oh my god!  (Text abbreviations.)

29. 1860s prez: ABE.

30. Before now: AGO.

31. PG Tips and Barry's: TEAS.

British and Irish tea brands

33. Odds partner: ENDS.

36. Contradict in court: REBUT.

40. [Theme clue]

43. Slumber: SLEEP.

44. Tip-top: ACME.

45. Element of cooled pudding: SKIN.  Pudding skin is a rubbery film that forms on the surface of cooked puddings as they cool.  In one episode of Seinfeld, George proposed to cut the skin off of puddings, wrap them in plastic, and sell them as "pudding skin singles," akin to Kraft Singles American cheese.

46. Objective: AIM.

48. "Tinker Bell" voice actress Whitman: MAE.  Mae Whitman has been acting since she was six years old.  She has a long list of movie and TV credits; you may remember her from Parenthood (2010-2015).

Mae Whitman, Lauren Graham, and Miles Heizer in Parenthood

50. Actress Mendes: EVA.  Eva Mendes acted in a lot of movies before calling it quits in 2022, citing a lack of good roles that weren't specifically Latina.  She has two daughters with Ryan Gosling.

Eva Mendez and Ryan Gosling

51. [Theme clue]

56. 43-Across letters: REM.  SLEEP letters?  REM is a stage of sleep marked by -- you guessed it -- Rapid Eye Movement and vivid dreaming.

57. One point in gin rummy: ACE.  Gin Rummy, or simply Gin, is a two player card game in which aces are always valued at one point.

58. DC villain Luthor: LEX.  In DC comics, Lex Luthor is a supervillain with no superpowers.  He's just a wealthy, evil genius, and he's the archenemy of Superman.

Even a supervillain can grow up to be President.

59. Tie to a dock: MOOR.

61. [Theme clue]

66. Actor/director Waititi: TAIKA.  Taika Waititi is a New Zealnd filmmaker, actor, and comedian.  He co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in the horror comedy film What We Do in the Shadows (2014) and more recently directed Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).

Taika Waititi

67. Beauty aisle brand: OLAY.

68. Unreliable stat from the chronically late: ETA.  Adorable youngest daughter is not to be trusted regarding her Estimated Time of Arrival.

69. Like an intimidating climb: STEEP.

70. Eyelid issue: STYE.

71. Set: GEL.  Gel as a verb is to change from a liquid into a thick, soft solid.  Set is another way of saying the same thing.  Are you thinking of 45-Across, pudding skin?

Down:

1. Burger, fries, and a drink, perhaps: COMBO MEAL.

2. Cognitive ability improver: BRAIN GAME.  You're playing one!

3. Hockey feint: DEKE.  A deceptive movement or feint that induces an opponent to move out of position.  This seems to be an ice hockey specific term, and can be used as a noun or verb.

4. Includes, in a way: CCS.  We used to do this with carbon copies!  I still sometimes spell out the CCs at the end of an email when I want to the recipients to be aware of whose eyes will see a "reply all."

5. "Ballerina" actress de Armas: ANA.  Ana de Armas grew up in Cuba, moved to Spain, and then moved to Los Angeles, playing leading film and TV roles along the way.  She was the holographic AI Joi in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Paloma in the James Bond film No Time to Die (2021) and Marilyn Monroe in Blonde (2022), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.  Ballerina was a 2025 thriller.

Ana de Armas

6. "__-a-Lula": classic Gene Vincent hit: BE-BOP.  "Be-Bop-a-Lula" is a rockabilly song first recorded in 1956 by Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps.

7. Real-time record-keeper, for short: STENO.  A STENOgrapher's job is to transcribe speech, as it occurs, using shorthand writing or a stenographic machine, especially in courtroom settings.

8. Good bud: PAL.

9. Form 1040 amt.: AGI.  Adjusted Gross Income belongs on Line 11 of Form 1040.  It reflects your income from all sources, minus certain allowable expenses.

10. "That's exactly right!": BINGO.

11. "Doctor De Soto" writer/illustrator William: STEIG.  I know William Steig mostly for a little picture book called CDB! (1968).   Doctor De Soto (1982) won the National Book Award.  The plot features a mouse dentist who wants to help a fox with a toothache, and yet not be eaten by him.

12. Dance with figure-eight steps: TANGO.

17. Idris of "Hijack": ELBA.  Idris Elba appears frequently in the puzzle.  He's a hugely successful actor who gained fame through his role in the HBO series The Wire (2002–2004).  Hijack is an Apple TV+ thriller series that debuted in 2023; a second season is set to premiere in January 2026.

Idris Elba

18. Volcano where Bronte pistachios are grown: ETNA.  Bronte, Sicily, Italy, is on the slopes of Mount Etna, the active volcano.  The little pistachios grown there derive a sweet flavor from the volcanic soil.

Bronte, Sicily, with Mount Etna

22. Wool-loving pests: MOTHS.

24. __ Eats: UBER.

25. Society for smarties: MENSA.

26. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.

27. Luxury hotel chain: LOEWS.

32. Spread, as peanut butter: SMEAR.

34. Sleepy housemate: DOC.  From Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

35. __ cum laude: SUMMA.  I imagine that many cruciverbalists earned this distinction in college.

37. Trail for cyclists: BIKE ROUTE.

38. Covering everything: UNIVERSAL.

39. Brunch date hr.: TEN AM.  In L.A., people will invite you to brunch at 1 PM.  1 PM!!  Does the language mean nothing any more?  On the other hand, sure, I can be ready by 1 PM.

41. Extraordinary: EPIC.

42. Feature of some distressed jeans: TEAR.

47. Turn to liquid: MELT.

49. Furry red Muppet: ELMO.  The Tickle Me Elmo doll was a huge fad during the 1996 Christmas shopping season.

51. Promises between besties: PACTS.

52. Apple's old messaging app: iCHAT.  iDON'Tchat.  I'm not an Apple person.

53. Haunting: EERIE.

54. Short exhibitions: DEMOS.

55. Speak highly of: EXALT.

60. Pull felt on Earth: O NEG.  Here I need your help.  Are we dealing with gravity?  With weightlessness?  Is the first character a zero, that is, zero neg?  Help, I'm falling!  Or failing!

62. 1950s prez: IKE.

Eisenhower and Nixon

63. Sucker: SAP.

64. Go: SAY.  So I go, that movie is the best!, and Sharie goes, it was totally rad!

65. "Ta-ta": BYE.  Ciao for now.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did this BRAIN GAME give you AGITA?  Did you survive by the SKIN of your teeth?

Or did your SUMMA cum laude and MENSA credentials earn you an EPIC win?

Your gift to the rest of us:  a comment below!

If you don't have a Blogger handle, consider being super cool like Darren in L.A. and signing your Anonymous comment. 

Merry Christmas!

-- NaomiZ

 

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

 

1) Happy birthday to dear Kathy (Yellowrocks)! I'm so happy to see you back on the blog. I hope you're having an extra-special day celebrating with your family.
 

Yellowrocks, Dec 10, 2020

2) Happy birthday to Lorraine (Fermatprime) as well! I hope you're doing well. And "Hello"  to Malcolm too - he reads our blog regularly and keeps me posted on how Lorraine is doing from time to time.

Fermatprime, Thanksgiving, 2015

Wednesday, Dec 24th, 2025 ~ Leslie Young

NOT "16"

...and not "8" - she needs better math skills

Leslie Young, née (oooh, I got to use it for real~! ) Leslie Rogers, was part of this collaboration here at the LA Times, and has been published in a few other places as well.  I really liked the theme today - a solid, non-reveal type that has multiple examples of the common 4x4, "four by four" term we use day to day.  All the themers are unique, cosisting of always-hard-to-use, 12-letter fills ( or, 4x3 if you like ), in a standard grid, and none of the trite trappings - NO circles (yay), just a few names, a few abbrs, and nothing vague or "meh".  The FOUR themers;

19. Where to find a sturdy 4x4: THE HOME DEPOT - my "second" home; A 4x4 in this instance actually starts as lumber four inches by four inches square, but once dried and planed, measures 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" - and a judge upheld this "nominal" terminology.  I used a short one for the center leg of this table I made as a Christmas present for my brother.

My first try at epoxy, too

26. Where to find a caloric 4x4: IN N' OUT BURGER - there are no locations of this west-coast franchise beyond TX ( TN is next ) as of 2025 - a 4x4 is this mouth-watering construction

My trainer would tell me this is my entire daily caloric intake in one sa'mich

42. Where to find an adventurous 4x4: OFF-ROAD TRAIL - the "classic" definition of a 4x4, which is a 'truck' with all four wheels powered; nowadays, there's also "all-wheel drive" - A.I. says this is the original four-wheel drive - the Wiki

Great sales pitch imagery

51. Where to find an athletic 4x4: RUNNING TRACK - I had to look this one up, as I am not "athletic", per se; it's the 4 x 400 meter dash - more from this website

An'  A w
!          a
~         y
o G  eW


ACROSS:

1. Gift wrapping need: TAPE - For all those "last minute" Christmas types, of which I was once a part, you now have less than 24hrs to minimum safe distance . . . 

5. Sound in "The Addams Family" theme song: SNAP - Twice, preceded by; Du-Du-Du DUM

9. Dramatic haircut: CHOP

13. Jazz legend Fitzgerald: ELLA - name #1

14. Award presented at the World Science Fiction Convention: HUGO - name #2 - I am a voracious reader, and I switch between Crime/Detective/Mystery & Sci-Fi to change it up, so I knew what a "Hugo Award" was; can anyone recommend an author from any of these genres~?  I am looking to read someone new...

15. Origami bird: CRANE

16. Fortnite's company: EPIC GAMES - Learned by doing crosswords; more here

18. Noodle dish: RAMEN

21. "You __ to be there": "HAD"- wouldn't be Wednesday without a Monday dupe . . . .

22. Tug-of-__: WAR

23. Endless expanse: OCEAN - wouldn't be Wednesday without a Monday dupe . . . .

30. Shadowboxes: SPARS

33. Disapproving chorus: BOOs

34. Brew that may be hazy: IPA - getting to be a cliché fill now

35. Lines that are often blue: URLs - like this

36. Out of it: LOOPY - I have been there....

38. Glitz: GLAM - Two weeks in a row with "GLAM" for me

39. Stock quote?: MOO - cattle = stock, cows 'say' moo - clever clue/answer

40. Took a tumble: FELL

41. In one's __: emotional: FEELS - never heard this phrase; the "F" was my last "eff-in" fill

46. Drummer twice inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: STARR - Ringo, and I learned today the second induction was as a solo artist in 2015; name #3

And previously as the drummer for The Beatles

47. Subj. for an aspiring polyglot: ESL - polyglot = knowing or using several (English as Second) Language(s)

48. Faux __: PAS - Foe Paaah, Frawnche, "false step"

55. Baggage __: CLAIM - I have not been in an airport for over 20yrs, and I don't travel much anymore - two weeks ago, I had some questions from Cornerites; unclefred asked about the pipe organ job - I left in February as I felt I was not being given the chance to grow into the company - and then they changed owners in June, as well ... see also 31D.

58. Eight-sided solids: OCTAHEDRA - Dungeons & Dragons fans know . . . .

59. Provokes: BAITS

60. Backup camera's view: REAR

61. Send out: EMIT

62. Quick and nimble: SPRY

63. Blend together: MELD

64. Dull: FADE - the verb instead of the adjective

DOWN:

1. Pearly whites: TEETH

2. Omega opposite: ALPHA - it's all Greek to me . . . .

3. Practiced, as a trade: PLIED - I am learning much as I ply(wood) my new trade as a handyman member of Home Advisor on the Angi app; just finished this bar for a client 

Home Depot 1x oak boards and 3/4" oak plywood - a learned a few "bar" things, too

4. Per person: EACH

5. Spiritual healer: SHAMAN - good WAG on my part

6. Dos, por ejemplo: NUMERO - Español, 'two', but I didn't suss the 'No.' connection

7. Like black vinegar: AGED - I have never heard of 'black' vinegar

8. Billy Porter series about 1980s ball culture: POSE - name #4, totally unknown to me; "ball" refers to ballroom culture, the Wiki on that; here's Billy Porter's Wiki

9. Result of a blast from the past?: CRATER

That'll leave a mark....

10. Cordon bleu meat: HAM

11. End of a countdown: ONE - Give it a week, and "Yule" understand this clue/answer

12. Write: PEN - I am still gathering ideas for my own Sci-Fi book/screenplay

15. Early spring bloomer: CROCUS - I found out ASTER "comes up", er, short

17. Met Gala garb: GOWNS - Dah~!  Got suckered by the lack of  'plural' in the clue

I'm down with the gown~!

20. NOLA sandwich: PO'BOY - I am reading James Lee Burke's Robicheaux series - the main character Dave is an alcoholic cop who goes to AA, set in Lousiana. ( CSO to Big Easy & Hahtoolah ), name(ish)

24. Quick and nimble: AGILE

25. Annapurna's country: NEPAL - filled via perps

In the center

26. W-2 org.: IRS - Death & Taxes, or, phonetically, the "hearse and the irse"

27. Horseshoe-shaped fastener: U-BOLT

28. Spinner: TOP

29. Merino males: RAMS - Motorized Machines, too

I worked with a guy who liked to point out "Ram in front, Dodge behind"

30. Japan's national sport: SUMO - does make sense

31. Tenured employees, for short: PROFs - ...and Prof M asked two weeks ago why the "~"~?  It started waaay back in texts - I like to see an "!" stand out from a "1", "or an "l", and it just went from there

32. Floating in the air: ALOFT

36. Get the hang of: LEARN

37. Word before some language names: OLD - Old Enlgish, Old Norse, e.g.

38. Insole option: GEL

40. Subreddits, e.g.: FORUMS - should this be forA~?  Or am I being too forMAL~?

41. Sordid matter: FILTH - "I read this disgusting filth. Twice."

43. Triple play, for one: RARITY - Did C.C. know this fact~?

44. Vacation cottage, often: RENTAL - Ah.  Not  A-FRAME - but 50% correct letter-wise

45. Realm in Norse cosmology: ASGARD - that's the "A" word I could not recall; name #5

48. "Love, Loss, and What We Ate" memoirist Lakshmi: PADMA - no clue, filled via perps, and I WAGed the last "A", since I misunderstood what "DULL" referred to at 64A.  Name #6

49. Pungent: ACRID - but I nailed this one

50. Walk on water, essentially: SKATE - har-har....

NY Rangers and the NHL's highest-paid goalie, Igor Shesterkin~!

52. Convention: NORM - here's a simply complicated explanation

53. Slushy drink: ICEE

54. "Finding Nemo" setting: REEF - A-ha; OCEAN was in the grid already, and SEA was too short

55. Network with an eye on television: CBS

56. F1 unit: LAP - Formula One racing

57. Yoga ball filler: AIR - I think the girl in this GIF gets some air . . . .

Wednesday Splynter, Signing Off . . . . see you next year~! 

Grid Flow was a low 26.0

Merry Christmas, Festivus, and Happy New Year~!

Tuesday December 23, 2025 Alan P. Olschwang

 CrossEyedDave here, filling in again. My interpretation of a theme for this puzzle would be:

It's For The Birds... 

Alan Olschwang is a prolific constructor, and has provided many puzzles for us to enjoy. You can find CC's 2009 interview with him on the right side of the Blog, 3rd from the bottom. 

As near as i can comprehend, these birds are cooped up in the circles as follows:

18 Across. Rather often: QUITE A LOT

Teal

23 Across. In large quantities: HAND OVER FIST

Dove

37 Across. Taunting remark: EAT YOUR HEART OUT.

Rhea

50 Across. NHL legend known as "The Great One": WAYNE GRETZKY

Egret

And, the reveal:

60 Across. Handmade backyard nest box, and an apt description of 18-, 23-, 37-, and 50-Across: BIRDHOUSE.

Across:
1. Root beer brand owned by Coca-Cola: BARQ'S. This combined with 3 down, Regan, was almost a Natick for me. But the R in Barqs was dredged up from previous Crosswords.

6. Tightly closed: SHUT. 

10. Smile joyously: BEAM. 😀

14. Indigenous Alaskan: ALEUT. Indigenous Alaskans are diverse peoples, including Inupiaq, Yup'ik, Aleut (Unangan/Alutiiq), Athabascan, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. (And you thought they were just Eskimos...)

15. Work hard for: EARN. (I earned this puzzle review!)

16. Feminine Spanish pronoun: ELLA. (e.g., Ella es mi madre - She is my mother; Los regalos son para ella - The gifts are for her). I have no explanation for "Cinderella..."

17. Roman robes: TOGAS.

Or, a rallying cry...

18. [Theme]

20. Jackie on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: CHAN.

21. Mardi Gras, for one: Abbr.: TUE. I cannot imagine only one person celebrating Marci Gras...

22. Selling point: ASSET.

23. [Theme]

27. Name on a former lake in Central Asia: ARAL. This word is as common as Oreo...

28. "Guys and Dolls" composer Frank: LOESSER.

This Guy

32. "Been __, done that": THERE.

35. Chapel bench: PEW.

36. Med. plan option: HMO. (Health Maintenance Organization)

37. [Theme]

42. Chicken __ king: ALA.

43. Hundred Acre Wood joey: ROO.

This Guy

44. Cropped up: AROSE. 

What cropped up, was a rose upon his nose...

45. Antarctic body of water with penguin rookeries: ROSS SEA.

48. "Othello" frenemy: IAGO.

NOT this guy

50. [Theme]

55. Poker buy-ins: ANTES.

58. Final tally: SUM.

59. Prefix with -gram: SONO. (One of too many to mention...)

60. [Theme]

63. Hollowed out: CORED.

64. Crossword hint: CLUE.

65. Finds a purpose for: USES.

66. Blender setting for pumpkin pie filling: PUREE. And baby food.

67. "As __ on TV": SEEN.

68. "Devil Inside" band: INXS. This was another almost Natick, saved by U.S. Navy...

 

69. Ring-shaped island: ATOLL.

Down:

1. Baker's sheetful: BATCH.

2. "Welcome to Maui!": ALOHA.

3. Middle daughter of King Lear: REGAN. (Half an almost Natick.)

4. Difficult situation: QUANDARY. (What ever should i post here.)

5. MA, ME, MI, and MO, but not MU: STS.  (And not Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum...)

6. Follow-up film: SEQUEL.

7. Rutger of "Blade Runner": HAUER.

This guy

8. Ocean State sch.: URI. University of Rhodesia Island.

9. Blasting letters: TNT.

10. __ of burden: plow-pulling animals: BEASTS.

11. Letter-shaped pipe joints: ELLS.

12. __ vera gel: ALOE.

13. "The Simpsons" creator Groening: MATT.

The guy on the left

19. "At __, soldier!": EASE.

21. FDR energy project: TVA. Tennessee  Valley Authority

24. Dirt pie cookie: OREO.

25. Escape in a hurry: FLEE.

26. Ames locale: IOWA.

29. "Go on, git!": SHOO. (Scram! Or Skidaddle...)

30. Big birds of Australia: EMUS. Not Rheas, 

31. Learning by repetition: ROTE. (The answer is Oreo!)

32. Salty drop: TEAR.

33. Saintly glow: HALO.

34. Airport pickup figs.: ETAS.

35. Vietnamese soup: PHO. (Do i need to post a pic?)

38. Manhattan Project scientist Harold: UREY.

OMG!

Another name!

(This is getting to be a pain...)

39. Multicolored horse: ROAN. I would post a pic, but I really thought they were more colorful...

40. All the __: very popular: RAGE.

41. Brings forward for display: TROTS OUT.  (Hmm, see 47 down...)

46. Country between Finland and Norway: SWEDEN.

47. Merit badge holder: SASH.

48. "Well, maybe": I GUESS.

49. Sleeve: ARM. (If you are armed, would you be sleeved?)

51. English county south of Suffolk: ESSEX.

52. Masked vigilante whose name is Spanish for "fox": ZORRO. Learning moment

53. Genuflect: KNEEL. Only know this from The Wizard of Oz... (The Lions Solo song)

54. Alpine song: YODEL.

55. School basics: ABCS.

56. Aswan's river: NILE.

57. Factual: TRUE.

61. French yes: OUI.

62. Top Gun org.: USN.

63. Audit firm pro: CPA.

This would have been a Pangram, but was missing the "J."

Well, you didn't need to be an Ornithologist to solve this one. Hope it was right up your roost, aviary, dovecote, aerie or henhouse, and didn't ruffle any feathers.

CE:D out.

 

 

Note from C.C: 

 

Today we celebrate the 81st birthday of our sweet Misty, who has been with our blog since 2011 and means so much to all of us. Wishing you a beautiful day, Margot!

Misty and her husband Rowland