Sunday August 2, 2026 Ralph Sharaga & Doug Peterson

Theme: "BOOK REPORTS" - Each theme entry is humorously reinterpreted as a rave review of a book associated with the profession in the clue. 

23. Praise for a Cy Young biography?: PITCH PERFECT.

33. Praise for a meditation guide?: BREATHTAKING.

53. Praise for a rock climber's diary?: GRIPPING STORY.

70. Praise for a mechanic's handbook?: FIRES ON ALL CYLINDERS.

89. Praise for a Hope Diamond history?: AN ABSOLUTE GEM.

102. Praise for a bartender's manual?: FULL OF TWISTS.

119. Praise for a scuba diver's memoir?: DEEPLY MOVING.

Congrats to Ralph Sharaga on his LAT debut. And a Sunday! You picked a great collaborator.  I enjoyed how each clue paints a vivid mental picture. Every theme answer sounds like the kind of glowing blurb you'd find on the back cover of a book.

This grid design is a model LAT Sunday: 144 words and 76 black squares. Very clean, with a stunning numbers of long fill. 

Across:

1. Fish-cleaning gadget: SCALER. Our local Asian market has live seafood tanks.  

7. Extra option: ADD ON.

12. Pricey German cars: BMWS.

16. Muscles worked by planks: ABS.

19. Elaborately showy: ORNATE.

20. Ungainly: GAWKY.

21. Honolulu Museum of Art's location: OAHU.

22. AAA job: TOW.

25. "Voyage to India" singer: ARIE. Her surname is Simpson. 

26. "The Mole" host Shapiro: ARI.

27. "How've you __?": BEEN.

28. After the bell: LATE.

29. "Over here": PSST.

30. Mineral in hemoglobin: IRON. 126. 30-Across deficiency: ANEMIA.

31. Slaw, e.g.: SIDE. Sometimes I buy bags of coleslaw, but I stir-fry it instead.

37. Lifesaving pro: EMT.

40. Underground explorer: CAVER.

43. Trade fair: EXPO.

44. Cell service initials: LTE. Long Term Evolution.

45. Baltic capital: RIGA.

47. Toy with a Botanicals line: LEGO.  Didn't know this. So pretty. 

48. Flyer: LEAFLET.

50. UV-filtering measurement: SPF.

56. By and large: AS A RULE.

58. "Priscilla" writer/director Coppola: SOFIA. Based on Priscilla Presley's book "Elvis and Me".

59. Branch of Islam: SHIA.

60. Can openers: TABS.

62. Showbiz grand slam: EGOT. 22 people have achieved this milestone.

63. Wrath: RAGE.

65. Water or elec.: UTIL.

67. Wild adventure: ESCAPADE.

74. Cross-examination follower: RE-DIRECT.

75. __ & Chandon Champagne: MOET.

76. French denials: NONS.

77. Funds for one's golden yrs.: IRAS.

78. Small recipe amts.: TSPS.

81. Like rams: MALE.

83. Drastic policy change: U-TURN.

86. __ 500: DAYTONA.

92. Raised trains: ELS.

93. Like part of a corkscrew: HELICAL.

95. Luxury shoe brand: TOD'S.

96. Copenhagen resident: DANE.

97. Galahad's title: SIR.

98. "You can leave now": OK GO.

99. Treadmill setting: SPEED.

101. Tyrannosaurus __: REX.

107. Nutrition figs.: RDAS. RDA stands for Recommended Dietary Allowance.

109. Grayish: ASHY.

110. "Muy __": BIEN. Very good.

111. Belfry sound: PEAL.

114. Burkina Faso neighbor: MALI.

117. "Houdini" singer Lipa: DUA.

118. Six-time Emmy winner Tyne: DALY.

123. Hectic hosp. areas: ERS.

124. Designer Gucci: ALDO.

125. Snoring cause: APNEA.

127. Place to get much-kneaded therapy?: SPA. Ha, kneaded.

128. Fromage hue: BLEU. 

129. Party spreads: PATES.

130. Zeroes out: RESETS.

Down:

1. Drench: SOP.

2. Baby bed: CRIB.

3. Cost of hand delivery?: ANTE. Poker hand.

4. Shoestrings: LACES.

5. Sharing a common culture: ETHNIC. I belong to the Han ethnic group, the largest in the world,

6. Gym unit: REP.

7. Uttar Pradesh tourist city: AGRA.

8. __ Punk: "Get Lucky" duo: DAFT.

9. Nerdy type: DWEEB.

10. The NBA's Thunder, on scoreboards: OKC. The Oklahoma City Thunder.

11. "The Daily" podcast producer, briefly: NYT.

12. Brag about: BOAST OF. This is super impressive, Splynter! 

13. Heron habitat: MARSH.

14. Shaves (down): WHITTLES.

15. Go after, in a way: SUE.

16. Centipede maker: ATARI.

17. Fifth element on the periodic table: BORON.

18. Batting practice concern: SWING.

24. Natural rolls, in craps: ELEVENS.

29. Tropical fruit: PAPAYA. I like mild green papaya salad. This looks too hot.

30. 1950s prez: IKE.

32. Big name in surrealism: DALI. 38. Big name in surrealism: MIRO.

34. Move, informally: RELO.

35. Bring to bear: EXERT.

36. Flour for some flatbread: ATTA.

37. Crew team's workout machines: ERGS.

39. Chili's rival: TGI FRIDAYS. And 41. Springtime lawn parties: EGG HUNTS. 50. No. 1 hit from the album "Everything's Archie": SUGAR SUGAR. 61. Waistband feature: BELT LOOP. 88. Toy for indoor games: NERF BALL. Love those entries. 

42. Bilingual "Sesame Street" Muppet: ROSITA.

46. Beekeeper: APIARIST.

49. Cold yogurt drink: LASSI. Mango lassi.

51. Walks heavily: PLODS.

52. Swanky shindig: FETE.

54. "Your table's ready" device: PAGER.

55. Kite extension: TAIL.

57. Felt contrite: REPENTED.

64. Language suffix: ESE.

66. A.I. tool that generates text: LLM. Large Language Model.

68. MS NOW rival: CNN.

69. Score after deuce: AD OUT.

70. Not domesticated: FERAL.

71. In base eight: OCTAL.

72. Tool with teeth: COMB. I've been using the same comb I bought at Watsons decades ago. Watsons is basically the Walgreens of Guangzhou/Hong Kong.

73. Ingredients for brewers and bakers: YEASTS.

74. Go by train: RIDE.

79. Cram: PACK IN.

80. Hitches: SNAGS.

82. Advanced in years: ELDERLY.

84. Actress Russo: RENE.

85. Ariz. neighbor: NMEX. And  87. Indiana neighbor: OHIO.

90. Oodles: A LOT.

91. No longer mint: USED.

94. "Next one's on me": I OWE YOU.

97. Wily: SLY.

100. Big band singer Vic: DAMONE.

102. Loses color: FADES.

103. Seize illegally: USURP.

104. Sacred city of Tibet: LHASA. Meaning "Place of the Gods" in Tibetan.

105. Spanish diacritic: TILDE.

106. Went on a shopping spree: SPENT.

108. Goalie's stat: SAVES.

112. Fencing blade: EPEE.

113. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS.

115. Soil acidity reducer: LIME.

116. "My heart's just not __": IN IT.

118. Bit of makeup: DAB.

119. Fist bump: DAP.

120. Clean air org.: EPA.

121. Scuff up: MAR.

122. Highway sign: GAS.

Happy 72nd Birthday of Subgenius (Darryl). Wishing you a wonderful birthday filled with happiness, good health, and all the little things that make you smile. Have a beautiful day, Darryl!

I made today's puzzle for the Atlantic. Click here to solve. It's edited by Kelsey Dixon. 

C.C.

Saturday, August 1, 2026, Emily Biegas

 Saturday Themeless by Emily Biegas

In my last puzzle by Emily I came up a few cells short and today it was one cell with the coffee crossing modern "dish the dirt" show. I had a hard time starting this puzzle but had fun once I left the starting block and then had to finish  the NW. It was populated by clues and fills that were not in my vocab, so I had to get help on two cells to unlock that corner. I'll get over it. Does the picture suggest to you that Emily and I may have different life experiences? 😊

Across:

1. Many a Maximum Fun collaborator: PODCASTER ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

10. Signal to change a battery: CHIRP - Smoke detectors leapt to my mind.  It would be a real chore to count all the batteries in this house and most just quit working when they need replacing. 

15. Espresso variety: AMERICANO - I was so sure of some variation of ARABICA for too long

16. Norse pantheon: AESIR ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

17. Makes: GENERATES.

18. Buttoned-up sort: PRUDE.

19. Fashion designer Saab: ELIE ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Here he is with some of his creations. 

20. Noted law maker: NEWTON - I have taught NEWTON's Laws hundreds of times

22. "__ of Me": PJ Harvey album: RID ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  - No idea on the artist or the song. I looked up some of her lyrics and they match the tenor of her picture.

23. Impetus: REASON.

25. Poivre partner: SEL.

26. Ten ahead?: DECA 😀 DECADE

27. WashU's city: STL - A 12-minute drive from The Gateway Arch

28. House Stark patriarch: NED - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ From Game Of Thrones 

30. Fed action: RATE CUT.

32. Show stopper?: SERIES FINALE 😀 The most watched TV episode of all time - 106 million viewers.

34. "Measure twice, cut once," for one: MOTTO - Adage, Maxim

37. Sentimental one: SAP.

38. Golf course halves: NINES - The first NINE holes are called the front and the second NINE holes are called the back

39. Discount emporia: THRIFT STORES.

42. Look down upon: SCOFF AT.

43. Goss: TEA - Slang double header: Goss is short for gossip and "stir the TEA" means share the goss.

44. UFC style: MMA - Mixed Martial Arts. Not a fan.

47. Feature of an ungulate: HOOF.

48. Title choice on some forms: MRS - On the old What's My Line show, John Daly's first question of a female contestant was her marital status. Uh, that would not fly today.

50. Contests: ARGUES.

52. Fender Deluxe Reverb, e.g.: AMP - Fender says guitar and Reverb says AMP.

53. "Help me out, would ya?": BE A PAL.

55. WNBA positions: Abbr.: CTRS - The best of the new NBA CTRS is 7' 4" Frenchman Victor Wembanyama .

56. Take care of: SEE TO.

58. Joint tissue: CARTILAGE.

60. Shinto shrine entrance: TORII - The TORII Gate in Omaha's Lauritsen Gardens was a gift from Omaha's sister city Shizuoka, Japan.

61. Race unit: KILOMETER - My granddaughter regularly runs 5K and 10K races

62. First name in landscape photography: ANSEL.

63. Drag event?: SNOREFEST.

Down:

1. Motorola devices: PAGERS - Many hospitals still use them. They are great for professional purposes, almost never get spam calls and can get service where cell phones can be blocked.

2. Tamagoyaki, e.g.: OMELET ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

3. No answer?: DENIAL - No answer: "On advice of counsel..."

4. Grand Council of the __: political body in Canada: CREES 

5. Cause of inflation: AIR 😀

6. Security line machine: SCANNER.

7. The Village Voice critic Greg who was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 2024: TATE ¯\_(ツ)_/¯   Uber obscure to this solver

8. TMZ alternative: E-NEWS.

9. Athletic position?: ROSTER SPOT - Here is a list of 87 players trying to make a ROSTER SPOT on the 2026 KC Chiefs 53-man squad.

10. Skipper, for short: CAP'N.

11. "That girl?": HER.

12. "Consider it done!": I SURE CAN - My reply when C.C. asked me if I could blog the Saturday puzzle about ten years ago.

13. Lampoon: RIDICULE.

14. Antecedes: PREDATES - Precedes was a decent first guess

21. "Frozen" character who sings "In Summer": OLAF - Naive OLAF sings this ironic song

24. Ad hoc: ONE OFF - Several TV characters were intended to be ONE-OFFs, only appear once and then leave the cast. Some made such a lasting impression they became regulars. Examples: Frasier Crane, Saul Goodman, Max Klinger, Gomer Pyle, et al. Others?

26. "Train Dreams" writer Johnson: DENIS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

29. Fighting words?: DISS TRACKS - DISS has become a familiar fill and here it serves to describe musical answers to artists who felt they were "disrespected'.

31. Lack of sensitivity: TIN EAR - Oho, that's not what you meant...

32. Shortchange: STIFF - I would never STIFF a server because of a bad meal

33. "I could __": EAT.

34. Stratovolcano in NorCal: MT SHASTA.

35. "Gimme a break": OH COME ON.

36. Highway enforcers: TROOPERS - A truly thankless job

40. Mild: TAME.

41. Many a "Selling Sunset" cast member: REALTOR. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

44. Re-strain?: MUTATE 😀 Kind of a stretch?

45. Picks a lane?: MERGES.

46. Declare: ASSERT.

49. Valencia's country: SPAIN.

51. Sign of treble?: G CLEF - Named for the second note on the staff. The stylized "G" wraps around that second line

53. Get hot: BOIL.

54. "Alligator Boy" in a 2021 Netflix animated film: ARLO. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

57. Runoff cause, perhaps: TIE - It wasn't an actual TIE but no one got more than 50% of the vote.

59. "__ Mine": George Harrison book: I ME - Song video and book cover: