google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Monday, September 28, 2026, Hoang-Kim Vu

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Sep 28, 2026

Monday, September 28, 2026, Hoang-Kim Vu

  Theme: Words of Support.


17 Across. Words of support from an abacus?: YOU CAN COUNT ON ME.

29 Across. Words of support from a rideshare driver?: I'M HERE FOR YOU.

45 Across. Words of support from a crossbody bag?: I'M ON YOUR SIDE.

No!
Yes!

57 Across. Words of support from a broken elevator?: I WON'T LET YOU DOWN.

How the elevator got broken...

CE:D here, filling in. I don't know why all my cartoons seem so down in this fun, uplifting puzzle. Maybe because it's Monday... Hurry back NaomiZ! We need you to cheer us up!

Onward!

Across:
1. Game, __, match: SET.


4. Piece of cake: CINCH. Or, easy as pie! Use Granny Smiths!

9. Granny Smith, for one: APPLE.

14. The "A" of ETA: Abbr.: ARR. (Estimated Time of Arrival.)

15. Spanish form of Paul: PABLO.

16. "Get out of town!": NO WAY.

17. [Theme.]

20. Brainstorming outputs: IDEAS.

21. Epitome of slowness: SNAIL. Not Sloth?

22. Six years for a U.S. Senator, e.g.: TERM.

23. __ Arabia: SAUDI.

25. Pre-K basics: ABCS.

29. [Theme.]

32. Santa __, California: ANA.

35. Used a pair of sculls, say: OARED. More info here...

36. Chutzpah: NERVE.

37. Out that gets a runner home, for short: SAC FLY. Sacrifice Fly Ball.

39. Like some evening gowns: BEADED.
$991.00???
40. Invoice amount: TOTAL. (See above...)

41. Rebuff: SPURN. 

44. Sault __ Marie: STE. Oldest city in Michigan. Home of the Soo locks. More info here.

45. [Theme.]

48. Orange skin: RIND. (I wanted peel...)

49. Madrid museum: PRADO.

50. Quick inhalation: GASP.

54. Not united: APART.

56. Prefix with -lithic: PALEO.

57. [Theme.]

62. Around, in dates: CIRCA.

63. Phone notification: ALERT.

64. Tasseled hat that shares a name with a Moroccan city: FEZ.
Quite honestly, as a style choice, I just don't think it looks good on anybody.
(Unless your a Stoat.)
65. Leg joints: KNEES.

66. Smallest possible: LEAST.

67. Swim-bike-run race, informally: TRI. As such a long grueling race, why such a short name?

Down:
1. "Tell me already!": SAY IT.

2. Slowly wear away: ERODE.

3. More accurate: TRUER.

4. Pros who are busy in Apr.: CPAS. Certified Public Accountants.

5. Actor McKellen: IAN.
The one and only...
Would you believe? A young Gandalf?

6. "SNL" TV network: NBC. Saturday Night Live/National Broadcasting Company.

7. Sense of finality that may be needed after a breakup: CLOSURE. Hmm, after every breakup, I needed stitches...

8. Pursued doggedly: HOUNDED.
Musical interlude...
Would you believe, after all these years, the paper today said Frank Sinatra was disgusted by Elvis' dance moves... Jeez man, let it go...
9. Against: ANTI.

10. Location that may have "No running" and "No diving" signs: POOL AREA. Hmm, Monday clueing. I guess Wednesday would be no glass bottle area, and Friday would be "place to get a cue..."

11. Dominate, in gaming slang: PWN. (Pawn.) very grey area, could go on and on, (don't ask about teabagging...)

12. Go on the __: get out of town: LAM.

13. Organ with a retina: EYE.

18. Top that's useful in layering, for short: CAMI.
This is what happens when you spend too many hours doing crossword reviews...

19. Innocent one: NAIF. (Nope, I'm guilty..)

23. Mitchell of "Pretty Little Liars": SHAY.

24. __ Lingus: Irish carrier: AER.

26. "Turn! Turn! Turn!" band, with "The": BYRDS.

27. Desire: COVET.

28. Fuzzy fabric: SUEDE. When Michael Caine became famous, he was approached by John Wayne with some advice, I'll let Michael explain it...
When you're a star, don't wear suede shoes!

30. "Pretty in Pink" star Ringwald: MOLLY.

31. Sticking straight up, as hair: ON END.

32. Up and about: ASTIR. An A word!  Tell me, when did you last use this word!

33. Two-time Australian Open winner Osaka: NAOMI.

34. Follow, as a hunch: ACT ON.

38. Burlesque performance: FAN DANCE.
Due to complaints about pics degrading Women,
We are forced to downgrade the fan dance video...

39. Spirit: BRIO. It helps to know Italian...

41. Inexplicably weird: SURREAL.

42. Natter (on): PRATTLE.

43. Amer. capital: USD. U.S. Dollar.

46. Iridescent gem: OPAL.

47. "Good lord!": EGAD.

51. In midair: ALOFT. 

52. Underground waste line: SEWER.

53. __ scheme: PONZI.

55. School support orgs.: PTAS. (If I need to explain PTA's, you need to go back to school...)

56. Golf stroke near the hole: PUTT.

57. "How nasty": ICK.

58. Take first prize: WIN.

59. Mine lode: ORE.

60. Pro vote: YEA.

61. Surgery ctrs.: ORS. Operating Rooms.

The Grid.
*Just an Easter Egg for The Big Bang theory fans. Note: that when Leonard runs out with the smoking rocket fuel, Sheldon takes time to turn the refrigerator magnet upside down. It is explained in an earlier episode that Sheldon is obsessed with Flags. So much so that he created a Flag for the Apartment. A yellow lion on a field of blue. He turns the flag upside down as a sign that the apartment is in distress...
Oh! I almost forgot!
How the show ended 8 years later....

Some notes on my Monday solving experience:
26d birds b/4 byrds, can't remember if it was a fat fingered typo, or a brain fart...
32d up and about, awake before astir. Yes it was a rude awakening for a Monday...
44a soo b/4 ste, not quite awake yet, and old crosswords were seeping into my memory...
48a peel b/4 rind, reminds me why I gave up oranges for breakfast before having coffee...
60d pro vote, yes b/4 yea (it was my 66a least of my problems...)
And finally, since The Devil Wears Prada 2 recently came out, I put an A at the crossing of Prado and Brio...  (there are more Naticks in Europe than in Connecticut...)

Anywho, please leave some uplifting words in the comments. We all need them on a Monday...
CE:D out...
₍^ >⩊< ^₎Ⳋ

1 comment:

  1. It felt like a typical
    Monday-easy puzzle to me. So I don’t have much to say about it, except
    FIR, so I’m happy.

    ReplyDelete

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