Monday, April 6, 2026, Jodi Davenport

Theme:  Warm words.

What do I care how much it may storm?
I've got crosswords to keep me warm.

Constructor Jodi Davenport makes sure we're keeping cozy by finding warm garments hidden at the FRONTS of familiar phrases in the long answers.

The big reveal occurs here:

59-Across. Zones of air that bring less chilly weather, or what 17-, 23-, 38-, and 49-Across all have: WARM FRONTS.  A warm front is the leading edge of an advancing warmer air mass that overrides a retreating colder air mass.  But in the style of crossword themes, the clue suggests we look for something WARM at the FRONTS (or beginnings) of the listed entries.

17-Across. Manhattan thoroughfare known for ritzy residences: PARK AVENUE.  PARKA.

23-Across. Endure a book just to write a scathing review, perhaps: HATE READ.  HAT.

38-Across. Personal stakes: VESTED INTERESTS.  VEST.

49-Across. Brian De Palma crime classic starring Al Pacino: SCAR FACE.  SCARF.

That was a nice warm-up exercise!  Now for the heavy lifting.

Across:

1. Canvas camping structures: TENTS.

6. Open just a crack: AJAR.

10. Twinge of hunger: PANG.

14. Ferret kin: STOAT.  In winter, a stoat's brown coat turns white, and the white version of the animal is called an ermine.  Weird, huh?  Stoats and ferrets are closely related members of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, otters, and badgers. 

Stoat                                    Ermine

  

15. Misplaced: LOST.

16. Febreze target: ODOR.  Testing your knowledge of home air and fabric fresheners.  

I would try washing up first, and then opening a window.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Roused: WOKE.

20. Nobel-winning Mother: TERESA.  Mother Teresa (1910-1997) was a Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity in India.  As of 2012, the group was operating in 133 countries, with more than 4,500 nuns serving victims of AIDS, leprosy, and tuberculosis, as well as running soup kitchens, clinics, orphanages, and schools.  Their mission is free service to the poorest of the poor.

Mother Teresa

21. Giving ghostly vibes: EERIE.

22. Scold: CHIDE.

23. [Theme clue]

26. Coffee, in slang: JOE.  Gotta love the way this clue intersects with 26-Down -- same clue, different answer.  Some of our regular readers call that a "clecho" for "clue echo."

27. Paris's __ de Triomphe: ARC.

29. Big name in video streaming: ROKU.  Roku is a popular streaming platform that brings TV shows, movies, and live TV to your television via the internet. It functions through dedicated streaming players, sticks, or as an operating system built into smart TVs.

30. Nautical "Halt!": AVAST.  "Avast me hearties" is a classic pirate phrase meaning "stop/pay attention, my friends."

Speaking pirate is efficient.

32. Legal claim placed on a house: LIEN.

34. Former Cubs slugger Sammy: SOSA.  Sammy Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder.  He played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Cubs.  He hit his 400th home run in his 1,354th game and his 5,273rd at-bat, reaching this milestone quicker than any player in National League history.  Sosa is one of nine players in MLB history to hit 600 career home runs.

Sammy Sosa

38. [Theme clue]

41. Not in support of: ANTI.

42. Egyptian cross: ANKH.  The ankh or key of life is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol used to represent the word for "life."  It was a widespread decorative motif in ancient Egypt.  Copts (Egyptian Christians) adapted it as a variant of the Christian cross.  Western culture has adopted the ankh as a symbol of African cultural identity, neopagan belief systems, and goth subculture.

Ankh

43. Black-and-white whales: ORCAS.

44. Round flatbread: ROTI.

46. Ctrl-__-Del: ALT.  PC users press these three keys in combination to access the Task Manager.

48. Class with smocks: ART.

49. [Theme clue]

53. Chicago airport: O'HARE.

55. Cupid's partner on Santa's sleigh: COMET.

56. Shows again: RE-AIRS.

58. Passionate: AVID.

59. [Theme clue]

63. List of dishes: MENU.

64. Molecule part: ATOM.

65. Cause to chuckle: AMUSE.  Here, "cause" is used as a verb.

66. Stage accessory: PROP.

67. Count (on): RELY.

68. Curved cavalry sword: SABER.  My parents were antique hunters.  They thought it was a good idea to give my brother a civil war era saber and scabbard, which hung above his bed.  Luckily, he was a sane individual.

saber and scabbard

Down:

1. Common amt. of salt in a cookie recipe: TSP.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

2. GPS approximation: ETA.  Estimated Time of Arrival.

3. New England locale: NORTHEAST.  Tricky clue.  I thought the answer would be someplace in New England, but the answer has to do with where New England is within the United States.

New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont.

4. George who played Sulu: TAKEI.  In the original Star Trek TV series, George Takei played Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu.  Star Trek was noted for its portrayal of an integrated humanity of the future, with Sulu representing Asia.

George Takei as Sulu on Star Trek, 1966.

5. Sci-fi time standard: STARDATE.  A stardate is a fictional system of time measurement used in the TV series Star Trek.  It is impossible to convert stardates into equivalent calendar dates, especially since stardates were originally intended to avoid specifying exactly when Star Trek takes place.

6. Some pub pints: ALES.

7. Biblical man on the inside?: JONAH.  Jonah, as you recall, was inside a whale for a while.

8. Sun Devils sch.: ASU.  Arizona State University sports teams.

9. GPS display: RTE.  2-Down was a GPS approximation.  Now here we are with another GPS feature:  the display of a proposed RouTE.

10. One with advanced technical capabilities: POWER USER.  

11. Cherish: ADORE.

12. Finnish telecom giant: NOKIA.  My first mobile phone was a Nokia.

13. Avarice: GREED.

18. Change course suddenly: VEER.

21. Shriek of fear: EEK.

22. Group of witches: COVEN.

24. "Respect" singer Franklin: ARETHA.  Aretha Franklin (1942-2018) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist.  Regarded as the "Queen of Soul," she was twice named by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest singer of all time.

Aretha Franklin, 1968

25. "Don't use that __ of voice with me!": TONE.

26. Coffee, in slang: JAVA.

28. Medical center: CLINIC.

31. Worked into a state: STIRRED UP.

33. Pen filler: INK.

35. Slight during awards season: OSCAR SNUB.  An Oscar snub occurs when a critically acclaimed film, actor, or director is overlooked and fails to receive an Academy Award nomination, despite widespread expectation, critical buzz, or recognition from previous industry awards.

36. Unblinking look: STARE.

37. Exec's helper: ASST.  An executive may get help from an assistant.

39. Component of cellphone plans: DATA.  Mobile (or cellular) data is internet connectivity delivered to your cellphone via a carrier's network, rather than via Wi-Fi.

40. Investment options with tax advantages: ROTH IRAS.  A Roth IRA offers tax advantages by allowing after-tax contributions to grow tax-free, with qualified withdrawals in retirement being completely tax-free.

45. O'er and o'er again: OFT.  Poesy!

47. Bread purchase: LOAF.

49. Rascal: SCAMP.

50. Put a blanket on, e.g.: COVER.

51. __ acids: protein components: AMINO.  Meat contains all nine essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own -- but there are also vegetarian sources for those amino acids.  Soy, quinoa, and buckwheat are all complete proteins, as are eggs and dairy products. You can also combine incomplete proteins like rice and beans to get the full complement of amino acids.  Just sayin.

52. "The Thin Blue Line" documentarian Morris: ERROL.  Errol Morris is an American film director known for documentaries that investigate the belief systems of their subjects.  The Thin Blue Line exonerated an innocent man serving a life term for murder, who was universally believed to be guilty.

54. Fragrance: AROMA.

57. Television award: EMMY.

59. Tug-of-__: WAR.

60. Snacked on: ATE.

61. "The Waste Land" poet's monogram: TSE.  T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) was a poet, essayist and playwright.  He was a leading figure of modernist poetry.  Who doesn't love The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock?  

62. Knight's title in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms": SER.  A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a fantasy television series created by Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin. A prequel to Game of Thrones, it is an adaptation of the Tales of Dunk and Egg series of novellas.  The first season premiered on HBO in January 2026.  As in other Game of Thrones stories, knights are addressed as "Ser."

Egg and Ser Duncan the Tall in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
This viewer looks forward to Season 2.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did this puzzle AMUSE you?  Did you ADORE it?

Or did you STARE at it, completely LOST?

Let us know in the comments!

-- NaomiZ

Sunday, April 5, 2026, Zhouqin Burnikel

  "MAKE SOME NOISE"

Well, let me be the first to "make some noise" by applauding our "Fearless Leader" for this Sunday contribution!  I only wish my Across Lite App highlighted the acrosses that corresponded with the reveal, because I actually had some trouble figuring what went where...  I can't say I DNF'd, because, obviously, I did finish (or this write up would not be making any noise at all...) but, here is my "almost" completed grid, with what got me to WAG mercilessly right at the end...

CE:D "Almost Crash and Burn..."

In hindsight, it should have occurred to me that the clues with the question marks were trying to make some noise...

22 Across. Corn?: KITCHEN EARS (Kitchen SHears) This is what started me off not knowing what the heck was going on without the reveal...

39 Across. Bailing out of a storied couples' cruise?: JUMPING THE SHARK. Very Clever, Couples Cruise... But when you add the missing "SH" it becomes:

How to bail out of a SitCom when you run out of plots...

54 Across. Toymakers who really help with the holiday rush?: STORE ELVES. Now, this is where i really got confused. Because this statement stands by itself... I would not have even thought this part of the Theme, but if you add SH, it becomes Store Shelves... Which makes me think I should type less, because some one out there is shouting Shhh! Like this is some kind of Library...

Well, I will not be silent!

Here's the full episode!

(Um, the excessive scotch consumption was an accident, i swear!)

81 Across. King Kong after his glow-up?: CHANGED APE.  Ack!  How can I splain this? I don't know what a "glow up" is...  Hmm, Google says: A significant, positive transformation in a persons appearance, confidence, or lifestyle...  Hmm, the only glow up I've ever had was after the excessive scotch consumption incident...

Oh, I forgot to add, "Changed SHape"...  (hmm, makes me wonder what King Kong looked like after losing 200 pounds on that diet...)

94 Across. Unwilling to lace up skates?: RINK RESISTANT (reimagined SHrink resistant...) OK, I get it, but do we really want to be assaulted with this image again?

I think not...

112 Across. Material used to make Nuggets uniform tops?: JERSEY ORE. I had to take a break here, and come back, because this was confusing until I separated the twurds...  Uniform Tops = Jersey.  Nuggets come from Ore. Denver Nuggets are a team. I still am not sure why they would be at the Jersey SHore...

114 Across. Missions to obtain keepsakes?: SOUVENIR OPS. Ah! Of course! It is starting to make sense! Souvenir Ops! Excellent! I think I'm starting to see a Theme here... =Souvenir SHops!

(See, you didn't have to yell... I would have figured it out eventually...)

102 Down. Holler, or when parsed differently, an alternate title for this puzzle: SHOUT.

Ah! Here it is, hidden way down in the Downs! The Reveal that makes it all make sense! SH-out!

Ops become Shops, Ore becomes Shore, Rink becomes Shrink, Ape becomes Shape, Elves become Shelves, Ark becomes Shark, and Ears become Shears! So that's what all the shouting was about!

Unless your CrossEyed like me, and mix up a puzzle from a couple of days ago, that had "Hollar" instead of "Holler," and your shouts become hoots, and you have to WAG (Wild A** Guess) your way through...

Anywho! Onward!

Across:
1. Buckled accessories: BELTS. (I could have used a couple of these under my belt...)

6. Talk a big game: BRAG. (The above is not one...)

10. "Macbeth" quintet: ACTS. I wanted "Hags" getting confused with the trio of  fates, Lachesis, Clotho, and Atropos. Of course, if I had read the clue correctly, I would have been in a different play...

14. Pet rescue org.: S.P.C.A.  I always wonder if it is A.S.P.C.A. or just S.P.C.A... I was this many years old when I discovered: The Difference: The ASPCA is a national charity with high-profile advertising, while your local SPCA is the shelter in your community helping local pets.

18. Dollar alternative: ALAMO. Rent A Car options...

19. Stuffed cornmeal snack: AREPA. Why have I never seen one of these?

20. Seasonal song: NOEL. I don't mean to opine, but I always wondered about this, so I Googled.

"Noel" is derived from the Latin word Natalis, meaning "birth" or "birthday." It specifically refers to the birth of Jesus Christ (the nativity,) evolving into the old French word Noel (or Nael) which became a standard French term for Xmas...  Apparently, even Google does not know why Noel became a name for a seasonal song...

Um, er,, apologies... I blame Daughter #1, who said, "I should stop being so lazy, and research more for the benefit of others."  So, here is what Google said when I "re-asked" :)

"The First Noel" is a traditional English Christmas carol from the 13th-14th century that tells the story of the Nativity, specifically the announcement of Jesus’ birth to shepherds and the journey of the Wise Men

. "Noel" comes from Latin/French roots meaning "birth" or "news," functioning as a shout of joy. 

21. Give a ring: CALL.

22. [ Theme ]

24. "Naked Lunch" in a lunchroom, say?: TRAY NOVEL. This was my downfall... immediately after Kitchen Ears, and not yet having a clue, I left this for the end, and wound up trying to turn it into an aSHtray...  Luckily, like the Phoenix, I arose from this mess....

26. Part of i.e.: EST. I.E. is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est, meaning "that is," "in other words," or "namely." Used to define or restate a preceding statement, kind of like trying to make whole the explanation of my ashtray of a puzzle solving attempt...

27. More mature: OLDER. (Not today...)

28. "Happy __!": June greeting: PRIDE. I wanted Fathers Day, but, to each their own...

30. Cookie invented in Manhattan: OREO.  What? This is another one of those Clue/Answers I never saw till the write up! More Research Needed! In a nut(sh)ell, the Chelsea Factory located at Ninth Avenue and 15th Street in NYC is on a Block now called "Oreo Way." (Who Knew?)

31. Instagram video: REEL. (I sincerely doubt there has ever been an Instagram video that was "ever" on a reel...)

33. __ school: MED. Actually, this 4 years is just a prerequisite. It takes 11 to 16 years to become a Doctor, depending on your specialty... For instance, it took me almost 70 years to learn how to post this kind of silliness on this venue...

34. Indigo Girls, e.g.: DUO.

35. Showbiz quartets: EGOTS. A rare achievement of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.

37. Winged archer: EROS. I dunno, it's Greek to me.... (you might be more familiar with the Roman "Cupid.")

39. [ Theme ]

44. Scotland's national dish: HAGGIS. (Do you really want an image?)

Seeing is better than knowing what's really inside it...

47. Planned (out): MAPPED. No! I am not linking a recipe for Haggis! (I would rather jump a shark...)

48. Victim of Iago in "Othello": CASSIO. I am led to believe that "Cassio" is the definition of "Unwitting Pawn," but. To explain further would require more time, and tickets to The Globe Theatre...

49. Latish lunch hr.: ONE PM. 

Nonsense!

I am sorry, but I can't let this go! Some one must teach you Americans why The Shire was The Happiest Place In Middle Earth!  Late-ish Lunch? One PM? Gore BeGoren! I'm stewing in my Haggis!

Would you be a fine Gentleman, and pass the pitcher of Guinness...

50. Out of sight: GONE.  Hmm, what happened to Lunch?

51. Noche's opposite: DIA. I would have thought this to be Italian, but Google says its Spanish... Idunno, it's all Latin to me...    (or is it Night and Day...). Hmm, more research needed...

53. "Groovy!": NEATO. Nope, not going there...

54. [Theme?]

56. Offhand comment: REMARK. (Excuse me...)

59. Chum: PAL.

60. Sandcastle destroyer: TIDE. ( I really liked this one;)

61. Fragrant ring: LEI.

62. "Best wishes": GODBLESS. Now, I know I going to get reprimanded for not separating this into twurds, but where I come from, this is One Word!

64. Pros: ACES.

65. Mayflower vehicle: VAN. (As in "moving.")  (surely, no pic needed...)

66. Catchy tune: BOP. (There has got to be a better 3 letter word for a catchy tune? A little help here?)

67. Silence a growling belly: EAT. (Pls see elevenses, above...)

68. Cheryl of "Charlie's Angels": LADD. Unlike Mayflower Vehicle, this one needs a pic...

This one's for you Splynter!

72. Tries to hit: SWINGS AT. Hmm, is this a twurd? I'm not sure... I tried to Splain it, but I missed...

75. Narrow inlet: RIA. Now, this one has bugged me for years. I always wanted somebody to post a picture of a Ria. I'm sure it would be beautiful...  So I tried,

But they wanted Money...

76. At any point: EVER. 

Jeepers! I thought I would never. See a Ria!

Hmm, but now I want to see what it looks like from that point...

77. In the style of: ALA. (The above is brought to you in the style of CE:D)

80. Debit card provider: ISSUER.

81. [Theme]...

84. Gold __ flour: MEDAL.  This seems a little strained as a clue, surely there could have been something better. Maybe "King Biscuit Flour Hour..." in my opinion, award winning concerts back in the day...

86. Part of mph: PER.  Lessee, what fits, Mile? Hour? 

87. President of Brazil since 2023, familiarly: LULA. OK, this freaked me out,,, because I thought He was a girl... full name: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva And no, you do not want a pic...

88. Small combos: TRIOS.  Smaller combos: Duo's... I wanted to post a clip from Yellow Submarine, where the Blue Meanies Bonk the band with apples, and our guide announces, the quartet is now a trio, then a Duo... But when I went to look for the pic, I was presented with THE ENTIRE MOVIE!... 

Oh My Gosh! This has not been available for years!

Catch it while you can!

89. Take too far: OVERDO. I hope I didn't above, and overdo is not a twurd...

91. Pre-election event: DEBATE. (Oh please, Not again...)

93. Props for hillside homes: STILTS. Doesn't work, i have videos...

94. [Theme]

97. Go first: LEAD. (Not Lead, that would be the first to sink...)

98. Vital artery: AORTA. 

99. Click of disapproval: TSK.

100. __ al-Adha: EID. Um, needs more space than I can provide here...

101. Best Play, for one: ESPY.  I could use some help with this one, because, when I Google Espy, I get this...  Um, Play? (You sure the "S" isn't for Shakespeare...?)

105. Zero-star reviews: PANS. My take on above...

107. Heartless monsters: OGRES.  No I am not,, I just don't understand...

109. Record of the year?: ANNAL. Derived from the Latin, Annus. (Year) A historical record of events, listed in chronological order, by year...

111. Bit of a chuckle: HEE. (I'm not sure if this will transpose to the 3/22/26 Luann comic, but here goes...) La,La,,La...

112. [ Theme ]

114. [ Theme ]

117. Diva's time to shine: ARIA.

118. Such a long time: AGES.

119. Noted New York Judge: AARON. Oooh,,, I see what you did here! Very Sneaky! IT'S A BASEBALL REFERENCE!

120. Botch (up): LOUSE. ( I believe I apologized already...)

121. Signs of spring: BUDS. Ah, relationships grow from Best Buds, to Summer, Fall, Winter, Compost...

(Note, come back and fix this...)

122. Event for swimmers: MEET. Hmm, in retrospect, this should be obvious... But in trying to take Daughter #1's advice, I Googled, and Autocorrect changed my "meet" to "How did Meat become a name for a swimming contest..."  The little A.I. Wheel is still spinning,,, I think I broke the Internet...

123. Dental exam picture: X-RAY. OK, OCD time out for a sec, but does anyone like those new fangled gizmos that they re-use, and have been in dozens of other peoples mouths before you? I dont' care how many times you sterilize the Dang Thingie, you could run that thingie thru the Fires of Hell, and you still would not be able to put it in my mouth...  (and yes, my Dentist loves me, he works very well with children. And yes, I do get a toy, but these days its a toothbrush and floss in a baggie...)

124. Himalayan cryptids: YETIS. Learning moment: Cryptids. You will have to Google this yourself, because when I went to link the explanation, the internet went Kerflooie... (It might have something to do with Swimming Meat above...)

Down: (Finally!)
1. One who typically kneads the job?: BAKER. (Haha!)

2. Beethoven dedicatee: ELISE. (Bagatelle No.25 in A minor)

3. Milky espresso drink: LATTE. (Phooey! I like my espresso strong! With 3 coffee beans...)

{oh wait! Sorry! That's my Sambuca...}

4. Cinemax alternative: TMC. (Or TCM, or TNT,,, no wait,,, that's an explosive blockbuster...)

5. Gallery-rich area near Tribeca: SOHO.  New Yorkers are well aware this refers to "South" of "Houston" street... However, since the growth of NYC over the years, there is now a NOHO, And a WOHO (if you like swimming in the Hudson,,, I hear they are having a "meat" there...) And, a soon to be new development, the EOHO... (right now a landfill in the East River, the "E" stands for "Eeeeuw...!)

6. Beagle or bulldog: BREED. 

7. Back end: REAR. (Nope, not hoping there...)

8. Earth Day mo.: APR. Short for April, Lovely Girl,,, You should meet her Sister "Dawn..."

9. Premium location?: GASPUMP. Ack?!? There's a (?) Could this be a Themer? Lessee, Gas(space)pump... Hmm, Where would you put an SH here? (I swear, Ocifer,, I did'nt haves drink... it's this puzzle just got me confused...)

10. Counter: ANTI. No. Ante, and then counter with a raise...

11. "Carpool Karaoke" co-creator: CORDEN. Hmm, not sure about this one (and the internet went Kerflooie...)

12. Savory snack with a cracked shell: TEA EGG. (OMG! I wouldn't eat this, let alone Parse it...)

Image deleted due to breakfast rules...

13. Cunning: SLY. Just try to sneak in a Tea Egg pic, I dare You!

14. "Casino" director: SCORSESE.

15. Improve, as a dirt road: PAVE.

16. Geppetto's goldfish: CLEO. (See Pinocchio.)

17. "It's __ good": ALL.

19. Mountain range that's home to Aconcagua: ANDES.  Ok, This one kinda P'd me off, because I thought the Aconcagua were a people that lived in the Andes...  A Google Search reveals It is just a mountain. 

But, what a Mountain...

23. Saint __ fire: ELMOS. OK, this goes back to the early Seafaring Days,  when masts would light up with electrical energy. Freaked Sailors out! (Understandable) In today's modern explanation of things, it is really just a bigger version of rubbing a balloon, and making it stick on the wall... Static Electricity...

Except, Yikes! Whataya rubbing? The Hindenburg!

25. "Hard pass": NO THANKS. (Obligatory space between twurds...)

29. Theme park opening ritual: ROPE DROP. Now, this really P'd me off... I had to ask DW for help, and she was like, "oh, of course...".  ( all I can think, is how much you wanted for admission to this freakin' thing...)  

Apparently, this is a "thing."

I'm sorry, I just dont get it... Now "if" they had a rope drop to get into "The Budweiser School of Beers,"

I would be first in line...

32. Exercise that targets quads and glutes: LEG PRESS.

34. Hoodwinks: DUPES.

36. Available without an Rx: OTC. (Over The Counter...) What I wanted to do recently at CVS, when they wanted me to type into a giant screen, all my personal info, on a skeevey thingie that God Knows how many sick people had touched before me,...  Yes, I will be that guy on the news, who jumped over the counter, to grab my meds, which belong to me anyway, before they tried to make me touch all their skeevey crap! (Dont get me started on $4-off over priced crap that doesnt apply because its on sale...)

38. Winter coat: RIME. Spring is here! Forget this clue/answer...

39. Primatologist Goodall: JANE.

40. "That was mortifying": IDIED. Ok, in our current political climate, this requires more "apostrophe" placement... Was it "I'Died", or was it, ID'ied. Either way, scary stuff...

A second look at this clue/answer begs the question of what was meant here. Mortifying describes something causes extreme shame, embarrassment, or humiliation. Or was it meant in the sense of a mortuary, (or funeral home.) that specializes in the storage, preparation, and care of human bodies before burial or cremation...  in either case, I guess you could say, "I Died..."

41. "Quickly!" letters: ASAP.

42. Hayworth of the silver screen: RITA. 

She was the first Poster, but got replaced by Racquel Welch when the hammer wore out...

(A Shawshank Redemption Reference...)

43. __ & the Gang: KOOL. Hmm,,, 

44. Shade-loving plant: HOSTA.

45. Shenanigan: ANTIC. 

46. Crystal-lined rock: GEODE. 

Did you know you can buy and break open your own at Walmart?

47. Going places: MOVING UP.

50. Picks up bit by bit: GLEANS. (My CC puzzle solving strategy...)

52. Light suds: AMBER ALE. (I still prefer Lager...)

55. Graceland icon: ELVIS.

57. "Sitting Pretty on Top of the World" country singer Lauren __: ALAINA. 

I have no idea what this even sounded like,

Because DW decided to Vacuum around me while I was working...

58. Put a new label on: RETAG.

62. Figured out: GOT.

63. Snowy day activity: SLED RIDE.

It's a Rite of Passage...

66. Hair clip: BARRETTE. 

I had no idea...

69. To no __: in vain: AVAIL. 

70. Train station: DEPOT.

71. Gown: DRESS.

73. Iowa's state flower: WILD ROSE. (A state Flower can be a Twurd?  Who Knew?)

74. Core group?: SEEDS.

77. Love, to Bad Bunny: AMOR.

78. Denim pioneer Strauss: LEVI.

79. Yemen's Gulf of __: ADEN.

81. Clash heard in a swordfight: CLANK. Even more so if you get struck by lightning, and your Armor becomes magnetic...

But who has time for clanking when the poisons in the...

82. Jabba the __: HUTT.

OOPS! Sorry, wrong link...

83. "At Last" singer James: ETTA. (Crosswordese staple, over linked...)

85. The Natural State: ARKANSAS.  Just try to say it, an spell it, there's nothing NAtural about it!

90. Contraction in some hymns: O'ER.  A contraction of Over, but then they got even lazier, and left out the apostrophe. So now Oer is even more incomprehensible...  (hmm, i wonder what a contraction of incomprehensible would be?)

92. Very low woodwind: BASS SAX.  (Although, as one word, would be Basssax, hmm, kinda Bad A**...)

93. Car rental choice: SEDAN.

95. Curly, for one: STOOGE.

96. "So true!": I AGREE! (Needs an exclamation mark, so I added one...)

97. Wrinkle-prone fabric: LINEN. What irons were invented for...

100. Embassy go-between: ENVOY.

102. [ Theme ]

103. Sister brand of Aquafina: PEPSI.

104. Positive replies: YESES. Well, I can't be positive about this! You can't expect CrossEyedDave, who has trouble seperating twurds, to know if this needs an apostrophe... I mean, Even Google is conflicted...

105. Country where Inca Kola originated: PERU. What? I thought this was The Kola Nut in 7UP...

106. Like a vast, rainless plateau: ARID. (Or my mind, after learning Inca Kola...)

108. Take it easy: REST. (Yes, good idea...)

109. Radiant vibe: AURA.

110. Flower on a floating pad: LILY.

112. Poke: JAB.

113. Tuber in the Nigerian dish asaro: YAM. I would have clued this as "what Popeye is." (I yam what I yam,)  but it probably would not make it past the editorial process...

115. Paddle kin: OAR.

116. Masago or tobiko: ROE. This was under the belt, (where most Sushi and Sashimi wind up...) Which begets the question, Is this Sushi, or Sashimi?

Anywho, you can all give CC a shout out in the comments for this Sunday Marathon.

(I, for one, yell "Thank You." And maybe throw in a Hoot and Hollar too...)

Ah yes, 

The Completed Grid

CE:D (Quietly slipping out...)

 

Notes from C.C.:

Happy 85th birthday to dear Irish Miss (Agnes), who has brought so much joy and meaning to our lives. I'm deeply grateful for all the guidance and care she's given me through the years.

L-R: Anne, Agnes, Eileen, Mary, and Peggy. 3/17/2019

 

Saturday, April 4, 2026, Matthew Luter

Saturday Themeless. by Matthew Luter

Dr. Matthew Luter is a writer and teacher in Jackson, MS. Originally from Laurel, MS, he is an alumnus of Millsaps College and of the University of North Carolina. He teaches courses in American literature at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School.

I got a great toehold in the NE, flew through the SE and then the SW and then the NW proved to be a swamp for this solver but I availed myself of a little help and got 'er done. Missing 1 Across for this NASA educator was a tough pill to swallow. There were some other fills in the NE that defeated me - MATT?, that Sister, RSS FEED? CLIOS as clued, A PLUS PLUS just seemed like green paint and that deodorant, really?. Yeah, I know, "It's a game not a test!!"

Across:

1. National Air and Space Museum relic: MOON ROCK - Houston, I had a problem, even with most of the letters filled. I went through all the vehicles I could think of but came up empty.

               

9. Coastal landmark: PIER.

13. "Better than perfect!": A PLUS PLUS - 🤨 I remember Mrs. Thomsen telling us sophomores that nothing can be better than perfect and I agree. Other non-comparable adjectives - Unique, Flawless, Ultimate...

15. Top spot: ACME.

16. 1990s deodorant brand whose name inspired a Nirvana song: TEEN SPIRIT ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Ain't no way.

18. Harvest: REAP.

19. Cardinal pts.?: TDS - The Arizona Cardinals of the NFL not compass points. 😀

20. Helper in a Cinderella story: FOOTMAN.

22. Game cube: DIE.

23. Detective Monaghan in Laura Lippman novels: TESS ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

24. Target that may have chalk marks: CUE BALL 😀

26. "Seconded": I AGREE.

29. Tam pattern: TARTAN.

30. Short strings?: STRAD - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ My learned Lincoln friend Dr. Fred Ohles told me, STRAD is a common shortening among musicians for violins and violas made in Italy between about 1670 and 1730 by Antonio Stradivari and other members of his family. Highly prized, more than 600 of them are still being played today. 

31. Part of a security check: VIRUS SCAN.

34. Tabloid duo: ITEM.

35. Sunders: RENDS - The more familiar use of that word is, "What God hath joined together, Let no man put asunder."

36. Extremely dry: SERE.

37. Crunchy legumes: SNAP BEANS.

39. "The Sound of Music" heroine: MARIA - A 4. Sister: NUN of whom the other sisters sang "How do you solve a problem like MARIA?"

40. With no sense of urgency: SLOWLY.

41. Seiko brand: PULSAR - PULSAR is not the same brand as Seiko, but they are closely related as Pulsar is a subsidiary brand owned and produced by Seiko Watch Corporation. 

42. Future maple syrup: TREE SAP.

44. Symbol on a staff: NOTE.

45. Call the shots?: REF.

46. Maker of Scribble Scrubbie Pets products: CRAYOLA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

48. Low digit: ONE.

51. O'Keeffe flower: IRIS.

53. Water park?: DROP ANCHOR 😀 - Loved this one!

55. Remedy: CURE.

56. Final novel of Willa Cather's "Prairie" trilogy: MY ANTONIA - Nebraska's most famous author

57. Joint with crossed cruciate ligaments: KNEE.

58. "The Great Gatsby" term of endearment: OLD SPORT - Leo DiCaprio uses the phrase 55 times in the movie.

Down: 

1. Actor Bomer: MATT ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  Due to his uncanny resemblance, MATT was selected to play Montgomery Clift in an HBO biopic but it was never made.

2. Page full of takes: OP-ED 😀 All right, this was really fun once I saw it was about the takes various people have on topics. 

3. La Liga cheers: OLES - La Liga translates to The League in Spain which has 20 soccer teams.

5. Source of some updates: RSS FEED ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an XML-based format that allows users to automatically receive updates from websites, blogs, and podcasts without visiting each site individually

. You're welcome.

6. Antagonize: OPPOSE.

7. Perks of big promotions, maybe?: CLIOS - A CLIO Award is the perk for big ads or promotions.

8. Cobain of Nirvana: KURT.

9. Course standard: PAR.

10. Winter Olympics pairs: ICE DANCERS.

11. "Inbox zero" obstacle: E-MAIL - More if you must know

12. Ward off: REPEL.

14. Some chip holders: SIM CARDS - Where we frequently encounter them

17. Sign of spring: TAURUS - It appears CROCUS was wrong.

21. Clears: NETS.

23. Stomp all over: TRAMPLE -  No aliens necessary for crop circles. 

25. Beer whose logo was the U.K.'s first registered trademark: BASS ALE - 1876

26. Goddess of the Great Ennead: ISIS - If you must know...

27. Abbr. on a memo: ATTN.

28. Serious cooking mishap: GREASE FIRE - Don't use water to extinguish it!

29. Like cheap speakers: TINNY.

31. Italian entree, familiarly: VEAL PARM.

32. Covent Garden solo: ARIA - 

The Royal Opera House is located on 

Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD

33. At hand: NEAR.

35. Poster heading: REWARD - The territory of New Mexico paid Sheriff Pat Garrett the bounty for killing William Bonney.

38. Pear variety: BOSC.

39. Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters attendees: MUTANTS - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

 is a fictional, private educational institution in the Marvel universe founded by Professor Charles Xavier to train young mutants to control their powers and live in harmony with humans. You're welcome.

41. Marie Curie's homeland: POLAND.

42. Take in: TRICK.

43. Many an episode on MeTV: RERUN - Desi Arnaz insisted I Love Lucy use 35mm film instead of using crude kinescopes so the episodes could be rerun.

44. Pad in Mexican cuisine: NOPAL ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

47. Ma who founded the arts organization Silkroad: YOYO.

48. "This can't be good!": OH NO - Mr. Bill and his catchphrase first appeared on SNL 50 years ago

49. Cain genre: NOIR ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  His novels became the source for many film NOIRS.

50. Basic Latin verb: ERAT - We often see "Quod ERAT demonstrandum." (Which was to be demonstrated). 

52. Last word of the first verse of "Amazing Grace": SEE - ...was blind but now I SEE

54. Procedural figure: COP - 

A 

police procedural is a sub-genre of crime fiction focusing on realistic, team-based investigations—including detectives, forensics, and patrol officers—rather than a single hero.