Sunday January 11, 2026 Jill Singer

 Theme: "REPAIR WORK" - A pair of identical letters are replaced by another matching pair.

27. Irresistibly cute river animal?: AN OTTER YOU CAN'T REFUSE. An offer you can't refuse.

42. "Get that pool float out of my way!"?: MOVE THE NOODLE. Move the needle.

55. Question about a new romantic partner?: WHO ARE YOU KISSING. Who are you kidding?

78. Photo taken as milk spreads over a table?: THE SPILLING IMAGE. The spitting image.

91. Goo or ga, for a baby?: HALF THE BABBLE. Half the battle. 

108. Working the barbecue at the corn festival?: GRILLING FROM EAR TO EAR. Grinning from ear to ear.

I've mentioned last time. This is our Jill Singer, a filmmaker in the Boston area. 

 

Great title, Jill! I would have struggled mightily to find a title that captures the gimmick so perfectly. Only six theme entries, but they're all long.

Across:

1. Bottom of a platter?: SIDE B.  Vinyl record,

6. Singer Guthrie: ARLO.

10. Actress Mireille: ENOS. Her husband is Alan Ruck, who was in "Succession".

14. Beta preceder: ALPHA.

19. Solo: ALONE.

20. Shakespearean king: LEAR.

21. Catholic leader: POPE. We also have 73. Prayer ender: AMEN. And 77. "__ Maria": AVE.

22. Prepare for a long drive: TEE UP.

23. Santa Ana __: WINDS.

24. Miami-__ County: DADE.

25. Risks a "TMI" response: OVERSHARES.

30. Video game thief Sandiego: CARMEN.

31. Learning ctr.: SCH.

32. Pastoral people of Kenya: MASAI. Also spelled as Maasai. 

33. Actor Sean: ASTIN.

36. Equivalent: SAME.

38. Update a cartographer's work: RE-MAP.

47. Fury: OUTRAGE.

49. Obey, with "by": ABIDE.

50. Early show since 1975, briefly: GMA. Good Morning America.

51. Aspiring atty.'s hurdle: LSAT.

53. Freelancer's job: GIG.

54. __ a one: NARY.

61. Ostrich kin: EMU.

62. Sausages served with sauerkraut, for short: BRATS.

63. Sonoma product: WINE.

64. Swimmer's unit: LAP. Two lengths.

65. "Have a bite": TASTE IT. Xi'an-style sandwich. 

67. Juniper-flavored liquor: GIN.

68. Huge favors: BIG ASKS.

72. Zoo doc: VET.

75. Astonish: AMAZE.

83. Figure skating gold medalist Nathan: CHEN. He's becoming a doctor now.

84. Email signature info: TEL.

85. Catches: NABS.

86. Apple variety: MAC. 

87. Bars under cars: RAILS.

88. Gulf of Mexico structures: OIL RIGS.

96. Show off in the mirror: PREEN.

97. Give a hoot: CARE.

98. Davenport citizen: IOWAN.

99. G-Shock watchmaker: CASIO.

102. Some British sports cars: MGS.

104. Superficially attractive: GILDED.

114. Unit in Chagall's "Four Seasons": MOSAIC TILE.

115. "Another thing ... ": ALSO.

116. Pay stub data: WAGES.

118. K.T. of country music: OSLIN.

119. Airline figs.: ETAS.

120. Narrow inlets: RIAS.

121. Basketball great Shaquille: O'NEAL.

122. Ignominy: SHAME.

123. Hall of Fame safety Ronnie: LOTT.

124. Chooses, as a replacement: TAPS.

125. Square: NERDY.

Down:

1. Glimpsed: SAW.

2. __ crest: pelvis part: ILIAC. 

3. Disco legend Summer: DONNA.

4. "Return of the Jedi" forest moon: ENDOR.

5. Brit's close pal: BEST MATE.

6. Like some pasta: AL DENTE. I like chewy udon noodles.

7. __ admiral: REAR.

8. British title: LADY.

9. Cookies similar to Trader Joe's Joe-Joe's: OREOS. Never had Joe-Joe's.

10. Momentous: EPOCHAL.

11. Bossa __: NOVA.

12. Enticing words on a gift box: OPEN ME.

13. Sealy rival: SERTA.

14. Fundamentally: AT HEART.

15. Less raked: LEAFIER.

16. Home of the Spectacled Bear Conservation Society: PERU. Wikipedia says "Spectacled Bear is the only living species of bear native to South America". Learning moment for me. 

17. Shades: HUES.

18. Church recess: APSE.

26. Soon-to-be grads: SRS.

28. Musician and radio host John: TESH.

29. The Tritons of the NCAA: UCSD.

34. Gold block: INGOT.

35. Spanish "Stop!": NO MAS.

37. Honeydew, e.g.: MELON.

39. Crèche figures: MAGI. I saw them during Christmas. 

40. Opposin': AGIN.

41. Simon of "The Boys": PEGG.

42. Impressionist douard: MANET.

43. "The Light We Carry" writer Michelle: OBAMA.

44. Self-replicating malware: VIRUS.

45. Ice cream maker Joseph: EDY.

46. Paddle kin: OAR.

47. Shipbuilding wood: OAK.

48. Employ: UTILIZE.

52. Take to court: SUE.

55. Cuneiform, e.g.: WRITING. 

56. Panama, for one: HAT.

57. "Dallas" surname: EWING.

58. __ and yang: YIN.

59. Wise one: SAGE.

60. Massage locale: SPA.

62. Page: BEEP.

66. Den sets: TVS.

67. X, Y, or Z intro: GEN. I'm a Gen Xer.

68. Purse: BAG.

69. Hindi title: SAHIB.

70. Rejoice with pride: KVELL. Consonants-heavy.

71. Get a feeling about: SENSE.

73. Clerical robe: ALB.

74. "Supernatural" actor Collins: MISHA.

75. Rare Italian violin: AMATI.

76. "__ Man": Village People hit: MACHO.

78. Mustang roof option: T TOP.

79. Successor: HEIR.

80. French pronoun: ELLE.

81. __ Vegas Raiders: LAS.

82. Global finance org.: IMF. The International Monetary Fund, based in D.C.

83. Hired ride: CAB.

87. Was almost out of: RAN LOW ON.

89. Win back: RECLAIM.

90. Waiting, perhaps: IN A LINE.

92. Coveted territory in the air?: ARM REST. Fun clue. 

93. Brickmaker: LEGO.

94. "That's disgusting!": EW GROSS.

95. Angler's supply: BAIT.

97. "__, ergo sum": COGITO.

100. "I know this is wrong," from an editor: SIC.

101. Spy collection: INTEL.

103. Like some watches: SMART.

105. Silas of the Continental Congress: DEANE. This is pretty sad. 

106. Enthusiastic: EAGER.

107. Anticipate with fear: DREAD.

108. Engineered foods, for short: GMOS.

109. __ Hashana: ROSH.

110. Cuba, por ejemplo: ISLA.

111. Like an open can of soda, eventually: FLAT.

112. Director Kazan: ELIA. He directed "East of Eden".

113. "Right now!": ASAP.

117. Underhanded: SLY.

C.C.

Saturday, January 10, 2026, Amanda Cook

 Saturday Themeless by Amanda Cook

Amanda is a music critic and digital editor who is a published crossword puzzle constructor that maintains a blog for refined sugar-free dessert recipes, and enjoys taking care of her growing collection of houseplants. Amanda lives in Minnesota with her husband Kenny, and together they enjoy hiking, playing board games, and cheering for the Cleveland Guardians. She added that she had certainly heard of C.C., had met her once and lives in a Minnesota city next to our lovely blogmistress.

Be sure to read the additional info about Amanda's constructing style at the bottom of this write-up.

Across:

1. Volunteer effort where word gets around?: BOOK DRIVE 😀

10. Wrapped in terry cloth: ROBED.

15. Let someone else do the cooking: ORDERED IN.

16. Make reparations: ATONE.

17. Romantic partner's quirky yet innocuous behavior: BEIGE FLAG 😀 One of Amanda's seed entries. I laughed out loud when the sense of the clue/fill hit me! Below is the first of many more BEIGE FLAGS at this site

1. Makes weird moaning sounds while they eat. 
2. Infinitely reuses the same tissue, stuffing it in their pocket each time.
3. Never puts lids back on stuff. 
4. Set a dozen alarms and ignore them all. 
5. Texts by sending a million short individual texts instead of typing it all out before sending. 
6. Wearing clothes that are all too big or too small. 
7. Has a repeated “catch phrase” that you can’t unhear once you notice it. 

18. Game with blocking fouls?: JENGA - Among other violations, you are forbidden to physically block your opponent's path to the tower.

19. Suffix in many Icelandic surnames: SON - Iceland's starting soccer team

20. Faced off, in a way: DUELED.

22. Soothe: LULL.

23. Like Parmesan cheese: AGED.

24. Sticks the landing: NAILS IT.

26. Part partner: PARCEL.

29. Professionals who have a real sense of style: EDITORS 😀

30. "Copy that": HEARD - "Houston we have a problem!"

31. Lock: TRESS.

32. "Now I get it!": OHH.

34. Cedar Point's lake: ERIE - Cedar Point bills itself as America's Roller Coaster and is located near Sandusky, Ohio. All that blue is Lake ERIE.

35. Join: MARRY.

36. Primary instrument of English Renaissance composer John Dowland: LUTE - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Saturday cluing for LUTE

37. Score 11 points in pickleball, perhaps: WIN - But you do have to win by two

38. Broncos and Mustangs: AUTOS - Fords, of course 

39. Group of experts: PANEL - Are they always experts? 🤔

40. International travel need, often: ADAPTER - Don't cross an ocean without one. I lost mine in Venice, Italy and the hotel had a box with at least 5o in it that had been left behind. 

42. Smashing pumpkins fan?: VANDAL - The word pumpkins is not capitalized and so it is just a run-of-the-mill idiot. 

43. Relief medium: PLASTER.

44. Kite, for one: BIRD - Oh, that kind of Kite.

45. Vent: RANT.

46. Oatmeal-based brews: STOUTS.

48. Fell: HEW - Fell is a verb here

51. "Blackfish" mammals: ORCAS - Of course they are more than black and are certainly not a fish but...

53. One of 17,974 in Passau's St. Stephen's Cathedral: ORGAN PIPE - I'm sure Splynter could give them a tune-up.

55. Cardiologist's insert: STENT.

56. Counted: TALLIED UP.

57. Rebecca Solnit piece: ESSAY ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

58. Accumulation for new parents: SLEEP DEBT - Oh, how I remember!

Down:

1. Blunt cuts: BOBS - "Bells on BOB tail ring"

2. Snack that had a Space Dunk version: OREO.

3. Ragnarok warrior: ODIN - ODIN is a character in this game

4. Saloon delivery: KEG.

5. Coated in flour before frying: DREDGED.

6. Make a pit stop: REFUEL or RECHARGE

7. Ran in place: IDLED.

8. Vaccine container: VIAL.

9. Gives rise to: ENGENDERS.

10. "The Big Bang Theory" role: RAJ.

11. Verdi opera with Desdemona: OTELLO.

12. Chance to add to one's score: BONUS ROUND.

13. Twinings product: ENGLISH TEA.

14. Passed out: DEALT.

21. Princess who first appeared in Super Mario Land: DAISY ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

23. Lot unit: ACRE.

25. "__ go time!": ITS - Lloyd Bridges calls out Jerry Seinfeld

26. "What a relief!": PHEW.

27. Silks and trapeze, e.g.: AERIAL ARTS - I knew trapeze. 

28. Hopi ceremonies: RAIN DANCES.

29. User __: ERROR.

31. Hot-dish topping: TATERTOTS - Very common in our part of the country

33. Land down under?: HELL 

35. Trumpet accessories: MUTES.

36. Resonate, as a joke: LAND.

38. Spot-on: APT.

39. Root vegetable: PARSNIP.

41. Kazakhstan capital: ASTANA - 1,700 miles ESE of Moscow

42. Sportscaster who coined "dipsy-doo dunkaroo": VITALE - I knew him but not the phrase 

43. Conventional writing: PROSE.

44. Military brass?: BUGLE - In From Here To Eternity, Montgomery Clift's character played taps on his bugle into a megaphone that he rotated.

47. Like most dissertation defenses: ORAL.

48. Mask: HIDE.

49. Kindle file format: EPUB.

50. Expressed relief, perhaps: WEPT.

52. Dirty digs: STY.

54. Disposable sock: PED.

More thoughts from Amanda

This is my first published themeless puzzle, and it was created around the seed entry BEIGE FLAG, which is making its debut in this grid! The team at the LA Times really helped me get going when I was a new constructor, and one thing they instilled in me early on was a high standard for clean fill. I'm really happy that I managed to find some fun options for the marquee entries in this grid without having to rely on too much "crossword glue." I also try not to have too many proper nouns in my grids because as a solver, I hate getting stuck on know-it-or-you-don't clues. In my fill, I love to include food, the arts and humanities, sports, references to life in the Midwest, and misdirection clues, and you'll find all of those in this puzzle!