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

Sunday September 27, 2026 Jeremy Venook

Theme: "DROP IN ANYTIME!"  - The unstressed "uhn" sound is dropped from each familiar phrase, with spelling changes as needed.

23. Tacky style influenced by West Coast beach culture and Neapolitan food traditions?: CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITSCH. California Pizza Kitchen. 

36. One tasked with keeping produce from spoiling?: VEGETABLE GUARD. Vegetable garden. 

55. Caption of a selfie next to one fine fen?: MY FAVORITE MARSH. My Favorite Martian. 

65. Stacking figurines of a Canadian prog rock band?: RUSH NESTING DOLL. Russian nesting doll.

81. Individual with exceptional integrity?: HONORABLE MENSCH. Honorable mention. 

98. Annual award coveted by handbag designers?: PURSE OF THE YEAR. Person of the Year. 

116. Is able to say, "This parrot is all the evidence I need!"?: CARRIES THE BIRD OF PROOF. Carries the burden of proof. 

Another LAT Sunday debut. Congrats, Jeremy! I think this might be our constructor.  

I'm always in awe of this type of theme, where dropping a sound requires spelling changes as well. Coming up with a full set takes an enormous amount of creativity.

Heavy themage, with two grid-spanners, but the fill doesn't suffer at all.

Across:

1. Hard work: LABOR. Are you aware of China's "re-education through labor" system?

6. Gym bottoms: SHORTS.

12. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS.

16. Through: VIA.

19. Up on the latest news: AWARE.

20. Forty winks: CAT NAP. And 30. Continuing to count sheep: STILL UP.

21. Accessory kits for new hires: DESK SETS. I probably have more notebooks than you.

26. Metric weight, for short: KILO.

27. Crazes: FADS.

28. Saxophone need: REED.

29. Wash: BATHE.

32. Tag line?: I'M IT.

34. Tatami, e.g.: MAT. Tatami mats are quite firm. Good support for your back. 

35. Spots: SEES.

43. Up to, briefly: TIL.

45. Defines, as a boundary: DELIMITS.

47. Mac spec: RAM.

48. Melee memento: SCAR.

49. Tribute penner: ODIST.

51. Tel __, Israel: AVIV.

52. __ on a true story: BASED.

54. Draw Four card game: UNO.

59. "We feel the same way": US TOO.
 
61. Chicken cordon __: BLEU. Cordon bleu means "blue ribbon" in French. 

62. Microwave maker: RCA.

63. Portuguese greeting: OLA.

64. Rely (on): DEPEND.

71. Over again: DE NOVO.

74. Artist Yoko: ONO.

75. Your and my: OUR.

76. Alpo rival: IAMS.

80. In unison: AS ONE.

86. U.K. lawmakers: MPS.  Members of Parliament.

87. Spots for electron clouds: ATOMS.

89. Took off: LEFT.

90. Completely lost: AT SEA.

91. Textbook chapter: UNIT.

93. Colorful carp: KOI. This one sold for $1.8 million.

94. Pickets: PROTESTS.

97. Genre that includes techno: EDM. Electronic dance music.

101. Next in line: HEIR.

103. Chaps: HES.

104. Maddens: IRES.

105. Widened, as pupils: DILATED.

108. On the move: ASTIR.

111. Guitar tuners: PEGS.

113. Campsite warmer: FIRE.

115. Prefix with watt: GIGA.

121. Tough to comprehend: ESOTERIC.

122. Urges into action: IMPELS.

123. Japanese boxed lunch: BENTO. Comes from Chinese "biandang".

124. Bashful: SHY.

125. Poison ivy symptom: RASH.

126. Tubes in antique radios: DIODES.

127. Olympic track great Owens: JESSE.

Down:

1. Hasn't: LACKS.

2. Keep an eye out for: AWAIT.

3. Cager's motto: BALL IS LIFE.

4. Camden Yards player: ORIOLE.

5. Slo-mo reviewer: REF.

6. Toss: SCRAP.

7. Word with farm or foam: HAND.

8. Big name in small cars: OTIS.

9. Genetic messenger molecule: RNA.

10. Spigot: TAP.

11. Booze: SPIRITS.

12. Woodworking tool: ADZE.

13. Head up: LEAD.

14. Request: ASK.

15. Carryall for a day on the slopes: SKI BAG.

16. Sweater __: VEST.

17. Restless desire: ITCH.

18. Tennis icon honored on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia: ASHE (Arthur). He was born and raised in Richmond. Buried there also.

22. Current condition: STATUS.

24. Helpful: OF USE.

25. Epsilon follower: ZETA.

31. Samsung product, perhaps: LED TV.

32. "Uncle!": I GIVE.

33. Converged: MET.

34. Viral post: MEME.

36. Civil rights leader C.T. __: VIVIAN. Unknown to me. He was a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights movement.

37. Put out: EMIT.

38. Thirdlove garments: BRAS.

39. Mascara target: LASH.

40. Very serious: ACUTE.

41. Rambled: RAN ON.

42. Dickens title character Edwin: DROOD.

43. The Taj Mahal, for one: TOMB.

44. Pastoral poem: IDYL.

46. Turpentine tree: LARCH.

50. Dark lord of "The Lord of the Rings": SAURON. Look at his eyes.

52. Dietary fiber: BRAN.

53. One-on-one contest: DUEL.

56. "Thereabouts": OR SO.

57. Engine: MOTOR.

58. Undefeated boxer Laila: ALI.

60. Brace: SPLINT.

64. On-campus residence: DORM.

66. Eye layer: UVEA.

67. Uncountable ages: EONS.

68. Cold open?: SNO. Sno-Caps, e.g.

69. Green party?: GOLFER. Golfers putt on the green.

70. Songs for two: DUETS.

71. Block: DAM UP.

72. College sports channel: ESPNU.

73. Polite denial: NO SIR.

77. Avowals: ASSERTIONS.

78. Hosted, for short: MC'ED.

79. Decorative pillow cover: SHAM.

81. Horseshoe spot: HOOF.

82. Leave out: OMIT.

83. Medicinal plants: ALOES.

84. __ carotene: BETA.

85. Stand in a studio: EASEL.

88. Bout enders, briefly: TKOS. Technical Knockouts.

92. Gym top: T-SHIRT.

94. Meteor in the summer sky: PERSEID.

95. Loaf with seeds: RYE.

96. One who takes inventory?: THIEF.

99. More uncanny: EERIER.

100. Lofty: HIGH.

102. "Amen to that!": I AGREE.

105. Slag: DROSS.

106. Award quartets, for short: EGOTS.

107. Oscar nominee Willem: DAFOE. He was in "Platoon".

108. Pros: ACES.

109. Robe securer: SASH.

110. City tricked by a wooden horse: TROY.

111. Trident-shaped Greek letters: PSIS.

112. Inscribe with acid: ETCH.

113. Ascot-wearing driver of the Mystery Machine: FRED (Jones).

114. Lollygagging: IDLE.

117. Pitching stat: ERA.

118. Songwriters' rights org.: BMI.

119. Wall St. launch: IPO.

120. Easy sammie: PBJ. I like peanut butter & honey. 

C.C. 

Saturday, September 26, 2026, Adrian Johnson

 Saturday Themeless by Adrian Johnson

  

Our Wyoming native who went to college in Minnesota is now doing greatwork for a startup group called BetterFi, a nonprofit working to end predatory lending in Tennessee.

I made great progress and soon had the NW to SE swath done and then had to go in to finish off the other corners which was a fun challenge with a lot of international cuisine and filmakers. 

Across:

1. Releases: EMITS.

6. Ardent supporter: MEGAFAN - This Raider fan qualifies

13. Island country that changed the shape of the International Date Line by skipping December 30, 2011: SAMOA.

14. "Anything you say": SURE SURE.

15. Guttural sound: CROAK.

16. Outermost meningeal membrane: DURA MATER.

17. Hot: IN DEMAND.

19. "Bad idea": DON'T.

20. High return: LOB.

21. 41-Across teacher: SENSEI and 41. Dojo discipline: KARATE.

23. Army __: ANTS.

24. Double-reed woodwind related to the shawm: OBOE - Adrian muddied the waters by adding a shawm in the clue 

26. Seldom seen: SCARCE.

28. Racing headgear: CRASH HELMET - 76-year-old comedian Andy Huggins says at his age he worries about falling and so he wears a HELMET. To keep from looking foolish, he also carries a skateboard.

30. Tailgating area: LOT.

33. Angiogram image, perhaps: AORTA - It kinda stands out, doesn't it

34. "__ bien": MUY.

35. Durable fabric: CHINO.

37. Drug featured in the Dock Ellis biopic "No No: A Dockumentary": LSD.

38. "How's it hangin'?": WHAT'S SHAKIN'

42. Bernie Sanders' mittens, for one: MEME.

What's shakin' Bernie?

43. Singer known as the "Goddess of Pop": CHER - Depends on who you ask. 

  

47. Harsh critics: HATERS.

49. PC IDs: IPS.

50. Martinican poet Césaire who helped found the Négritude movement: AIME ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

51. Dessert often made with espresso: TIRAMISU.

53. "Chocolate in every bite" cookie maker: CHIPS AHOY.

56. Sonicare rival: ORAL B.

58. Herb in fines herbes and herbes de Provence: TARRAGON - Fines Herbes (fēnz erbs - literally fine herbs): Made with a specific combination of four fresh herbs in equal parts: parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil.

59. Bring up: RAISE.

60. Welcome words?: IT'S OPEN.

61. Wrapped: ENDED.


Down:

1. Key hit in panic: ESC.

2. Platform game that debuted in 1983: MARIO BROS - I loved playing their lo-res game on my Apple IIe

3. "You sold me": I'M ON BOARD.

4. Bufotoxin source: TOAD - Bufotoxin is a milky, poisonous defense chemical secreted by the skin and parotoid glands of true toads in the genus Bufo.

5. Array at an izakaya: SAKES Izakaya (居酒屋) are casual drinking establishments, similar to tapas bars, where customers order a variety of small dishes of food that can be shared at the table. 

6. Genre in which readers are clued in to the plot?: MURDER MYSTERY.

7. Time to study: ERA. 

8. Beaut: GEM.

9. Taqueria option: ASADA - When you're done at the izakaya, you can drive on over to a taqueria for some carne ASADA (grilled meat) food.

 

10. Guest room fixture: FUTON.

11. "__ you sweet!": AREN'T.

12. "Aw, phooey": NERTS.

14. Vinyasa sequence also called Surya Namaskar: SUN SALUTATION ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  - Vinyasa is the movement between poses. This slowly revealed itself.

16. Event one must prepare for exhaustively?: DANCE MARATHON - A DANCE MARATHON was the subject of this movie 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. The trailer

18. Vibe well: MESH.

20. Word in many union names: LOCAL - Hormel's LOCAL 22 Union has sponsored champion softball teams here in town for years.

22. Halo-halo base: ICE - ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ More exotic food! This is a Filipino shaved ICE treat.

25. Part of i.e.: EST.

27. Make a lasting impression?: ETCH.

29. Skateboarding star Tony: HAWK - Tony now "hawks" Qunol products

30. "This bears repeating ... ": LIKE I SAID.

31. Instinctively: ON IMPULSE - I bought a Mazda Miata on impulse many years ago and regretted it. It always needed repairs and wouldn't handle snow.

32. Hues: TONES.

36. Muffuletta ingredient: HAM ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ More unknown (to me) food. The classic New Orleans sandwich combines a homemade olive salad with layers of thin-sliced Italian cold cuts. Man it looks so good!

39. Derisive laugh: HAH.

40. "Buona __": SERA.

43. Tacos de nopales need: CACTI - Our buffet continues: 

To make cactus tacos, scrape thorns off nopales (duh), boil them for 15 mins with onions, bay leaves, and cilantro, then sauté with chilis and jalapeños.

44. Percussion set: HI HAT.

45. Dubai rulers: EMIRS.

46. High-quality proof, for short: REPRO - Repro stands for reprographics (or reproduction), but in publishing, printing, and design, a REPRO specifically refers to a high-quality proof of text and images. It is used as the final checkpoint to verify that everything looks perfect before the final print run.

48. Camping treat: SMORE.

52. Home country of filmmaker Asghar Farhadi: IRAN. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

54. Chump: SAP.

55. Sit in a cellar, perhaps: AGE.

57. Sack: BED.