Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Erik Agard

  SWISH! Or Nothin' but Net!

Another slam dunk from Erik Agard!

While "hat trick" is not used, basketball has other milestones based on the number three or achieving three feats:

The Triple-Double: Getting double-digit numbers in three out of five categories (points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals) in a single game.
Three-Peat: Winning three championship titles in a row.
Three-Pointer: Scoring a field goal from beyond the three-point arc. 

The Reveal: 

53 Across. Distance shot in basketball, or what 16-, 26-, and 39-Across are altogether?: LOGO THREE.

A logo 3 in basketball is a three-pointer shot taken from extreme range, specifically at or near the mid-court center circle where the teams floor logo is painted.

How is this represented in the 3 themers you ask? Why, it's simple! The first word of each begins with LO, and the last word begins with GO. Coming up with a new and fresh theme after more than 100 years of crossword puzzles is a long shot, I just didn't expect Erik to do it literally!

16 Across. "I like it!": LOOKS GOOD. (Like a long shot that goes "swish.")

26 Across. Bucket list item, perhaps: LONG TIME GOAL. (Long air time that is...)

39 Across. Not rigid: LOOSEY-GOOSEY. (Absolutely necessary to make those long shots....)

Let's see if there is anything in the fill that could block our shot at this theme...

Across:
1. Succeed in a class: PASS. (Or succeed in basketball, don't hog the ball...)

5. With 47-Down, tropical shade providers: PALM.

9. Content warning letters: NSFW. Not Suitable For Work.

13. Two-tone apex predator: ORCA.

Pass me the ball!

14. Inventor's jumping-off point: IDEA.

15. Underwater detector: SONAR.

16. [Theme]

18. Location: PLACE.

19. Out like a light: ASLEEP.

20. Vintner's harvest: GRAPES.

21. Top stripe of a pride flag: RED.

Hmm, not always red...

22. Lousy grade: DEE. (I always wait, could be C or F...)

24. "Gosh!": GEE.

25. Channel with music videos and "Reba" reruns: CMT. Country Music Television.

26. [Theme]

29. Statistical average: MEAN.

There ya go, now it's about s clear as mud...

31. Jokes: GAGS. (I never joke about statistical averages...)

32. Cunning plan: RUSE.

Not really a ruse, but I couldn't resist..

33. "A Change Is __ Come": GONNA. The sad history behind this song can be found here.

34. Victor Wembanyama's org.: NBA. (Is this a Clecho?)

35. Features of 4c hair: KINKS. Ten hairstyles Suitable for type 4c hair.

36. A single time: ONCE.

37. Plant anchor: ROOT.

38. CPR pros: EMTS. (Crossword staple.)

39. [Theme]

42. Seasonal vaccine target: FLU.

43. Some undergrad degs.: BAS. Bachelor of Arts degrees.

44. Fleeting snooze: NAP.

45. Pvt. trainer: SGT.

48. Chicken __ bleu: CORDON. If you ever get tired of making chicken salad from your leftover chicken:

TRY THIS!

50. Throw trash away, but not in a trash can: LITTER. (Please dont...)

52. An additional time: AGAIN.

53. [Theme Reveal.]

56. Sport with scrums: RUGBY. This may be difficult for Americans unfamiliar with the game to comprehend, but it is a way to restart play fairly after a minor infraction.

Can you predict what side will regain control of the ball?

57. Component of steel: IRON.

58. Lack of difficulty: EASE.

59. Simple tops: TEES.

60. Domestic four-leggers: PETS.

61. "Their __ Were Watching God": EYES. Tough one if you don't know luckily 4 perps to the rescue...

Down:
1. Big name in seltzer water: POLAR. Tough one, as not really seen in my area. And now with the hard seltzer market, Polar gets lost in the crowd.

2. Came up: AROSE.

3. Give a talking-to: SCOLD.

4. "For goodness' __!": SAKE.

5. Animal enclosure with a namesake cipher: PIGPEN. The Wiki Explanation.

6. "And now, without further __ ... ": ADO.

7. Sign before Virgo: LEO.

8. Ticked off: MAD.

9. Mardi Gras city, familiarly: NOLA. New Orleans.

10. Signals called by a quarterback before each play: SNAP COUNT.

11. Protections against respiratory illnesses: FACE MASKS.

12. Competes on a mat: WRESTLES.

15. Shopping jag: SPREE.

17. Arizona city near the Seven Sacred Pools: SEDONA. 

17 minutes worth of sightseeing.

20. Precious stones: GEMS.

23. Creamy Christmas concoctions: EGGNOGS.

24. Huge unit of mass: GIGATON. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

26. Pool divisions: LANES.

27. Like a dirty word: TABOO. I dunno.. (see below.)

28. Dirty: GRIMY. (Is grimy taboo?)

29. Actor's audition selection: MONOLOGUE.

30. Spur on: ENCOURAGE.

33. Transport on the way to sink a putt: GOLF CART.

35. "You hang on to that": KEEP IT.

37. "Sinners" director Coogler: RYAN. Ack! A Name!

40. Dark wood: EBONY.

41. Makeover sites: SALONS.

45. Wander off: STRAY.

46. V-formation flyers: GEESE.

47. See 5-Across: TREES.

49. "I call it!": DIBS.

51. Old-school "you": THEE. (Or thou, or ye, but don't get too hung up on thyself...)

53. Guff: LIP.

54. Metallic resource: ORE.

55. Duped: GOT.

And, The Grid.

There you have it. Was it a slam dunk for you (or thou.) or did you jam your thumb?

Let us know in the comments...

CE:D out.

(˵◝ ⩊  ◜˵マ

P.S.  A Crossword Corner Blog Interview with Erik Agard from 2013 can be found here.

Tuesday August 11, 2026 Rena Cohen

Shape-Shifters:

4-Down. Aspiring actor's asset: STAR QUALITY.

8-Down. Trustworthy sort: SQUARE SHOOTER.

17-Down. Intensely shocking events: HEART STOPPERS.

27-Down. Peak physical condition, or a feature of 4-, 8-, and 17-Down: TIP-TOP SHAPE.  Each of the the theme clues is in the down position, making the Shape at the Tip-Top of the answer.

Here's the Grid:

Which personality shape helps you complete this puzzle?

Across:

1. Colorful violet kin: PANSY.  I love these flowers.  

6. Suga and Jung Kook's band: BTS.  BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010.  The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook.  The band makes frequent appearances in the puzzles.

9. "__ the Cat": children's book series: PETE.  Pete the Cat was not around when I was a child.

13. Give a speech: ORATE.

14. Atty.'s title: ESQ.

15. And others, in a bibliography: ET AL.  We had a discussion about this Latin phrase just two weeks ago.

16. Highly sensitive person: EMPATH.

18. Kitchen deputy: SOUS CHEF.  The Sous Chef was in last Tuesday's puzzle and is visiting us again today.

20. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.

21. Bothers greatly: EATS AT.

23. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI.  Obi-Wan Kenobi wearing an Obi.  //  And 56-Down. Offspring of Leia and Han: KYLO.  References to the Star Wars franchise.

24. Thigh muscles, familiarly: QUADS.

26. Exposes, in a way: RATS ON.

28. Treat that may be dipped in dulce de leche: CHURRO.  Yummers!  A churro is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape.

30. Indiana University basketball coach Moren: TERI.  Teri Marie Moren (b. Apr. 14, 1969) is the current head coach of the Indiana University women's basketball team.  Unknown to me.

31. Flexible: PLIANT.

32. Amusement park time-saver: FAST PASS.

36. Former first lady Biden: JILL.  Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (b. June 3, 1951) was Second Lady from January 2009 to January 2017 and First Lady from January 2021 to January 2025.

37. Winter migration direction: SOUTH.

39. Tried's partner: TRUE.  Tried and True ...

40. "Hear me out ... ": SO, LISTEN.  I initially tried Listen Up.

42. Woodwind section player: OBOIST.

44. Norse god of thunder: THOR.

45. Two-door cars: COUPES.

46. Neaten: TIDY UP.

49. Many shelter dogs: MUTTS.

50. Astonishment: AWE.

51. Soft drink brand with a "lymon" logo: SPRITE.

53. Creative solution: HACK.

57. Spinning toy: PINWHEEL.

59. "Are you serious?": REALLY.

61. "Let It Go" singer: ELSA.  A reference to the Disney film Frozen.  Elsa is the fictional character in the film.  The actual performer is Idina Menzel (b. May 31, 1971).

62. Genetic transcription molecule: RNA.  Another last Tuesday repeat.

63. Thread holder: SPOOL.

64. Snow day ride: SLED.

65. Daughter's brother: SON.

66. Canine command akin to "drop it": LET GO!

Down:

1. Expert concerned with feet?: POET.  Everything you ever wanted to know about poetic feet.

2. Octopus octet: ARMS.  Octopuses are Remarkably Bright Creatures.

3. Auto parts giant that shares a name with a California wine valley: NAPA.  The National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) was founded in Detroit in 1925 by 28 independent auto parts suppliers to fix an unorganized parts market.

5. So far: YET.

6. One-ups: BESTS.

7. General __ chicken: TSO'S.  General Tso's chicken is a sweet and spicy deep-fried chicken dish.  It supposedly was first created in the 1950s in Taiwan.

9. Delt neighbor: PEC.  Deltoid and Pectoral muscle groups.

10. Shared ideology: ETHOS.

11. Martial arts-based fitness regimen: TAE-BO.  Everything  you wanted to know about Tae-Bo.

12. Like Santa's helpers: ELFIN.

19. One end of a maze: START.

22. Ruckus: ADO.

25. Spot where there's no trouble brewing?: URN.

28. Advertising award: CLIO.  The Clio Awards were first awarded in 1959 for advertising.  The name is derived from the Greek mythological muse, known as the recorder and glorifier of great deeds and accomplishments.

29. Biker's challenge: HILL.

30. Skin art, for short: TAT.

31. Sleepover attire, familiarly: PJs.  The origin of the word Pajama.  Do people really wear pajamas when they fly?

32. Enjoyable: FUN.

33. Grammy winner India.__: ARIE.  India Arie Simpson (b. Oct. 3, 1975) is an American singer and songwriter.

34. Puzzle (out): SUSS.  I'm sure we all sussed out the correct answers to today's puzzle.

35. Group of reps at the gym: SET.

38. Above, in classic odes: O'ER.

41. "Be quiet!": SHUSH.

43. "Having said that ... ": BUT.

45. Minor injury: CUT.

46. Cassettes: TAPES.

47. "Count on me": I WILL.

48. Quite thick: DENSE.

49. 2026 Winter Olympics host city: MILAN.  The 2026 winter olympics were held in February.

52. "The Biggest Little City in the World": RENO.  Reno is also the home of the National Judicial College.

54. Tons: ALOT.

55. Drain blockage: CLOG.

58. Crumple (up): WAD.

60. Course for some intl. students: ESL.  English as a Second Language.

Until next week ...

חתולה