Monday, November 2, 2026, Amanda Cook

Theme:  What's My Line?

Today marks Amanda Cook's fifth crossword constructor credit in the Los Angeles Times.  What a great way to begin the week!

The theme clues and answers are:

16-Across. Minute Maid juice box option: FRUIT PUNCH.  

24-Across. Catchphrase associated with hippies: FLOWER POWER.

34-Across. Occasion to wear a little black dress, perhaps: COCKTAIL PARTY.

50-Across. Tennis server's infraction: DOUBLE FAULT.  A double fault occurs when the server makes two consecutive errors, and the point goes to the opponent.  The errors might be hitting the net, hitting outside the service box, or stepping onto the court before contacting the ball.

58-Across. End of a race, or what's found at the end of 16-, 24-, 34-, and 50-Across?: FINISH LINE.  I had to reach this FINISH LINE to see the theme:  each of the listed entries finishes with a type of line!  PUNCH LINE, POWER LINE, PARTY LINE, FAULT LINE.  Bottom line:  well done!

We have not come to the end of the line, though.  Here come the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Earth tremor: SEISM.

6. Quarterback Darnold who won the Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2026: SAM.  As you might have guessed, Sam Darnold's line of work is playing quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL.

9. Tom or drake: MALE.  A tom is a male turkey; a drake is a male duck.

13. Japanese breadcrumbs: PANKO.  Have you ever purchased white bread or pastries in a Japanese grocery?  The texture is incredibly light and fluffy!  No wonder Japanese breadcrumbs are prized for coating fried foods.

14. Lose steam: TIRE.

15. 20-Down highlight: ARIA.  An aria is an elaborate solo song with instrumental accompaniment featured in an opera.

16. [Theme clue]

18. Dressage gait: TROT.

19. The "D" of LED: DIODE.  An LED (light-emitting diode) is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current flows through it.

20. Atmospheric layer with holes: OZONE.  The ozone layer has a big seasonal hole over Antarctica, largely due to chemicals released from refrigerators, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays.  The hole allows harmful ultraviolet radiation to reach the Earth's surface, which raises the risk of skin cancer, cataracts, and immune system damage for humans and other creatures, and harms plants, including crops.  Thanks to an international treaty (The Montreal Protocol) signed in 1987, which phased out chlorofluorocarbons, the hole in the ozone layer is gradually shrinking.  Sadly, recent extreme weather due to human caused climate change appears to be slowing the recovery of the ozone layer.

The ozone hole over Antarctica

21. Knee pt. studied in an MRI, perhaps: ACL.  The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the main stabilizing ligaments in the knee.

24. [Theme clue]

27. Bedroom piece: DRESSER.  You know ... bed frame, dresser, nightstand, mirror.  Typical bedroom furniture.

29. Migrating geese formation: VEE.  Each goose generates a wake of air behind and beneath its wings.  A following bird gains upward lift from the air currents created by the bird in front.  The goose at the front of the line doesn’t get any aerodynamic benefit and works the hardest. That’s why, when the first goose gets tired, it drops back into a trailing position, and another goose takes the lead. 

Geese in V formation

30. Crafty: SLY.

31. Thoroughly cooked: DONE.  Stick a fork in me, Jerry -- I'm done!

32. Pageant crown: TIARA.

34. [Theme clue]

40. Maid of honor speech, typically: TOAST.

41. Field of expertise: AREA.

43. PC key near the space bar: ALT.  I went into a veterinary clinic today to pick up meds for darling daughter's dog, and saw these keyboards at the front desk PCs.  I may need one.

Candy colored keyboard!

46. "What __ missing?": AM I.

47. Flagging down, as a cab: HAILING.

50. [Theme clue]

53. Bear, in Spanish: OSO.

54. Utterly confused: AT SEA.

55. Loud kiss: SMACK.

57. Leaning Tower city: PISA.

58. [Theme clue]

63. Notified: TOLD.

64. Opinion column: OP-ED.  "Op-ed" is short for "opposite the editorial page."  The essays that appear there are short opinion pieces that represent the views of outside contributors rather than the publication's editorial board.

65. Conger catcher: EELER.

66. Classic game console, for short: SNES.  Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

67. Prohibit: BAR.

68. Airline based in Atlanta: DELTA.

Down:

1. Coppertone initials: SPF.  Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures how well a sunscreen protects your skin from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which cause sunburn and contribute to skin cancer.

2. Unit of corn: EAR.

3. Shiba __: dog breed: INU.  An ancient Japanese breed of hunting dog, the Shiba Inu is small:  just 17-22 pounds.  If you want an adorable, fox-like little dog that is independent, stubborn, and can't be trusted off-leash, here's your next pet!

Shiba Inu

4. Lose traction, as on an icy road: SKID.

5. Recurring themes: MOTIFS.

6. Connective tissue: SINEW.  Also called a tendon, a sinew connects muscle to bone.

7. Curved path: ARC.

8. "Not my fave": MEH.

9. __ ball soup: MATZO.  DH looks forward to my vegetarian matzo ball soup every year.

Here is Martha Stewart's vegetarian version.

10. Quiver contents: ARROWS.  A quiver is a container used by archers to hold arrows.

A classic back quiver

11. "Hello" singer Richie: LIONEL.  Lionel Richie is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer.  In the 1970s, he was a songwriter and co-lead singer of the Motown group The Commodores.  In 1982, he launched his solo career with the album Lionel Richie.  His second album, Can't Slow Down (1983), became one of the best-selling albums of all time, and included the number one singles "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello."  He co-wrote the 1985 charity single "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson.  His third album, Dancing on the Ceiling (1986), contained the number one single "Say You, Say Me" and the No. 2 hit title track.  Wow.  Strange video, though.

12. Dining establishment: EATERY.

14. Royal house of Elizabeth I: TUDOR.  Henry VII was the first Tudor king of England, seizing the crown by force during a civil war.  His son Henry VIII is remembered for separating the Church of England from the Catholic church to facilitate the dissolution of his first five marriages; his sixth wife outlived him.  Henry VIII's son Edward VI reigned from age nine until his death at age 15.  Next up, Mary I ("Bloody Mary"), a daughter of Henry VII, reigned for five years, during which she restored Catholicism and persecuted Protestants.  And then came Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, who had been beheaded for supposed treason.  Elizabeth ruled for an amazing 70 years, restored the protestant church in England, and was the last of the Tudor monarchs.  Merry Olde England.

Elizabeth I

17. Bit of trekking gear: POLE.  These collapsible poles are lightweight and fit in your suitcase.  Totally worth bringing if you're planning to hike on uneven terrain.

Trekking poles

20. La Scala production: OPERA.  La Scala is an historic opera house in Milan, Italy.

21. Append: ADD.

22. Colorful clog with holes: CROC.

Croc with Croc

23. Longtime late-night host Jay: LENO.  Jay Leno is a stand-up comedian who was chosen in 1992 to replace Johnny Carson as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show, which he did until 2009 when Conan O'Brien took over for a year.  Leno returned to hosting The Tonight Show from 2010 to 2014, then hosted Jay Leno's Garage, and then the revival of You Bet Your Life.  He currently writes a regular column in Popular Mechanics giving automotive advice.

Jay Leno

25. Nefarious: EVIL.

26. Gather, as crops: REAP.

28. Religious faction: SECT.

32. __ for tat: TIT.

33. North __ Sea: Kazakh lake: ARAL.  The Aral Sea was once the world’s third largest lake.  It started shrinking in the 1960s when the Soviet government diverted two of its main inlet rivers, the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya, to irrigate the surrounding desert region. The North Aral Sea was separated from the South Aral Sea in 1987-88 as water levels dropped.  Independent Kazakhstan has addressed environmental degradation by again allowing the Syr Darya River to flow into the lake.

The Aral Sea is circled.

35. Eucalyptus lover: KOALA.  The koala is native to Australia and eats little besides Eucalyptus, which is poisonous to most other animals.  The low nutritional value of this diet leads koalas to sleep up to twenty hours a day.  Hmm ... good life?

36. Like household pets: TAME.

37. "You wish!": AS IF.

38. Threesome: TRIO.

39. Cravings: YENS.

42. Long, long __: AGO.

43. Modifies to fit: ADAPTS.

44. Soothing cosmetic: LOTION.

45. Minor dustup: TUSSLE.

47. Muggy: HUMID.  Like this past summer in Los Angeles.  Brutal!

48. "What a shame": ALAS.

49. Irritated, in a way: ITCHED.  Like the bites of the invasive Aedes mosquitoes (commonly known as "ankle biters") which have recently infested Los Angeles, thanks to the aforesaid humidity.

51. Common elements in Native American jewelry: BEADS.

52. Ed of "Elf": ASNER.  Ed Asner (1929-2021) was an American actor, best known for playing Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) and the same character on the drama Lou Grant (1977-1982).  He won seven Primetime Emmy Awards -- the most of any male actor -- and acted in a number of films as well.  He played Santa Claus in New Line Cinema's Elf (2003) and voiced Carl Fredricksen in the Pixar animated film Up (2009).

Ed Asner is on the far right, with other cast members of
The Mary Tyler Moore Show

56. "Twittering Machine" painter Paul: KLEE.  Twittering Machine is a 1922 watercolor with gouache, pen-and-ink, and oil transfer on paper by Swiss-German painter Paul Klee. It depicts a loosely sketched group of birds on a wire or branch connected to a hand-crank.

Klee's Twittering Machine

58. Keyless key: FOB.  A key fob is a remote control device that uses radio waves to communicate with a car's computer, allowing drivers to lock, unlock, or start their vehicles with the press of a button.

59. Bitter beer letters: IPA.  India Pale Ale was created when English brewers increased the amount of hops in beer, and increased the alcohol level, to preserve the brew for the hot, six-month sea journey to India, during the time that India was under the control of the British East India Company.  

60. Unwell: ILL.

61. Take-home pay: NET.

62. Pitching ace's stat: ERA.  Earned Run Average.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Did Amanda's puzzle SMACK you in the face with the POWER of its brilliance?

Or did you find FAULT with it?

LINE up below to share your comments!

-- NaomiZ

Monday, October 5, 2026, Amanda Cook

WINTER IS COMING!

Today's constructor, Amanda Cook, is Director of Web and Editorial Content for American Composers Forum, which supports creators of new music by connecting them to resources and opportunities. 🎵 Amanda also supports cruciverbalists with new puzzles; this appears to be her fourth in the LA Times.

Today's theme reminded me of the motto of House Stark in A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, better known by the title of the television adapation, Game of Thrones -- that motto being "Winter is Coming!"  With the temperature reaching 105°F in Los Angeles this past weekend, the promise that winter is coming seems less dreadful than in the books.

The theme clues and answers are:

16-Across. Playful back-and-forth: WITTY BANTER.  

26-Across. Workstation option since the 1980s: WINDOWS COMPUTER.

44-Across. Ticket pickup location: WILL CALL COUNTER.

59-Across. Time off that may coincide with a new calendar year, or what can be found in 16-, 26-, and 44-Across: WINTER BREAK.  Indeed, there is a BREAK in the word WINTER in the cited answers.  It was very kind of Amanda to put the letters spelling WINTER into circles to help us see the theme.

Across:

1. Tiny trims: SNIPS.

More than a few snips went into this tiny trim.

6. "Tár" Oscar nominee Blanchett: CATE.  In the 2022 film, Cate Blanchett plays a haughty orchestra conductor, whose professional misconduct leads to her downfall.  🎵

10. Jar topper: LID.

13. Art studio stand: EASEL.

14. Chocolate-flavored latte: MOCHA.  I love a little espresso in my hot chocolate.

15. Fuss: ADO.

16. [Theme clue]

18. Church seating: PEW.

19. Messy person: SLOB.

20. Word with ocean or eye: LINER.  Ocean liner and eyeliner -- interesting clue!

21. Skim through: SCAN.

22. Wear away: ERODE.  Late last month, the 550-year-old sea arch formed by lava flows in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park collapsed  -- the victim of erosion and a huge storm.

Hōlei Sea Arch in better times

24. Sprawling property: ESTATE.

26. [Theme clue]

30. Rainbow maker: PRISM.

31. Attempted: TRIED.

32. Bath rug: MAT.

33. Old hoops org.: ABA.  From 1967 to 1976, the American Basketball Association competed with the more established National Basketball Association.  

36. Genetic material: DNA.

37. Polo shirt, e.g.: TOP.

40. Power strip switch: ON OFF.

42. Not exactly, informally: KINDA.

44. [Theme clue]

49. Battery terminals: ANODES.  The anode undergoes oxidation (losing electrons) and sends electrons through an external wire to power a device. 

50. Punchiness: OOMPH.

51. See 58-Across: SHOE.

52. Crown for a prom queen: TIARA.

54. Wanes: EBBS.

58. With 51-Across, dance accessory for Fred Astaire: TAP.

Fred Astaire, dancer extraordinaire

59. [Theme clue]

61. Connecticut Ivy Leaguer: ELI.  A student at Yale University may be called an "Eli," referring to Elihu Yale, an early benefactor of the university.

62. Derive: INFER.

63. Possibly dangerous: RISKY.

64. Cozy burrow: DEN.

65. Composer Stravinsky: IGOR.  Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was a Russian composer and conductor.  🎵

66. River mammal: OTTER.  This blogger was absent for three weeks, visiting the UK and Ireland.  On the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, DH and I encountered freshwater otters that make daily treks from the hills to the ocean, because food on that island is most plentiful at the shore.  I had never heard of such a thing!

Freshwater otters at the seashore on the Isle of Mull

Down:

1. Does some alterations: SEWS.

2. Place for cuticle oil: NAIL.

3. Analogy words: IS TO.  A puppy is to a dog as a kitten is to a cat.

4. Spots where dogs may sit, lie down, and roll over: PET BEDS.

5. Clever: SLY.

6. Meet over coffee, perhaps: CONNECT.

7. Entr'__: ACTE.  The French word entr'acte is a contraction of the words entre acte ("between acts") and refers to a piece of music performed between two parts of a stage production, or simply an intermission.  🎵

8. Eerie electronic instrument: THEREMIN.  A musical instrument patented by Leon Theremin in 1928, the theremin is controlled without physical contact.  🎵

9. Musical proclivity: EAR.  🎵

10. Affectionate feline: LAP CAT.

11. Brainstorm: IDEATE.

12. Wet blanket: DOWNER.  A person who ruins the fun or enjoyment of others.

14. Some hotel employees: MAIDS.

17. Move like the wind: BLOW.

21. Small earring: STUD.

Hoop with dangle, regular hoop, and stud.

23. Fiction subgenre: ROMANCE.

25. "I didn't quite catch that": SPEAK UP.

26. Typing speed: Abbr.: WPM.  Words Per Minute.

27. 401(k) alternative: IRA.  Individual Retirement Account.

28. Minor quibble: NIT.

29. Chicago airport code: ORD.  Chicago's O'Hare International Airport uses the code ORD because the airfield was originally named Orchard Field (ORcharD).

34. Not-so-humble bragging: BOASTING.

35. Old gridiron org.: AFL.  From 1960 to 1970, the American Football League competed with the more established National Football League.  The crossing of the defunct ABA and AFL was a WAG (wild ass guess) for this blogger.

37. Feature of many a Wile E. Coyote trap, for short: TNT.  Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner are fictional characters from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons produced by Warner Bros. from 1949 onward.  The hungry coyote tries to kill and eat the road runner through complex schemes and mail order explosives.

38. "__ to Joy": highlight of Beethoven's Ninth: ODE.  The fourth and final movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 is commonly called the Ode to Joy.  Here's an excerpt (3:41), performed by André Rieu & His Johann Strauss Orchestra:  🎵

39. Golf course standard: PAR.

40. Ye __ Shoppe: OLDE.

41. Pool raft, e.g.: FLOATER.

43. Receive, as a bequest: INHERIT.

44. Squandered: WASTED.

45. Take a deep breath: INHALE.

46. Copy on an email reply: LOOP IN.  When I want to be copied on a string of emails, I ask the recipients to "keep me in the loop."

47. Apple pie-making tool: CORER.

48. Minnesota representative Ilhan: OMAR.  Ilhan Omar has served as the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district since 2019.

Ilhan Omar

53. Deets: INFO.  "Deets" is short for "details."  "Info" is short for "information."

55. Triumph over: BEST.  In this case, "best" is a verb.  "The experienced chess player hoped to best the young prodigy."

56. Make a cake, say: BAKE.

57. Icelandic dairy product similar to yogurt: SKYR.  Yummy.

59. Nintendo console released in 2006: WII.   The Wii introduced motion-tracking controls, and could recognize gestures, as opposed to just buttons on a controller.  The Wii was also Nintendo's first console with internet connectivity for online gaming.

60. Certain sib: BRO.  "Sib" is short for "sibling."  "Bro" is short for "brother."

Here's the grid:

Dear Solvers,

Huge thanks are due to CrossEyedDave and Anonymous T for blogging Mondays during my absence!

I missed the WITTY BANTER in the comments section, and can hardly wait to CONNECT with all of you again.  So SPEAK UP!

And of course, if you have a NIT to pick with the puzzle, we'll lend you an EAR.

I do want to thank Amanda Cook for all the musical entries 🎵, none of which required me to look up the deets of any pop stars du jour.

-- NaomiZ

Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Amanda Cook

Theme: YOWSA! (It hurts my eyes!)

CrossEyedDave here, and I am still trying to erase the after image of this puzzle out of my mind... most of the puzzle played out well, except the SW Corner, which took some sussing. The theme? Well, at first I couldn't see anything. So I asked Daughter #1 for help. She was as nonplussed as I... so I emailed CC for help. As I was typing, I realized that Lunch, Play, Couples, and Up, could all be preceded by the word "Power." But I could not understand how power lunch hour/power play station etc, had anything to do with clashing. CC replied Both words can follow "power", hence it's clashing. 

So...

17 Across. Midday break from work: LUNCH HOUR. (Power Lunch / Power Hour)

26 Across. Sony game console: PLAY STATION. (Power Play / Power Station)

52 Across. Vacation with friends and their significant others: COUPLES TRIP. (Power Couples / Power Trip)

62 Across. Artistically repurposing, as trash: UPCYCLING. And... even though it is one word,,, (Power Up / Power Cycling)

And the Reveal:

36 Across. Fashion trend that embraces a bold mix of patterns and colors, or what can be found in 17-, 26-, 52-, and 62-Across?: POWER CLASHING.

Yowsa! It hurts my eyes!

Still nonplussed, I asked Daughter #3 if she could see any clashing of the words, or how to explain it, and we are all not sure what is going on here, or if there is more we are blinded to. I said, I am not a conflicting person by nature, how can I explain this clashing I cannot see? And so that's how my review ended up saying this puzzle theme is just a powerful collection of friendly words getting together...

If you can see something different, by all means please enlighten us in the comments.

Onward!

Across:
1. Enjoyable: NICE. ( a devious start, as this start is just a deception. )

5. Not bad, not great: SO SO. (No comment )

9. Amazon smart speakers: ECHOS. (That's the name on the box, but everyone calls them Alexa's.)

14. Pedal pusher: FOOT.😀

15. Rocky outcrop: CRAG.

A familiar word for Rock Climbers.

16. Barely detectable amount: TRACE.

17. Theme.

19. Ninja Turtle home: SEWER. Ok, I'm supposed to splain things that may not be understood about the puzzle. How do I explain to the crossword solving breakfast club all about radioactive mutant turtles that live in the Sewer? That have Italian Renaissance names, and love pizza?

20. Shoe designer Jimmy: CHOO.

Name #1

21. Corp. VIP: CEO. Chief  Executive Officer

23. Word with garage or yard: SALE.

24. Low card in gin rummy: ACE.

26. Theme.

29. Ithaca Ivy: CORNELL.

31. Like some staff retreats: ONSITE. (Or On-Site)

32. Pledge drive gift: TOTE.

33. Little piece of land: ISLET. What is the difference between an islet, and a cay?  The A.I. Overview

36. Theme Reveal.

42. Swerves: VEERS.

43. Paper chain segment: LOOP. (I wanted Link.)

45. Equilibrium: STASIS. (The beginning of the difficult SW corner...)

49. Matures, in a way: EVOLVES. I was thinking ripens, but it wouldn't fit. You would think evolution is an ongoing process, and maturation is an end result. But they did say "in a way," so, anything goes...

52. Theme.

55. Historical period: ERA.

56. Scheme: RUSE. Or plot, plan, ploy, scam...

57. Tiny terrier, e.g.: TOY.

58. "Tulsa King" actor McDonough: NEAL.

Name #2

60. __ Park, Colorado: ESTES. Familiar to any model rocketeer...

62. Theme.

66. Gloss over, in speech: ELIDE. (Forgive me for skipping over the details...)

67. Barking marine mammal: SEAL.

68. Lost, metaphorically: ASEA.

Lost, literally...

69. Like pound cake: DENSE. But nowhere near as dense as a fruit cake, I mean, I've seen fruit cakes you can literally use as a door stop!

70. Contributes: ADDS.

71. Blended family prefix: STEP. Hmm, interesting clueing...

Down:
1. Org. with Lions and Bears, but not Tigers: NFL. National Football League League. Lions=Detroit, Bears= Chicago, Tigers= MLB (Major League Baseball)

2. Short note?: IOU.😀

3. Composition for soloist and orchestra: CONCERTO. There a whole book on it, just ask Daughter#3 who had to study it for Her Music Degree.

4. Engrave: ETCH.

5. Podiatrist with a namesake orthopedic brand: SCHOLL.

Everybody has seen these...

6. Gold, in Spanish: ORO. This has become an old crossword staple for its three letters, how Gold can become boring... hmm, how about, Walter Keonig's (Chekov) next SciFi role after The Original Star Trek?

Believe it or not,

His 1st role was in TV's Combat!

7. Pert: SAUCY. Could have been sassy, but the Constructor was being Pert...

8. Folklore brutes: OGRES.

9. UFO pilots, presumably: ETS. Extra Terrestrials.

10. Distinctive features of cockatoos: CRESTS.

11. The Big Island: HAWAII.

12. Spotted wildcat: OCELOT.

13. Peaceful: SERENE.

18. Dream: HOPE.

22. Central Plains people: OTOES. Another crossword staple. Could use some fresh clueing, perhaps "Ode to lower digits?"

24. "__ your age!": ACT. (Ok, maybe I'll delete the 22 down commentary...)

25. Henhouse: COOP.

27. Wonderland visitor who uses a flamingo as a croquet mallet: ALICE.

28. Scholarly collection: Abbr.: ANTH. Anthology is a curated collection of literary works, such as poems, short stories, plays, or songs. 

30. Unfamiliar: NEW.

34. Camera type, for short: SLR. Single Lens Reflex

The movable mirror between the viewfinder and the film

(Or electronic image sensor) makes a single lens possible.

35. __ pointer: LASER.

37. Downright rotten: EVIL.

38. Go back to zero: RESET.

39. __-at-ease: ILL.

40. Jane Austen, for one: NOVELIST.

Jane Austen

1775-1817 (aged 41)

No photograph available...

(Name #3)

41. Opera ending?: GOER. (Erm?) according to the Internet: Operagoer is a common nine letter word that fits the clue "Opera ending" in crosswords... (Common nine letter word?) Maybe when the fat lady sings...

44. Awareness-raising TV spot: PSA. Public Service Announcment

45. Lengthy diatribe: SCREED. This is the word to use to describe my unhappiness with the SW corner...

46. Muss: TOUSLE. The result of much head scratching, again in the SW corner...

47. "Keep __ Weird": motto of a Texas city: AUSTIN. (That SW corner again, really weird!)

48. Podcast playback options: SPEEDS. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

50. Audiophile's collection: VINYLS. (I wanted Albums)

51. Oil cartel acronym: OPEC. Organization of Oil Exporting Countries.

53. March composer John Philip __: SOUSA. Inventor of the Sousaphone

One you wear, the other you carry...

Which would you rather march with?

54. Not handwritten: TYPED.

59. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS.

61. "Catch my drift?": SEE.

63. Currency with toonies, briefly: CAD. Yikes! This takes some splainin'. First of all, the Loonie, is the Colloquial name for the Canadian One Dollar Coin. Ergo, the Toonie refers to the two dollar coin...(simple.) but what is the "A" in CAD? No one knows, and it doesn't matter, because the official ISO code for the Canadian Dollar is CAD, differentiating it from other dollars (like the U.S. Dollar). Who or what is this ISO you ask?  More info here...

64. Formerly named: NEE.

65. Hiatus: GAP.

And, The Grid...

I am looking forward to hearing from you in the comments. Because I am still not sure if I am missing something in this clash of words puzzle...

CE:D out...

(•˕ •マ.ᐟ

Saturday, February 14, 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.

Amanda had this to share with us after I asked her if SOCIAL BATTERY was a seed entry like BEIGE FLAG was for her last puzzle: 

Hi Gary! You’re correct about SOCIAL BATTERY! I’m very much an introvert, so I’m always conscious of mine when I’m out socializing. I also asked if my take on MINOR ROLE was right. She was shocked happy and replied, Yes!

 Across:

1. Grazing spots?: TAPAS BARS.

10. Classic Milwaukee brewer: PABST.

15. Holding back tears, perhaps: EMOTIONAL.

16. Cornmeal cake: AREPA ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

17. Final act for a big star: SUPER NOVA 😀

18. Tiptoe: CREEP.

19. Phillies All-Star shortstop Turner: TREA - Here is TREA on the right with our cousin Alec Bohm from Omaha who plays third base next to him.

20. Salon sounds: SNIPS.

22. Squeaks (by): EKES.

23. Hermana de la madre: TIA - Mother's sister (Hermana de la madre) is my aunt (TIA).

25. Scoped out: CASED.

27. Resource that may be recharged with alone time: SOCIAL BATTERY - Amanda's seed entry is a metaphor for explaining how much energy a person has for socializing when recharging is necessary. What's your level today?

32. Alan Ladd Western: SHANE - In a 2005 poll, this was chosen as the 47th best movie line of all time.

34. Sphere: REALM - One sphere of influence has been decreased in size

35. Green shade: PEA.

36. 1990s fad item: POG - These were ubiquitous in my 90's classroom!

37. State gemstone of Minnesota: AGATE.

38. [Raises hand]: I AM.

39. Ferment, perhaps: AGE.

40. Cut back: PRUNE.

41. Alabama and Kansas: BANDS - One of them has a song whose music and lyrics are favs of mine:

43. Unapologetic self-promotion: SHAMELESS PLUG - Celebrities doing this are staples of the TV talk show business.

46. Infer: EDUCE.

47. "__ complicated": IT'S.

48. Big D cagers: MAVS.

49. David Oyelowo film set in Alabama: SELMA.

53. French head: TETE.

57. Covered in vines: IVIED.

59. Reason to cover a lot of ground quickly?: RAIN DELAY 😀

61. Come and go: RECUR.

62. Nonbillable work?: MINOR ROLE 😀 Harrison Ford's film debut was as a bellboy in Dead Heat On A Merry-Go-Round which was such a MINOR ROLE, his name did not appear on the bill.

           
 

63. Goomba, to Mario: ENEMY - An Italian word for friend came to become a derogatory for Italian-Americans.

64. Local cultural ecosystems: ART SCENES 😀

Down:

1. Exam: TEST.

2. River between Russia and China: AMUR.

3. Vatican City resident: POPE.

4. Carbo-loaded, say: ATE A TON.

5. Military address: SIR.

6. Art with a moyogi style: BONSAI - I thought it was Mr. Miyogi's BONSAI tree from Karate Kid but your humble blogger missed the fact that moyogi is not capitalized. It still would have worked. 🤔

7. Rando on a message board: ANON - Our ANONs on this site are not usually RANDOm

8. Sitarist Shankar: RAVI - He greatly influenced the Beatles, especially George Harrison, but did not play on any of their songs.

9. Give a hand?: SLAP - Anyone else CLAP first?

10. Campaign gp.: PAC.

11. Mesmerize: ARREST.

12. Sting operation?: BEEKEEPING 😀 

13. Cram for book club: SPEED READ.

14. Dances like Savion Glover: TAPS - Saturday cluing for a common word

21. Magnitude: SCALE - The magnitude of the space shuttle and the crawler taking it out to the launch pad is easier to see when you look at the trucks on the crawler way next to them.

24. Water cooler: ICE. 😀

26. Texter's "Currently": ATM - Today, At The Moment replaces our cash dispenser 

27. Words from a seasoned pro: SAGE ADVICE.

28. Engage in forensics: ARGUE.

29. Tilts: LEANS.

30. "Matlock" star: BATES - Kathy BATES stars in a reboot of the TV series made famous by Andy Griffith

31. Staple of Nigerian cuisine: YAMS.

32. Beauty spots: SPAS.

33. State of bliss: HOG HEAVEN - Talk about being happy! Humans might seek other avenues for a state of bliss. 

37. "Les Alyscamps" city: ARLES - A Roman necropolis in southern France. 

40. Burpee target: PEC

41. Club kin: BLT - My two favs!

42. Puritanical: AUSTERE.

44. Institution that may have a repatriation policy: MUSEUM - This happened in 2019

45. Moving challenges: PIANOS - The most famous PIANO movers that I'll wager most of us have seen in our "yute".

48. Wetland: MIRE.

50. Gospel singer Franklin: ERMA - Not Etta or Ella

51. Burrow: LAIR - As a noun

52. Bread maker: MINT - So many euphemisms for money

54. North Carolina college town: ELON - What a great athletic nickname.

55. Epic: TALE.

56. Emoji reaction to a hot take: EYES. 😳

58. Word with rub or run: DRY - Barbecue seasoning and a test 

60. Kinshasa's country, briefly: DRC - Its Atlantic Ocean shoreline is a little over 20 miles long.