Tuesday, April 14, 2026 Caroline Hand

That's Entertainment! Imaging winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

3-Down. *  Actress who plays Fiona Gallagher on "Shameless": EMMY ROSSUM.  An Emmy is a television and media award.

21-Across. *  Wise maternal figure voiced by Betty White in "The Lorax": GRAMMY NORMA.  A Grammy is a music award.

30-Down. *  "The Picture of Dorian Gray" novelist: OSCAR WILDE.  An Oscar is awarded in the film industry.

53-Across. *  Mob boss played by James Gandolfini: TONY SOPRANO.  A Tony is awarded in the live stage industry.

And the unifier:

65-Across. "Grand slam" awards acronym spelled out by the starts of the answers to the starred clues: EGOT.  An EGOT winner is an individual who has won all four major American entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

As of today 22 people have achieved this competitive feat. Notable winners include Richard Rodgers (1962), Helen Hayes (1977), Rita Moreno (1977), John Gielgud (1991), Audrey Hepburn (1994), Marvin Hamlisch (1995), Jonathan Tunick (1997), Mel Brooks (2001), Mike Nichols (2001), Whoopi Goldberg (2002), Scott Rudin (2012), Robert Lopez (2014), John Legend (2018), Andrew Lloyd Webber (2018), Tim Rice (2018), Alan Menkin (2020), Jennifer Hudson (2022), Viola Davis (2023), Elton John (2024), Benj Pasek (2024), Justin Paul (2024), and Steven Spielberg (2026).

Here's the Grid so you can see the prizes.  Note that two are in the Across position, and two are in the Down position, but I don't think there is a deeper meaning in these positions.

Across:

1. __ the fat: gab: CHEW.

5. Get the last of, as gravy: SOP UP.

10. Nap spot: SOFA.  Did you know that the word sofa originates from the Arabic word ṣuffa, which refers to a raised, cushioned seat or bench.  It entered English via Turkish and French in the 17th century.  Historically, this term described a more formal, upholstered seat, distinct from the French-derived couch (from coucher), which was historically meant for lying down.

14. Tibetan spiritual leader: LAMA.

15. Teaser ad: PROMO.

16. Rather wicked: EVIL.  I grew up in the Northeast, so this cartoon makes perfect sense to me.

17. Some early PCs: IBMs.

18. "Finding Nemo" setting: OCEAN.  //  And 6-Down. Black-and-white 18-Across predator: ORCA.

19. Irish ancestor: CELT.

20. Household pest with wings: FLY.

23. "Groovy, man!": FAR OUT!

25. Nutrient in kale: IRON.

26. Answers for a mistake: OWNS IT.

29. Like some swimming pools: INDOOR.

33. Washbowl: BASIN.

35. Celebration with rainbow flags: PRIDE.  Apparently, the Idaho legislature recently banned the flying of Pride flags on government buildings.  The city of Boise found a loophole and wrapped flagpoles in Rainbows.

37. Dallas sch.: SMU.  Southern Methodist University.  A brief history of this University.

38. Clever ploy: RUSE.

39. Household pest with a tail: MOUSE.

40. Base's chemical opposite: ACID.

41. 37-Across email ending: EDU.

42. Military academy student: CADET.

43. Speechify: ORATE.

44. Chinese small bites: DIM SUM.  Yummers!

46. Wireless network device: ROUTER.

48. Stitched borders: HEMS.

50. Large crustaceans: PRAWNS.  Prawns and shrimp are different species of decapod crustaceans. While often used interchangeably in cooking due to similar flavor and texture, they differ anatomically: prawns have branching gills, three pairs of clawed legs, and straight body segments, while shrimp have plate-like gills, one pair of clawed legs, and a distinctive bend in their body.

58. Physics particle: ION.

59. Soothing gel: ALOE.  This has become a crossword staple.

60. Hidden treasure: TROVE.

61. Bummed out: BLUE.  The association of blue with sadness likely originated from the 17th-century phrase blue devils for depression, further influenced by ancient, cold-color symbolism, and possibly nautical traditions of flying blue flags when a captain died.  The term has been linked to sorrow as far back as Geoffrey Chaucer in 1385.

62. Beer barrels: KEGS.

63. Corkscrew shape: HELIX.

64. Novelist Ferber: EDNA.  Edna Ferber (Aug. 15, 1885 ~ Apr. 16, 1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright.  Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big, Show Boat, Cimarron, Giant and Ice Palace.  Many of her novels were also adapted into films.

66. Look at, in the Bible: SEEST.  Probably from the 1604 King James Bible.

67. Cubicle fixture: DESK.

Down:

1. Hang glider's launching spot, perhaps: CLIFF.

2. "Se __ español": HABLA.  Today's Spanish Lesson.

4. "Now, where __ I?": WAS.

5. Newspaper section with game recaps: SPORTS.

7. Verse: POEM.

8. Savory flavor: UMAMI.  Umami is the fifth basic taste alongside sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.  It has a a savory, meaty, or brothy flavor.  This taste was identified by chemist Kikunae Ikeda (Oct. 8, 1864 ~ May 3, 1936) in 1908, and yet I only learned of it in the past few years.

9. Short trip on a short horse: PONY RIDE.

10. Fraction of a minute: SECOND.

11. Completed: OVER.

12. Cannes festival showing: FILM.  The Cannes Film Festival is considered one of the most prestigious film festival in the world.  The festival this year is begins on May 12 and runs through May 23, 2026.  The festival previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around the world.

13. Utah ski resort: ALTA.

21. Fashion icon Tim: GUNN.  Timothy MacKenzie Gunn (b. July 29, 1953) is probably best known with his association with Project Runway.

22. Zero: NONE.

24. Tot's injury: OWIE.

27. Onetime Zune rival: iPOD.  I still use my iPod.

28. More loyal: TRUER.

31. Fail to mention: OMIT.

32. Impolite: RUDE.

33. Born and __: BRED.

34. Automaker with a four-ring logo: AUDI.  The four rings represent four different automakers that merged in 1932 to create what was then called the Auto Union.

36. Analogy words: IS TO.

39. Woolly beasts of the past: MAMMOTHS.

40. Zone: AREA.

42. Pool hall sticks: CUES.

43. Other, in Spanish: OTRO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

45. Least assertive: SHYEST.

47. "Coming after the break ... ": UP NEXT.

49. Buying binge: SPREE.

51. Subjects of most sentences: NOUNS.  Do students still have to diagram sentences?

52. Tiptoe: SNEAK.

53. Grab: TAKE.

54. Designer Cassini: OLEG.  Oleg Cassini (né Oleg Cassini Loiewski; Apr. 11, 1913 ~ Mar. 17, 2006) is probably best known for being Jackie Kennedy's favorite designer when she was in the White House.

55. Scrapped, at NASA: NO GO.

56. Actor's goal: ROLE.

57. Rental car giant: AVIS.

61. __-and-breakfast: BED.

That's all for this week.

חתולה

Monday, March 23, 2026, Caroline Hand

Theme:  Rhymes with lolly.

Golly, Wally, it's jolly on the trolley!

Caroline Hand is getting to be an old hand at crossword construction.  Today's little folly is a whole volley of actresses' names that rhyme with lolly.  The theme clues and answers are;

17-Across. "The Piano" Best Actress Oscar winner: HOLLY HUNTER.

Passionate historical romance.

28-Across. Actress known for saying "Kiss my grits!" on the sitcom "Alice": POLLY HOLLIDAY.

Polly Holliday is at right in Alice.
DH knew the show, actress, and catchphrase.
Maybe it was more popular in the South?

48-Across. "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club" actress: MOLLY RINGWALD.

Molly Ringwald was a teen icon in the 1980s.

64-Across. Country music legend who founded the nonprofit literacy program Imagination Library: DOLLY PARTON.

This prolific singer songwriter is widely regarded as one of the kindest people alive.

Having solved the theme entries -- with help from perpendicular entries, especially for 28-Across in my case -- we cannot lollygag around.  Grab your brolly and the collie and let's go to Bali -- or at least on to the rest of the clues and answers.

Across:

1. Venomous African snake: MAMBA.  The bite of the black mamba is frequently fatal unless antivenom is administered.  Those photos you've seen of a big, black snake with huge fangs?  Not the mamba.  It's a pale brown snake with an mouth that is black on the inside.

Black mamba

6. On __ nine: elated: CLOUD.

11. Celebrity chef Fieri: GUY.  This rowdy restaurateur is a Food Network star.

Guy Fieri -- best known for the blond dye and hair gel?

14. Starting squad: A-TEAM.

15. Scoundrel: LOUSE.

16. Card game based on Crazy Eights: UNO.

17. [Theme clue}

19. Disco __ of "The Simpsons": STU.

20. Like a global corp.: INTL.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.  A global corporation is international.

21. Iowa college town: AMES.  Ames is home to Iowa State University.

22. Loathe: ABHOR.

24. Numbered musical composition: OPUS.

26. "Aquarius" and "Good Morning Starshine" musical: HAIR.  The soundtrack linked below starts slowly and quietly.  Patience, grasshopper!  Total time under 3 minutes.

28. [Theme clue]

33. Khaki kin: CHINO.

35. Ambient music composer Brian: ENO.  Something recent from crossword favorite Brian Eno:

36. First word for some babies: MAMA.

37. Tyrannosaurus __: REX.

38. Money holders: WALLETS.

42. Nada: ZIP.

43. Region: AREA.

45. "The Bluest __": Toni Morrison novel: EYE.  Her first novel, published in 1970.

46. Unwanted garden plants: WEEDS.

48. [Theme clue]

52. Animated character: TOON.  This blogger first heard cartoon characters referred to as "toons" in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, in which human beings and toons co-exist in 1947 Los Angeles.  Good movie.

53. Map publisher __ McNally: RAND.

54. American buffalo: BISON.

57. Clockwork part: GEAR.

59. "¿Cómo __ usted?": ESTÁ.  A polite or formal "How are you?" in Spanish.  Informal would be "¿Cómo estás?"

63. Sci-fi ship: UFO.

64. [Theme clue]

67. East Lansing sch.: MSU.  Michigan State University.

68. Bring to mind: EVOKE.

69. Toy (with), as an idea: FLIRT.

70. Champagne cork's sound: POP.

71. Less cooked: RAWER.  Technically correct, but sounds like a lion.  I'd say, "More raw."

72. Set of four on a British car: TYRES.

Down:

1. Fish tacos fish, familiarly: MAHI.

2. Loads (of): A TON.

3. Cheesy diner sandwich: MELT.

4. Inflatable party decoration: BALLOON.

5. Actress Poehler: AMY.  From Second City and the Upright Citizens Brigade, to Saturday Night Live and Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler has acted, written, and laughed her way into movie stardom, two Golden Globe Awards, and Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world (2011).

Amy Poehler on Parks and Recreation

6. Bumbling: CLUMSY.

7. Unaccompanied: LONE.

8. Performed better than: OUTSHONE.

9. "__ as directed": USE.

10. Go off track: DERAIL.  

literal derailment

11. Spew: GUSH.  

Spew?  Let me count the ways.

12. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO.

13. "Ball's in __ court": YOUR.

18. Lug: HAUL.

23. Hat edge: BRIM.

25. Work the soil: PLOW.

27. Loads (of): A LOT.

28. Dot on a computer screen: PIXEL.  The basic unit of programmable color on a computer display or in a computer image.

29. Oscar winner Mirren: HELEN.  Helen Mirren is the only person to have achieved both the US and UK Triple Crowns of Acting -- the US version being crossword favorite "EGOT."  

Dame Helen Mirren as The Queen (2006)

30. In a mental fog: DAZED.

31. Surrounded by: AMID.

32. Prattles on and on: YAPS.

33. Study all night: CRAM.

34. Long sandwich: HERO.

39. Flight-related prefix: AERO.

40. Staying away from the spotlight: LYING LOW.

41. Graceful lake bird: SWAN.

44. Palo __, California: ALTO.  We had Palo Alto last Monday!

47. On in years: ELDERLY.

49. Over thataway: YONDER.

50. Less sunny: GRAYER.

51. Bend out of shape: WARP.

54. Jostle: BUMP.

55. "Should that be the case ... ": IF SO.

56. Dish eaten with a spoon: SOUP.

58. Actress Sommer: ELKE.  Elke Sommer was one of the top film actresses of the 1960s.  

Elke Sommer in the 1960s

60. Kerfuffle: STIR.

61. Moved very fast: TORE.  A secondary meaning of tear/tore, as in "He tore down the hall in his rush to greet the guests."

62. Targets of Terro insect traps: ANTS.  Not familiar with this brand, but who you gonna trap?  ANTS!

65. Egg cells: OVA.

66. Toward the stern: AFT.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did you BUMP into A TON of unknowns, leaving you DAZED?

Or were you a crossword HERO today, who TORE through the grid with no CLUMSY errors?

Let us know, down YONDER in the comments!

NaomiZ