Tuesday, January 13, 2026 Richard Liu and Katherine Xiong

The Hills Are Alive with a Solfège.  

17-Across. Actress who plays Honey Chandler on "Bosch" and "Bosch: Legacy": MIMI ROGERS.  Mi is the Third musical note on the scale.  Mimi Rogers (née Miriam Ann Spickler; b. Jan. 17, 1956) was Tom Cruise's first wife.  I am not familiar with the Bosch television series.

25-Across. Flightless species last seen in the 1660s: DODO BIRD.  Do is the first note of the musical scale.  A shout-out to our dear friend Dodo.  The dodo is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to Mauritius, an island east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

56.-Across Musical film starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling: LA LA LAND.  La is the fourth musical note on the scale.  The movie, La La Land, was the center of a controversy at the 2017 Oscars when the presenters mistakenly announced it was the Best Picture winner, when in fact, the winner was Moonlight.

66-Across. Lukewarm critique: SO-SO REVIEW.  So, sometimes written as Sol, is the fifth note of the musical scale.

And the unifier:

38-Across. Type of exam that allows crib sheets, or a hint to 17-, 25-, 56-, and 66-Across: OPEN NOTES.  A Solfège is a system for teaching sight-singing by assigning syllables, such as Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La Ti, Do, to musical notes.

Here's the Grid:

Today's puzzle had two other sound-alikes:  1-Across (SEW) and 28-Across (SOW).

Across:

1. Attaches patches, say: SEWS.  It also sounds like it should fit in with today's theme.

5. To be, en español: ESTAR.  Today's Spanish lesson.

10. Hop, skip, or jump: VERB.

14. State boldly: AVOW.

15. Two-time Nobel Prize winner Curie: MARIE.  Marie Curie (née Maria Salomea Skłodowska; Nov. 7, 1867 ~ July 4, 1934) has the distinction of being (1) the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize;  (2) the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes; (3), along with her husband, was part of the first married couple to be awarded the Prize; and (4) the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes in two different fields.  In 1903, she shared a Nobel Prize in Physics with her husband, Pierre Curie () and Henri Becquerel () for their joint work in radioactivity research.  She was awarded the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work in isolating radium and polonium. Interestingly, in 1935, her daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie (Sept. 12, 1897 ~ Mar. 17, 1856), and her husband, Jean Frédéric Joliot (Mar. 19, 1900 ~ Aug. 14, 1958)  ware also awarded a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.  They became the second married couple to be awarded the Prize.

16. "Your turn," on a walkie-talkie: OVER.

19. Give in: CAVE.

20. City near Dallas: PLANO.

21. Heritage gp. with roots in China, India, and Samoa: AAPI.  As in Asian American and Pacific Islander.  Who knew?

22. Far from shore: ASEA.

23. Running time: LENGTH.

27. Subj. for some immigrants: ESL.  English as a Second Language has become a crossword staple.

28. Scatter, as seeds: SOW.  Another answer that sounds like it could fit with today's musical theme.

30. Ctrl-Alt-__: PC reboot combo: DEL.

31. Tiebreakers, briefly: OTs.  As in OverTimes.

32. Eyelid malady: STYE.

34. Prefix with day or night: MID-.

36. Family rooms: DENS.

42. Not full-size: MINI.

44. Tailless primate: APE.

45. Buddies: PALS.

49. Ultrasound goop: GEL.

50. Summer zodiac sign: LEO.

53. Smidgen: TAD.

55. Casual shoe, casually: MOC.

59. Like some algebra: LINEAR.

Correct?  You be the judge.

61. X __ xylophone: AS IN.

62. Typical high schooler: TEEN.

64. Science fiction author Jules: VERNE.  Jules Gabriel Verne (Feb, 8, 1828 ~ Mar. 24, 1905) was a French novelist, poet, and playwright.  Some of his work includes: Around the World in 80 Days, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. 

65. Channel: DUCT.

68. Southernmost Great Lake: ERIE.  And a shout out to our old friend Abejo.

69. Used a pen: INKED.

70. Light brown shade: ECRU.

71. Complete groups: SETS.  Beanie Babies were all the rage 30 years ago.

72. Inventor Nikola: TESLA.  Nikola Tesla (July 10, 1856 ~ Jan. 7, 1943) was an amazing inventor.  

73. Hoarse voice: RASP.

Down:

1. Grocery store freebies: SAMPLES.  Since Covid, we don't see these freebies as often.

2. Most wicked: EVILEST.  I am currently reading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck.  One of the characters, Cathy Ames, is the most wicket character in the novel.  She has no conscience and enjoys creating the destruction of those around her.

3. Feminine: WOMANLY.

4. Attempt to hit a baseball: SWING.

5. Punk subgenre: EMO.  A crossword staple.

6. Very long story: SAGA.

7. Tire pattern: TREAD.

8. Apple gadget in an ear: AIRPOD.

9. Live (in): RESIDE.

10. Words on flash cards, for short: VOCAB.

11. Tax crime: EVASION.  Tax evasion was the crime that tripped up Al Capone (Jan. 17, 1899 ~ Jan. 25, 1947).

12. Changes back (to): REVERTS.

13. Rye and sourdough: BREADS.

18. Decomposes: ROTS.

24. Base after third base: HOME.

26. Merrie __ England: OLDE.

29. Victory: WIN.

33. Long time: EON.

35. Genetic letters: DNA.

37. Mind reader's gift: ESP.

39. Medication form: PILL.

40. Choose (to): OPT.

41. Blue-green shade: TEAL.

42. Use a ruler: MEASURE.

43. Prohibited: ILLICIT.

46. Song that begins "My country, 'tis of thee": AMERICA.

47. Short-term offerings from an auto shop: LOANERS.

48. Make a mess of: SCREW UP.

49. Grassy forest clearings: GLADES.

51. Fails big-time: EATS IT.

52. Tied in a best-of-three series: ONE-ONE.  The double fits with today's theme, but it fails because it is not a musical note.

54. Go in headfirst: DIVE.

57. Buys into a poker game: ANTES.

58. Classroom array: DESKS.

60. "Not a chance!": NEVER.

63. Christmas: NOEL.  This is a December clue.

67. Vitamin fig.: RDA.  As in Recommended Daily Allowance.

That's all for this Tuesday.

חתולה

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 Robert S Gard

I'm Just a Singer in a Rock and Roll Band.  If you can read backwards, you will see the circles spell out the name of a rock band, hence "back-up" bands.

17-Across. "This could've been a lot worse": IT'S NOT SO BAD.  BOSTON.  The American band Boston was formed in 1975 in Boston.  What an original name.

31-Across. Jewel boxes: CD CASES.  AC/DC.  AC/DC is Australian rock band and was formed in Sydney in 1973, although the founding brothers, Angus (b. Mar. 31, 1955) and Malcolm Young (Jan. 6, 1953 ~ Nov. 18, 2017) were both Scottish.

37-Across. Antiwar gathering of world leaders: PEACE SUMMIT.  MUSE.  Muse is an English band that was formed in 1994.  It's the youngster in this quartet.

44-Across. Hit that may go out of the park: HOME RUN.  R.E.M.  R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in 1980.

And the unifier:

59. Supporting musicians, or what can be found in 17-, 31-, 37-, and 44-Across: BACK-UP BANDS.

You can see the Backup Bands in the circles below.

Across:

1. Pantry platform: SHELF.

6. Contrail, essentially: VAPOR.  A contrail, also known as a condensation trial, it is the  line-shaped cloud formed by aircraft engine exhaust mixing with the cold, humid air at high altitudes.

11. Auction offer: BID.

14. Humped beast at a desert oasis: CAMEL.  One hump or two?  One-humped camels are Dromedaries.  They are the ones that live in the Sahara desert.  The two-humped camels are Bactrians.  They can be found in the colder Central Asian steppes.  The primary difference is their habitat.  Both store fat in their humps for energy, not water, and have closeable nostrils to keep the sand out of their noses.

15. "Go me!": I RULE!

16. Eggs, to a biologist: OVA.

19. __ or nothing: ALL.

20. Draped dresses in Hindi films: SARIs.  A brief history of the Sari.

21. Paleontologist's find: FOSSIL.

23. Tire gauge meas.: PSI.  As in Pounds per Square Inch.

26. Schleps: TOTES.  Anyone watch Elsbeth?  She is always carrying tons of tote bags.

28. High point of a trip to Sicily?: ETNA.  This volcano has become a crossword staple.

29. Play with, as a trampoline: JUMP ON.

34. Reject: SPURN.

35. Confident about: SURE OF.

40. "Women Talking" novelist Toews: MIRIAM.  Women Talking is a 2018 novel by Miriam Toews (b. May 21, 1964).  The book is based on actual events in a remote Mennonite community where women were drugged and sexually assaulted by men. 

41. CNN journalist Hill: ERICA.  Erica Ruth Hill (b. July 20, 1976) is a television journalist and has worked for CNN, CBS and NBC.

47. Alternative to "Yours truly": AS EVER.  I think this phrase is now associated with Meghan Markle.

48. Extremely dry: ARID.  In the arid desert, where you will find a one-humped camel.

49. Finish by: END AT.

52. "That's gotta hurt": OOF!

53. Sentra automaker: NISSAN.

56. Archer's projectile: ARROW.

58. Distress signal: SOS.

64. Tree with serrated leaves: ELM.  I understand that street is a real nightmare.

65. Remove a wooden pin from: UNPEG.

66. Listless feeling: ENNUI.  A word seen only in the crossword puzzles.

67. Filmmaker Ang: LEE.  Ang Lee (b. Oct. 23, 1954) often makes guest appearances in the crossword puzzles.

68. Warty hoppers: TOADS.

69. 28 of the cards in a Monopoly set: DEEDS.

Down:

1. __-fi: SCI.

2. Topper: HAT.

3. 911 responders, briefly: EMS.  As in Emergency Medical Services.

4. Periscope part: LENS.

5. Experience elation: FLOAT ON AIR.

6. Pop in on: VISIT.

7. Came up: AROSE.

8. Trivia night venue: PUB.

9. "Frozen" snowman: OLAF.

10. Try again: REDO.  A crossword staple.

11. Sings one's own praises: BOASTS.

12. Means to administer medication: IV LINE.

13. Texas city with the Cowboys and the Wings: DALLAS.  The Dallas Wings are a professional basketball team in the WNBA.

18. Sci-fi franchise with "Legacy" and "Ares" installments: TRON.

22. Bioluminescence produced by marine microorganisms: SEAFIRE.  Everything you wanted to know about marine microbes.

23. Garments that might have feet, familiarly: PJs.

24. Dine, quaintly: SUP.

25. Grumble from the recently roused: I'M UP.

27. Rugby play with tight formation: SCRUM.

30. Some organic chemistry students: PRE-MEDS.

32. Blue pol: DEM.  As in Democrat.  Enough said.  No politics.

33. Joins one's partner in retirement?: COMES TO BED.

35. River through Paris: SEINE.

36. Mex. neighbor: USA.

38. Grand __: French wine classification: CRU.  The term Grand Cru, which is French for "great growth",  denotes the highest tier of vineyard classification for superior French wines.

39. DVR pioneer: TiVo.  An archaic line of digital video recorders.

42. Corp. leader: CEO.  As in Chief Executive Order.

43. Dog park sound: ARF.

44. Gretel's brother: HANSEL.  In case you are unfamiliar with the German folktale, here is a brief history of of the story as depicted by the Brothers Grimm. 

45. Baltimore ballplayer: ORIOLE.

46. "Did you notice I was gone?": MISS ME?

47. Org. working against age discrimination: AARP.  As in the American Association of Retired People.

50. Unclothed: NAKED.

51. Pharmacy offerings: DRUGS.

54. Sit alongside: ABUT.

55. Billionth: Pref.: NANO-.

57. Taper off: WANE.

60. Tax prep pro: CPA.  As in Certified Public Accountant.  Tax season will be gearing up for these professionals.

61. SSW's opposite: NNE.

62. Disappointing firecracker: DUD.

63. Female sib: SIS.  As in Sister.

That's all for this first Tuesday of 2026.  Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2026.

חתולה