Sunday May 24, 2026 Zachary Gallardo & Joe Marquez

 

Theme: "TRACK RECORDS" - Each theme entry is a song title re-imagined as a different kind of  "record".

24. Permanent record?: TOGETHER FOREVER.

32. Criminal record?: MACK THE KNIFE.

51. Historical record?: BACK IN THE USSR.

71. World record?: HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH.

85. Broken record?: I FALL TO PIECES.

108. Medical record?: LIKE A SURGEON.

116. Fossil record?: WALK THE DINOSAUR.

This type of theme may look simple on the surface, but it's actually quite restrictive. The entries all have to be recognizable song titles, the [? record"] phrases must be solid in the language, and each answer has to match the first word of the clue. 

This is the LAT debut for Zachary Gallardo and Joe's first Sunday. Congrats to both!

Across:

1. Costco rival, informally: SAM'S. Any of you are Costco members? There fresh coconuts are so good.

5. Undergrad lecturer: PROF.

9. Morehouse, for one: Abbr.: HBCU. Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
 
13. Mix, as a salad: TOSS. And 23. Grocery section: AISLE.

17. Plop (down): PLUNK.

19. iPad assistant: SIRI.

20. Word of sorrow: ALAS.

21. Sign into law: ENACT.

27. Goddess often depicted with a throne headdress: ISIS.

29. __ nouveau: ART.

30. Megacity of India: DELHI.

31. "__ news?": ANY.

37. Asides: TANGENTS.

39. Marvel's Punisher, for one: ANTI-HERO. Flawed protagonist. We also have 98. Attractive guy in Marvel Comics?: MAGNETO.

40. Beltway Series ballplayer, familiarly: NAT.

42. Mesh on a field: GOAL NET.

43. Comb target: KNOT.

44. Community of flora and fauna: BIOME.

47. Gender prefix: CIS.

49. Places where forks may be found?: ROADS. Fork in the road.

50. Terse confirmation: I AM.

55. Thumbs-up vote: YEA.

57. Shahidi of "Black-ish": YARA.  She was born in Minneapolis.

58. Jedi foe: SITH.

59. Curly coif: AFRO.

63. High-level perfidy: TREASON.

67. Mineral once used in baby powder: TALC.

69. Also: TOO.

70. Honeylike substances: GOOS.

75. Memo heading: IN RE.

76. Portuguese "Hello": OLA.

77. Newcastle upon __: TYNE.

78. Vampire squid's habitat: DEEP SEA.

79. Largest loch by volume: NESS. Fresh clue angle.

80. Pancake recipe instruction: FLIP. And 97. No longer on the table?: EATEN.

82. "Not one more step!": HALT.

84. Astrological big cat: LEO.

89. Jun. and Jul.: MOS.

92. Valuable violin: STRAD.

96. WNBA great Bird: SUE. She and Megan Rapinoe recently announced their split.

98. For a __ pittance: MERE.

99. Springsteen, to fans: THE BOSS.

102. Fuming: MAD.

104. Namesake of the AL batting title: ROD CAREW. He bowled in Boomer's league for a while.

106. Assessed anew: REVALUED.

111. Have a life: ARE.

112. Harsh in one's nose: ACRID.

114. LBJ's party: DEM.

115. __ colada: PINA.

121. Outdoes: BESTS.

124. Asparagus unit: SPEAR.

125. Totenberg of NPR: NINA. NPR's longtime legal affairs correspondent.

126. Use a mountain trail: HIKE.

127. Squirrel away: STORE.

128. Annual: Abbr.: YRLY.

129. Site with handmade goods: ETSY.

130. Longtime "Jeopardy!" host Trebek: ALEX.

131. Black gem: ONYX.

Down:

1. Mud bath venue: SPA.

2. "True Detective" actor Mahershala: ALI.

3. "Just the news I needed!": MUSIC TO MY EARS. 60. "Not sure why, but ... ": FOR SOME REASON. Stunning pair of 13's.

4. TV sketch featuring Chloe Fineman or Colin Jost: SNL SKIT.

5. Vancouver hrs.: PST.

6. Copacabana setting: RIO.

7. Church pipes: ORGAN.

8. Guy who hosts Food Network's "Tournament of Champions": FIERI.

9. "Take that!": HAH.

10. Changed the laundry?: BLED. Cute clue referring to colors bleeding in the wash.

11. Shift+6 symbol: CARET.

12. Old Glory: US FLAG.

13. "Young Frankenstein" actress: TERI GARR.

14. Pacific Coast Highway's route number: ONE.

15. African grassland: SAVANNA.

16. Like many shampoos: SCENTED.

18. "We the Youth" muralist Haring: KEITH. The mural is in Philadelphia.

22. Secret assignations: TRYSTS.

25. "L8r g8r!": TTFN.

26. "That's bad!": OH NO.

28. Fancy Feast alternative: SHEBA.

32. Sushi roll type: MAKI.

33. Ballerina Pavlova: ANNA.

34. Writer/illustrator Carle: ERIC. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". 

35. Outlandish: KOOKY.

36. Per person: EACH.

38. Jeff Lynne's band: ELO.

41. Links: TIES.

45. Sporty Mazda model: MIATA.

46. Utterly captivated: ENRAPT.

48. Honeymoon booking: SUITE.

51. Clear nail polish, say: BASE.

52. Hunting cry: TALLY-HO.

53. Got up: STOOD.

54. Gave an impressive performance: SHONE.

56. Nesting sites: EAVES.

59. Slack-jawed: AGAPE.

61. Memorization method: ROTE.

62. Dept. of Labor div.: OSHA.

63. Out of __ air: THIN.

64. Philosopher Descartes: RENE.

65. Switch type: ON/OFF.

66. Wafer name since 1967: NILLA. And 68. Party nibble: CANAPE. Plenty of food in this grid.

72. Moves with the wind: SAILS.

73. Singer Cruz known as the "Queen of Salsa": CELIA.

74. Unadon fillets: EELS. Unadon is short for unagi donburi, literally "eel bowl".

81. Fruit that may be crossed with apricot: PLUM. Pluot.

83. Aquarium fish: TETRA.

85. Religious devotion to an object: IDOLATRY.

86. Jacksonville Jaguars color: TEAL.

87. Corp. bigwigs: CEOS.

88. Turn out to be: END UP.

90. Treat with vanilla creme: OREO.

91. Stitched: SEWN.

92. Grasp at __: STRAWS.

93. Remedial treatment: THERAPY.

94. Mardi Gras merrymaker: REVELER.

95. Gp. of lawyers: ABA.

100. "No __ luck!": SUCH.

101. Tranquil: SERENE.

103. Carthaginian queen in Virgil's "Aeneid": DIDO. Aeneas eventually deserted her.

105. Mobile homes?: CRIBS. Fun clue.

107. "All finished!": DID IT.

109. "Praying" singer: KESHA.

110. Part of a thread: EMAIL.

113. Rackets: DINS.

117. Actor Penn: KAL.

118. Thumbs-down vote: NAY.

119. Hawaiian chordophone, for short: UKE.

120. Film critic Reed: REX.

122. Push to the limit: TRY.

123. "Kama Sutra" topic: SEX.

C.C.

Thursday February 12, 2026 Joe Marquez

From the NYT: "Joe Marquez is a puzzle constructor. He likes words..." He deserves more than that; it sounds like my biography! But he's young, and we'll soon have pages about him. He co-authored one here back in May, and this is his (free) solo debut. I'm sure we'll see many more.

17. *Pointless task: FOOL'S ERRAND. A FOOL'S ERRAND is a pointless, futile, or impossible task that wastes time and effort. Like when RightBrain gives me a grocery list expecting all the right brands and sizes.

21. *Climb without ropes: FREE SOLO. A FREE SOLO is a form of rock climbing where the climber (free soloist) climbs without ropes or any form of protective equipment. One man's quest on El Capitan in Yosemite Park became an Oscar winning documentary film.

38. *Craftsman kit: TOOL SET. I've bought many Craftsman™ TOOL SETs from Sears over the years, one piece at a time. I used to be fascinated by their catalog pages showing massive sets, like a kid with a Wish Book. Their hand tools have a lifetime warranty - solid as Sears! Until a few years ago, anyway. 

55. *Squeaker: CLOSE ONE. An idiom describing a narrowly avoided loss in a tight competition. It is commonly used to express relief after an evenly matched game. That's a CLOSE ONE!

And what do all these answers have in common? Nothing, so it seems, until the revealer ties them together:

62. Collection found under sofa cushions, or what can be found in the answers to the starred clues?: LOOSE CHANGE. In addition to coins, one can find keys and hopefully, my lost remote control. Anyone seen it?

The letters that spell "LOOSE" are CHANGED (scrambled) as highlighted above. We've seen this before, but I thought finding phrases with five letters in a row was a neat trick. And because it's later in the week, no circles! The rest of the grid filled in rather easily for a Thursday, so smooth sailing. 

Let's tie up the rest of the LOOSE ends:

Across:

1. Winter X Games host city: ASPEN. Although the Winter Olympics are now in progress, here we have their wild little brother, the X Games. X for eXtreme.

6. "Hey, c'mere!": PSST.

10. Park place?: LOT. You can rent a space for $35, which seems like a LOT.

13. __ Doone cookies: LORNA. Introduced in 1912, these shortbread cookies were named after the titular character in a 1869 historical romance novel, but nobody knows why.

14. Navel type: OUTIE. Is this an innie or an OUTIE?

16. Janelle's "Abbott Elementary" role: AVA. Everyone said this is a great show, so I watched a few episodes. Unfortunately, I was annoyed by Janelle James' over-the-top portrayal of the principal. I guess I'm in the minority as she won an Emmy.
 

17. [theme]

19. Derisive cry: BAH. "BAH!" said no one ever (except Scrooge).

20. Chances to swing: AT BATS.

21. [theme]

23. Like the most yellow banana on the tree: RIPEST. When they get soft and brown, RightBrain freezes them to make banana bread. Now we can't fit anything else in the freezer and I'm still waiting! I jest, she's a great cook! (She made me say that.) Lately her passion has turned to making sourdough, which is quite a process but there's nothing like warm bread from the oven. 

25. Urgent care employee: NURSE.

26. Chemical synthesis need: REAGENT. After Sean Connery's stellar turn as James Bond, Roger Moore became REAGENT 007.

29. Not on solid ground: ASEA.

30. Desert refuges: OASES. 

31. Messy pile: HEAP. 

34. Goblet part: STEM.

37. Telethon VIPs: MCS. The Master of Ceremonies is a "Very Important Person" at many events. I'm not sure why they called out telethons in particular.

38. [theme]

41. Prospector's find: ORE. Where prospectors found it: ORE. The Oregon gold rush brought miners north just a few years after discovering it in California.

42. Sigh of relief: PHEW. That was a CLOSE ONE!

44. "You sure of that?": IS IT. 

45. Pieces of the heart: ATRIA. 

47. Noble title: EARL. The most famous EARL is noted for his sandwich. Genius! Before him, people just stacked stuff on top of bread. Animals!

49. Had a great time at: ENJOYED.

51. Quickly get through a season: BINGE. We cut the cord years ago, and now have enough subscriptions that we're paying about the same as cable! However, we often wait until an entire season has dropped before we BINGE watch it. No more forgetting about what happened last week as networks dribble out a show. And if your brain is as rusty as mine, that's a plus!

53. Gets out of Dodge: SCRAMS. Gets out of a Dodge: AMBLES

55. [theme]

57. Swashbuckler's sword: RAPIER. Named after my wit! RightBrain says that's half right.

61. Downside: CON.

62. [theme]

64. N.J. winter hrs.: EST. New Jersey uses Eastern Standard Time during winter hours. 

65. Bunch of flowers: SPRAY. 

66. Gas in some colorful signs: ARGON. Here's a colorful ARGON sign:

67. Software engineer, for short: DEV. They called me a DEVELOPER for short, but not for long!

68. Exceedingly dry: SERE. 

69. __ of all: LEAST.

Down:

1. A in communications?: ALFA. Beginning of the NATO alphabet. It is intentionally spelled with an "f"' rather than "ph" to ensure consistent pronunciation across different languages, as non-English speakers might not intuitively know to pronounce "ph" as "f."

2. Chimney buildup: SOOT.

3. "Not my __": PROB. "Not my PROBLEM." When people say this, it PROBably is.

4. Blow up: ENLARGE.

5. Most unpleasant: NASTIEST. 

6. "¿__ qué?": POR. "Why" is this in Spanish?

7. Sees the sites: SURFS. I wanted TOURS at first.

8. Kick off: START. I STARTED when they asked me for a ticket I didn't have, and then was kicked off the train.

9. Prong: TINE. 

10. Place for experiments: LABORATORY.

11. Shapes formed by spotlights: OVALS. Of course, more interesting shapes are possible.

12. Lake in the Sierra Nevada: TAHOE.

15. Utopias: EDENS.

18. "30 for 30" network: ESPN. "30 for 30" refers to Entertainment and Sports Programming Network's documentary series celebrating its 30th anniversary with 30 films on sports history.

22. Takes to court: SUES.

24. Shared belief system: ETHOS.

26. Easy win: ROMP. Not a CLOSE ONE!

27. Per person: EACH. A pop.

28. Product line?: AS SEEN ON TV. Winner - best clue. And you know if you saw it on TV, it has to be crappy.

29. Primatology subject: APE.

32. Pharmaceutical giant __ Lilly: ELI. 

33. Daisy kin: ASTER. Daisy kin: ABNER.

35. Maumee River endpoint: ERIE. A new way to clue an old fav. 

36. Honey brew: MEAD.

39. Canola __: OIL.

40. Mausoleum on the Yamuna River: TAJ MAHAL. A new way to clue an old fav, but it's also like 35A. So, a new old way?

43. Happy dog's movements: WAGS. Who's a good boy? FuzzyBrain (aka Buster)!

46. In reserve: TO SPARE.

48. Film rolls: REELS.

50. Drug cop: NARC. NARCOTICS agent.

51. Secretly looped in: BCCED. Blind Carbon Copied. A feature that lets you send an email to multiple recipients without revealing their addresses to each other, protecting privacy.

52. "No prize for me this time": I LOSE. Well, maybe a booby prize...

53. Nap noisily: SNORE. 

54. Labor leader Chavez: CESAR.

56. Unwelcome sound from a barber: OOPS. 

58. Actress Swenson: INGA. Although her name sounds Scandinavian, she from Omaha.

59. Impediments to effective teamwork: EGOS. It's tough to l'eggo one's EGOS.

60. Monopoly payment: RENT. RENT to own! Now you can be a homeowner for the low, low price of $200! First four callers get a free hotel stay. Call now!!

63. Needle part: EYE. I like Ken Follett, and Eye of the Needle was his first breakthrough book, earning him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America.

Go ahead and let LOOSE in the comments.
Be good. RB

Thursday, May 22, 2025 ~ Joe Marquez & Boaz Moser

Bad Poker Hand

In five card draw, one can dump 3 cards an PICK 3 more. That's what Joe & Boaz offers today... 3 PICKs. Let's look:

19. One who's bound to get away?: ESCAPE ARTIST. Houdini made his great escapes by hiding lockpicks on his person.

Eldest's first pick set & practice lock.

30. Fiddler accompanist in bluegrass, often: BANJO PLAYER.

Take your...  //sry too soon :-)

43. Artist who makes some pretty cool pieces?: ICE SCULPTOR.

A chain saw being used as an ICE pick.

50. "Go ahead and choose one," and what one might say to a 19-, 30-, or 43-Across?: TAKE YOUR PICK. 

And there you have it - 3 types of picks.

Across:
1. Basic lesson: ABCS.

5. Smack-__: DAB. In the middle...

8. PC shortcut employed when creating a draft: CTRL-S. Shortcut for saving a file.

13. Noted host of a couples' getaway?: NOAH.  Fav!

14. Vegetarian staple: TOFU.

15. Figure skater Sonja: HENIE. No clue - ESP.

16. Yarn: TALE.

17. Middle East sultanate: OMAN.

18. Magazine piece?: ISSUE.

19. [See: Theme]

22. Centers of interest: FOCI.

23. Formally withdraw: SECEDE.

27. Small pellets: BBS.

30. [See: Theme]

33. Indie genre with mainstream appeal: ALT-POP. Meh. Ok

35. "__ guesses?": ANY.

36. Cook fast, as steak: SEAR.

37. Guarded: LEERY.

38. French pal: AMI.

39. Bass kin: CELLO.  Hand-up if you were thinking fish.

40. Button on a scale: TARE.

41. Seasonal vaccine target: FLU. I should have gotten the summer one. I'm still under the weather.

42. More like a snoop: NOSIER.

43. [See: Theme]

46. Many "Grey's Anatomy" pros: DRS. A TV show with Drs making out or something.

47. Singled out: CHOSEN.

48. Some Minecraft blocks: ORES.

50. [See: Theme]

56. Deserted rest area?: OASIS.

A different "Alt-Pop" Oasis

59. Some tennis shots: LOBS.

60. Pod in Creole cuisine: OKRA. Fry it up! [See: Jolly below]

61. Top-level performance: A-GAME.

62. [Chef's kiss]: MWAH.

63. Bridle part: REIN.

64. Kits, eventually: FOXES.

Two guys on the hunt for Foxes

65. Played out: OLD.

66. Two-time Newbery Medal winner DiCamillo: KATE.  ESP but CSO to DW.

Down:
1. Request from a 25-Down: ANTE. To PICK some cards.

2. Feathery accessories: BOAS.

3. AP math class: CALC. Was that AP? I thought it was just Jr. yr. math.

4. Grain amount: SHEAF.

5. Taxonomic classification broader than kingdom: DOMAIN.

6. Out there: AFAR.

7. Part of a suicide squeeze: BUNT.
 

8. Woodshop tool: CHISEL.  Another kinda PICK.

9. Precedent-setting trials: TEST CASES.

10. Many ICU professionals: RNS. They were in Grey's Anatomy too, right?

11. Simu who plays Shang-Chi: LIU.  ESP.

12. "What did I tell you?": SEE.

14. Work boot tip: TOE CAP.

20. NOLA sandwich: PO'BOY.

If you've not seen the Jolly boys, you've missed out.

21. Spotting game: ISPY.  With my little 24d.

24. Lashes site: EYE LID.

25. Poker figure: DEALER.

26. Box score statistic: ERRORS.

27. Like Latvia and Lithuania: BALTIC.

28. Sodium hypochlorite: BLEACH.

29. Upgrade from mono: STEREO.

31. Clog: JAM UP.

32. Covert maritime org.: ONI.  Someone's gotta explain 'cuz I don't have time to look it up - too close to 34d.

34. Deadline set by a printer: PRESS TIME.

38. Start and end of the Musketeers' motto: ALL.

39. Apple device?: CORER.  Ha!  cute.

41. Doldrums: FUNK.

42. "I can wait": NO RUSH.  Do I insert RUSH here or follow the instructions of NO?

44. Puts an end to: CEASES.

45. "That's rough": TOO BAD. So sad.

49. Multipurpose utensil: SPORK.

51. Red Muppet with a goldfish: ELMO.

52. Pained cry: YOWL.

53. Big-box store with a Smaland play area: IKEA.

54. Lit __: CRIT.  DW knows all about this.

55. "Citizen __": KANE.  #Spoiler - Rosebud.

56. Clumsy fellow: OAF.

57. Before now: AGO.

58. Jazz horn: SAX.

The Grid:

The Grid

"You can PICK your friends, & you can PICK your nose, but you can't PICK your friend's nose." -Abe Lincoln (probably).

Cheers, -T