Tuesday November 3, 2026

Peat and Repeat and Repeat and Repeat and Repeat.

20-Across. Marshy source of organic fuel: PEAT BOG.  In Europe, archeologist have often found mummified bodies in peat bogs.

22-Across. Attempt to hit: SWIPE AT.

31-Across. Budget-friendly fare: CHEAPE ATS.

41-Across. Slip by unnoticed: ESCAPE ATTENTION.

And the unifier:

52-Across. Rare championship sequences, or what can be found in this puzzle's circles: FOUR PEATS.  One of the four Peats is not like the other Peats.  

Here's the Grid:

This was a very name-heavy puzzle.  It didn't bother me, but I know many people don't like seeing so many names in a puzzle.  The names here covered several generations, so there is probably at least one name for everyone to recognize.

Across:

1. Open-handed hit: SLAP.

5. Saudi neighbor: OMANI.

10. Reasons to cry "April Fools!": GAGS.  //  And 18-Across. "April Fools!": GOT YA!

14. Bull, in Spanish: TORO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

15. Former One Direction member Niall: HORAN.  Niall James Horan (b. Sept. 13, 1993) is an Irish singer and musician.  His band, One Direction, was apparently one of the best-selling boy bands.  [Name # 1.]

16. Actor Morales: ESAI.  We haven't seen Esai Manuel Morales Jr. (b. Oct. 1, 1962) in a while.  He used to appear in the puzzles with alarming frequency.  Maybe he has aged out of the current demographics.  [Name # 2.]

17. Upper limbs: ARMS.

When Octopus arms become Upper Limbs.

19. Epistles: Abbr.: LTRS.  Today's Greek lesson.  Epistles is a Greek word meaning Letters.  Typically, when this word is used, it refers to a number of letters in the New Testament.  

24. Touched down on a runway: LANDED.  It's going to be a bumpy ride.

25. Come out: EMERGE.

26. "Middlemarch" novelist George: ELIOT.  The given name of George Eliot (Nov. 22, 1819 ~ Dec. 22,  1880) was Mary Ann Evans.  She was one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. In addition to Middlemarch, she wrote several other novels, including The Mill on the Floss and Silas Marner.  She was well known and led a rather scandalous life.  [Name # 3.]

27. Unfortunate: SAD.

30. Word before beauty or peace: INNER.  As in Inner Beauty or Inner Peace.

34. __ tai: cocktail: MAI.  Yummers!

37. Squeeze water from: WRING.

38. Show hosts, for short: MCs.  As in the Master of Ceremonies.

46. Eighth Greek letter: THETA.  It's all Greek to me.

47. "Science Guy" Bill: NYE.  Bill Nye (né William Sanford Nye; b. Nov. 27, 1955) is a science "communicator." He is best known for being the host of the science education television show Bill Nye the Science Guy.   His life has not been without controversy.  [Name # 4.]

48. "Live at the Acropolis" musician: YANNI.  Yanni (né Yiannis Chryssomallis; b. Sept. 14, 1954), is a Greek composer, hence the "Acropolis" in the clue.  [Name # 5.]

49. Appear that way: SEEM SO.

51. Pass along, as an unwanted present: REGIFT.

56. Acid counterpart: BASE.  Today's Chemistry lesson.

59. Auction warning: GOING.

60. Somewhat open: AJAR.  When is a door not a door ...

64. Run in place: IDLE.

65. Opposite of double: HALVE.  Today's Math lesson.

66. Zero, in tennis: LOVE.  We've discussed the rational for Love meaning Zero in tennis in the past.

67. Planner pages: DAYS.

68. Long shots, in hoops lingo: TREYS.  A reference to the game of basketball.

69. Black-__ Susan: EYED.  How the flower got its name.

Down:

1. Paper clip alternative: STAPLE.

2. "Because you're worth it" cosmetics brand: L'OREAL.  This tagline made its debut in the 1970s, although the company claims's it a mission and not a tagline.  

3. Italian fashion house: ARMANI.  The luxury fashion house was named after Giorgio Armani (July 11, 1934 ~ Sept. 4, 2025).  [Name # 6.]

4. Scholar pursuing an advanced deg.: POST-DOC.  As in Post Doctorate degree.

5. "Good Lord!": OH, G'D.

6. Big name in synthesizers: MOOG.  The Moog Synthesizer was named after Robert Arthur Moog (May 23, 1934 ~ August. 21, 2005), who was an American electronics engineer and electronic music pioneer.  In 1964, he founder the Moog synthesizer.  [Name # 7.]

7. Museum display: ART.  I recently visited the Detroit Institute of the Arts.  It was an amazing museum.

8. Votes against: NAYS.  Today is Election Day.  Please exercise your rights and vote.

9. At a loss for words, perhaps: IN AWE.

10. Felt-tip alternatives: GEL PENS.

11. Toward the back of a boat: ASTERN.

Anatomy of a boat.

12. Parking structure: GARAGE.

13. Sorority member: SISTER.

21. Word in many temple names: BETH.  The word Beth is a transliteration of the Hebrew word בית, which, in Hebrew is pronounced more like Beit, or Bayet.  The word means House.  I used to attend a synagogue called Beth Shalom, which means House of Peace.

23. "You found the one and only": I'M IT.

27. Kitchen wrap brand: SARAN.

28. Unfortunate: A PITY.

29. Al __: pasta specification: DENTE.  Today's Italian lesson.  The phrase al dente means to the tooth.

32. Female sheep: EWE.

33. Mature: AGE.

34. Queens baseball players: METS.

35. Queens tennis stadium namesake: ASHE.  Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. (July 10, 1943 ~ Feb. 6, 1993) was an American professional tennis player.  He won three Grand Slam singles titles in singles and two in doubles,  [Name # 8.]

36. Slushy drink: ICEE.  They can come on lots of different flavors.

38. Pocket-size: MINI.

39. NCAA div.: CONF.  LSU, which frequently appears in the puzzles, is in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and competes in NCAA Division I.

40. Irritable state: SNIT.

42. Some convenience store inconveniences: ATM FEES.

43. El __, Texas: PASO.

44. Russian denial: NYET.  Today's Russian lesson.  And NO, I won't tell you what it means.

45. Neighborhood event with good deals: TAG SALE.

50. "This __ to be good": OUGHT.

51. Rants and raves: RAGES.

53. Lion's sound: ROAR.

54. Mound that grows until laundry day: PILE.

55. "Inside Out 2" emotion voiced by Ayo Edebiri: ENVY.  [Name # 9.]  //  And 61-Down. "Inside Out 2" emotion voiced by Amy Poehler: JOY.  [Name # 10.]  Both Aye Edebiri (née Funmilayo Edebiri; b. Oct. 3, 1995) and Amy Poehler (née Amy Meredith Poehler; b. Sept. 15, 1971) are American comedians and actresses.

56. Auction action: BID.

57. Tooth care org.: ADA.  As in the American Dental Association.

58. __ as a fox: SLY.

62. "__ Maria": AVE.

63. Like Clifford of kid lit: RED.

חתולה

Tuesday, July 28, 2026 Kevin Shustack

Spy vs. Spy.  During the Cold War, the concept of a saboteur changed from traditional physical destruction of factories and bridges to high-stakes espionage, covert operations, and behind-the-lines disruption carried out by elite military units and secret intelligence defectors.

19-Across. "Gravity's Rainbow" novelist: THOMAS PYNCHON.  Spy.  Gravity's Rainbow is a 1973 novel that takes place at the end of World War II.  It's a long and intimidating novel that I have never felt the desire to read.

24-Across. Art technique also known as French embossing: GLASS ETCHING.  Asset.  An asset is a person who provides secret information or help to an intelligence organization.  An asset is not a regular employee of the spy agency, but rather an outsider who is managed or paid to gather secrets.

38. "That's my intention": I PLAN TO.

45-Across. Act with chivalry: BE A GENTLEMAN.  Agent.

And the Unifier:

53-Across. Psychological cause of personal failure, or a feature of 19-, 24-, 38-, and 45-Across: INNER SABOTEUR

Here's the Grid:

What other assets are found in today's puzzle?

Across:

1. Ginger cookie: SNAP.  Yummers!  According to the Museum of the American Revolution, Gingersnaps were named from the German or Middle Dutch word snappen, meaning "to seize quickly."

5. Cyan shade: AQUA.  Hand up if you first tried Blue.

9. Oven setting: BAKE.

13. Document with an executor: WILL.

14. Coffee cups: MUGS.

15. Speaks foolishly: JIVES.

16. Drag Defense Fund org.: ACLU.  As in the American Civil Liberties Union.  It has been around for over 100 years.

17. Frying liquids: OILS.

18. Get down __ knee: ON ONE.

22. Tuned to, as a radio dial: SET AT.

23. Chapel Hill sch.: UNC.  As in the University of North Carolina.

32. On the house: FREE.

35. Bert who played the Cowardly Lion: LAHR.  Although it was in many movies, Bert Lahr (né Irving Lahrheim; Aug. 13, 1895 ~ Dec. 4, 1967) is best known for his role as the Cowardly Lion in the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz.

36. Everglades wading bird: HERON.  Herons can be found all along the Gulf coast, not just the Florida Everglades.

37. Chuckle in a DM: LOL.  Textspeak for Laughing Out Loud.

40. Egg cells: OVA.  A crossword staple.

41. Photo book: ALBUM.

43. Et __: and others: ALIA.  Today's Latin lesson.  This phrase, which means And Others, is often abbreviated to Et Al. because the addition of the last 2 letters of alia is too much to write.

44. Med school subj.: ANAT.  As in Anatomy.

48. Energizer size: AAA.   A crossword staple.

49. Stuffed grape leaf: DOLMA.  Yummers!  Eastern Mediterranean food.

58. Pop icon Lauper: CYNDI.  Cyndi Lauper (née Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper; b. June 22, 1953) was big in the 1980s.  She is known for her flamboyant style, catchy songs, and four-octave vocal range!

Taylor and Cyndi

60. Irish currency: EURO.  The Irish Euro features the Celtic harp.

61. "Don't __ me, but ... ": HATE.

62. Diet food phrase: NO FAT.

63. MC or Visa alternative: AMEX.

64. Like the score at the start of overtime: EVEN.

65. Midday: NOON.

66. Little bouquet: POSY.

67. Take it easy: REST.

Down:

1. Slaps (at): SWATS.

2. Wall recess: NICHE.

3. Portion out: ALLOT.

4. Bird's feathers: PLUMAGE.

5. Singer-songwriter Tori: AMOS.  Tori Amos (née Myra Ellen Amos; b. Aug. 22, 1963) is a classically trained musician.  She was a child prodigy and entered the the Peabody Institute's preparatory division at five.

6. Witty remark: QUIP.

7. Not easy on the eyes: UGLY.  The Jamaican tangelo is probably better known as the Ugli fruit.

8. Org.: ASSN.  An Organization may also be an Association.

9. Juliette of "The English Patient": BINOCHE.  Juliette Binoche (b. Mar. 9, 1964) is a French actress who has starred in many films.  She was awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for playing a nurse in 1996 film The English Patient. 

10. Cosmetics giant that started as the California Perfume Company: AVON.  Ding Dong!  The Avon Company got its start in 1886.

11. "Jazz" documentarian Burns: KEN.  Jazz is a deep-dive documentary look into the origins of this music genre.  Ken Burns (né Kenneth Lauren Burns; b. July 29, 1953) has created numerous historical documentaries and television series that generally chronicle US history and culture.

12. WNW's opposite: ESE.

15. Sulu player in recent "Star Trek" films: JOHN CHO.  John Cho (né John Yo-han Cho; b. June 16, 1952) was born in Seoul, Korea.

20. Hartsfield-Jackson airport code: ATL.  This airport in Atlanta, Georgia is a hub for Delta.  It is one of the busiest airports in the world.  Whenever I fly, I usually end up going through Atlanta. 

21. Use scissors on: CUT.

25. Swiss peak: ALP.

26. Ritual prayer of Islam: SALAT.

27. "We __ Overcome": SHALL.

28. "Ghostbusters" actor Hudson: ERNIE.  Although he has been in a number of films, Ernie Hudson (né Earnest Lee Hudson; b. Dec. 17, 1945) is best known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters.

29. Word after curling or waffle: IRON.

30. __ Scotia, Canada: NOVA.  Nova Scotia is one of the maritime provinces.

31. Pest in a cloud: GNAT.

32. Extra fat: FLAB.

33. Actor's part to play: ROLE.

34. Actor Idris: ELBA.  It's Sir Elba to you.  Idris Elba (né Idrissa Akuna Elba; b. Sept. 6, 1972) played Stringer in the TV series The Wire.

38. "No fooling": I MEAN IT!

39. Scottish cap: TAM.

42. Kampala native: UGANDAN.

44. One more: ANOTHER.

46. "Sorry, laddie": NAE.  Today's Scottish lesson/

47. Stir: ADO.

50. Depart: LEAVE.

51. Silences, as on Zoom: MUTES.

52. "__ you clever!": AREN'T.

53. The 411: INFO.

54. Gather: REAP.

55. Japanese wrestling: SUMO.

56. Greek war god: ARES.

57. Like the Honda Element: BOXY.

58. "The Source With Kaitlan Collins" network: CNN.  Kaitlan Collins (b. Apr. 7, 1992) is an American journalist and news anchor.

59. "__-hoo! Over here!": YOO.

חתולה

This describes my stray cat.  He gets breakfast from the neighbor, then comes to me for more food.