Monday, February 9, 2026, Dan Caprera

Theme:  Ewes use yews for shelter -- don't youse?

Constructor Dan Caprera is back to remind us that English can be puzzling.  He's constructed a lovely grid -- see the end of this post to admire the symmetry -- in which he employs all the English homonyms of RIGHT.

17-Across. "Don't forget we want lots of letters!": REMEMBER TO WRITE.

28-Across. Aviation pioneer who said, "It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill": WILBUR WRIGHT.

50-Across. Exchange of wedding vows, e.g.: MARRIAGE RITE.

64-Across. "I think that's correct," or what one may say about the ends of 17-, 28-, and 50-Across: SOUNDS RIGHT TO ME.

Time to check the rest of the clues and answers.

Across: 

1. Prepare to be photographed: POSE.

5. Lobster's pincer: CLAW.  Lobsters have two specialized claws, the pincer and the crusher.  The pincer claw is smaller, narrower, and used for tearing food, while the larger, thicker crusher claw is used for breaking shells.

9. Trig subject: MATH.  TRIGonometry is a branch of MATHematics concerned with relationships between angles and side lengths of triangles.

13. "Grand" ice cream: EDY'S.  Sold as Dreyer's in the Western United States.

14. Buenos __, Argentina: AIRES.

16. Wound-treating plant in ancient Greece and Egypt: ALOE.

17. [Theme clue]

20. PC connection port: USB.

21. __ of Skye: ISLE.  The Isle of Skye is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

22. Gabbed on end: YAKKED.

23. 10-min. NFL periods: OTS.  Not offensive tackles, but overtimes.  I think overtime is about avoiding tie scores.  Enlighten me!

25. Buffoon: OAF.

27. Sesame __ bun: SEED.

Do the seeds enhance your enjoyment?

28. [Theme clue]

32. Emphatic confirmation of accomplishment: I DID SO!

33. __-mo replay: SLO.

34. Under the weather: SICK.

38. "__ Misérables": LES.  Les Misérables is a musical based on the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, in which no good deed goes unpunished.

39. "That's gross!": EWW.

41. Songwriter __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.  Lin-Manuel Miranda is famous for another historical musical, Hamilton, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Philippa Soo

43. Convent resident: NUN.

44. The Dalai __: LAMA.  The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.  Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Thondup in 1935) was enthroned as the 14th Dalai Lama in 1940.  When Tibet rebelled against the People's Republic of China in 1959, he escaped to India and established a Tibetan government in exile in Dharamshala, where he continues to live and teach.  He was the 1989 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Dalai Lama in 2012

46. Have lunch: EAT.

48. Replaceable turntable part: NEEDLE.  Last Wednesday's puzzle by Nate Curry and Zhou Zhang was all about machines that "move the needle."  They missed the turntable!  But then, it's a mostly obsolete technology.

Many of our regular readers are old enough to have played recorded music with a needle!

50. [Theme clue]

53. React to ear scritches, perhaps: MEOW.

55. U.K. part: ENG.  Part of the United Kingdom is England.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

56. Near-failing grade: DEE.

57. Hats for haute cuisine chefs: TOQUES.

59. Gas sealed in glass: NEON.

61. Rizzo the Muppet, for one: RAT.

64. [Theme clue]

67. Fluttered down to the ground: ALIT.

68. Pitcher Ryan who holds the MLB record for career strikeouts: NOLAN.  Nolan Ryan pitched for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball. 

Nolan Ryan

69. Apex: ACME.

70. Ice Spice songs: RAPS.  Isis Gaston, AKA Ice Spice, is an American rapper.  She had a top ten single with Nicki Minaj, and another with Taylor Swift.  She's received four Grammy nominations and a handful of awards.

Ice Spice

71. Word underlined in red, maybe: TYPO.

72. Fight enders, briefly: TKOS.  Technical knockouts in boxing and mixed martial arts.

Down:

1. Cuzco's country: PERU.

2. Lyrical homages: ODES.

3. Book club discussion topic: SYMBOLISM.  Sure, and let's not forget to discuss motifs, allusions, the unreliable narrator, and the book jacket!

4. Opposite of WNW: ESE.  Compass points.

5. Fleet that may display local ads: CABS.

6. Stay out of the limelight: LIE LOW.

7. Unpaid and overdue debts: ARREARS.

8. Drenched: WET.

9. Grocery stores: MARKETS.

10. Quite similar: ALIKE.

11. Schlepped around: TOTED.

12. Follow, as advice: HEED.

15. Tempeh base: SOY.

18. Apply incorrectly: MISUSE.

19. Launder: WASH.

24. "More deets soon": TBD.  To Be Determined.

26. Staff, as a position: FILL.

28. "Elf" star Ferrell: WILL.  Will Ferrell established his comedic reputation as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2002, and has starred in many comedy films since then.  He's also taken on dramatic roles, and received four Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a producer on the drama series Succession and for the specials Live in Front of a Studio Audience.

29. Lightbulb moment: IDEA.

30. Coxswain follower: ROWER.  In a boat with oars, the coxswain is in charge of navigation, steering, and safety.  The rowers follow the coxswain's directions.

Sounds like COCKsun.

31. Not hanging around: GOING.

35. The Smiths genre: INDIE ROCK.  The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums).  They focused on the sound of their instruments, in contrast to the synthesizer sounds popular at the time.

36. __ of personality: CULT.

37. Reflex test target: KNEE.  Striking the patellar tendon with a reflex hammer allows a physician to assess the nervous tissue between the L2 and L4 segments of the spinal cord.

And here I thought the doctor was just having a laugh at my expense.

40. Suffix with spy or ransom: WARE.

42. May refuse to: NEEDN'T.  

45. Sum totals: AMOUNTS.

47. In a high-pitched, cheap-sounding way: TINNILY.  This sounded odd to yours truly, but it's a word meaning "with a sound that is of low quality or like metal being hit."  In other words, "with a tinny sound."  I've used the word "tinny" a few times but have never needed to say "tinnily."

49. Poet's before: ERE.  In The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the dwarves sing:

Far over the Misty Mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day

To seek our pale enchanted gold

51. Floored: AWED.

52. Factor in family planning: AGE GAP.  How many years do you want to leave between siblings?

53. Bucks: MOOLA.  Also spelled moolah, it's slang for "money."

54. Provide with gear: EQUIP.

57. Russian monarch: TSAR.

58. Data breach target fig.: SSN.  Hackers target Social Security Numbers.  A nasty business.

60. "What a disaster!": OH NO!  What you say when you've been hacked.

62. Nerf darts, e.g.: AMMO.  And yet the only ammo you have to wield is Nerf darts.  Because you're a nice person.

Nerf Elite Jr Explorer Blaster with Nerf Darts

63. Golf pegs: TEES.

65. Nonsense, to a Brit: ROT.  As in "What a lot of rot you do talk."

66. Tit for __: TAT.  Responding to negative treatment like injury or insult with more of the same.

Here's the grid:

I have YAKKED long enough!  I NEEDN'T go on.

Time for me to LIE LOW and let you express your IDEAs in the comments.

Thanks for playing along!

-- NaomiZ

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

 

Happy 55th birthday to dear Splynter, our fun and steadfast Friday Sherpa! During his many years blogging the Saturday puzzles, he missed only one - a true testament to his reliability. He later went on to guide us through Wednesdays with the same care and insight. 

 

So proud of his gym journey the past year. Seriously impressive. Wishing you a year of laughter, strength, and continued gym success, Splynter!

 

Monday, February 2, 2026, Zachary Edward-Brown, Jude White

Theme:  OBX.

Today's big reveal should be a gimme for our east coast crowd, or for fans of the Netflix series:

52-Across. Drama set on the North Carolina coast, and what 16-, 27-, and 39-Across have?: OUTER BANKS.  I have heard of NC's Outer Banks, a 200 mile stretch of barrier islands and deposition bars separating a series of lagoons and estuaries from the Atlantic Ocean.  I had not heard of the Netflix teen mystery that premiered in 2020 and will have its fifth and final season this year.  What do the OUTER BANKS have to do with 16-, 27-, and 39-Across?  Let's take a look.

Outer Banks AKA OBX (on TV and in general)

16. Work promoted by the American Library Association every autumn: BANNED BOOK.  It's been a while since I worked as a professional librarian, but this campaign still makes me proud.  Note that the OUTER edges of the answer spell BANK.

27. Color associated with tutus: BALLERINA PINK.  From prima ballerinas to tiny tots in tutus, pink seems popular.  Note that the OUTER edges of the answer spell BANK.

Prima Ballerina by Edgar Degas (detail)

39. Euphemism that conveys disapproval: BLANKETY BLANK.  Why, you darned blankety blank!  (You can mentally fill in the strong language of your choice when so addressed.)  Note that the OUTER edges of the answer spell BANK -- and that the BANK has been shifting from one side to the other, very much like the sand BANKS of the barrier islands in North Carolina, except that those shift westward, as the mainland retreats in the same direction.  Cape Hatteras Lighthouse -- the tallest in the country -- had to be moved 2,900 feet from its original location to avoid being swallowed by the ocean.

Are you feeling buoyed up by all this offshore banking?  Let's see what the rest of the clues and answers do for us.

Across:

1. Eisenberg of the "Now You See Me" heist films: JESSE.  This seemed like a tough start for a Monday puzzle, but since Mr. Eisenberg has starred in *three* movies in this series, they are clearly popular.  He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network (2010), and has played Lex Luthor in two recent DC Comics superhero films, as well as many other roles.

Jesse Eisenberg

6. Disobey: DEFY.

10. Miso paste source: SOY.

This is the brand sitting in my fridge.

13. Fundamental truth: AXIOM.

14. Guthrie of folk: ARLO.  Son of Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie is a singer-songwriter known for songs of protest against social injustice.

Arlo Guthrie in 1979

15. Source of ruin: BANE.  BANE can mean a source of ruin, like a curse; it can mean death or destruction; or woe; or poison; or a more trivial cause of misery.  "Mosquitos are the bane of my existence."

16. [Theme clue]

18. Three or four: A FEW.

19. Texting format: SMS.  Short Message Service is a widely used mobile communication standard.

20. Deprives (of): ROBS.

21. "Shaqtin' a Fool" host: O'NEAL.  Also a little tough for Monday, but anything "Shaq" is likely to be O'Neal.  Shaqtin' a Fool is a weekly segment from the TV show Inside the NBA on ESPN.  The title is a play on "actin' a fool."  Shaqtin' highlights humorous and unusual basketball plays that have occurred during the past week.  O'Neal is the host and presenter, while other analysts in the studio react and provide commentary. 

23. Pumpkin picking time: FALL.

24. Turf: SOD.

25. Copacabana city: RIO.   Copacabana beach is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  There's a nightclub called the Copacabana in New York that has existed in various NYC locations since 1940.

27. [Theme clue]

30. Rice field: PADDY.

31. Narcissist's problem: EGO.

32. Foil alternative: ÉPÉE.  Modern fencing uses three types of sword:  foil, épée, and sabre.

Mind where you poke that thing!

33. Walks in shallow water: WADES.

34. Mover's vehicle: VAN.

35. Like horror movies: SCARY.

36. Classic soft drink: NEHI.  An American brand of soda pop since 1924.

37. Actor Beatty: NED.  Ned Beatty (1937-2021) acted in more than 160 film and television roles.  Married four times, he was a busy guy.  You may have seen him in Deliverance, Nashville, All the President's Men, Network, Superman (1978), The Big Easy, etc. etc.  RIP.

Ned Beatty

38. Asterisks: STARS.

39. [Theme clue]

42. Wong of "Beef": ALI.  Ali Wong and Steven Yeun star in Beef, a Netflix comedy series in which two strangers are involved in a road rage incident that escalates into a prolonged feud.  Originally broadcast in 2023, a second season is planned for 2026.

Steven Yeun and Ali Wong

43. Google : Android :: Apple : __: iOS.  Google phones run on the Android operating system.  Apple phones run on the iPhone Operating System.

44. Drei minus zwei: EINS.  Three minus two is one in Germany, just like here.

45. "No Time To Die" actress Ana de __: ARMAS.  This beautiful lady has shown up in several puzzles I've blogged recently.  She looks just like I do -- in my imagination.

Ana de Armas

47. Seething: IRED.  Some folks are IRED by the use of IRED as the past tense of IRE, to make angry.  After all, IRE has not been used as a verb since the year 1500 or so.

48. Duracell size: AAA.

51. Off-the-neck style: UPDO.

Ana de Armas with an updo

52. [Theme clue]

55. Sir counterpart: MA'AM.  "Sir" and "ma'am" (short for madam) are traditional English honorifics used to show respect for men and women, respectively, especially when their names are unknown or they are in authority.

56. The "U" of CPU: UNIT.  A central processing unit (CPU) is the primary processor in a computer.  Its electronic circuitry executes instructions of computer programs.

57. Some high-end coolers: YETIS.

$300 for this one.

58. "__ second now": ANY.

59. Defeat: LOSS.

60. Fragrance: SCENT.

Down:

1. Boxing punches: JABS.

2. Crammer's concern: EXAM.

3. Biblical don'ts: SINS.

4. Male offspring: SON.

5. Green gemstones: EMERALDS.

6. Work casually: DABBLE.  Many of our Cornerites dabble in guitar playing.  Others are serious rockers.

7. Deity often depicted as a winged youth: EROS.  The god of love -- renamed Cupid by the Romans.

Eros

8. Cheery aproned agent in Progressive Insurance ads: FLO.  Flo is a fictional salesperson portrayed by comedian Stephanie Courtney in advertisements for Progressive Insurance.

Flo

9. John Lennon's "Unfinished Music" series collaborator: YOKO ONO.

10. Zoolike attraction: SAFARI PARK.

11. Short jokes: ONE LINERS.

12. Evergreen with poisonous berries: YEW.

15. Sweetie: BAE.

17. "Queen of Country" Parton: DOLLY.

22. Sensitive info doc: NDA.  A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legal contract that outlines confidential information that two or more parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but to which they agree to restrict other access or uses.

23. Cinematic transition: FADE IN.

24. Autograph: SIGN.

26. "__-dokey!": OKEY.

27. Reason to don a cap: BAD HAIR DAY.

28. "__, set, go!": READY.

29. Pie nuts: PECANS.

30. Spanish rice cooking vessel: PAELLA PAN.  Paella is prepared in a wide, shallow pan, typically on a grill or over an open fire.

Paella in the pan

33. Caitlin Clark's org.: WNBA.  Caitlin Clark is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Caitlin Clark

34. Longtime players on a team: VETS.

35. Travelers not guaranteed a seat: STANDBYS.  Standby passengers may have arrived early for their flight, or arrived too late to board, and they wait at the gate to see whether a seat becomes available on another flight.

37. Genre for Maxwell and D'Angelo: NEO SOUL.  A couple of one-named musical artists associated with neo soul in the late 1990s.  Proving that even 30 years ago, this blogger was completely un-hip.

38. Foxier: SLIER.  We had this in last Monday's puzzle!  As noted last week, this answer works in the USA, but Brits are slyer.

40. Sportage automaker: KIA.

41. Flat French hats: BERETS.

46. Parenting blog visitor, maybe: MOM.

47. "No kidding?": IT IS.  "No kidding, the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world?"  "It is!"

48. Poker buy-in: ANTE.  Jinx sometimes reminds us that the buy-in happens earlier, when a player buys chips, but the ante is the buy-in for any given hand, is it not?

49. Similar (to): AKIN.

50. Exec's helper: ASST.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

51. Actress Thurman: UMA.  Uma Thurman is an American actress.  Known for her collaborations with Quentin Tarantino, she has performed in over fifty film and television productions since the 1980s.

Uma Thurman

53. Draw Four card game: UNO.  In UNO, the Wild Draw Four (+4) is a special action card that forces the next player to draw four cards and skip their turn.

UNO cards

54. Nuclear agcy. depicted in "Oppenheimer": AEC.  Atomic Energy Commission.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did you find A FEW of today's clues to be tough for a Monday puzzle?

Were some of them SCARY?  

Or did you pass this EXAM easily and get a big EGO boost from the experience?

Let us know in the comments section!  It's the friendliest place on the internet.

-- NaomiZ