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

Monday, March 16, 2026, Erica Hsiung Wojcik

Theme:  It's a ME thing!

Erica Hsiung Wojcik has authored several puzzles in these pages before.  She's a psychology professor whose research focuses on language acquisition in young children.  Just because Erica combines interests in crossword puzzles and language development, doesn't mean she thinks you ought to do likewise.  As she might say, "It's a me thing."

The big reveal for today's theme appears here:

64-Across. "I'm quirky like that," or, when parsed differently, what can be said of 17-, 30-, and 48-Across: IT'S A ME THING.  "It's a me thing" is a way of explaining one's habits or quirks, without apologizing, and without suggesting that someone else is wrong for not doing likewise.  You will also find that 17-, 30-, and 48-Across each feature two words that begin with M and E ... a ME thing.

17-Across. Test whose results may be posted in MyChart: MEDICAL EXAM.  I'm familiar with MyChart because the health care systems my mom used in Arizona, and now in California, both post appointments, referrals, test results, and after-visit summaries in MyChart web portals.

30-Across. Current stretch of human history: MODERN ERA.  Isn't it great to be living in the modern era?  Do you think that 2026 will be considered "modern era" in 3026? 

48-Across. Boxing night highlight: MAIN EVENT.  A night of boxing matches typically involves several fights.  The one most advertised usually comes last and features the best known competitors.  That match is called the Main Event, regardless of the order.

It's time to move on to the rest of the clues and answers.  That's not just a me thing.  All of the bloggers in the L.A.Times Crossword Corner follow this format.

Across:

1. Artist's numbered work: OPUS.  Latin for "work," opus usually refers to a musical composition, or set of compositions numbered in the order of issue.  An example is Beethoven's first published work, Piano Trio in E Flat Major, Opus 1, Number 1."

5. Given as a gift: GRATIS.  Another Latin word, gratis means free, without charge.  Bet you weren't expecting a Latin test this morning.

11. Forearm-to-forehead dance move: DAB.  Dab, or dabbing, is a gesture in which a person leans forward into the bent crook of a slanted, upward angled arm, while raising the opposite arm out straight in a parallel direction.  It's been a popular dance move since 2010 or so, and is sometimes used as a gesture of triumph or playfulness.

Betty White was so cool.

14. Goose sound: HONK.

15. Heritage: LEGACY.

16. Parisian's "yes": OUI.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Banquet coffeepot: URN.

20. A __ throw away: STONE'S.

21. Do some evil: SIN.

22. Degs. for many execs: MBAS.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.  This one stands for Master of Business Administration degrees.

23. Moon landing org.: NASA.  Another abbreviation in the clue and answer.  This one, of course, stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

25. Online commerce: E-TAIL.  Short for electronic retail.

27. Times to blow out the candles, casually: B-DAYS.  Short for birthdays, and easier to jot on a pocket calendar.

30. [Theme clue]

34. Steal from: ROB.

35. Long tale that may involve a quest: EPIC.

37. Midsize stringed instruments: VIOLAS.

The middle child of the violin family, the viola rarely plays a starring role.

38. Small bills: ONES.

40. "Wild" actress Witherspoon: REESE.  Reese Witherspoon is an American actress and producer, and the recipient of an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards.  Her big breakthrough was her role as Elle Woods in the 2001 film Legally Blonde.  Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2006 and 2015, and Forbes listed her among the world's 100 most powerful women in 2019 and 2021. In 2021, Forbes named her the world's highest-paid actress, and in 2023, she was named one of the wealthiest celebrities in the U.S. with an estimated net worth of $440 million.  Is it fair to be so adorable, so brilliant, and so successful?

Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde

42. Big __: semis: RIGS.  In North America, vehicles made up of a powered truck tractor and one or more semi-trailers are known as "semis," "semi-trailers," "tractor-trailers," "big rigs," "semi-trucks," or "eighteen-wheelers."  In the United Kingdom, a semi-trailer truck is known as an "articulated lorry" or "artic."  Quaint!

43. Punctual: ON TIME.

45. "If it __ broke ... ": AIN'T.  Bert Lance, Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter, is credited with popularizing the southern idiom, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

47. Service charge: FEE.

48. [Theme clue]

50. Awake: ALERT.

52. Home of the Ninja Turtles: SEWER.  The fictional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created when four baby turtles were exposed to radioactive ooze in a New York City sewer.  They continued to live in the sewer even after they became humanoid crime fighters.

Masked Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles emerge from the sewer.

53. "Yeah, I guess": SURE.

55. Crab's grabber: CLAW.

57. Short snooze: NAP.

59. "Hear! Hear!": SO TRUE.

63. Airport with many connecting flights: HUB.

64. [Theme clue}

66. Stump splitter: AXE.

67. Apple pie prep tool: PEELER.

68. See 58-Down: ALTO.  Together with the answer to 58-Down, this Silicon Valley city is PALO ALTO, which means "tall stick" in Spanish.  The city was named for a 110 foot tall redwood tree which is currently about 1100 years old.  It was 162 feet tall in the 19th century -- it has suffered some setbacks -- and it is not so old, as other coast redwoods can approach 2500 years of age.

El Palo Alto when it had two trunks.  It lost one sometime before 1883.

69. Furry friend: PET.

70. Upgrades that may cost extra: ADD ONS.

71. Some summer babies, astrologically: LEOS.

Down:

1. Electrical units: OHMS.  The ohm is defined as an electrical resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant potential difference of one volt, applied to these points, produces in the conductor a current of one ampere, the conductor not being the seat of any electromotive force.

A laboratory one-ohm standard resistor, circa 1917

2. Pulitzer winner Jericho Brown, for one: POET.  Jericho Brown has published three books of poetry, and many other poems in distinguished journals.  His 2019 collection of poems titled The Tradition won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.  Here is Jericho Brown reading the title poem:

3. Ctrl+Z action: UNDO.  Computer keyboard shortcut.

4. __ jeans: tight fashion choice: SKINNY.  I like skinny jeans, but I've had some that were so tight, I couldn't bend my knees to put my dog in her harness.  Those were great jeans!

My daughter draped her motorcycle jacket over my shoulders to keep me warm in SF.
Check those skinny jeans!  2012.

5. Windowpane material: GLASS.

6. Theologian's subj.: REL.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.  A theologian's subject is religion.

7. Grows older: AGES.  Not me!  Nope!  Still wearing skinny jeans!  

8. Rolled up to the jetway: TAXIED.

9. "Feeling overwhelmed here": I CAN'T EVEN.  Said by a person who is so shocked, angry, happy, or disappointed about a situation that they can't put it into words or can't deal with it.  Positive example:  "This is just so ridiculously cute. I can't even."  Negative example:  "How could they do this to me?  I can't even."

10. Orchestral performance: Abbr.: SYM.  Symphony or Symphonic.

11. Burden of a secret agent, perhaps: DOUBLE LIFE.

12. Vibe: AURA.

13. Recycling receptacles: BINS.

18. __ and desist: CEASE.

22. Insignificant: MINOR.

24. French friend: AMIE.  Amie is French for a female friend.

26. Nev. neighbor: ARI.  Nevada shares a bit of border with Arizona.

27. Sweeping tool: BROOM.

28. Fashion designer Karan: DONNA.  You may be familiar with her brand labels Donna Karan New York and DKNY.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute has a significant collection of her designs, which influenced women's fashion in the 1980s and 1990s.

Donna Karan ensemble at the Met

29. "Pay up! No excuses!": A BET IS A BET.

31. Salty expanse: OCEAN.

32. Wild party: RAGER.

33. Positive attribute: ASSET.

36. Stopped from happening: PREVENTED.

39. Tendon: SINEW.  A tendon is a fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone, enabling muscle contraction to pull on the skeleton.  We usually use sinew to refer to tendon that is cooked, dried, or used as a material.  But not always!  How about this excerpt from The Village Blacksmith by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

 Under a spreading chestnut-tree

    ⁠The village smithy stands;

The smith, a mighty man is he,

    With large and sinewy hands;

And the muscles of his brawny arms

    Are strong as iron bands.

41. Grabs a chair: SITS.

44. Tiny cat noise: MEW.

46. Divination deck: TAROT.  Divination is fortune-telling using omens or supernatural powers.

49. Wiped out?: ERASED.

51. "__ Weapon": buddy cop film franchise: LETHAL.  The franchise consists of a series of four films released between 1987 and 1998 and a television series which aired from 2016 to 2019. 

54. Manual readers: USERS.

55. Fellow: CHAP.

56. Extremely opulent: LUXE.

58. With 68-Across, Silicon Valley city: PALO.

60. Irritate but good: RILE.  Rile means to annoy or irritate.  The clue is slangy, and just means to do a good job of irritating.  

61. "Do __ others ... ": UNTO.  Rabbi Hillel (who died in the year 10 CE) said the whole of the Bible came down to this rule:  "That which is hateful to you, do not do to another."  The positive formulation "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you" is attributed to Jesus in the New Testament.  Other traditions from around the world have similar formulations, some older than these examples.

62. Self-images: EGOS.

64. Craft beer letters: IPA.  India Pale Ale is a beer style known for its strong hop flavor and high alcohol content.  It was first created in 18th-century England to survive the long voyage to India.  Hops acted as a natural preservative.  Home brewers (and small craft breweries) value the variety of flavors and aromas from a range of hops, and the short brewing time.

Enjoying a warm one with the fellows.

65. Fellows: MEN.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did it take AGES to complete this puzzle?  Was there something that PREVENTED you from finishing?

Or did you finish ON TIME with an EPIC win?

You know I want to know.  It's a me thing.  Comments welcome!

-- NaomiZ

Monday, March 9, 2026, Zhouqin Burnikel

Theme:  Lace up!

Today's puzzle comes to us from prolific constructor and generous host in this blog space, Zhouqin Burnikel, known here as C.C.

The theme is somewhat hidden until the big reveal:

50-Across. Prepare to skate, or what can be found in 3-, 8-, 10-, and 33-Down?: LACE UP.  Indeed, upon examination, we find the word LACE going UPwards in four vertical entries.  If you didn't see the laces, check the image of the grid at the end of this blog post!

3-Down. Business meetings over the phone: CONFERENCE CALLS.  

8-Down. Stillness before a storm: EERIE CALM.

10-Down. Zodiac cycle in which the Rabbit follows the Tiger: CHINESE CALENDAR.

33-Down. Baby humpback: WHALE CALF.

Things are definitely looking up in this puzzle, but it's time for us to look across and down.

Across:

1. Treaty between nations: PACT.

5. Diamond corner: BASE.  Baseball diamond.

9. Highest point: ACME.  Will it be ACME or APEX?  Only the perpendicular entries know for sure.

13. Aroma: ODOR.

14. Soak in the tub: BATHE.

15. Guacamole scoop: CHIP.

16. Last stretch before graduation: SENIOR YEAR.

18. Increase in altitude: RISE.

19. North Pole helper: ELF.

20. __ Angeles Sparks: LOS.  The Los Angeles Sparks are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association.

21. "Stop talking!": SILENCE.

23. Playground board with two seats: SEE SAW.  A SEE SAW (or teeter-totter) is a long, narrow board, balanced in the center on a single pivot point.  One person sits on each end of the board, and they take turns pushing their feet against the ground to raise their side.  If one person jumps off when their side is low, the other may fall and be injured.  For this reason, see saws have been removed from most playgrounds in the United States.  Today's blogger was fortunate to grow up in the days when children were largely unsupervised.  My siblings and I spent several summers in and around Salida, Colorado, and spent hours on see saws in the shady city park.

Children on a see saw

25. "Relax, soldier": AT EASE.

26. Beam of light: RAY.

27. Make into law: ENACT.

28. U.S. ID issuer: SSA.  Social Security Administration.

31. Broken mirror, to some: OMEN.  A bad omen, at that.

33. Get hitched: WED.

34. White-barked trees: ASPENS.  Aspen trees (Populus tremuloides AKA "trembling poplar") are not individual trees but rather part of a shared root system. A grove of aspens shares the same genetics, with new trunks sprouting from the roots. 

Aspen grove

36. Go on a tirade: RANT.

37. Red Monopoly piece: HOTEL.

39. Palm with berries: ACAI.

40. Noisy summer insect: CICADA.

42. Meat in a croque monsieur: HAM.  A Croque Monsieur is a French hot sandwich made with ham, cheese, and béchamel sauce.

Croque monsieur

43. California wine valley: NAPA.

44. Pint night purchase: ALE.

45. Respected villager: ELDER.

47. Zilch: NIL.

48. "Door's open": COME IN.

50. [Theme clue]

53. Bold alternative?: ITALICS.  Font options!

55. Fragrant evergreen: FIR.

56. Org. whose seal depicts an eagle atop a key: NSA.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

57. "You got a deal!": SOLD.

58. Fruity fall beverage: APPLE CIDER.

61. "Riverdale" actress Reinhart: LILI.  Lili Reinhart gained recognition for playing Betty Cooper on the CW teen drama series Riverdale (2017-2023). She also starred in the crime drama film Hustlers (2019) and the romantic drama film Chemical Hearts (2020).  

62. Strung along: LED ON.

63. Title for New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko: DAME.  Dame Lydia Ko (born April 24, 1997) is a New Zealand professional golfer, member of the LPGA Hall of Fame, and the reigning Olympic champion. She first reached number one in the Women's World Golf Rankings in 2015 at 17 years, 9 months and 9 days of age, making her the youngest player of either gender to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf.  Ko was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2025, for services to golf. She is believed to be the youngest dame or knight of the modern era.

Lydia Ko

64. "If all __ fails ... ": ELSE.  If you don't know Lili or Lydia, try to fill in the perps (perpendicular entries), and if that doesn't complete the names, take a WAG (wild ass guess).  

65. Defect: FLAW.

66. Unrefined minerals: ORES.

Down:

1. Prepares for a photograph: POSES.

2. One-named "Hello" singer: ADELE.  Adele is an English singer, songwriter, and actress, known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting.  Her accolades include 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards (including three for British Album of the Year), an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Adele

3. [Theme clue]

4. The first "T" of TNT: TRI.  Trinitrotoluene, commonly known as TNT, is a chemical compound best known as an explosive material with convenient handling properties. Wile E. Coyote certainly finds it convenient.

5. Howls at the moon: BAYS.

6. Enjoyed some tteokbokki, say: ATE.  Tteokbokki is a Korean food made from small, cylindrical rice cakes, simmered in chili paste.  It is often paired with fish cakes, boiled eggs, and scallions.  This was a good spot for a WAG.  After all, what's a three letter word for "enjoyed"?

Tteokbokki

7. Peak in the Cascade Range: SHASTA.  Mount Shasta is a volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in California. At an elevation of 14,179 feet, it is the second-highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth-highest in the state.  The last significant eruption was about 200 years ago, but it is still a high threat and is monitored by the United States Geological Survey.

Would you live this close to an active volcano?
This is the city of Mount Shasta.

8. [Theme clue]

9. Units of land area: ACRES.

10. [Theme clue]

11. Catchall category: Abbr.: MISC.

12. Heaviest fencing sword: ÉPÉE.

14. Body part that can be furrowed: BROW.

17. CeraVe rival: OLAY.  Brands of skin care products.

DH uses this cleanser as recommended by his dermatologist.

22. Muscles near delts: LATS.  Delts (deltoids) and lats (latissimus dorsi) are crucial upper-body muscles that define shoulder width, posture, and pulling/pushing strength.

24. North Pole VIP: SANTA.

25. "What happened next?": AND THEN?

27. Fair-hiring initials: EEO.  Equal Employment Opportunity is a legal principle meant to ensure that all employees and applicants receive fair treatment by prohibiting discrimination in hiring, promotion, and firing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40+), disability, or genetic information. 

29. "Just like that" sound: SNAP.

30. Iran's continent: ASIA.

31. Dolphin with eye patches: ORCA.  Have you heard about the orcas in the Pacific Northwest who engaged in a trend of wearing dead salmon on their heads like hats?  This fad spread through various pods in the late 1980s, and is experiencing a retro revival.  Who can keep up?

Orca rocking a salmon hat.

32. Postal delivery: MAIL.

33. [Theme clue]

35. Become frantic: PANIC.

38. Serving of corn: EAR.

41. "The Substance" Oscar nominee Moore: DEMI.  For her role in The Substance (2024), Moore won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, the Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress, and an Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.  She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance.

46. Quash, as a rumor: DISPEL.

47. DEA agent: NARC.  An agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration may be a narcotics officer.

49. Song from a bygone era: OLDIE.

50. Property claim: LIEN.

51. "I'm at your service": USE ME.

52. Trims (down): PARES.

53. Part of an archipelago: ISLE.

54. Work hard: TOIL.

55. __ state: focused mindset: FLOW.  Flow state, or being "in the zone," is a state of total immersion in an activity, characterized by intense concentration, deep enjoyment, and high productivity.

59. Kissing on the kiss cam, say: PDA.  Public Display of Affection.

Too much?

60. Swear words?: I DO.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did you achieve a FLOW state while solving?  

Or did you PANIC?  AND THEN?

Let us know in the comments section!

-- NaomiZ