Monday, August 10, 2026, David Ding

Theme:  Let the good times roll!

Constructor David Ding works in electrical and computer engineering, and because that is not sufficiently challenging, he also engages in creative writing and crossword puzzle construction.  Today is David's Los Angeles Times debut!  Congratulations, David!  You can learn more about David at www.davidyding.com.  While there, if you listen closely, you might still hear the Whoosh! sound of his articles and riddlers going right over the head of yours truly.

Today is Monday, and even this blogger should be able to solve the puzzle.  The clue and answer that reveal the key to today's theme appear here:

59-Across. Call for action, or what one might say before using the ends of 20-, 33-, and 43-Across: LET'S GET ROLLING.  This expression suggests it's time to get started on a task or begin a journey.  How does it relate to the ends of the listed answers?

20-Across. Formal event attended in costume: MASQUERADE BALL.  The end of 20-Across is BALL, and you might say LET'S GET ROLLING if you want to bowl, or play bocce, or skeeball -- that is, to roll a BALL.

masquerade ball

33-Across. Last film starring Daniel Craig as James Bond: NO TIME TO DIE.  The end of 33-Across is DIE, which can be a noun referring to a small cube with numbered faces, used in games.  The plural of DIE is DICE, of course.  You might say LET'S GET ROLLING if you want to start a game of dice -- that is, to roll a DIE.

Daniel Craig in No Time to Die

43-Across. Official record on a ship: CAPTAIN'S LOG.  Thanks to Star Trek, yours truly is familiar with the CAPTAIN'S LOG.  But a LOG is not always a record book.  We usually think of a LOG as a bulky section of a tree trunk or branch.  You might say LET'S GET ROLLING if you want to start a rolleo -- that is, a LOG rolling competition.

Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise recording an entry in his log

Note that the theme answers appear in symmetrically placed rows, and two of the four are just one square short of spanning the grid.  Lovely construction, perfectly befitting the Los Angeles Times.  

Shall we talk about the rest?  LET'S GET ROLLING.

Across:

1. Train for a boxing match: SPAR.

5. Love deeply: ADORE.

10. Follow directions: OBEY.

14. "Beloved" novelist Morrison: TONI.  Toni Morrison (1931-2019) won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Beloved (1987).  It is a gut wrenching exposé of the horrors of slavery in the United States.

15. Kitchen gadget for apples: CORER.

16. Locale: SITE.

17. Bygone GM division: OLDS.  The automobile brand Oldsmobile was founded in 1897 and acquired by General Motors in 1908.  The brand was discontinued in 2004.

18. "Understood": ROGER.  In early radio and Morse code communications, the letter "R" stood for "received."  If spoken, the word "Roger" was used for clarity, based on the military "Able Baker" alphabet, which preceded the NATO alphabet.  If the NATO alphabet had been in use in 1941, we'd be saying "Romeo that" instead of "Roger that."

19. Prize grabber in an arcade game: CLAW.

an exercise in frustration and loss

20. [Theme clue]

23. Like a parent at graduation: PROUD.

24. "Man of Steel" director Zack: SNYDER.  Zack Snyder has made a bunch of comic book film adapations, as well as horror and sci fi films.  His Army of the Dead won the Oscars Fan Favorite at the 2022 Academy Awards.

Zack Snyder and the Man of Steel

25. Geological span: EON.

27. Scissors sound: SNIP.

30. Wimbledon org.: ATP.  Here yours truly hit a fatal snag.  DNK (Did Not Know) that the Association of Tennis Professionals is the global governing body of men’s professional tennis.  I learned (from researching for this blog) that the ATP provides ranking information to Wimbledon, but Wimbledon is owned by the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and overseen by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).  So the relationship of ATP to Wimbledon is tenuous. 

I rank this clue "thumb down."

 
33. [Theme clue]

39. Cardamom-infused tea: CHAI.

41. Subscribe again: RENEW.

42. Turn down: DENY.

43. [Theme clue]

46. Broke bread: ATE.

47. Trace of smoke: WISP.

48. Baby goat: KID.

50. Humiliated: ABASED.

55. Walkie-talkie, e.g.: RADIO.  A walkie-talkie is a portable, handheld radio transceiver that can send and receive voice messages.  This can be handy for short range connections where cellular networks do not reach, like when you're out hiking.

walkie-talkie time

59. [Theme clue]

62. College admissions office offering: TOUR.

63. Garden pest: APHID.

64. Hideout: LAIR.

65. Bilingual cartoon explorer: DORA.  Dora the Explorer is the title character of an animated series that ran on Nickelodeon from 2000 to 2019, and then spawned sequels, a feature film, and a series reboot.  Dora is Latin American, and the programs teach a little Spanish language.

66. Kitchen gadget for flour: SIEVE.  This simple mesh tool helps break up lumps in flour.

sieve

67. Poker buy-in: ANTE.

68. "Don't come any closer!": STOP.

69. Cuts (down): PARES.

70. Talk back to: SASS.

Down:

1. Tread heavily: STOMP.

2. __ opposites: POLAR.

3. "Consequently ... ": AND SO.

4. Racy: RISQUÉ.  Naughty, suggestive, improper, indecent. 

5. Zoning unit: ACRE.

6. Opportunities, metaphorically: DOORS.

7. Church instrument with pipes: ORGAN.  Shout out to fellow blogger Splynter!

8. Like the sound of an oboe: REEDY.  An oboe is a double reed instrument.  The oboist blows air between two pieces of cut cane (reeds) that are strapped to a metal pipe.  Cane is a type of large grass.  Yours truly has never played the oboe, but has produced some annoying sounds by blowing on a large blade of grass held taut between her thumbs.

9. Made a blunder: ERRED.  

10. Nomination from the Academy: OSCAR NOD.

11. Bar tab, e.g.: BILL.

12. List-shortening abbr.: ET AL.  Latin "et alia," meaning "and others."

13. Source of some flexible wood: YEW.

21. Thick Japanese noodle: UDON.

22. Breezy email sign-off: BEST.  Short way of saying "Best regards."

26. Sushi wrapper: NORI.  Nori is a dried, edible seaweed.  Rolled sushi uses nori to wrap up rice and fillings.

Vegetarian sushi rolls wrapped in nori -- yum!

28. Brainchild: IDEA.

29. Ice cream purchase: PINT.

30. UNC's athletic gp.: ACC.  This blogger's loyal followers may recall that I am allergic to organized sports.  At the long-ago time that I was born, my father had his first professional position, teaching anatomy at the School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, so University of North Carolina did not throw me, but I DNK (Did Not Know) ACC, the Atlantic Coast Conference.  30-Down crossed with the unknown-to-me 30-Across ATP (loosely affiliated with Wimbledon), so the space numbered 30 remained blank.

31. Defrost: THAW.

32. Big __: David Ortiz nickname: PAPI.  This blogger's troubles continued here.  Have I ever heard of  David Ortiz, the Dominican-American former professional baseball player nicknamed "Big Papi"?  That would be a NO.  32-Down crossed with the unknown-to-me 30-Across ATP, so the space numbered 32 remained blank.  I had two blank spaces -- on Monday!  ATP / ACC / PAPI are to blame.  I would say David Ding got dinged here ... or I did.

34. Perfect score in diving, or half a score: TEN.  A "score" is a group of twenty, so half a score is ten.

35. Connections: INS.

36. EGOT-winning Brooks: MEL.  Comedic actor, director, songwriter and playwright Mel Brooks has won the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, making him a rare EGOT recipient.

Mel Brooks receives his first Oscar in 1967

37. Furry "Star Wars" creature: EWOK.  These fictional cuties defied the evil Empire in 1983's Return of the Jedi, in spite of their technological disadvantages.

an ewok

38. Potato spot: EYE.

40. "We've been duped!": IT'S A TRAP.  How I felt about the center left block of the puzzle today.

44. Emer. alerts: APBS.  All-Points Bulletins are alerts sent between law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for wanted persons or vehicles.

45. "You go, __!": GIRL.  This phrase from African American culture went mainstream in the 1990s.  It's a way to praise a woman or girl for an accomplishment.

49. Texas city known as "Big D": DALLAS.

51. Audibly shocked: AGASP.

52. Vintage photo tone: SEPIA.

53. Early anesthetic: ETHER.

54. Motivation: DRIVE.

56. Taurasi who holds the WNBA record for career points: DIANA.  Diana Taurasi is an Argentine and American former professional basketball player. She played 20 seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association, spending her entire WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury.  She holds the all-time WNBA scoring record, and is the most decorated Olympic athlete in any team sport, winning six Olympic gold medals with the United States women's national basketball team.  Perps (perpedicular entries) helped here.

Diana Taurasi

57. Monogram pts.: INITS.  Monogram parts are initials.

58. Fairy tale baddies: OGRES.

59. Stolen goods: LOOT.

60. Capital of France?: EURO.  Not Paris -- the euro is the currency (oh, that kind of capital) of France.

61. Poems of tribute: ODES.

62. QB stats: TDS.  Quarterbacks score touchdowns.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Were you PROUD of your performance today?  Did you ADORE the puzzle and enjoy your TOUR of the grid?

Or perhaps you ERRED as I did, and it wasn't your BEST experience.  Maybe you got STOMPed!

Don't DENY me the gift of your thoughts!  Please comment below.

-- NaomiZ

Monday, August 3, 2026, Matthew Luter

Theme:  Spine tingling stuff!

Matthew Luter

Dr. Matthew Luter researches, writes, and teaches about American literature in Jackson, Mississippi.  He's published a slew of crossword puzzles in all the right places over the last five years, and he posts a new one on his website every Tuesday, so if you enjoyed today's puzzle, check this out tomorrow:  matthewluter.com/crosswords.

Today's puzzle features four theme entries in symmetrically placed rows, with two entries spanning the grid from side to side, and two others that each fall just one space short of a complete span.  A pleasure to behold!  The theme is revealed here:

50-Across. Bravely stand one's ground, or what 19-, 24-, and 45-Across typically do?: SHOW SOME SPINE.  "Show some spine" means to act with courage or determination.  The other theme answers show some spine more literally.

19-Across. Long-lived plant native to the Sonoran Desert: SAGUARO CACTUS.  Cactus spines are modified leaves that deter animals from eating the plant, provide shade to the plant, and gather moisture from fog.  Like other varieties of cactus, the Saguaro will always show some spine.

My mother took this photo of Saguaro flowers in Carefree, AZ.

24-Across. Places for books that may be borrowed: LIBRARY SHELVES.  As a former librarian, this entry is dear to my heart.  The spine of a book is the edge where the pages are gathered and attached to the cover.  In the library, we typically attach a call number label to the spine.  Author and title information usually appears on the spine as well.  Although there is a (stupid) decor trend to shelve books with the spines facing the wall, on LIBRARY SHELVES we always show some spine.

45-Across. Anatomical structure that includes bones and joints: SKELETAL SYSTEM.  The human skeletal system is the body's support structure, and includes the skeleton, connective tissue, and muscles.  The axial skeleton includes the bones of the skull, spine, and ribs.  The appendicular skeleton includes the bones of the arms and legs.  Just by standing, you show some spine.  And if you bend forward, we can see it clearly through the skin on your back.

Another way to SHOW SOME SPINE.

This was a spine-tingling start!  Let's see if the rest of the puzzle maintains the excitement.

Across:

1. Collaboratively managed website: WIKI.  Wikipedia says:  "A wiki is a form of hypertext publication on the internet which is collaboratively edited and managed by its audience directly through a web browser.  A typical wiki contains multiple pages that can either be edited by the public or any organization.  The name derives from the first user-editable website called WikiWikiWeb – wiki being a Hawaiian word meaning 'quick'."

5. Responded in court: PLED.

9. Big serving of cake: SLAB.  Apparently, rectangular sheet cakes are now being called "slab cakes," but this clue uses "slab of cake" the way I do, meaning a great, big slice.

This dainty slice is not a SLAB.  More, please!

13. Vows exchanged with rings: I DOS.  Wedding vows.

14. Ireland, to the Irish: EIRE.

15. Novelist Vonnegut: KURT.  Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007) was the author of fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and five works of non-fiction.  The novels include Cat's Cradle (1963) and Slaughterhouse-Five (1969).  

Kurt Vonnegut

16. Hamilton bills: TENS.  Alexander Hamilton was the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.  TEN years ago, the Treasury announced plans to replace his image with a woman's, but the popularity of the Broadway musical with his name helped save his spot on our currency.

17. Landed on a perch: ALIT.  When a bird comes to rest on a branch, it alights.  In the past, it alit.

18. Pet aisle brand: IAMS.  Created by animal nutritionist Paul Iams in 1946, the Iams brand was sold to Procter & Gamble in 1999.  P&G sold Iams to Mars, Inc. for all markets except Europe in 2014, and then sold the European business to Spectrum Brands later the same year.

I AM Such a good dog.

19. [Theme clue]

22. Young newt: EFT.  A newt begins life as an aquatic larva, moves on to the eft or terrestrial juvenile phase, and then returns to the water as an adult.

Eastern red-spotted eft

23. __ and paste: CUT.

24. [Theme clue]

32. Extra sports periods, briefly: OTS.  Overtimes.

33. "You __ what you sow": REAP.  Galatians 6:7, King James Version:  "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

34. Handed out playing cards: DEALT.

35. Clearance rack caveat: AS IS.

37. Prepare to publish: EDIT.

39. Curved line on a musical score: SLUR.  A slur is a musical notation indicating that the notes are to be played smoothly, without separation.

The curved line is a slur.

40. Internet access device: MODEM.

42. "__ Diary ... ": DEAR.

44. End of a college email address: EDU.

45. [Theme clue]

48. Lav: LOO.  Informal British terms for the toilet, or the room with a toilet.

49. Driving range prop: TEE.

50. [Theme clue]

57. Sweetheart: BEAU.

58. One with a superiority complex: SNOB.  Austrian physician and psychologist Alfred Adler (1870-1937) coined the terms "superiority complex" and "inferiority complex."  The superiority complex is a defense mechanism that helps a person cope with feelings of inferiority.  Are snobs not truly snobby?

59. Hammer, for one: TOOL.

60. Musical based on "La bohème": RENT.  Jonathan Larson’s 1996 rock musical Rent is loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s 1896 opera La Bohème. Both works follow a group of impoverished young artists living in a cold space, dealing with fatal illnesses, trying to create art, and looking for love. 

61. Off-white hue: ECRU.

62. Woolly mamas: EWES.

63. Sportsbook figures: ODDS.  A sportsbook is a venue where a gambler can place bets on sporting events.  Most U.S. sportsbooks are in Nevada, but in 2018, a Supreme Court decision allowed all states to legalize sports betting if they so choose. Odds for various events are displayed on large boards.  The odds for the favored team (expected to win) are negative, indicating how much you need to bet to win $100. The odds for the underdog (expected to lose) will be positive, indicating how much you will win if you bet $100.

Looking at the odds boards in a Las Vegas sportsbook.

64. Monopoly card: DEED.  Deeds to property in the classic board game, Monopoly.

Monopoly is often a long and rancorous game.

65. Fairy __: TALE.

And now, what goes Across, must go ...

Down:

1. Comical wordsmiths: WITS.  We have some wonderful wits among the regular commenters here.

2. Brainstorming product: IDEA.

3. Hong __: KONG.

4. Credit card provider: ISSUER.

5. Partridge's place, in a Christmas song: PEAR TREE.  "A partridge in a pear tree" completes every verse of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

6. Disney's "__ & Stitch": LILO.  A 2002 Disney animated film, Lilo & Stitch was remade as a blended live action and animation film in 2025.

Lilo & Stitch -- the original

7. "Springsteen" country singer Church: ERIC.  Eric Church co-wrote and recorded a song called Springsteen, making Bruce Springsteen's music part of a memory evoked in the lyrics.  The 2012 release reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, and topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs.

8. Disconnect: DETACH.

9. Fruity candy brand: SKITTLES.

10. Party with poi: LUAU.  A traditional Hawaiian food made of steamed and pounded taro root.

taro root, shown with leaves of the taro plant

11. Sleeve fillers: ARMS.

12. K-pop band also known as the Bangtan Boys: BTS.  BTS is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010.  The young men co-write many of their own songs.  BTS stands for the Korean phrase Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates to "Bulletproof Boy Scouts."  Their rise through the pop charts has been meteoric.  Here they are performing on July 19th at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show in New Jersey:

20. Not at all close: AFAR.

21. Prompted, in a theater: CUED.

24. Fertile soils: LOAMS.  Loose, crumbly soil including sand, silt, clay, and rich organic matter.

25. "There, there": IT'S OK.

26. Back of a hit 45 record: B-SIDE.  Remember vinyl records?  Seven-inch 45 RPM records used to have the hoped-for hit single on the A-side, and another song thrown in on the B-side.

27. When repeated, "You know the rest": YADDA.  This expression was popularized by the 153rd episode of Seinfeld, in which George's new girlfriend said "yada yada yada" to shorten her stories.  That episode was titled "The Yada Yada."  YADDA is an alternate, less used spelling,

28. Sales pitch: SPIEL.

29. Parking attendant: VALET.

30. Dodge: ELUDE.

31. Play a ukulele: STRUM.

36. Performances with no empty seats: SELLOUTS.

38. Sensory receptor on a tongue: TASTE BUD.  Taste buds are cell clusters found around the little bumps on the tongue and elsewhere in the mouth.  They detect saltiness, sourness, bitterness, sweetness and savoriness.  A human being has thousands of taste buds at any given point in time, but each one only lives for about 10 days.  Give them a treat during that short window of time!

41. Cat's noise: MEOW.

43. Deli loaves that may be seeded or marbled: RYES.

46. Threw away: TOSSED.

47. 12-Down, e.g.: SEPTET.  Yes, BTS is a septet.

BTS:  count 'em!

50. __ money: startup funds: SEED.  Seed money is the initial capital used to launch a new business or project.  The term was first used in the1950s.  It loosely references the money a new farmer would need for seeds.

51. Appendage often traced to draw a turkey in art class: HAND.  A classic Thanksgiving project in elementary school.

52. Not often, but not never: ONCE.

53. "What __ can I say?": MORE.

54. Des Moines locale: IOWA.  DH has a brother there.  Buried under snow in the winter, Des Moines is startlingly green in the spring.

55. Christmas carol: NOEL.

56. "What __ can I say?": ELSE.

57. Sis's playmate: BRO.  Sis is short for sister; bro is short for brother.  Play nice, you two.

Here's the grid:

DEAR Solvers,

Did any of today's answers ELUDE you?  ONCE?  MORE?  IT'S OK!

Perhaps you gathered your WITS and FIR (Finished It Right).

Tell your TALE in the comments section below!  ("I started off right at 1-Across, YADDA YADDA ...")

-- NaomiZ

Monday, July 27, 2026, Jay Silverman

Theme:  This puzzle PACKS a punch!

Jay Silverman handles acquisitions and development for media companies, with an emphasis on educational and children's programming.  He also writes crossword puzzles.  Those of you who hate foreign words in your puzzles got lucky today:  Jay studies five languages every day and holds the unofficial 7th place Duolingo streak record for almost 5,000 consecutive days of completing at least one language lesson per day.  Jay enjoys words!  More about Jay Silverman is at www.jay-silverman.com.

Some crossword solvers love a theme that is easily seen and helps with the solve.  Some solvers prefer a theme that is somewhat hidden and comes as a surprise.  Today's puzzle will delight the latter group.  The surprising reveal occurs way down here:

53-Across. Sets of sculpted abs, and what the ends of 19-, 23-, 24-, 36-, 46-, and 48-Across are altogether: SIX PACKS.  Let's look at the *ends* of the listed entries for those SIX PACKS.  Oh, but first, let's look at some SIX PACK abs -- for definition!

sculpted six pack

19-Across. Oktoberfest sausage, informally: BEER BRAT.  BRAT pack was a nickname for a group of young actors who often appeared together on screen in the 1980s:   Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, and Judd Nelson.

23-Across. Returned home: GOT BACK.  A BACK pack is a fabric bag carried on one's back with the support of two shoulder straps.  School children use back packs to carry books and supplies; hikers use them to carry tents and sleeping bags.

24-Across. Raise a false alarm: CRY WOLF.  A WOLF pack is a family unit of wolves who travel, hunt, and rear pups together.  

36-Across. Soft R&B ballad: SLOW JAM.  JAM pack is a transitive verb meaning to pack tightly or to excess.  If you jam pack your back pack, the zipper may break.

46-Across. Skating hazard: THIN ICE.  An ICE pack is what my 95-year-old mother puts on her knees when she's walked too much.  I thought it might also be an accumulation of ice that melts seasonally, like a snowpack, but apparently not.

48-Across. Market research company often cited in car ads: JD POWER.  A POWER pack is (1) a portable charger for electronic devices, or (2) an adapter that converts household current for lower voltage appliances, or (3) a generator that powers heavy tools, systems, or refrigerated containers.  Yours truly carries the first type on most trips, and adds the second type when traveling to other countries.  The third type is not among my supplies.

Across:

1. Sarcastic ET of 1980s TV: ALF.  Same era, and yet not a member of the BRAT pack.

Alien Life Form

4. School vehicles: BUSES.

9. "That really sticks in my __!": CRAW.  Many bird species have a crop or "craw" in the throat, which is a pouch where food can be temporarily stored for later digestion.  If something hard winds up there, it can be irritating.  When people say, "That really sticks in my craw," they mean something is irritating to them and they find it hard to accept.

13. Laugh syllable: HAR.

14. "Humble" home: ABODE.

15. "Quiet, you!": SHUSH.

16. Blackjack card: ACE.  The ace is powerful in blackjack because it can count as 1 or 11.  A player's goal is to be dealt cards totaling as close to the number 21 as possible without going over.  Since the 10 card and the three face cards all count as 10, if you have an ace in your hand, there are multiple ways to reach 21 with just two or three cards.

Aces, baby!

17. News outlets: MEDIA.

18. Florida city near St. Petersburg: TAMPA.

19. [Theme clue]

21. __ pentameter: IAMBIC.  The most common meter in English poetry, introduced by Chaucer, and cemented into the culture by Shakespeare.  An iambic foot is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.  A line of iambic pentameter is five iambic feet in a row:  da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM.  Or, Shakespeare:  "When I do count the clock that tells the time."

22. Soft murmur: COO.

23. [Theme clue]

24. [Theme clue]

28. Tennis legend Arthur: ASHE.

29. Chest muscles, for short: PECS.  Appearing immediately above the six pack abs pictured earlier.

30. Secondary Insta accounts: ALTS.  Secondary Instagram accounts, called "alts," let you separate your personal profile from a professional one, or use one account for a niche interest.

32. Dog park sounds: ARFS.

35. Feel crummy: AIL.

36. [Theme clue]

38. Deli bread: RYE.

40. Long part of a guitar or a giraffe: NECK.  Or both?

the elusive guitaffe

42. Causes of sorrow: WOES.

43. Solange, to Blue Ivy Carter: AUNT.  Solange Knowles is Beyoncé's younger sister.  Blue Ivy Carter is Beyoncé's daughter and oldest of her three children.  I did not know, did not care, and yet spent way too much time researching and illustrating these luminaries of contemporary pop culture.

Beyoncé and Blue Ivy                         Solange

44. Surrealist Magritte: RENÉ.  Belgian, 1898-1967.

"Attempting the Impossible" by Magritte, 1928

46. [Theme clue]

48. [Theme clue]

51. WSJ competitor: NYT.  Wall Street Journal vs New York Times.

52. Mended, as socks: DARNED.  Darning is a sewing technique used to repair holes in knit fabrics.

53. [Theme clue]

58. Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie __": AMOUR.  Blind since shortly after his birth in 1950, Stevland Judkins was a musical prodigy who signed with Motown records at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder.  At the height of his career in R&B, soul, and jazz, he used electronic synthesizers to be a one man band.  "My Cherie Amour" reached number 4 on the Billboard pop chart in 1969, and was Wonder's eighth top ten hit.

59. Former "Top Chef" host Lakshmi: PADMA.  Padma Lakshmi immigrated to the U.S. as a child, and worked as a model before hosting Top Chef on Bravo (2006-2023) and her own docuseries, Taste the Nation, on Hulu (2020- ).  She has been nominated for 16 Primetime Emmy Awards, and has written four books, two of which were best sellers.  Padma co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America and is a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador.

Padma Lakshmi

60. Santa __, California: ANA.

61. Promotes heavily: TOUTS.

62. Ink mishap: SMEAR.

63. Bar barrel: KEG.

64. Finishes: ENDS.

65. Leavening agent: YEAST.

66. Bighorn's mother: EWE.

I love ewe, mom!

Down:

1. "Moby-Dick" captain: AHAB.

2. Ruth Bader Ginsburg's collar fabric: LACE.  Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020) was a lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020.  Prior to her appointment to the Supreme Court, she argued before the court as an advocate for gender equality and women's rights, and was general counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.  

The Notorious RBG, 2016

3. Give away instead of throw away: FREECYCLE.

4. Panda's diet: BAMBOO.

5. Ridesharing rival of Lyft: UBER.

6. __ fountain: SODA.  In my mother's youth, there were dining establishments called soda fountains.  Today, a soda fountain is the machine that dispenses carbonated soft drinks in fast food places.

        old soda fountain                                                       new soda fountain

7. Amend text: EDIT.

8. Salty body of water: SEA.

9. Room: CHAMBER.

10. Ballroom dance from Cuba: RUMBA.

11. Gelatinous dish: ASPIC.  Aspic is a clear, savory gelatin made from meat, poultry, or fish stock.

aspic

12. Wallop: WHACK.

15. Jason of "Hobbs & Shaw": STATHAM.  Jason Statham is an English actor who plays tough or violent characters in action films.  Although he seems to be wildly popular and a bankable star, yours truly has managed to miss all his movies, including the whole Fast & Furious franchise, and the spin-off Hobbs & Shaw.  However, we will credit him with fitting a mini-theme today:

Jason Statham has six pack abs.

20. Competes on the crew team: ROWS.

21. Apple platform: IOS.  Apple’s iOS is the iPhone operating system.

23. Bunsen burner nozzle: GAS JET.  We used a Bunsen burner for something-or-other in high school Biology.  Typical uses are heating, sterilization, and combustion.  I think I would remember combustion.

Bunsen burner

24. Pro who's a master of deduction?: CPA.

25. Harness strap: REIN.

26. Kareem's former team, on scoreboards: LAL.  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar:  Los Angeles Lakers.  Kareem's former name, on birth certificates:  Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.

27. Bloom: FLOWER.

31. Number of players in checkers: TWO.

33. Rich dessert with a long shelf life: FRUITCAKE.  Fruitcake is made with candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and usually soaked in liqueurs or brandy, which helps prevent mold.

Two years old and still ... good?

34. Lip-__: mouth the words: SYNC.

36. Barbecue rods: SKEWERS.

37. Campfire residue: ASH.

39. French summer: ÉTÉ.

41. Pastry hybrids: CRONUTS.

43. Actress Taylor-Joy: ANYA.  Just heard Anya being interviewed by crossword favorite Ayesha Rascoe on NPR about her new Apple TV series, Lucky.  If you ever get a chance to see Anya Taylor-Joy in The Queen's Gambit on Netflix, it's worthwhile.  This one?  We'll see.

45. "Toy Story 3" voice actor Beatty: NED.  Ned Beatty (1937-2021) was an actor (in movies even yours truly has seen!) and voiced Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear in the 2010 Disney/Pixar film Toy Story 3.

Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear and Ned Beatty

47. To some extent: IN PART.

48. Matchmaking platform available in Hebrew: JDATE.  How to meet other members of the tribe when Jews are only 2% of the U.S. population, and 0.2% worldwide?  Meet Jdate, the app for singles seeking long-term, values-based commitments.

49. Comedian Wayans: DAMON.  Damon Wayans performed on Saturday Night Live in the 1980s, on In Living Color (1990-92), and then a series of other TV shows, including the Fox television series Lethal Weapon (2016-2019).  His son Damon Wayans Jr. is following in his footsteps.

The Damon Wayanses

50. Self-satisfied: PROUD.

53. "We're on the __ page": SAME.

54. Bit of inspiration: IDEA.

55. Short holiday?: XMAS.

56. Was sure about: KNEW.

57. Fragrant herb: SAGE.

59. College maj. for an aspiring therapist: PSY.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer:  that college major is psychology.

Here's the grid:

Solvers,

Did any part of this puzzle stick in your CRAW?  Or cause you WOES?  Or make you PACK it in?

Perhaps, instead, you KNEW all the answers, felt wise and SAGE, and PROUD of your performance!

We are all UBER interested!  Please share your IDEAs in the comments below.

-- NaomiZ