Friday, Aug 28th, 2026 ~ Patti Varol

 -URN IN HELL

"sorry, we don't serve "iced coffee . . . "

Another construction from the LA Times crossword editor, Patti's last appearance was Monday, June 8th.  I blogged her last Friday puzzle on April 27th, when she changed "W" to "V".  Today she simply drops the letter "B" from common phrases - therefore, minus the "B" - to give us an alternative and perhaps funny new phrase - with no Stray "B"s in the crossword, either~!   Standard grid today, no 'outlier' letters, nine names, Twenty-Four 3LWs, and no Twurds.  The themers and the reveal; 

18. Be time-consuming?: EAT THE CLOCK - 'Beat The Clock' was (is) a TV Game Show

29. Instruction from a lazy track coach?: RACE YOURSELVES - Brace Yourselves~!

My first thought of lazy and races . . .

47. "42nd Street," e.g.?: ROADWAY MUSICAL - Broadway Musical - I get it, -ut a -it redundant

60. Create a state of anarchy?: END THE RULES - Bend the Rules~?  I think they're -roken now

69. So-so grade, or an apt title for this puzzle: B MINUS - Sometimes, when I am improvising on the guitar, I drift into the key of "B minus"

-ut Wait There's More~!

ACROSS:

1. Thurman of "Red, White & Royal Blue": UMA - name #1, crossword staple

4. Most unexpected: ODDEST

10. Axe handle: HAFT - my INCITE at 11D. gave me HILT

14. Bath rug: MAT - not a name . . . 

15. Subtlety: NUANCE

16. Important stretches: ERAS - yet another way to clue this #1 crossword fill

17. Go where one shouldn't: PRY

20. AirDrop tablet: iPAD

22. Female pig: SOW

23. __ cuisine: HAUTE

24. Drummer in the Electric Mayhem: ANIMAL - Muppets musical interlude #1

and the "other" Philthy Animal of drummers

26. "Lessons in Chemistry" actress __ Naomi King: AJA - no clue, the IMD_, see also 64D., name #2

28. TV writers __ and Marty Krofft: SID - name #3, which I recalled from my childhood

The Land of the Lost - Saturday morning awesomeness,

with Sleestak and Cha-Ka

33. Russian news acronym until 2014: ITAR - I knew this, likely from doing crosswords; name(ish)

34. Minute: WEE - my-NOOT, not MIN-uht

35. Pseudonym letters: A.K.A. - Also Known As, Thursday dupe

36. Lunch spot: DELI

37. "A Complete Unknown" subject: DYLAN - and "a complete unknown" to me; -ob Dylan was -efore my time; didn't get my "ta-DA~!", knew I made my mistake here, -ut it took two MIN-uhts to scan the puzzle -efore the V-8 can came sailing at me, and the "Y" finally dawned on me.  The Wiki, and name #4

39. Video file format: MPEG

43. Corp. leader: CEO - C-suite

45. Feel icky: AIL

46. Washed-out: PALE - not the -LUE DOT from last Friday

51. Ceiling spinner: FAN

52. __ and outs: INs - musical interlude #2

Spy in the House of the Night, -lue Öyster Cult,

"ins and outs" lyric @ 0:30

53. Show of affection: CARESS

54. That is, in Latin: ID EST - literal Latin

56. Chance, quaintly: HAP - the def

59. Dissenting body: SECT

63. Lend a hand: AID

65. Toy brand with Creator 3-in-1 sets: LEGO

66. Title for Marie Curie: MADAME - name(ish)

67. Type of A/V connector: RCA

68. Put pen to paper: DREW - not clued as a name, thank you . . .

70. Data breach fig.: SSN - Social Security Number

DOWN:

1. Official who works close to home?: UMP - Har-har.  -aseball's home plate . . .

2. Stew: MARINATE

3. Unexpected: ATYPICAL

4. At some point: ONE DAY

5. "Dance the Night" singer Lipa: DUA - name #5, -ecoming a weekly crossword staple 

6. Who __: New Orleans Saints fans: DATS - name(ish), -ut I knew this; a shout-out to our Lousiana residents

7. Opposite of exo-: ENTO - Not enDo

8. Unstressed vowel sounds: SCHWAs - the "uh" sound

9. Top pick?: TEE - BRA could not work - it might not have a B-cup, but it has a "B"

10. Goddess of death played by Cate Blanchett: HELA - I don't care for the any of the "comic -ook universe" movies, name #6

11. Stimulate: AROUSE

12. "In all honesty ... ": "FACT IS . . . " - OK, twurd(ish)

13. Clucked in disapproval: TSKed

19. Hopscotch player's supply: CHALK

21. "Sweet land of liberty," in song: AMERICA - musical interlude #4

Let Freedom Ring

24. Very dry: ARID

25. Dirt: LOWDOWN - musical interlude #3

-oz Scaggs, and a prelude to 64D.

27. Patrick's "Star Trek: Picard" role: JEAN LUC - name #7, and a shout-out to our own PICARD

He meant "-arn owls"

30. Short turnaround?: UEY - A--reviation for U-turn, I had "Uie" to start, so I got in my own way

31. Pass along: RELAY

32. Many a "What We Do in the Shadows" character: VAMPIRE - no clue, filled via perps

38. Objective: AIM

40. Indy 500 leaders: PACE CARS - Ah, those leaders.  In the year I was -orn, it crashed . . . 

This photo's we-page story, and a YouTu-e link

41. Rubber bands: ELASTICS - nailed it

42. Salon array: GELS -Dah~!  I tried DYES

44. Novelist Wharton: EDITH - first female Pulitzer Prize winner, 1921 - name #8

47. "SNL" Emmy winner Gilda: RADNER - name #9

48. Jumpy: ON EDGE - see -elow

49. Meditation retreat: ASHRAM -  I am attending a 12-Step retreat next month

50. Mouths off to: SASSES - Not "on edge" - of the grid, that is; crossword friendly letters

51. Area of study: FIELD

55. Stash securely: STOW

57. Bavaria-based automaker: AUDI - here's their R8

A few of my favorite things

-avarian Castles, Cars, and Cuties

58. Map out: PLAN

61. Diplomatic HQ: EMBassy, the crossing ''B" and an a--reviated headquarters

62. Bird in the bush: EMU - Ah.  The Australian  -ush; G'day, mate

64. Karate level: DAN - musical interlude #5 - I could have gone with Steely Dan's "Aja", -ut that's already in the puzzle, so here's

Do It Again, in the key of G - minus . . . 🙄

Splynter

Grid Flow 34.9

Monday, June 8, 2026, Patti Varol

Theme:  Unfettered vocabulary.

Prometheus Unbound by Carl Bloch

Crackerjack crossword constructor (and our competent copy editor) Patti Varol brings us a wealth of wonderful words, while her four grid-spanning theme answers are unfettered by any formal reveal.  They are:

17-Across. Get-up-and-go that never goes: BOUNDLESS ENERGY.

25-Across. Therapy technique that encourages a thoughtful flow of ideas: FREE ASSOCIATION.

42-Across. School organizer with three rings: LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

55-Across. Righteous Brothers hit in the film "Ghost": UNCHAINED MELODY.

Was anyone unmoved by Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost, 

to the soundtrack of Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers?

In case you missed it, the four theme answers all begin with synonyms for "free."

And now, we are at liberty to review the rest.

Across:

1. Table where Holy Communion is consecrated: ALTAR.

6. Play, as a guitar: STRUM.

11. Lifesaving skill, for short: CPR.  Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

14. Yankees manager Aaron: BOONE.  Aaron Boone is the manager of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.  He previously played in MLB for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2009.  He was a baseball analyst on ESPN from 2010 to 2017, and became the Yankees manager in 2018.  He's led the team to the playoffs in seven of his eight seasons, and to the World Series in 2024.

Aaron Boone

15. Make fun of: TEASE.

16. Scoffing laugh: HAH.

17. [Theme clue]

20. Crumb-carrying insect: ANT.

21. Toffee bar brand: HEATH.

22. Great Plains Natives: OTOES.

23. Quick look: PEEK.

24. Family nickname for some matriarchs: GRAN.  (I tried GRAm at first, but it didn't work out.)

25. [Theme clue]

32. Sped: RACED.

33. Sound of relief: SIGH.

34. Forensic sci. specialty: CSI.  Crime scene investigation (CSI) is a scientific discipline focused on the recognition, preservation, documentation, and collection of physical evidence at a crime scene. 

Also a gripping TV series.

35. Megastar: IDOL.

36. Tusked hogs: BOARS.

38. "Sounds like a __!": "Works for me!": PLAN.

39. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.

40. Corporal or private: RANK.

41. Feudal lord: LIEGE.

42. [Theme clue]

46. Extra helping: MORE.

47. Tenant's monthly payment: RENT.

48. App replaced by Microsoft Teams: SKYPE.  In my home and office, we replaced Skype with Zoom.  Guess it's time to join Teams.

50. __ the pot: causes trouble: STIRS.

52. Word before a maiden name: NÉE.  French for "born."  "Alicia Keys, née Cook" indicates the singer was born Alicia Cook.  If you want to indicate a man's former name, the word is "né," for instance, "Nicolas Cage, né Coppola."

55. [Theme clue]

58. Feathery garland: BOA.

59. Comedy counterpart: DRAMA.

60. Otherworldly: EERIE.

61. Cello's sect.: STR.  The cello's section in an orchestra is strings.

62. Cloyingly sentimental: SAPPY.

63. Coins that can be screwdrivers in a pinch: DIMES.  Dimes are handy because they are thin.

Down:

1. "Dancing Queen" pop quartet: ABBA.

2. Canadian lake bird with a unique call: LOON.  Loons make eerie calls, each with specific meanings.

Harry Collins makes exceptional videos of loons.

3. Promote loudly: TOUT.

4. __ Arbor, Michigan: ANN.

5. One with hair like Little Orphan Annie: REDHEAD.  Only 1-2% of the global population has naturally red hair.  It is most prevalent in Scotland and Ireland.

6. T-bones, e.g.: STEAKS.

7. Sample: TEST.

8. Foolishly impulsive: RASH.

9. "__ it or lose it!": USE.

10. Hanukkah centerpiece: MENORAH.  A Hanukkah menorah is technically a hanukkiah. The word menorah means "lamp" in Hebrew and usually refers to the seven-branched candelabrum used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.  A hanukkiah celebrates the miraculous rekindling of the menorah when the Maccabees overthrew their Greek oppressors and rededicated the Temple to the one God.

Count the branches!
The menorah was described by God to Moses.
The chanukiah is a later invention, specific to one holiday.

11. Told the story of: CHRONICLED.

12. Beep on a beeper: PAGE.

13. Actor Matthew of Netflix's "The Beast in Me": RHYS.  Matthew Rhys is a Welsh actor.  He played Kevin Walker in Brothers & Sisters (2006-2011) and Philip Jennings in The Americans (2013-2018).  He played the title role in Perry Mason (2020-2023). In 2025, he appeared as antagonist Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me. Rhys currently plays the lead role in the comedy-horror series Widow's Bay (2026). 

Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys
Co-stars on screen and off.

18. Wine sediment: LEES.  Lees are the natural sediments -- dead yeast cells, grape skins, and seeds -- that settle at the bottom of a wine vat. Winemakers remove the heavy lees after fermentation, but sometimes leave fine lees in the vat, and even stir them up to maximize the release of beneficial compounds into the developing wine.  This is common in French Muscadet Sèvre et Maine,  Chardonnay, and Champagne.  When "sur lie" appears on a wine label, it means the wine was aged "on the lees."

19. Coup d'__: ÉTAT.  A coup d'état (French for "stroke of state") is a sudden seizure of power by a small group, such as military leaders or political elites.

23. Rind: PEEL.

24. Jobs for a band: GIGS.

25. Perk: FRILL.

26. "All Things Considered" medium: RADIO.  All Things Considered, on National Public Radio since 1971, is the most listened-to, afternoon drive-time, news radio program in the country.

27. Option for travelers on a budget, perhaps: ECONOMY CAR.  I wanted ECONOlodge.  Had to get a few perps in there to FIR.

28. Japanese port city: OSAKA.

29. Geometric fig. with a radius: CIR.  A geometric figure with a radius is a circle.

30. Missouri River tributary: OSAGE.

31. Bay Area NFLer: NINER.  The San Francisco 49ers (Niners) are a professional NFL team.

36. Hay bundle: BALE.

37. __ and only: ONE.

38. Ice cream purchase: PINT.

40. Goes over again, as a contract: REREADS.

41. Type of oil extracted from flax: LINSEED.  Edible linseed oil is a nutritious oil from flax seeds, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, but it must be cold-pressed and used cold as it spoils quickly.  It should not be confused with boiled linseed oil used for wood finishes, which is treated with chemicals and is toxic.

Linseed oil AKA flaxseed oil

43. Former frosh: SOPH.  Frosh is for freshman, a first year student.  Soph is for sophomore, a second year student.

44. Start of many long weekends: FRIDAY.

45. Natural sandbank: BERM.  Berms can be built for landscaping purposes, but are also naturally occuring raised ridges of sand or pebbles on a beach, formed by wave action at high tide marks.

Beach berm

48. Long sandwiches: SUBS.

49. Nautical speed unit: KNOT.

50. Simple fastener: SNAP.

51. Fill-in worker: TEMP.

52. Convention: NORM.

53. Emmy winner Falco: EDIE.  Edie Falco was amazing in her role as Carmela Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos (1999-2007), and won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for that show.  She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing the title role in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie (2009-2015).  She has lots of other TV, film, and Broadway credits.  Impressive. 

Edie Falco

54. Potato buds: EYES.

56. 401(k) rollover target: IRA.  A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement account.  An IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is an account you open yourself.  When you leave an employer, you may wish to roll your 401(k) into an IRA under your own control.  You can do the rollover without paying tax or early withdrawal penalties.

57. Tropical garland: LEI.

Here's the grid:

Solvers:

Were there any answers today that you DNK (Did Not Know)?  I DNK Matthew Rhys.

Did perps (perpendicular entries) help you fill them in?

Or did you FWH (Finish With Help) by turning on red letters, searching Google, or asking a friend?

Maybe your DW (Dear Wife) or DH (Dear Husband) helped.

Maybe you FIW (Finished It Wrong) or DNF (Did Not Finish).

I FIR (Finished It Right) and enjoyed it, but everyone wants to know how YOU did.

Please comment, even if it's just WEES (What Everyone Else Said).

-- NaomiZ

Monday, April 27, 2026, Patti Varol

Theme:  OVERJOYED!

Today's puzzle comes to us from Patti Varol, who is not only the editor of the Los Angeles Times Crossword, but whose puzzles have appeared in many other publications, and have been the challenges presented in many crossword tournaments. 

Each of today's long entries begins with a synonym for "happy" -- a very nice way to start Monday morning.

20-Across. Carnival ride with seats shaped like animals: MERRY-GO-ROUND.

33-Across. Hard candies with blue raspberry and green apple flavors: JOLLY RANCHERS.

43-Across. Brand of heavy-duty trash bags: GLAD FORCEFLEX.

59-Across. Golfer played by Adam Sandler: HAPPY GILMORE.

I wanted to echo Patti's theme by using another familiar phrase that starts with a synonym for "happy" -- and does not re-use one of Patti's synonyms -- and I could not do it.  The fact that Patti found these four phrases and fit them into symmetrical spots in the grid is impressive.  The whole thing left me delighted, joyful, thrilled, and ecstatic.

Let's see what other cheerful things show up in the grid.

Across:

1. Allure of a coffee shop: AROMA.

Sometimes the aroma is the best part.

6. Private convos: DMS.  Direct messages are private conversations, usually on social media sites.

9. Initial phase: ONSET.  It has been over a year since the ONSET of my daughter's dog Charlie's crippling disability.  Five veterinarians and thousands of dollars later, we may have a diagnosis.

Our dearly departed terriers at left; Charlie (a European village dog) on the right.

14. Student: PUPIL.

15. Snakelike fish: EEL.

16. "And there you have it!": VOILÀ.  "See there!" in French.  Adopted into English to call attention to something, or to suggest an appearance as if by magic (like "ta-da").

17. Flower part: PETAL.

18. D-backs, on scoreboards: ARI.  The Arizona Diamondbacks (or D-backs) are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Arizona Diamondbacks logo

19. ATM key: ENTER.

20. [Theme clue]

23. Strong urge: DESIRE.

26. Earsplitting: LOUD.

27. Pick up the tab: PAY.

28. Before, poetically: ERE.

     Maid of Athens, ere we part,

     Give, oh, give me back my heart!

     Or, since that has left my breast,

     Keep it now, and take the rest!

          -- Lord Byron, 1810

29. Frustrated cry: GAH.  An interjection used to express disappointment, frustration, or dismay.

Gah!

31. Recipe amount: CUP.

33. [Theme clue]

38. Tibet's continent: ASIA.

39. Sign before Virgo: LEO.

40. Dinghy pair: OARS.

43. [Theme clue]

48. One who may have a platonic partner, for short: ARO.  Aromantic -- a person who does not experience romantic attraction.

49. Flesh and blood: KIN.

50. Photo __: OPS.  Photo opportunities.  Occasions or settings that lend themselves to, or are deliberately arranged for, taking photographs, especially for favorable publicity of the subjects.

51. Delivery room docs: OBS.  Obstetricians.

54. Backless shoe: MULE.  Mules can be flat, or on wedges or block heels, or even high-heeled.  Many slippers are mules.  Toes can be open, as shown below, or closed.

Mule with block heel.

57. "This sale ends soon!": ACT NOW.  Pressure tactics sometimes lead to poor decisions.

59. [Theme clue]

62. "Rashomon" director Kurosawa: AKIRA.  Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 30 feature films over six decades.  Rashomon (1950) was the surprise winner of the Golden Lion at the 1951 Venice Film Festival, opening Western markets to Japanese films for the first time.  You may remember Seven Samurai (1954).

Akira Kurosawa

63. Actress Goth of Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein": MIA.  Mia Goth is a British actress and model.  She has a fitting surname for the genre.

She's too old for her mother to prevent her going out like this.

64. "I'm the best!": YAY ME.

68. Intel job: RECON.  Intel is intelligence, or information concerning a subject of interest, especially an enemy; recon is reconnaissance, or an exploratory military survey of enemy territory.

69. K-pop band who began their Arirang World Tour in 2026: BTS.  BTS (which stands for the Korean words for "Bulletproof Boy Scouts"), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010.  In 2020, BTS became the fastest group since the Beatles to chart four US number-one albums in less than two years.  They are the best-selling musical act in South Korean history.

70. __ to: before: PRIOR.

71. Very skilled: ADEPT.

72. Dead __ Scrolls: SEA.

73. Categories: TYPES.

Down:

1. Program opened with a tap: APP.  An app, which is short for "application," is a type of software that can be installed and run on a computer, tablet, smartphone or other electronic devices.  Most apps have a specific and narrow function.

Apps on a smartphone.

2. Truly regret: RUE.

3. Choose: OPT.

4. Metropolis east of the Everglades: MIAMI.

5. Hypersensitivity that may be diagnosed with a scratch test: ALLERGY.

6. Precious: DEAR.

7. Actress Streep: MERYL.  Meryl Streep is an American actress who has had success with critically acclaimed dramas and mainstream silliness alike.  Over her long career, she has earned three Academy Awards:  Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kramer vs Kramer (1979), and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Sophie's Choice (1982) and for The Iron Lady (2011).  She is the most Academy Award-nominated performer in history.

Meryl Streep in 1977

8. Irish county next to Mayo: SLIGO.  County Sligo is a county in the Northern and Western Region of Ireland.  W. B. Yeats grew up there and its landscapes inspired his poetry.  Obscure for a Monday puzzle.

The dark green area is County Sligo; the pink is Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.

9. Like a library book one has to pay for: OVERDUE.  My long career as a librarian was partly inspired by my childhood fascination with date due cards and the machine that captured an image of each card alongside my library card.

Alas, I never got to use the photocharger.  I mostly worked in computerizing catalogs.

10. Off-limits move: NO NO.

11. "Quit slouching!": SIT UP.

12. Supreme Court justice Kagan: ELENA.  Elena Kagan is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was appointed in 2010 by President Obama and is the fourth woman to serve on the Court.  PRIOR to her service on the Supreme Court, she was a clerk for Justice Thurgood Marshall; a lawyer in private practice; a professor at the University of Chicago Law School; a special counsel for the Senate Judiciary Commmittee; Associate White House Counsel for President Clinton; professor and then Dean of Harvard Law School; and then Solicitor General for President Obama. 

The first four female U.S. Supreme Court justices:
 Sandra Day O'Connor, Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elena Kagan.

13. Not on time: TARDY.

21. Tail end: REAR.

22. Cry of pain: OUCH.

23. __ vu: familiar feeling: DÉJÀ.  Déjà vu is French for "already seen."  In English, it refers to the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time, that is, a feeling that one has seen or heard something before.

24. God with a bow and arrow: EROS.

25. Former baseball commissioner Bud: SELIG.  "Bud" Selig is the commissioner emeritus of baseball.  He was de facto acting commissioner beginning in 1992 in his capacity as chairman of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Executive Committee before being named the official commissioner in 1998.  He served as the ninth commissioner of baseball from 1998 to 2015.  He is credited with the financial turnaround of baseball, with a 400 percent increase in the revenue of MLB during his tenure.

Bud Selig

30. Grapefruit serving, often: HALF.

32. Univ. teacher: PROF.  A university teacher is often a professor.

34. Singsong syllables: LA LA.

35. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.

36. Wine stopper: CORK.

37. Cut-and-dry spot: SALON.

41. Seized auto: REPO.  Repossessed (usually for failure to make payments).

42. Annual festival in Austin, TX: SXSW.  South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of film, interactive media, and music festivals that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas.

44. Insect that forages in large raids: ARMY ANT.

45. Heisman winner Flutie: DOUG.  Doug Flutie is a former professional football quarterback.  In a 21-year career, Flutie played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and one season in the United States Football League (USFL).  He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1984.

46. Italian farewell: CIAO.  Or, as DH likes to say:  "Ciao for now!"

47. Put into code: ENCRYPT.

51. Catherine of "The Studio": O'HARA.  Catherine O'Hara (1954-2026) was a Canadian-American actress and comedian. She began in improvisational and sketch comedy before expanding her career with dramatic roles. She has a long list of film credits, but may be best known for her roles in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt's Creek. 

Catherine O'Hara in 2005

52. Made cookies, say: BAKED.

53. Jazz (up): SPICE.

55. Arms and legs: LIMBS.

56. Crème de la crème: ELITE.  More French!  "Crème de la crème" is literally "cream of the cream" and is used to mean "best of the best." 

58. In need of tissues: TEARY.

60. Actor's accessory: PROP.

61. Tortilla dough: MASA.  Masa is dough made from ground corn that has been softened by soaking in alkali. 

65. Shrill bark: YIP.

66. Fellow Stooge of Larry and Curly: MOE.  We have a Chairman by that name in our Corner.

67. Hosp. triage areas: ERS.  Hospital triage areas are Emergency Rooms.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did you RUE attempting this puzzle, and cry "GAH" HALFway into it?

Or are you an ELITE solver, so ADEPT at crosswords that you yelled "YAY ME!"?

All TYPES of solvers are welcome in the Comments.  We DESIRE your input.

-- NaomiZ