Tuesday, March 31, 2026 Rebecca Goldstein

A Movable Feast. With everything but the kitchen sink.  Each theme answer ends with a food course as we begin with Soup and end with Nuts.  We have all heard the expression From Soup to Nuts, which means running the gamut from beginning to end, but where did the expression come from?  Apparently, formal full-course meals started with soup and ended with nuts.

16-Across. Hot mixture of elementary particles: QUARK SOUP.  We will begin our meal with Soup.  Apparently, Quark Soup is a thing, but it's not an edible on our meal menu.

31-Across. Colloquial name of the Christian symbol the ichthus: JESUS FISH.  The formal name is Ichthys.  It is an ancient symbol forming a fish profile.   The symbol oiginated in the 2nd century as a secret sign of faith and identification among Christians facing persecution in the Roman Empire.  Calling it a Jesus Fish seems a bit irreverent, but then so is the Darwin Fish.  Fish will be our main course in this movable feast.

52-Across. Head honcho: BIG CHEESE.  After our main meal, we will have some Cheese.

4-Down. Yielded results: BORE FRUIT.  Our meal will continue with some Fruit.

59-Across. Fasteners in a tyre change: WHEEL NUTS.  The conclusion of the meal will be Nuts.

Here's the grid so you can see the food move through the grid.

Two other consumables in the puzzle are:

41-Across. Large utility pipe: WATER MAIN.

66-Across. Soybean paste: MISO.

A special thanks to my fellow bloggers who helped me suss out today's theme.

Across:

1. Formless mass: BLOB.

5. Vegan-friendly gelatin alternative: AGAR.  Technically a consumable.  Agar is a jelly-like, vegetarian substance derived from red algae (seaweed), commonly used as a gelling agent in foods.  When I worked in a microbiology lab in college, we used agar for growing bacteria.

9. Many emailed docs: PDFs.  As in Portable Document Format.  This has become a crossword staple.

13. Relaxed aesthetic: BOHO.  Boho is short for Bohemian.   It is a style characterized by free-spirited and artistic.  It's a bit 1960s retro-style.

14. Roman forum robe: TOGA.

15. Coped (with): DEALT.

18. Maker of Playmate coolers: IGLOO.  We have one of these.  It comes in handy for storing things in the closet.

19. Ambulance wailer: SIREN.

20. Match or Tinder: DATING APP.  Could stretch to a food because App is sometimes used as an abbreviation for Appetizer.

22. Two-point football play: SAFETY.

24. "Allow me": MAY I?

25. Outdoor gear giant: REI.  As in Recreational Equipment, Inc.  This company appears in the puzzles with some frequency, but I can never remember what the initials stand for.

26. Texter's hedge: OTOH.  Textspeak for On The Other Hand.

28. Wee boy: LAD.

35. Tiny, in tech: NANO.  I really loved my iPod Nano.

36. Not in favor of: ANTI-.

37. __ point: center of attention: FOCAL.

39. Luxury hotel chain: OMNI.

40. Dockworker's workplace: PORT.

43. 27-Down, in Spanish: ESO.  //  And 27-Down. Yonder thing: THAT.

44. Catch words?: HEAR.  Cute clue.

46. Age group, for short: GEN.  As in Generation.

47. Hair removal brand: NAIR.

And you thought it was just for women.

49. Vanish into thin air: GO POOF.

56. One making introductions, say: EMCEE.  An abbreviation for Master of Ceremonies.

58. Former U.S. president Barack: OBAMA.  The 44th American President.

Barak Hussein Obama (b. Aug. 4, 1961)

61. Artist's flat cap: BERET.

62. Sunrise direction: EAST.

63. World Cup cheers: OLÉS.  Today's Spanish lesson.

64. Check-in places?: ATMs.  You can put a check into your account at an ATM, but most people use the ATM to withdraw funds.

65. Outdoor storage structure: SHED.

Down:

1. Grillin' and chillin' events: BBQs.

2. Western writer L'Amour: LOUIS.  Louis Dearborn L'Amour (Mar. 22, 1908 ~ June 10, 1988) was known for his Western novels, which he called his "frontier stories.

3. Catherine of "Home Alone": O'HARA.  Sadly, we lost this talented comedian actress earlier this year.  Catherine Anne O'Hara (Mar. 4, 1954 ~ Jan. 30, 2026) was in so many films, but my favorite film was Best in Show.  She also starred in the television show Schitt's Creek.

5. @ signs: ATs.

6. Treat: GOODY.

7. __ fresca: Mexican beverage: AGUA.  More of today's Spanish lesson.  Fresh Water.

8. Completely engrossed: RAPT.

9. Elisabeth Moss's "Mad Men" role: PEGGY.  Elizabeth Moss (b. July 24, 1982) portrayed Peggy Olsen on Mad Men.  She was the Don Draper's secretary.

10. Tibetan spiritual leader: DALAI LAMA.

11. Failed film: FLOP.

12. "That's enough of that": STOP.

15. "Queen of the Blues" Washington: DINAH.  Dinah Washington (b. Aug. 29, 1924 ~ Dec. 1963) was an American singer and pianist.  She was one of the most popular Black female recording artists of the 1950s.  In 1993, she was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Sadly, she died very young, at age 39.

17. Joints worked in lunges: KNEES.

21. "If u ask me ... ": IMO.  More textspeak.  This time for In My Opinion.

23. Petty disagreement: TIFF.

26. __ the Grouch: OSCAR.  A reference to Sesame Street.

29. Latin years: ANNI.  Today's Latin lesson.

30. "How you __?": Joey's "Friends" catchphrase: DOIN'.

31. Funny prank: JAPE.

32. Eve's grandson: ENOS.  According to Genesis, Enos was the son of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve,  We don't know who Enos' mother was.

33. Boss around: STRONG ARM.

34. State with more pigs than people: IOWA.  Fun facts about Pigs in Iowa.

35. Cutesy "Delicious!": NOM, NOM, NOM.

38. Toymaker that introduced Smart Bricks in 2026: LEGO.

42. Drive away: REPEL.

44. Cymbals played by foot: HI-HAT.  I learned about Hi-Hats from doing the puzzles.

45. Before, in old odes: ERE.

48. Topmost points: ACMES.

49. Honking birds: GEESE.  Hi, Canadian, Eh!

50. Circular windows: OCULI.

51. Lavish celebrations: FÊTES.

52. Treat consumed with a wide straw: BOBA.  This is becoming a crossword staple.

53. "Yeah, right": I BET.

54. Baaing mamas: EWES.

55. Persian for "king": SHAH.

57. Gas brand in Canada: ESSO.

60. Flight takeoff hr.: ETD.  As in Estimated Time of Departure.

And now it's time for me to Depart.

חתולה

March:  In like a Lion, out like a Lamb.

Thursday January 22, 2026 Rebecca Goldstein

Ah, Rebecca, we meet again! My first review last year was a Goldstein puzzle. She's quite prolific. As I went through this one, I noticed all the Xs and thought they'd play into the theme, and they did. But I didn't expect a whole bowl of CHEX MIX!

41D. Savory party snack, and what can be found in the answers to the starred clues?: CHEX MIX. The letters in the word CHEX are MIXed (scrambled) in all the theme answers:

3D. *Beef cut that may be braised: OX CHEEK. 

OX CHEEK (or beef cheek) is

a tough, flavorful, and inexpensive cut of meat from the facial muscle of cattle that becomes tender and gelatinous when cooked slowly. 

18A. *"What did you just say?": OH EXCUSE ME. OH EXCUSE ME is a reply to a rude comment, usually drawn out as in a Steve Martin catch phrase.

36A. *Folks who may be at the point of no return?: TAX CHEATS. People who do not file a tax return may be TAX CHEATS.

56A. *Raspberry: BRONX CHEER. A BRONX CHEER is a mouth noise similar to a fart that is used to signify derision, usually at a sporting event.

I like how some of the themers ran vertically, that made the solve more interesting, as did some clever cluing. There weren't a ton of names, but I blanked on almost all of them. Perps to the rescue.

Across:

1. Self motivators?: EGOS. 

5. Teeny: SMALL. Teeny seems smaller than SMALL.

10. Brand new: MINT. On Craigslist, everything is advertised to be in MINT condition.
 

14. Coming up: NEXT. Please stay tuned!

15. Health care cost: COPAY. A COPAY (co-payment) is a fixed fee you pay for a covered health service (like a doctor visit or prescription), while your insurance denies pays the rest.

16. Sorbet berry: ACAI. 

17. Toy company acquired by Mattel in 1997: TYCO. TYCO's Tickle Me Elmo was massive holiday toy craze in 1996 which raised the price Mattel had to pay.

18. [theme]

20. Workout wear: SHORTS. 

22. For adult audiences: R RATED. 

23. "That one's for you": KEEP IT. 

24. Put through an X-ray: SCAN. 

26. "Succession" surname: ROY. I haven't watched this so all perps. The Roy family are the focal point of Succession.

27. Juvenile retort: ARE SO. Am not. I don't like playground retorts.

28. Shearing day sound: BAA. I'm glad these sheep say BAA, never herd [sic] one say "maa."

29. Katherine Moennig's "The L Word" role: SHANE. I don't have Showtime, so this also was by perps. But I think the trope of using an word's initial is over used. There's a whole set of "The __ Word" expressions that are mostly innocuous. Here, the "L" means Lesbian...ooh. 

31. Shaming syllable: TSK. Often doubled as TSK TSK.

32. Renaissance faire competitions: JOUSTS.

35. "Confirmed, captain": AYE.  Often doubled as AYE AYE.

36. [theme]

38. Chaotic crowd: MOB.

40. "Begin": OKAY GO. I can't think of a common scenario where one could say these interchangeably. 

41. "The Price Is Right" network: CBS. Columbia Broadcasting System, but it could've been any TV network.

44. Top medals: GOLDS.

46. Soap ingredient: LYE. LYE is a very-alkaline substance that is chemically transformed during the soap-making process so it's not present in the final product.

47. Wuhan welcome: NIHAO. NIHAO means "hello" in Mandarin Chinese, though locals often use more casual greetings.

49. Tally: ADD.

50. Golfer's pocketful: TEES. Golfer's pocketful: GLOVES.

52. Devices at a counter-service restaurant: PAGERS. The electronic version of a deli ticket to keep track of who's NEXT, without shouting.

53. Emphatic assertion: YES I AM. Are you NEXT? YES, I AM!

55. Opulent: DELUXE. This is as DELUXE as it gets at my house. "Four cheese?! What are we celebrating?" [Disclaimer #1: RightBrain is fabulous cook. Disclaimer #2: She made me write this.]

56. [theme]

59. Reddit Q&As: AMAS. We've seen Ask Me Anything before, but usually not plural.

61. Brontë sister: ANNE. The Brontë sisters were three famous 19th-century English novelists and poets: Charlotte was the oldest, followed by Emily, then ANNE.

62. Works for: EARNS.

63. Egyptian river: NILE. I recently visited Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia where Johnny Mercer is buried. "Moon river, wider than the NILE [sic]." 

64. Cleaning cloths: RAGS. Clean clothes: RAGS.

65. Tickle pink: ELATE.

66. Truck bar: AXLE.

Down:

1. Tonsillectomy doc: ENT. Ear, Nose & Throat doctor, uncommonly known as a otolaryngologist, but you knew that.

2. Jumbo jets?: GEYSERS. Fun clue.

3. [theme]

4. Reaches a new low?: STOOPS. More fun!

5. Adam of "Severance": SCOTT. Bingo! I knew this one.

6. Mineral hardness eponym: MOHS. The MOHS scale ranks mineral hardness, but is not linear. Thus a diamond (10) is vastly harder than corundum (9). Speaking of diamonds, my youngest son married his brother last Saturday! Let me rephrase that. He (as a notary) officiated the wedding in a scenic park. Beautiful!

7. Mimic: APE.

8. Loose: LAX. Strict: LAX TSA.

9. Stretchy fabric: LYCRA.

10. Gordita dough: MASA. MASA is corn flour dough that may be used in gorditas, which are thicker than regular tortillas so they can be split open for fillings.

11. Freeze frame?: ICE TRAY. Good clues today.

12. "Give me a single example": NAME ONE.

13. Rainbow pattern: TIE DYE.

19. Garden fixtures: URNS. 

21. Spanish wine: RIOJA. RIOJA is a prestigious wine region in northern Spain, famous for its high-quality red wines.

23. Actress Dennings: KAT. Who? I feel so out of it even though I've actually seen her in a few things.

24. Struts with style: SASHAYS. 

25. Vintage sunglasses shape: CAT EYE. They tend to go in and out of fashion.

28. Seat belt fastener: BUCKLE.

30. Owns: HAS.

33. Maker of Stick & Stay plates and bowls for kids: OXO. 

34. Head south?: SAG. Ha ha!

36. "More info soon": TBD. This answer is To Be Determined.

37. Like much music: TONAL.

38. Biotech firm developing cancer vaccines: MODERNA. MODERNA became a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic as one of two major companies producing vaccines. 

39. Dated ditty: OLD SONG. An oldie but not goodie. Probably not from STAX.

41. [theme]

42. Leave nothing to the imagination: BARE ALL.

43. Distress call: SOS. A Morse code distress signal ( ▄ ▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄ ▄ ) that happens to form the letters SOS, but they have no meaning on their own.

44. Stonewall Inn, for one: GAY BAR. A place where you might watch "The L Word."

45. "__: Soulsville U.S.A.": HBO documentary about a record label: STAX. STAX is a Memphis institution that launched the careers of legends including Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, Wilson Pickett, and Booker T. & the M.G.'s.

48. Invasive lizard in Florida: IGUANA. Large nasty lizards that eat our flowers!

51. "Cabaret" role for Alan Cumming: EMCEE. EMCEE is the phonetic spelling of "MC" meaning Master of Ceremonies. Perps again, I didn't know Mr. Cummings, a cisgender man in a gender-bending role.

52. Intrinsically: PER SE. At first, I found it hard to parse PER SE.

54. French model Rau: INES. My final unknown. INES Rau is a French actress, model, and writer. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for November 2017 and the first openly transgender Playmate.

55. First step, say: DENT. Making noticeable progress as in "I made a DENT in the project."

57. "2001" supercomputer: HAL. 

58. Historical period: ERA.

60. "Comprende?": SEE."Comprende?": Si!

That's it for today. Be Good. RB