Sunday March 15, 2026 Katie Hale & Rich Katz

Theme: "STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU" - U is inserted in the very middle of each common phrase. 

27A. Complete text of "Prefixes for Dummies"?: THAT'S A NOUN STARTER. That's a non-starter.

40A. Fancy hotel rooms overrun with spiders?: WEB SUITES. Web sites.

65A. Negotiating with Mephistopheles?: ON THE FAUST TRACK. On the fast track.

78A. Tariff on marble sculptures?: STATUE TAX. State tax.

110A. Snap selfies in a sulky pose?: TAKE POUT SHOTS. Take potshots.

71D. Candlelit dinner at the Geek Squad counter?: BEST BUY DATE. Best by date.

74D. Sotheby's event featuring a Shakespeare original?: PLAY AUCTION. Play action.

97D. #marinara, e.g.?: RAGU TAG. Ragtag. 

This is how constructors elevate a common letter addition/deletion/replacement. Katie and Rich insert a U exactly in the middle of each familiar phrase, adding an extra layer of precision.

As a result, all the theme entries have an odd number of letters. We also get a rare left-right mirror grid. Lovely gridwork.

Across: 

1. Fill one's ride: TANK UP.

7. Telly channel: BBC.

10. In fine form: FIT.

13. Invent: CREATE.

19. Julia's "Seinfeld" role: ELAINE. Elaine Benes. 

20. Notable period: ERA.

21. Messenger __: RNA.

22. "Memo" on a memo, maybe: HEADER.

23. Cosmetics sample: TESTER. These little testers leak easily.

24. Give adequate reason for: WARRANT.

26. Pick up, as a call: ANSWER.

30. Six-time Oscar nominee Adams: AMY.

32. Avenger with a hammer: THOR.

33. Mixed martial arts org.: UFC. The Ultimate Fighting Championship.

34. Young fellows: LADS.

35. Texter's "I think": IMO.

38. Make like whales and icebergs: CALVE. Calve also means "to break off a large chunk". Learning moment for me.

43. Tennessee NFLer: TITAN.

45. Some children's party performers: CLOWNS.

47. Argentine soccer star Lionel: MESSI. With Inter Miami now.

48. Wild cards, maybe: JOKERS.

49. Some antique cars: REOS.

50. Grub: CHOW.

53. Valley where it's easy to get a cab?: NAPA. Cabernet. 

56. Part of the HOMES mnemonic: ERIE.

57. Inquire: ASK.

58. Satisfactory: GOOD.

59. Taxpayer's rep: CPA.

62. Nike rival: PUMA.

64. Took a chair: SAT.

69. Trembling violin tone: VIBRATO.

72. Scotts Miracle-Gro brand: ORTHO.

73. Orbital shape: ELLIPSE.

77. Build: ERECT.

81. Place for a trim: SALON.

82. "Don't __ me!": SASS.

83. Passes, as time: ELAPSES.

84. "The Sweetest Taboo" singer: SADE. Sweet, soothing voice.

85. Stone fruit's stone: PIT.

86. Some Italian sports cars, familiarly: ALFAS.

89. Glee: MIRTH.

93. "That hurts!": YOW.

94. Thumbnails in a music collection: ALBUM ART.

96. "The Mole" host Shapiro: ARI.

99. Pup's front feet: FOREPAWS.

101. Surgical stitch: SUTURE.

102. Sought office: RAN.

103. "A __ of Their Own": LEAGUE.

104. "Can't deny it!": YES I AM.

106. Booker T.'s band: MGS.

107. Pacific Northwest hub, familiarly: SEA-TAC. Seattle–Tacoma

108. "Deets coming soon": TBD.

113. Airport safety gp.: TSA.

116. Esquire publisher: HEARST.

118. Largest of the British Virgin Islands: TORTOLA. Lots of offshore companies there.

119. More spooky: EERIER.

121. Laces up again: RE-TIES.

122. Floor covering: AREA RUG.

123. First words in a journal, maybe: DAY ONE.

124. Offer of assistance: USE ME.

125. Financial records: LEDGERS.

126. Gives for a while: LENDS.

Down:

1. Lunar holiday in Vietnam: TET.

2. Drink served in a yard?: ALE. Yard of ale.  Yard-tall beer glass.

3. Angry glare: NASTY LOOK. And 16. TV spot scribes: AD WRITERS. Symmetrical partners. 

4. __ and kin: KITH.

5. Like leftovers: UNEATEN.

6. Western Australia city: PERTH. Capital of Western Australia

7. Word of caution: BEWARE.

8. Muffin fiber: BRAN.

9. Go on a bender: CAROUSE.

10. Saint of Assisi: FRANCIS.

11. Travelers' stopovers: INNS.

12. Tell (on): TATTLE.

13. Leafy green in the beet family: CHARD.

14. Signs a lease with: RENTS TO.

15. "At __, soldier!": EASE.

17. Golf ball prop: TEE.

18. Drop the ball: ERR.

25. Singer-songwriter Wainwright: RUFUS. Unknown to me.

28. Plant, as seeds: SOW.

29. Small batteries: AAS.

30. Capital of Ghana: ACCRA.

31. Drones, e.g.: MALES. Bees.

36. "The Sound of Music" governess: MARIA.

37. Get-go: ONSET.

39. Bugs on the road, briefly: VWS.

41. Automaker based in Munich: BMW.

42. Element with the shortest name: TIN.

44. 34th prez: IKE.

46. Joplin known as the "King of Ragtime": SCOTT.

48. Denver Nuggets point guard Murray: JAMAL. Canadian. 

51. Hostess goodies: HO HOS.

52. Celebratory poem: ODE.

54. Suitable: APT.

55. Detergent brand: PUREX.

58. Tiny pest: GNAT.

59. Magna __: CARTA.

60. __ for the night: PUT UP.

61. Lenten symbol: ASHES.

63. Knee parts, for short: ACLS.

65. "The Lord of the Rings" monsters: ORCS.

66. Young horses: FOALS.

67. Spiritual carving: TOTEM.

68. Sportages and Rios: KIAS.

69. Italian scooter: VESPA.

70. Letter-shaped girders: I RAILS. I-shaped girders.

75. "Us too!": SO DO WE.

76. Online source of red carpet coverage: E NEWS.

79. Udder part: TEAT.

80. "You wish!": ASIF.

86. Travel blogger's succinct review: A MUST SEE.

87. Ranchers' ropes: LARIATS.

88. "Le __" : Chic song: FREAK.

90. Lumberjack contest that requires a lot of balance: ROLEO.

91. Paid the full tab: TREATED.

92. Make airtight using thermoplastics, say: HEAT SEAL.

95. Athlete who plays home games near the Great Salt Lake: UTE.

96. Like much battlefield equipment: ARMORED.

98. Like sales not made online: IN STORE.

100. McIlroy's org.: PGA. Rory. 

105. Chain material: METAL.

107. Catches fly balls: SHAGS.

108. See-__: THRU.

109. Honey producers: BEES.

111. Perspiration outlet: PORE.

112. Miss a few letters when speaking: SLUR.

114. Email button: SEND.

115. Greek Mars: ARES.

117. Salted part of a margarita glass: RIM.

120. Pastrami sandwich bread: RYE.

C.C.

Thursday February 5, 2026 Rich Katz

Rich Katz is relatively new to the crossword game, but has been coming on strong and has built a reputation of being inventive and humorous. Today, he has something shady going on.

Rich Katz (maybe)

Here are the themers. Don't scratch your head too hard trying to figure out how the answers are related, because they're not. It's clues that are BLUE.

18. "Aquaman" star: JASON MOMOA. Aqua blue. 

23. Cocktail that may be made with Bombay Sapphire: GIN AND TONIC. Sapphire blue.

36. Band with the hit "In the Navy": VILLAGE PEOPLE. Navy blue. 

52. Microsoft Azure competitor: GOOGLE CLOUD. Azure blue. 

57. Children's show whose title character leaves paw-print hints, and what 18-, 23-, 36-, and 52-Across have in common: BLUE'S CLUES. BLUE is an animated puppy who leaves a trail of paw print CLUES that her human co-host (and viewers) must follow to solve riddles.

So, the theme refers to the CLUES and not the answers on the grid. This seems tangent to what a crossword is supposed to be and falls in the gray are between themed and themeless. Shades of blue in the clues can be fun, but their associated answers are obvious, except for knowing Microsoft Azure is akin to GOOGLE CLOUD if you're not a techie. All in all, a pretty easy Thursday. In fact, I blew right through it!

Double your pleasure, double your fun! Note all the doubled letters!

Across:

1. Title said with a hat tip, perhaps: MA'AM.

5. Daddy: PAPA. Who's your PAPA?

9. "__ out!": PEACE. 

14. Photographer Geddes: ANNE. The "Queen of Baby Photography."

15. Wasn't colorfast: BLED.

16. Complete: UTTER.

17. Sign gas: NEON. Gas sign: NEON.

18. [theme]

20. Out of order: AMISS.

22. "Hey, Soul Sister" rock band: TRAIN. This smash hit has sold over 10 million units in the U.S.  Released in 2009, it was the top-selling single of 2010, reached the top 10 in multiple countries, and has surpassed 1 billion streams...which means I probably should've heard of it.

23. [theme]

26. PC pioneer: IBM. The usual M.O. (modus operandi) of us contributors is to spell out abbreviations in case someone doesn't understand the clue or answer. Informal poll - should I spell out ultra-common abbreviations like these? Personal Computers and International Business Machines?

29. Chow down: EAT. Chew up: EAT.

30. Small battery, or an org. that may help with a car battery: AAA. American Automobile Association.

31. Iditarod racer: SLED DOG.

33. Suomi speakers: FINNS. Suomi means Finland in Finnish, but can also mean the language.

35. Ages and ages: EONS. Many, many, ERAS.

36. [theme]

41. Gyro bread: PITA.

42. Give a bit more: TOP UP. Brit-speak for adding more to an existing level of something. We usually TOP off here in the States.

43. Accounts with round numbers?: BAR TABS. As in a round of drinks that may need TOPPING UP.

47. Spy-fi novelist Deighton: LEN.

48. Visitor in a knock-knock joke that ends, "It's nothing to cry about!": BOO. 
        Knock, knock. 
        Who's there? 
        BOO. 
        BOO who? And hilarity ensues...

51. Tricky: SLY.

52. [theme]

55. Herb in caprese salad: BASIL. I love caprese salads with the bright colors of the Italian flag. So simple to make yet so fancy on the table.

56. Upper crust: ELITE.

57. [theme]

62. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS. 

63. Goodyear products: TIRES. One of the three Goodyear blimp bases is right here in nearby Pompano Beach, FL. 

64. Legendary rebuke: ET TU.

65. Memory units, for short: MEGS. MEGAbyteS.

66. Branch of Islam: SUNNI.

67. Leader whose address ends with .edu: DEAN.

68. Bailiwick: AREA. A bailiwick is one's sphere of operations or particular AREA of interest.

Down:

1. Run: MANAGE. 

2. Condition often treated with iron supplements: ANEMIA.

3. Tap, as one's successor: ANOINT.

4. High-IQ society: MENSA. I had to drop out when my brain got rusty.

5. Many a school sammie: PBJ. The classic Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. I looked up "sammie" and found most people hate the term, unless they are in grade school. Here's the gourmet version. It's cut on a diagonal. Ooh la la. 

6. In the style of: ALA. Borrowed from French, à la, means “according to” or “in the manner of.” As in a PBJ ALA Cordon Bleu. 

7. 55-Across sauce: PESTO.

8. Decorates: ADORNS.

9. Pedicure stone: PUMICE. 

10. Harry and William's alma mater: ETON.

11. Convenience in a cash-only venue: ATM. Automated Teller Machine.

12. Corp. leader: CEO. A Chief Executive Officer is the highest-ranking executive in a corporation.

13. Shaded section of a timeline: ERA. Here's the famous ERAs Tour:

19. Execute perfectly: NAIL. Perfectly executed NAILs:

21. Slug kin: SNAIL.

24. Comedian Carvey: DANA. Meet Garth, one of  DANA's most famous characters from Wayne's World, originally an SNL skit.

25. Punchy flavor: TANG. 

26. Pop sensation: IDOL.

27. Barbecue discard: BONE. 

28. Booker T.'s band: M.G.'S. Sadly, Steve Cropper, songwriter and their original guitarist, died this past December (thanks for reminding me, MalMan!). I dabble on the keyboards, and one of my favorite songs to play is Green Onions, written by Cropper, with its distinctive Hammond B3 organ sound.
 

32. "Nosferatu" actress Lily-Rose: DEPP. You guessed it, Lily-Rose is Johnny DEPP's daughter.

33. No longer fizzy: FLAT. 

34. Game, __, match: SET. Tennis’s notoriously bizarre scoring system (using love, 15, 30, 40, and “deuce” instead of 0-1-2-3-4) likely stems from medieval clock-based scoring, where quarters (15, 30, 45) marked points.

36. Lab container: VIAL.

37. "It was nothing": I TRY.

38. Exit __: POLL.

39. Fencing blade: EPEE. Whee! It's EPEE...again.

40. Light weight: OUNCE. Actually, light has no weight. It consists of photons, which are massless particles. However, because light possesses energy and momentum, it behaves as if it has a relativistic mass and is affected by gravity. I watch NOVA!

41. "Nova" network: PBS. For over 50 years, NOVA has the most popular prime-time science series on American television.

44. Tennis star Andre: AGASSI. Tennis players often place a small silicone dampener in their strings to reduce vibration. RightBrain has a bunch that look like anything from ladybugs to smiley faces, but I use a simple rubber band because AGASSI does. 

45. Anjou alternative: BOSC. Members of your pear group:

46. Dirtied: SOILED.

48. Tank in a basement: BOILER. Tanks in a basement: AQUARIUMS.

49. Service interruption: OUTAGE. I hope none of you had a power OUTAGE during the winter storms last week.

50. Black Sea port: ODESSA.

53. Posterior muscle, informally: GLUTE. Know your GLUTEs:

54. Many a denizen of Machu Picchu: LLAMA.

55. "It's __ a minute!": BEEN. 

57. "Mic Drop" K-pop septet: BTS. This South Korean sensation is known to me only by xwords.

58. Actor Simu: LIU. He's kicked Lucy LIU out of the xword rotation, but it seems like they're still friends!

59. Samovar: URN. Universal Remains Niche. (This might not be an abbreviation!)

60. Due-in hr.: ETA. Estimated Time of Arrival.

61. Phoenix NBAer: SUN. National Basketball Association is abbreviated, but the team is still just the SUNs.

I hope this chased some of your BLUES away!
Be Good. RB

Sunday September 21, 2025 Katy Steinmetz & Rich Katz

Theme: "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?" - Each phrase you might hear during a bad cell connection is humorously reinterpreted in a non-call context.

22. "There's not enough chocolate for the both of us!": I ONLY HAVE ONE BAR.

30. "Our waiter's wearing leopard-print pants!": THE SERVICE IS SPOTTY.

43. "Stop switching lanes so aggressively!": YOU'RE CUTTING IN AND OUT.

65. "We could get separated in this crowd!": I MIGHT LOSE YOU.

83. "Our next flight leaves 10 minutes after we land!": WE HAVE A BAD CONNECTION.

99. "I've been to more enjoyable weddings!": THE RECEPTION IS WEAK.

110. "It sounds like that relationship is over!": YOU'RE BREAKING UP.

This is a fun set. The static is replaced with humor. Super tight theme. 

This marks the fourth collaboration from Katy and Rich, the third Sunday. Both of them seem to be fond of this type of rephrasing theme.

Across:

1. Facing the pitcher: AT BAT.

6. Closely guarded areas in soccer: SHINS.

11. Korean-style __: BBQ. I just call it Korean BBQ. They often use lettuces and perilla leaves as wraps.

14. Brunch side: HASH.

18. Sunday singers: CHOIR. 

19. Window parts: PANES.

20. __ deco: ART.

21. Alexander of "Rizzoli & Isles": SASHA.

25. Up to: UNTIL.

26. Failure: DUD.

27. __ firma: TERRA.

28. Not trans: CIS.

29. Give heart to: ASSURE.

34. Former NPR host Norris: MICHELE. Soothing voice. She's born in Minneapolis.

37. Frosts: ICES.

38. Main ideas: THEMES.

39. Workout reminders?: ACHES.

40. Opera set in Egypt: AIDA.

42. Viewed: SEEN.

51. "My treat!": ON ME.

52. Elderly: AGED.

53. Wax-coated cheese: EDAM.

54. Sandwich choice: WRAP.

56. Spot for a pot: SILL.

58. Following: AFTER.

60. Big batteries: D CELLS.

62. Moody genre: EMO.

69. Board alternative: SKI. OK, snowboard. 

70. Coco Gauff's sport: TENNIS.

72. MeTV fare: RE-RUN.

73. German auto: AUDI.

75. __-Cola: COCA.

76. Singer Halliwell: GERI. Ginger Spice.

77. Gentlemen: SIRS.

79. __ terrier: SKYE.

89. Nearly all: MOST.

90. Bygone GM line: OLDS.

91. Drummer Starr: RINGO.
 
92. Portmanteau pastry: CRONUT. Croissant & donut.

95. Swit co-star: ALDA.

97. Steering committee's output: AGENDAS.

103. Salad slice: RADISH. Have any of you tried watermelon radishes? Very pretty. They taste like daikon radishes.

104. Due-in hr.: ETA.

105. Gets bogged down: MIRES.

106. "__ Twist, Scientist": kid-lit bestseller: ADA.

109. Start: ONSET.

114. Rather wee: TEENY.

115. Spot for the night: INN.

116. Intended: MEANT.

117. Standards flouted by rebels: NORMS.

118. Blind part: SLAT.

119. TV's "Science Guy": NYE.

120. Arm bones: ULNAS.

121. Purple flavor: GRAPE.

Down:

1. Low-pH stuff: ACID.

2. The old you?: THOU.The Ten Commandments are part of my classes.

3. No fighter: BOND.

4. Suffer: AIL.

5. "Have a few samples": TRY THESE. These go well with your Korean BBQ. Banchan.

6. Few and far between: SPARSE.

7. Le __: French port: HAVRE.

8. Like some headsets: IN EAR.

9. Keanu role: NEO.

10. W-2 fig.: SSN.

11. Some pediatric patients: BABIES.

12. Luca of "The Godfather": BRASI. Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.

13. NBA div.: QTR. Quarter.

14. Horse-drawn carriage: HANSOM.

15. Insightful: ASTUTE.

16. Skins' opponents: SHIRTS.

17. Jay and Gloria's oldest grandchild on "Modern Family": HALEY.

21. Leave dangling: SUSPEND.

23. Stiletto, for one: HEEL.

24. Latin "behold": ECCE.

29. Wan: ASHEN.

30. "__ no easy way to say this ... ": THERE'S.

31. Center of a historic boast: VIDI.

32. Declaration of ability: I CAN.

33. Cook dim sum, say: STEAM. Any of you are Costco members? Their Prawn Hacao are amazing.

34. Subway spread: MAYO.

35. Touchscreen image: ICON.

36. Fish used to fish for other fish: CHUM.

40. Chowed down: ATE.

41. "__ be my pleasure": IT'D.

42. Trap: SNARE.

44. Soothes: CALMS.

45. Fruit that sounds unattractive: UGLI.

46. "All aboard!": GET ON.

47. March day for a historic coup: IDES.

48. Face late charges, maybe: OWE.

49. Browser links: URLS.

50. "__ is cheap": TALK.

55. Tire meas.: PSI.

57. Junior's junior: III.

58. Heart parts: ATRIA.

59. Winter bug: FLU. So relieved that my cough is almost gone. Almost a repeat of my ordeal last summer.

60. Drench: DOUSE.

61. Meadow mouthful: CUD.

62. "Yada yada" abbr.: ETC.

63. Copy cats?: MEOW. The clue is 66. Awesome: GREAT.

64. Frost's "__ by the Pacific": ONCE.

67. Sage, for one: HERB. 

68. Raw material for some bees: YARN.

71. "Hard pass": NAH.

74. Self-critical remark: I STINK.

76. Noble deed of yore: GESTE.

77. Supply that might be ready to roll: SOD.

78. __ and outs: INS.

80. Ilk: KIND.

81. Lenovo laptop whose screen bends over backward: YOGA. Not famliar with this.

82. Actress Mireille: ENOS.

84. Blanket forgiveness: AMNESTY. Margaret said all my sins will be forgiven when I'm baptized. Sounds like the ultimate Control + Alt + Delete for the soul.

85. __ for: attest to: VOUCH.

86. "Ice Age" bird: DODO.

87. Family: CLAN.

88. Folding: CREASING.

92. French fashion house: CHANEL.

93. Biblical site of long division?: RED SEA. Parting the Red Sea.

94. Get one's bearings: ORIENT.

95. Unify, in a way: ATTUNE.

96. Perjurer: LIAR.

97. "That's a shame": AW RATS.

98. Nerd (out): GEEK.

99. Unlikely gaits out of the starting gate: TROTS. Ha.

100. Garden flower: PEONY.

101. Former Pakistan prime minister __ Khan: IMRAN.  He was a pro cricketer.

102. Tuscan city that's home to the oldest bank in the world: SIENA. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Founded in 1472. Learning moment for me.

106. Taj Mahal site: AGRA.

107. Garbage truck destination: DUMP.

108. Sanctuary area: APSE.

110. Yang counterpart: YIN.

111. Big bird: EMU.

112. __ canto: BEL.

113. Scand. kingdom: NOR.

C.C.