Sunday August 2, 2026 Ralph Sharaga & Doug Peterson

Theme: "BOOK REPORTS" - Each theme entry is humorously reinterpreted as a rave review of a book associated with the profession in the clue. 

23. Praise for a Cy Young biography?: PITCH PERFECT.

33. Praise for a meditation guide?: BREATHTAKING.

53. Praise for a rock climber's diary?: GRIPPING STORY.

70. Praise for a mechanic's handbook?: FIRES ON ALL CYLINDERS.

89. Praise for a Hope Diamond history?: AN ABSOLUTE GEM.

102. Praise for a bartender's manual?: FULL OF TWISTS.

119. Praise for a scuba diver's memoir?: DEEPLY MOVING.

Congrats to Ralph Sharaga on his LAT debut. And a Sunday! You picked a great collaborator.  I enjoyed how each clue paints a vivid mental picture. Every theme answer sounds like the kind of glowing blurb you'd find on the back cover of a book.

This grid design is a model LAT Sunday: 144 words and 76 black squares. Very clean, with a stunning numbers of long fill. 

Across:

1. Fish-cleaning gadget: SCALER. Our local Asian market has live seafood tanks.  

7. Extra option: ADD ON.

12. Pricey German cars: BMWS.

16. Muscles worked by planks: ABS.

19. Elaborately showy: ORNATE.

20. Ungainly: GAWKY.

21. Honolulu Museum of Art's location: OAHU.

22. AAA job: TOW.

25. "Voyage to India" singer: ARIE. Her surname is Simpson. 

26. "The Mole" host Shapiro: ARI.

27. "How've you __?": BEEN.

28. After the bell: LATE.

29. "Over here": PSST.

30. Mineral in hemoglobin: IRON. 126. 30-Across deficiency: ANEMIA.

31. Slaw, e.g.: SIDE. Sometimes I buy bags of coleslaw, but I stir-fry it instead.

37. Lifesaving pro: EMT.

40. Underground explorer: CAVER.

43. Trade fair: EXPO.

44. Cell service initials: LTE. Long Term Evolution.

45. Baltic capital: RIGA.

47. Toy with a Botanicals line: LEGO.  Didn't know this. So pretty. 

48. Flyer: LEAFLET.

50. UV-filtering measurement: SPF.

56. By and large: AS A RULE.

58. "Priscilla" writer/director Coppola: SOFIA. Based on Priscilla Presley's book "Elvis and Me".

59. Branch of Islam: SHIA.

60. Can openers: TABS.

62. Showbiz grand slam: EGOT. 22 people have achieved this milestone.

63. Wrath: RAGE.

65. Water or elec.: UTIL.

67. Wild adventure: ESCAPADE.

74. Cross-examination follower: RE-DIRECT.

75. __ & Chandon Champagne: MOET.

76. French denials: NONS.

77. Funds for one's golden yrs.: IRAS.

78. Small recipe amts.: TSPS.

81. Like rams: MALE.

83. Drastic policy change: U-TURN.

86. __ 500: DAYTONA.

92. Raised trains: ELS.

93. Like part of a corkscrew: HELICAL.

95. Luxury shoe brand: TOD'S.

96. Copenhagen resident: DANE.

97. Galahad's title: SIR.

98. "You can leave now": OK GO.

99. Treadmill setting: SPEED.

101. Tyrannosaurus __: REX.

107. Nutrition figs.: RDAS. RDA stands for Recommended Dietary Allowance.

109. Grayish: ASHY.

110. "Muy __": BIEN. Very good.

111. Belfry sound: PEAL.

114. Burkina Faso neighbor: MALI.

117. "Houdini" singer Lipa: DUA.

118. Six-time Emmy winner Tyne: DALY.

123. Hectic hosp. areas: ERS.

124. Designer Gucci: ALDO.

125. Snoring cause: APNEA.

127. Place to get much-kneaded therapy?: SPA. Ha, kneaded.

128. Fromage hue: BLEU. 

129. Party spreads: PATES.

130. Zeroes out: RESETS.

Down:

1. Drench: SOP.

2. Baby bed: CRIB.

3. Cost of hand delivery?: ANTE. Poker hand.

4. Shoestrings: LACES.

5. Sharing a common culture: ETHNIC. I belong to the Han ethnic group, the largest in the world,

6. Gym unit: REP.

7. Uttar Pradesh tourist city: AGRA.

8. __ Punk: "Get Lucky" duo: DAFT.

9. Nerdy type: DWEEB.

10. The NBA's Thunder, on scoreboards: OKC. The Oklahoma City Thunder.

11. "The Daily" podcast producer, briefly: NYT.

12. Brag about: BOAST OF. This is super impressive, Splynter! 

13. Heron habitat: MARSH.

14. Shaves (down): WHITTLES.

15. Go after, in a way: SUE.

16. Centipede maker: ATARI.

17. Fifth element on the periodic table: BORON.

18. Batting practice concern: SWING.

24. Natural rolls, in craps: ELEVENS.

29. Tropical fruit: PAPAYA. I like mild green papaya salad. This looks too hot.

30. 1950s prez: IKE.

32. Big name in surrealism: DALI. 38. Big name in surrealism: MIRO.

34. Move, informally: RELO.

35. Bring to bear: EXERT.

36. Flour for some flatbread: ATTA.

37. Crew team's workout machines: ERGS.

39. Chili's rival: TGI FRIDAYS. And 41. Springtime lawn parties: EGG HUNTS. 50. No. 1 hit from the album "Everything's Archie": SUGAR SUGAR. 61. Waistband feature: BELT LOOP. 88. Toy for indoor games: NERF BALL. Love those entries. 

42. Bilingual "Sesame Street" Muppet: ROSITA.

46. Beekeeper: APIARIST.

49. Cold yogurt drink: LASSI. Mango lassi.

51. Walks heavily: PLODS.

52. Swanky shindig: FETE.

54. "Your table's ready" device: PAGER.

55. Kite extension: TAIL.

57. Felt contrite: REPENTED.

64. Language suffix: ESE.

66. A.I. tool that generates text: LLM. Large Language Model.

68. MS NOW rival: CNN.

69. Score after deuce: AD OUT.

70. Not domesticated: FERAL.

71. In base eight: OCTAL.

72. Tool with teeth: COMB. I've been using the same comb I bought at Watsons decades ago. Watsons is basically the Walgreens of Guangzhou/Hong Kong.

73. Ingredients for brewers and bakers: YEASTS.

74. Go by train: RIDE.

79. Cram: PACK IN.

80. Hitches: SNAGS.

82. Advanced in years: ELDERLY.

84. Actress Russo: RENE.

85. Ariz. neighbor: NMEX. And  87. Indiana neighbor: OHIO.

90. Oodles: A LOT.

91. No longer mint: USED.

94. "Next one's on me": I OWE YOU.

97. Wily: SLY.

100. Big band singer Vic: DAMONE.

102. Loses color: FADES.

103. Seize illegally: USURP.

104. Sacred city of Tibet: LHASA. Meaning "Place of the Gods" in Tibetan.

105. Spanish diacritic: TILDE.

106. Went on a shopping spree: SPENT.

108. Goalie's stat: SAVES.

112. Fencing blade: EPEE.

113. "Sad to say ... ": ALAS.

115. Soil acidity reducer: LIME.

116. "My heart's just not __": IN IT.

118. Bit of makeup: DAB.

119. Fist bump: DAP.

120. Clean air org.: EPA.

121. Scuff up: MAR.

122. Highway sign: GAS.

Happy 72nd Birthday of Subgenius (Darryl). Wishing you a wonderful birthday filled with happiness, good health, and all the little things that make you smile. Have a beautiful day, Darryl!

I made today's puzzle for the Atlantic. Click here to solve. It's edited by Kelsey Dixon. 

C.C.

Sunday, July 26, 2026 ~ Zhouqin Burnikel

"9 to 5"

Hi All!
Today we get a letter-substitution puzzle from our very own C.C.. Each themed clue is straight forward but the fill seems a bit of(?).  Let's dig in and see what she has in store.

23. *Command to turn: FACE LIFT. In the Army, it was "LEFT, FACE." //Drill gave the direction first to give us a moment to remember our left from our right :-)

He Flunked Flanks

29. *Recovers somewhat: FEELS BITTER. FEELS BETTER. If you've only somewhat recovered from defeat, you may still feel bitter.

45. *Flourishing: LIVING WILL. LIVING WELL - yeah, I'm doin' alright.

49. *Perform a daring act: BILL THE CAT. The expression "BELL THE CAT" derives from a fable about mice agreeing that putting a bell on the cat is a great idea. The hitch - it's a great idea if someone else is dumb enough to try - so no one does.

Berkeley Breathed's Bloom County's Bill The Cat

70. *Makes explicitly clear: SPILLS OUT. SPELLS OUT. #Snitch :-)

94. *Person who works a lot?: AUTO DIALER. An AUTO DEALER works the car lot a lot.

96. *Ink-filled tool for illustrators: DRAWING PIN. A PEN for DRAWING pictures.

112. *Places to drop envelopes: LITTER BOXES. Put your post in a LETTER BOX.

Letters go here -- dogs, maybe, but not cats.

123. Start of a spelling rule, or a rule to keep in mind while answering the starred clues: I BEFORE E.

I before E except after C (unless it sounds like an A as in neighbor and weigh (unless the word is just weird)).
//I found this silly sentence on Reddit: I before E except when your "foreign neighbor Keith receives eight counterfeit beige sleighs from weird feisty caffeinated weightlifters."
One can always count on the internet for giggles.

Ahem.

I forgot to read the Sunday Title first. As I came upon 29a, I thought, "What's the theme?"
I read "9 to 5" (?) and thought, "I'll title the puzzle 'I Before E.'"
Then I got to 123a, and realized that's where C.C. was already going.  Alas.

But wait, what is 9 to 5? Simple, it's like a substitution cipher. Take the 9th letter of the alphabet and put it where the 5th letter goes. 9 to 5. Cute. But it gets better...

Everything's better w/ Dolly

Across:

1. Do something: ACT.

4. Career fair haul: SWAG.

Cybersecurity SWAG for the bath.

8. Claim forcefully: ASSERT.

14. Insert, as a link: EMBED. I was thinking a chain's LINK b/f an HTML hyperLINK.

19. Prepping period: LEAD TIME. The more lead time, the more you better prepare.

21. Mammals with big calves: WHALES. Ha!

22. Stains with ash: SOOTS.

23. [See: Theme]

24. Winter cap feature: EARLAP. LAP or FLAP? I looked it up: Earlap - A flap connected to headgear to protect the ear from cold or physical harm. From Old English ēarlæppa.

25. Jam: SNARL. Think traffic, not preserves.

26. Clarifying phrase: AS IN. PAT - P as in Pterodactyl, A as in Aisle, and T as in Tsunami. //Thanks RustyB!

27. Too sure of oneself: SMUG. Can you think of a three letter donkey-related word for this trait? I can ;-)

29. [See: Theme]

31. Coup target: ETAT. French: coup is "blow" or "strike" and état is "state."

33. Small camping shelter: PUP TENT. A small triangular shelter fit more for a dog than humans. In the Army, you & a buddy carried half-shelters.

They're pretty small

35. Slowpoke's place: REAR.

36. "Despacito" singer Fonsi: LUIS. A Puerto Rican singer.

39. Part of LAPD: LOS.

40. Nonprofit org. with a school for aspiring moviemakers: AFI. American Film Institute (which named Blazing Saddles the Funniest Film of All Time on Brooks' 100th Birthday //thanks Ray-O!).

42. Infatuated: GAGA. Is Lady GAGA infatuated with herself or ladies?

45. [See: Theme]

49. [See: Theme]

52. Dedicated poem: ODE.

53. Tudyk of "Firefly": ALAN. I've never seen Firefly, but Alan was great in Resident Alien. [TV-MA]

Alan Tudyk

54. Emulate Alysa Liu: ICE SKATE.

Alysa won gold in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic games

56. Bark beetle target: ELM.

57. Fancy-schmancy: POSH. If you get too fancy in our hacker Discord channel, someone will inevitably post this:

Ooh La La

59. Previously: ONCE.

61. Relaxed sigh: AHH.

62. Novel at the center of Bloomsday celebrations: ULYSSES. Bloomsday is a commemoration of James Joyce.

64. Westernmost city in Texas: EL PASO. I did Basic there [Ft. Bliss] in '88... In July!

66. McIntosh or Macintosh: APPLE. Cute - the fruit and computer, respectively.

68. Poison Ivy, to Robin: ENEMY.

She debuted in '66's Batman #181

69. Seasoning for kimchi: SALT.

70. [See: Theme]

72. Insects in a colony: ANTS.

75. Apex predators of the sea: ORCAS.

77. New York City's __ Place: ASTOR. The WikiP.

78. Baseless: UNTRUE. Alternative facts?

80. Vidal of hair care: SASSOON. If you don't look good, we don't look good. #Tagline

83. Vader's childhood nickname: ANI. Star Wars franchise.

84. Southernmost Ivy: PENN.

86. Party leader?: HOST. Ha!

87. Software-driven F/X: CGI. Computer Generated Images create the special effects (F/X).

88. Improviser's concluding phrase: AND SCENE.

Colbert

91. Fat-heavy diet: KETO.

93. "Look what I found!": OHO.

94. [See: Theme]

96. [See: Theme]

99. Org. running many missions: NASA.

100. Snack for a frog: FLY.

101. Of vital importance: KEY.

102. Speak unclearly: SLUR.

103. Ione of "La Brea": SKYE.

Ione Skye

105. Lions and tigers: FELINES.

109. Gets the picture: SEES.

112. [See: Theme]

115. High-five sound: SLAP.

118. Starts to work together: GELS.

120. In flames: AFIRE.

121. Make public: EXPOSE.

123. [See: Theme]

125. Spot of land: ISLET.

126. Lower in fat: LEANER. Opposite of KETO.

127. Trial spin on a bike: TEST RIDE.

128. Parts in a play: ROLES.

129. Daisylike flowers: ASTERS.

A Purple Daisy - Gregor [98d], you have some 'splain' to do.

130. Tuck away: STOW.

131. Telepath's ability: ESP.

Down:

1. __ Romeo: motorsport brand: ALFA.

'86 Alfa Spider

2. Discontinue: CEASE.

3. Implicit: TACIT.

4. Busiest airport in MO: STL. St. Louis, Missouri's Lambert International Airport. When visiting Pop, we'll sometimes opt for STL instead of connecting into SPI through ORD.

5. Nintendo consoles that debuted in 2006: WIIS.

6. Switch on the radio?: AMFM. Amplitude Modulation/Frequency Modulation are methods of imposing information onto a carrier wave.

7. "Rise and shine!": GET UP.

8. Dazzle: AWE.

9. Vertical passages: SHAFTS.

10. Draped wedding garment: SAREE. I looked it up - sari and saree are both acceptable spellings of the same dress.

11. Discovery astronaut Ochoa: ELLEN.

She was the director at JSC, Houston.

12. "I'm gonna be straight with you ... ": REAL TALK.

13. Cough syrup amts.: TSPS.

14. OPI rival: ESSIE. Youngest uses Holo Taco.

Her Starry Night Nails

15. Sequence of film cuts: MONTAGE.

16. Regattas: BOAT RACES.

17. Raison d'__: ETRE.

18. High-end camera initials: DSLR. Digital Single-Lens Reflex.

20. National park north of Anchorage: DENALI. Before and after it was Mt. McKinley.

28. Shorebird with webbed feet: GULL.

30. Easily broken: BRITTLE.

32. Salade niçoise fish: TUNA.

Yummers!

34. __-sci: POLI. Political Science.

37. Nome dome home: IGLOO.

38. Bird with a long neck: SWAN.

41. Display flagrantly: FLAUNT. Should I EMBED [14a] Brooks' The Producers' [2005] Uma? Heck yeah!

43. Destructive wind: GALE.

44. Bank lobby devices: ATMS.

45. Leisurely gait: LOPE.

46. Subjects of fan clubs: IDOLS.

47. "Roman Holiday" scooter: VESPA.

Hepburn & Peck on a Vespa

48. Like some heated posts: IN CAPS. e.g. I'M YELLING AT YOU!!!!

49. Command: BEHEST.

50. "Kinda": ISH.

51. "What's up, bro!": HEY MAN. The opening lyric to...

Suffragette City

55. Reports by hotline: CALLS IN.

58. Head lights?: HALOS.  Cute - a ring of overhead light.

60. Prefix with graph or gram: EPI.

63. Electronica instrument: SYNTH.

Geddy's Steampunk-themed Synth (it's a mini-MOOG underneath)

65. Hybrid thoroughfare with frequent access points: STROAD. A portmanteau of Street and Road. Trying to figure out what stroad means took me down a traffic engineering labyrinth. Google at your own peril.

67. Smoothing tool: PLANER.

68. Shout of discovery: EUREKA.  What Archimedes famously shouted when he realized he could calculate the volume of any shape by putting it in a bath (with rubber duckies, I presume).

70. Open-toed shoe: SANDAL.

71. Alley-__: OOP.

73. Scouting unit: TROOP.

74. Gimbap alternative: SUSHI. Gimbap is Korea's take on sushi. WikiP has the History of the dish.

Looks good (& the fish is cooked :-))

76. Cypress, for one: CONIFER. Needled trees.

78. Up to: UNTIL.

79. Ian Fleming's alma mater: ETON. A POSH school.

80. Glance over: SCAN.

81. Amazon contents: AGUA.

82. Quits fidgeting: SITS STILL. Yeah, not my strong suit. #ADHD

83. Card with a single pip: ACE.

85. Front page material: NEWS.

89. Cunning folks: SLY FOXES.

90. Garden with forbidden fruit: EDEN.

92. Responsibility: ONUS.

95. Home for a squirrel: OAK TREE. Which is, famously, not a conifer.

97. Some deli loaves: RYES. Ok, no!, C.C., you can't get away w/ RYE w/o me mentioning

Ziggy's Reuben

98. Genetics pioneer Mendel: GREGOR. Of crossbreeding pea [and daisies?] fame.

101. Piehole: KISSER. Your maw, yap, trap, mouth.

104. Throws, in slang: YEETS. What the kids say when wanting to forcefully dispose of something. E.g. "Yeet it off the balcony."

106. Kiwi in Kyoto, say: EXPAT. LOL! A New Zealander in Japan.

107. Sierra __, Africa: LEONE.

108. Features of some skirts: SLITS. Where's Splynter when we need him? :-)

110. Quietly unnerving: EERIE.

111. Snow day rides: SLEDS.

112. Dragon's place: LAIR. When I played video games, Dragon's Lair cost $1 whilst the other games were $0.25. Ergo, I only watched arcade buddies blow $$$ just to die at this scene (again).

Dragon's Lair - a LaserDisc "cutscene" video game.

113. "In that case ... ": IF SO.

114. Grammy-winning banjoist Fleck: BELA. Not Steve Martin? Ok, let's hear him.

Bela's Youtube Channel

116. Help out on a heist: ABET.

117. Cozumel coin: PESO.

119. Ooze: SEEP.

122. Workplaces for some RNs: ERS. Some Nurses work the Emergency Room.

124. Texter's "Victory!": FTW. For The Win! we get The Grid.

The Grid

WO: last -> REAR (35a)
ESPs: LUIS, ASTOR, SKYE, SAREE, STROAD
Fav: I really enjoyed the alliteration in IGLOO's clue.

I hope y'all found a LINK or two in the expo for a nifty diversion this Sunday morning.

Cheers, -T

Sunday July 19, 2026 Rebecca Goldstein

 

Theme: "WHIRLWIND TOUR" - Popular bands appear backwards in the theme entries.

22. Sign on rural roads: DEER CROSSING. Creed.

28. Stays with a series of friends: COUCH SURFS. Rush.

47. "I've seen worse": IT'S NOT SO BAD. Boston.

50. Savory potato patties in Indian cuisine: ALOO TIKKI. Tool.

61. Find common ground: SEEK A COMPROMISE. Cake.

79. "How rude!": EXCUSE YOU. Yes. 

81. Project that kindergartners need to use their noodles for: MACARONI ART. Train. 

Reveal: 

98. With 107-Across, reunite a musical group, or a hint to this puzzle's circled letters: GET THE BAND.

107. See 98-Across: BACK TOGETHER.

Perfect reveal, which also works as a perfect title. I think they're all rock bands, right? 

We also have a bonus fill: 67. Product of Chicago?: ROCK ANTHEM.

Across:

1. Two-headed muscle, informally: BICEP.

6. Witchy words: SPELL.

11. Kinney who writes the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books: JEFF. He also illustrated the books.

15. Singular pronoun: SHE.

18. Earthy colour: OCHRE. We use ocher. 

19. Sugar substitute?: DEARIE.

20. R&B's India.__: ARIE.

21. Dory mover: OAR.

24. University of Montana's home: MISSOULA. Looks like a beautiful place to visit.

26. Key hit in panic: ESC.

27. Was more consuming?: OUT-ATE.

30. Six-time NBA MVP Abdul-Jabbar: KAREEM.

32. Juice option: PULP.

33. College Park athlete, for short: TERP.

34. Instruments in string quartets: CELLI. Cellos are more common outside the orchestra world.

36. Many a beach scavenger: SEABIRD.

39. In the left lane, say: PASSING.

42. Vegetables that may be chopped while wearing goggles: ONIONS. I've never needed the goggles.

44. Actress Jessica: BIEL.

45. Curved line: ARC.

46. Bronco or Mustang: CAR.

53. Lavish celebration: FETE.

54. Flatbreads served with saag paneer: ROTIS. Saag paneer traditionally uses mustard greens, while palak paneer uses spinach.

55. Spun records: DJED.

56. Sat around: IDLED.

57. Almost-grads: SRS.

58. Drive or park: GEAR.

59. Semana seventh: DIA.

60. Race: SPEED.

66. Put pen to paper, say: PRINT.

68. Contains: HAS.

69. Thread-bearing?: ROPY. Oh, having threadlike fibers.

70. "Breaking Bad" org.: DEA.

73. Living space?: BIOME. Ecological space. We also have 95. Safe spaces?: BANKS.

74. Hilarious human: RIOT.

76. Crunchy salad bits: BACOS.

78. Shade source: TREE.

83. Startled syllable: EEK.

84. Kyoto currency: YEN.

85. Dance that tells a story: HULA.

86. Bean: NOGGIN.

87. Bursts of light: FLASHES.

90. Sleepover duds: JAMMIES.

93. Site of a Herculean task: NEMEA. The Nemean Lion.

94. Digital extension?: NAIL. Also loved these clues: 3. Task managers?: CHECKLISTS. 31. Peerless?: ALONE.34. Bobs and weaves?: COIFS. 43. Drive way?: STREET.  

95. Makes illegal: BANS.

96. Mexican bucks: DINERO.

101. "Foundation" trilogy novelist Isaac: ASIMOV.

103. LAX gatekeepers: TSA.

106. Blissful: IN HEAVEN.

110. Compete: VIE.

111. Water-resistant wood: TEAK.

112. Rights activist Hernandez: AILEEN. Learning moment for me. She served as the president of NOW from 1970 to 1971. 

113. Fun aunt's movie date, maybe: NIECE.

114. The Oilers, on sports crawls: EDM. Edmonton.

115. Some 35mm cameras: SLRS.

116. Fastened, in a way: GLUED.

117. Small pastries: TARTS.

Down:

1. Portend: BODE.

2. Keeps cold: ICES.

4. "I'd rather __ on the side of caution": ERR.

5. Cheese with a Romano variety: PECORINO.

6. Bagel variety: SESAME.

7. History: PAST.

8. Canal in upstate New York: ERIE.

9. "Encanto" songwriter __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.

10. Hamstring exercise: LEG CURL.

11. Obstruct: JAM UP.

12. Celebrity chef Adjepong: ERIC. New name to me. He's of Ghanaian heritage.

13. Tilapia-and-tortilla dish: FISH TACO.

14. Admits, with "up": FESSES.

15. Deli spear: SOUR PICKLE. Claussen is the way to go.

16. Soccer period: HALF.

17. History chapters: ERAS.

19. Loves (on): DOTES.

23. Regret: RUE.

25. Plural pronoun: OURS.

29. Not new: OLD.
 
32. Splotchy: PIED.

35. Head in: ENTER.

37. Jacobson of "Long Story Short": ABBI.

38. Cut on the __: BIAS.

39. Poke: PROD.

40. Undressed: NAKED.

41. Crossword diagram: GRID. This is a 21x21 grid.

45. Pint glass serving: ALE.

48. Linger in the tub: SOAK.

49. Other, in Spanish: OTRA.

50. Not entirely open: AJAR. And  51. Not entirely sober: TIPSY.

52. Nice concept?: IDEE. Nice the French city.

55. Party bowlful: DIP.

58. Chromosome units: GENES.

59. Private convos: DMS.

60. Nurses: SIPS ON.

61. Actor Liu: SIMU.
 
62. French cabbage: CHOU. Napa cabbage is called "chou chinois". Chinese cabbage.

63. Cereal grain: OAT.

64. Swimmer with a saddle patch: ORCA.

65. "Wuthering Heights" setting: MOOR.

66. Google phone: PIXEL.

70. Parental figure for a queen: DRAG MOTHER, who mentors a DRAG DAUGHTER.  

71. Unsettling: EERIE.

72. Cigna competitor: AETNA.

73. Feud: BEEF.

74. Some seeded loaves: RYES.

75. Particle in a stellar wind: ION.

76. Salve: BALM.

77. Puree in a breakfast bowl: ACAI.

78. Striped big cat: TIGER.

80. Where one may set their sights: EYE LEVEL.

81. "__ the word!": MUM'S.

82. Insignificant occurrence: NON-EVENT.

85. Fanny pack alternative: HANDBAG.

88. Fill up: SATE.

89. Drummer's cymbals: HI-HATS.

90. Stan and __ Berenstain of kid-lit: JAN. Stan and Jan created the Berenstain Bears.

91. Provided clarity, in a way: EDITED.

92. Alvin and Theodore's brother: SIMON. Alvin and the Chipmunks.

97. Eggy drink: NOG.

98. Donate: GIVE.

99. Oklahoma city: ENID.

100. Winter hibernator: BEAR.

101. Anti-censorship org.: ACLU.

102. __-Ball: arcade game: SKEE.

104. Breakaway group: SECT.

105. Trojan War god: ARES.

108. Need a sick day, say: AIL.

109. Argentine aunt: TIA.

C.C.

Sunday July 12, 2026 Will Nediger & Beth Rubin

Theme: "OPPOSITE DAY" -  Each theme entry contains a pair of opposite words

26. Took unnecessary risks, in a British idiom: SAILED CLOSE TO THE WIND.

 
43. Backup for a proofreader, perhaps: ANOTHER PAIR OF EYES.

 

58. Grow increasingly recalcitrant: BECOME UNGOVERNABLE.

70. Suffer public humiliation: FALL FLAT ON ONE'S FACE.

85. 2010 animated film featuring Princess Fiona: SHREK FOREVER AFTER. And 115. 85-Across figure: OGRE.

Reveal:

100. Oxymoron, or what can be found five times in this puzzle: CONTRADICTION IN TERMS.

What a great follow-up to Paul Coulter's "Magnetism" puzzle. Paul's theme hid pairs of opposite words right next to each other (ON/OFF, HE/SHE, IN/OUT, etc.). Here, Will and Beth use the same basic concept but separate each pair, making the hunt a bit more challenging. 

This is Will and Beth's second collaboration for the LAT. Both are outstanding constructors. 

Across:

1. Option B precursor: PLAN A.

6. Creature in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland": DODO.

10. Winter resort rentals: SKIS.

14. Supermodel Kate: MOSS.

18. Old Renault: LE CAR.

19. Apple tablet: IPAD.

20. Penny: CENT.

21. Each: A POP.

22. Not suitable: UNAPT.

23. Mandala medium, often: SAND. Many Tibetan Buddhist mandalas are painstakingly created from colored sand before being ceremonially dismantled.

24. "__ you asked ... ": SINCE.

25. Count (on): RELY.

30. WNW opposite: ESE.

31. Love, in Italian: AMORE.

32. Asian language: LAO.

33. Handel oratorio: MESSIAH.

37. Former: PRIOR.

38. All excited: ATINGLE.

42. Ginger __: ALE.

46. Lightweight fabric: LINEN. And 120. Woolen cloth: TWEED. Much prefer Japanese crepe fabric. Non-wrinkly. 

48. Romance: WOO.

49. "C'est la __!": VIE.

50. Trolley car: TRAM.

51. Celebrity couple: ITEM.

52. Pres. on a dime: FDR.

53. Imrie of "The Thursday Murder Club": CELIA. English actress.

57. Square things: ATONE. Nice clue.

63. 2028 Olympics host: Abbr.: USA. 74. 2024 Olympics host: PARIS.

64. "The Fresh Prince of __-Air": BEL.

65. __ acid: AMINO.

66. Apology starter: MEA. As in "Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa".

67. Male swan: COB.

77. Newark's county: ESSEX.

78. Permit: LET.

79. Burden: ONUS.

80. Lasting mark: SCAR.

81. Org. nicknamed "No Such Agency": NSA.

83. Owns: HAS.

84. Nimble: AGILE.

92. Singer __ King Cole: NAT.

93. Game for little batters: TEE BALL.

94. Hazardous gas: RADON.

95. Goes on and on: YAMMERS.

97. Finish: END.

98. OB test: AMNIO.

99. Reuben sandwich bread: RYE. I've become a fan of the New York rye bread sold at our local Hy-Vee.

109. __ of paradise: BIRD.

110. Flared skirt style: A LINE.

111. Voting group: BLOC.

112. Inbox message: EMAIL.

113. Demolish: RAZE.

114. Ice sheet: FLOE.

116. Mother-of-pearl: NACRE.

117. Rude one: BOOR.

118. Throw out: TOSS.

119. "Easier __ than done": SAID.

Down:

1. "And also ... ": PLUS.

2. Singer and civil rights activist Horne: LENA.

3. Palm berry: ACAI.

4. City where pizza was invented: NAPLES.

5. __ well: ARTESIAN. Water reaches the surface naturally because of underground pressure.

6. Frisbee, e.g.: DISC.

7. Birthstone between sapphire and topaz: OPAL.

8. Paul who played twins in "There Will Be Blood": DANO.

9. "Most likely ... ": ODDS ARE.

10. Annabella of "Tulsa King": SCIORRA.

11. __ cloth: Ghanaian textile: KENTE. Kente comes from the Akan word kenten, meaning "basket," referring to its woven pattern.

12. Move slowly: INCH.

13. Digital protection device?: STEEL TOE. Clever clue.

14. Figure that comes with strings attached: MARIONETTE.

15. Accepting customers: OPEN.

16. "Deal!": SOLD.

17. Intel gatherer: SPY.

24. Small porch: STOOP.

27. Campus leader: DEAN.

28. Mideast leader: EMIR.

29. Urchin: WAIF.

33. Beach city near Pepperdine: MALIBU.

34. Powerful groups: ELITES.

35. __ Falls Convention: SENECA. The first women's rights convention was held in Seneca Falls in 1848. Learning moment for me.

36. "What a bore": HOW DULL.

37. Soup often garnished with bean sprouts: PHO.

38. Nev. neighbor: ARI.

39. Wrap with tzatziki: GYRO.

40. Tilt: LEAN.

41. "Hanna" star Creed-Miles: ESME.

44. Having trouble deciding: TORN.

45. Physiologist Pavlov: IVAN.

47. Given to moping, maybe: EMO.

52. Sense: FEEL.

53. Unresponsive states: COMAS.

54. Party-planning site: E-VITE.

55. Massachusetts home of the Tanglewood Music Festival: LENOX.

56. Wrinkle remover: IRON.

57. Quaint word of despair: ALAS.

59. Many execs: MBAS.

60. Lasses: GALS.

61. Pardon: AMNESTY.

62. Vivid vegetable: BEET.

67. Pointy tooth: CANINE.

68. Eye-related: OCULAR.

69. Attacks from all sides: BESETS.

70. Figure who manipulates flames in a Nickelodeon fantasy series: FIREBENDER. Refers to "Avatar: The Last Airbender." In that universe, firebenders manipulate fire, one of the four classical elements.

71. Phobia: FEAR.

72. Villainous Count of kid-lit: OLAF.

73. Confused state: FOG.

74. Note-passer's utterance: PSST.

75. Head or heart follower: ACHE. I've been dealing with an awful RA flare-up and can't wait for my infusion next Wednesday.

76. Valuable to collectors: RARE.

81. Annual Player Selection Meeting, informally: NFL DRAFT.

82. Step on the scale?: SOL. Musical scale. Do–Re–Mi–Fa–Sol–La–Ti–Do.

83. Largest Chinese ethnic group: HAN. I'm one. 

84. Military encampment unit: ARMY TENT.

86. Philosopher Immanuel: KANT.

87. Winter stoats: ERMINES.

88. "Lovecraft Country" actor Courtney B. __: VANCE. Married to Angela Bassett.

89. Revise: EDIT.

90. Reddish-brown tea: ROOIBOS. Naturally caffeine-free.

91. Work hard for: EARN.

96. Grandma, to some: MEEMAW.

98. "Farewell, amigos!": ADIOS. And  100. "Farewell, amici!": CIAO.

101. Ricelike pasta: ORZO.

102. French greeting: ALLO.

103. Tokarczuk who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature: OLGA.

104. Onigiri wrapper: NORI.

105. Like cupcakes but not muffins, usually: ICED.

106. Compete against the clock: RACE.

107. Slimy mud: MIRE.

108. Toboggan, e.g.: SLED.

109. Texter's "Just a moment": BRB. Be Right Back.

C.C.