Sunday Feburary 22, 2026 Doug Peterson

Theme: "SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED" -  Familiar phrases are re-imagined as literal office supply items in the specific setting described in each clue.

23. Writing tablet at a cleaning service?: SCOURING PAD.

29. Copier sheets at a French restaurant?: CREPE PAPER.

45. Writing implements at a biotech lab?: GENETIC MARKERS.

66. File holder at a music store?: ACCORDION FOLDER.

93. Metal fasteners at a culinary school?: KITCHEN STAPLES.

107. Adhesive roll at a watch factory?: TICKER TAPE.

117. Measuring device at a toy store?: PUPPET RULER.

Six entries follow a consistent pattern in which the final word is a common office supply item (PAD, PAPER, MARKERS, STAPLES, TAPE, RULER). ACCORDION FOLDER differs slightly in structure: instead of ending with the supply, the entire phrase is itself the office item. Does it also have a non-office meaning I'm not aware of?

   
Across:

1. Commotion: FUSS. And 25. Commotions: ADOS.

5. Hat for Carmen Sandiego: FEDORA.

11. "A Boy Named Sue" singer: CASH (Johnny)

15. Peppa and Petunia: PIGS.

19. Break __ song: INTO.

20. Resume business: RE-OPEN.

21. City northeast of Mauna Loa: HILO. 26. Coffee district west of 21-Across: KONA.

22. "I think I goofed": UH OH.

27. Castle tower: TURRET.

28. Highest part: TOP.

31. Foul territory?: STY. OK, disgusting "foul". 

32. Unspecified amount: SOME.

34. Self-satisfied: SMUG.

36. Spots for daith piercings: EARS. I didn't know the meaning of "daith": an ear piercing in the inner cartilage just above the earhole.

37. Antique photos: SEPIAS.

39. Research specialties: AREAS.

41. Catherine of "The Studio": O'HARA. A wonderful actress who passed away last month. 

49. Fight show for more than 30 years: WWE RAW.

50. Keep an eye on: OVERSEE.

51. New Mexico art hub: TAOS.

52. However, briefly: THO.

54. Succotash bean: LIMA. I grew some on our deck years ago. I had a small harvest.

55. Fishhook projection: BARB.

56. Buster: BUB.

57. Does in a forest: DEER.

58. Dragon's retreat: LAIR.

59. __ pale ale: INDIA.

61. "Grand Hotel" star Greta: GARBO.

63. Eurasian range: URALS.

65. Counterculture drug: LSD.

70. Bit of hair gel: DAB.

73. American Red Cross founder Barton: CLARA.

74. Old record players: HIFIS.

75. Blubbers: WEEPS.

79. "The Young and the Restless" actor Braeden: ERIC.

81. Beauty brand: OLAY.

82. "Don't lose any sleep over it," in a text: NBD. No Big Deal.

83. Colombian metropolis: CALI.

84. Overdo the praise: GUSH.

85. Sch. that retired Caleb Williams' No. 13: USC. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2022.

86. Fill completely: SATE.

88. Advil alternative: ASPIRIN.

91. "All __!": ABOARD.

96. Decaf brand: SANKA.

97. Part of an EGOT: OSCAR. 44. 97-Across, e.g.: AWARD.

98. Call it a day: RETIRE.

99. "Thunderstruck" band: AC/DC.

101. Nights of anticipation: EVES.

103. Have a chat: TALK.

104. "Groovy!": FAB.

111. French affirmation: OUI.

113. Gloomy Milne character: EEYORE.

115. Home of the NHL's Mammoth: UTAH. The Utah Mammoth and the Utah Jazz have the same owner.

116. Jedi who becomes a Force ghost in "Return of the Jedi": YODA.

119. Software test version: BETA.

120. __ fail: EPIC.

121. Chaperone: ESCORT.

122. "Mulan" voice actress __-Na Wen: MING. Mulan means "magnolia". 

123. "Praise be!": AMEN.

124. Place for curlers: RINK.

125. Texas congressman Joaquin: CASTRO.

126. Circus routines: ACTS.

Down:

1. Clenched hands: FISTS.

2. Not censored at all: UNCUT.

3. "Likely __!": STORY.

4. Whiskey cocktail: SOUR.

5. Chili-and-chips dish: FRITO PIE. 

6. Nightfall, poetically: EEN.

7. Iditarod crew: DOG TEAM.

8. Dirt on a campaign rival, briefly: OPPO. Opposition research.

9. Brings in: REAPS.

10. "... __ a bottle of rum": AND.

11. Juice box?: CHARGER. Power "juice".

12. Assistant: AIDE.

13. Spots for sledding: SLOPES.

14. Book before Joel: HOSEA.

15. Beadlike piece on a Hawaiian necklace: PUKA SHELL. Puka is "hole" in Hawaiian. 

16. Denny's rival: IHOP.

17. Vanished: GONE.

18. __-pei: wrinkly dog from China: SHAR.

24. Moves back to zero: RESETS.

29. Preserves in salt: CURES.

30. Clipper's front: PROW. Opposite STERN. 

33. Attic pests: MICE.

35. Powerful shark: MAKO.

37. Novak Djokovic's nation: SERBIA.

38. Middle of some long weekends: SATURDAY.

40. Orbiter smaller than a planet: ASTEROID. Also 49. Planet: WORLD.

42. Common typeface: ARIAL.

43. Director Harold: RAMIS. He directed "Caddyshack".

45. Mongolian desert: GOBI. Across northern China also. Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region in China. 

46. "Dear __ Hansen": EVAN.

47. Socially awkward type: NERD.

48. Talmudic scholar: RABBI.

53. Gets all better: HEALS.

56. Quarters on a base: BARRACKS.

57. Brew served at Moe's Tavern: DUFF BEER.

60. Clemson's athletic gp.: ACC.

61. Hockey scores: GOALS.

62. "That's really impressive!": OOH.

64. Work on "Project Runway," say: SEW.

67. Bringer of rain: CLOUD.

68. Third of a third: NINTH.

69. Chef's road map: RECIPE.

70. "Dancer Adjusting Her Slipper" artist: DEGAS. 77. Ballet bend: PLIE.

71. Oranjestad's country: ARUBA.

72. Animal on old nickels: BISON. This eBay seller wants $65K for this coin. 

76. Rapper __ Sweatshirt: EARL.

78. Transgressions: SINS.

80. Singer with the 1984 hit "I Feel for You": CHAKA KHAN.

86. Barrel component: STAVE.

87. Unit of forestland: ACRE.

88. "The Thin Man" dog: ASTA.

89. Spiky heel: STILETTO.

90. "Spider-Man" surname: PARKER.

92. Talladega event: RACE. Talladega Superspeedway. 

94. Sprain soother: ICE PACK.

95. Nasal cavity cleansing vessel: NETI POT.

97. Tentacled mollusks: OCTOPI. With garlic sprouts.

100. Salon appliance: DRYER.

102. "The March King": SOUSA.

104. __ acid: FOLIC. I take this every day to reduce the side effects of methotrexate. 

105. Isn't for you?: AREN'T.

106. Icy obstacles: BERGS.

107. Polka band horn: TUBA.

108. Individual thing: ITEM.

109. Actress Blanchett: CATE.

110. Score after deuce, at times: AD IN.

112. Market IDs: UPCS.

114. Sonoran Desert city: YUMA.

117. Torso muscle, for short: PEC.

118. Go wrong: ERR.

C.C.

Sunday February 8, 2026 ~ Gary Larson & Amy Ensz

Theme: "Doing Business"

Cutthroat compounds are verb-noun compounds where the verb acts on the noun (i.e. cut-throat). While the themers are not compound words, they are in-the-language nouns turned into 'verb-ing on a noun' for each whimsically-clued career.

Let us play...

23. Job for an elephant caretaker?: BATHING TRUNKS.

He doesn't have a trunk.
He has a glove compartment.

33. Job for a department store model?: SPORTING GOODS. To sport clothes is to wear the goods.

51. Job for a tailor?: EVENING DRESSES. Read this as EVEN-ing a dress and then "tailor" makes sense.

65. Job for a nanny?: HANDLING CHARGES. A nanny's charges are the little imps she must handle with grace.

Mary Poppins, Burt, and her charges, Jane and Michael Banks.

85. Job for a cheesemonger?: PITCHING WEDGES.

Monty Python's Cheese Shop Sketch taught me all the cheeses.

100. Job for an interior designer?: CHANGING ROOMS. My fav of the themers.

117. Job for a corporate VIP?: RUNNING BOARDS.

Across:

1. Screenwriter's output: SCRIPT.

7. Confined: SHUT IN.

13. Emma of "Madame Web": ROBERTS.

20. "Gotcha": OH I SEE.

21. Excalibur, notably: CASINO. Sword was a letter short and perps didn't agree. My first gamble was roulette at Excalibur. I won on my first bet (on 19) and played with the house's money the rest of the night. I've never been that lucky since.

Excalibur Casino - Las Vegas, NV

22. Resolve: IRON OUT.

23. [See: Theme]

25. Hot pepper: CAYENNE.

Baldo is always a fun read

26. "Double-quick!": STAT.

27. Eggs __ easy: OVER. How I build my eggs every weekend.

28. Sugar source: CANE.

29. Mountain __: DEW.

30. Dangerous biters: ASPS. Egyptian snakes.

33. [See: Theme]

38. Show contempt for: SNORT AT.

41. Carrot, e.g.: ROOT.

42. Ring bearer, perhaps?: EAR. Who else thought "wedding" 1st?

43. Alter, in a way: HEM.

44. Coastline feature: RIA.

45. "__ Fideles": ADESTE. Better known as the carol "O Come, All Ye Faithful." [Wikipedia]

47. Kibble maker: ALPO.

51. [See: Theme]

54. Onetime Nissan make: DATSUN. In college, DW & I had a used ('84?) Datsun Z for a few years. I can't recall if it was a 240 or a 280Z but many of the parts were stamped "Nissan."

56. Galoot: BIG APE.

57. Cartesian conclusion: I AM. Rene Descartes: "cogito, ergo sum" ("I think therefore I am"). I learned that from Monty Python, too ;-)

The Philosopher's Song - Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl

58. Needle holder: TONE ARM. On your [98a] SPINNER.

59. "C'est la vie": ALAS. "C'est la vie" is classier than "sh** happens."

60. Saint __ fire: ELMOS. St. Elmo's Fire is a weather phenomenon caused by a pointy object in an electrically charged atmosphere [WikiP] and a Brat Pack movie from the mid-'80's.

62. Brook fish: TROUT.

64. Casual attire: TEE.

65. [See: Theme]

70. Cry of realization: AHA.

73. Roos in pouches: JOEYS.

I'm fairly sure I was much
younger when I figured that out.

74. 1990s cardio workout system: TAE BO.

75. Third-longest river in Europe: URAL.

79. Summers on "Gilligan's Island": MARY ANN. Dawn Wells (Reno, NV) played the character from KS who won the Three Hour Tour via a lottery.

Dawn Wells as Mary Ann Summers

81. Las Vegas drama: CSI. Crime Scene Investigation. I don't think I've ever seen an episode.

82. Brand for competitive divers: SPEEDO.

Image, fortunately, not available.

84. Entice: ALLURE.

85. [See: Theme]

90. Ran off with: TOOK.

91. Bounces back: ECHOES.

92. Bounce house filler: AIR.

93. Ginger __: ALE. A soda flavor.

94. Uni ref. work: OED. Oxford English Dictionary.

97. Microbe: GERM.

98. Record player: SPINNER. While I've heard "spin some records," I've never heard a turntable called a spinner.

100. [See: Theme]

106. Whirlybird: HELO. I'm guessing Gary & Amy are looking for helicopter and not the opening command in RFC 821 - SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) § 3.5.

107. Feel poorly: AIL.

108. __ Goose vodka: GREY.

109. Cedar Point state: OHIO. The Internet tells me that Cedar Point is a Six Flags property on the shores of Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio.

111. Wall alternative: MOAT. Why not both?

Let's see if this meme clip works.

115. More clear, as a photo: SHARPER.

117. [See: Theme]

122. Small: COMPACT.

123. Back, on a boat: ASTERN.

124. Completely committed: IN DEEP.

125. Rubs with oil: ANOINTS.

126. Affixes in a scrapbook: PASTES.

127. Subatomic particles: BOSONS.

WikiP explains.

Down:

1. Breaks down in tears: SOBS.

2. Online help option: CHAT.

3. Pop singer Ora: RITA.

4. Heavily panned 1987 Beatty/Hoffman comedy: ISHTAR. I heard it was bad so didn't bother.

5. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame architect: PEI. If you look closely, it's a TONE ARM on a stack of SPINNERS.

More info here

6. Mark of perfection, at times: TEN. But these go to 11...

Obligatory clip

7. Sketch show that once starred John Candy, for short: SCTV. Second City [Toronto] TeleVision. So much talent -- John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara (who passed last week), Harold Ramis, Dave Thomas, Martin Short, Rick Moranis, et.al. -- came out of SCTV. Lorne Michaels could pick 'em even b/f SNL.

Having been a smoker, the bit about "golden arm" stuck with me.

8. Animals that can run up to 50 mph: HARES. Cheetahs didn't fit and they run 60+ mph.

9. Appropriate, as power: USURP.

10. Pewter metal: TIN.

11. Tats: INK.

12. Discouraging words: NOS. If you think it's a NO, don't ask 'til it's time for forgiveness (learnt that in the Army, I did :-))

13. Puerto __: RICAN.

14. Anaheim's county: ORANGE. Anaheim, CA is in Orange County. I don't know why I know this 'cuz I've never been there.

15. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" actor John: BOYEGA.

16. Compass reading: ENE.

17. Repetitive musical composition: RONDO. Think Row, Row, Row Your Boat repeated over and over but started on three separate downbeats.

18. Properly pitched: TUNED.

19. Hearty dishes: STEWS.

24. Show up solo: GO STAG.

28. Mentions in a footnote: CITES.

31. Ribbon of fabric: STRIP.

32. "Common Sense" pamphleteer: PAINE. Thomas, the OG pamphleteer rabble rouser.

34. Assayers' stuff: ORES.

35. "The Joy of Painting" host Bob: ROSS. Pop & I would watch on PBS every Saturday.

36. Carry: TOTE.

37. Take the floor: ORATE.

38. Kingdom in what is now Yemen: SHEBA.

39. "On the Beach" author Shute: NEVIL.

40. Alpha's opposite: OMEGA. Greek to me.

45. Friend of d'Artagnan: ARAMIS. I'm thinking a Three Musketeers reference - Google says I'm right :-)

46. Evil fiend: DEMON.

48. Exam with an Argumentative Writing section: LSAT. Youngest passed hers and now has a semester of GWU Law under her belt.

49. 100%: PURE. My shower barsoap, Ivory, is touted as 99.44% pure.

50. "Put your wallet away": ON ME. Their treat.

52. Poet Ogden: NASH.

53. Humdinger: DILLY. Does anyone say this now? I'll tell Eldest; She'll bring it back to fashion.

54. Pederson who coached the Eagles to their first Super Bowl win: DOUG.

55. Penny-__: ANTE. FIL used to say this for anything unimportant.

58. Tuna tartare cut: TORO. Sushi!

60. Locale in a Steinbeck title: EDEN. Just a little East of, if I recall correctly.

61. Certain NCO: SGT.

62. Core argument: THESIS.

63. 1990s Israeli prime minister: RABIN.

66. Open a bit: AJAR. When is a door not a door? When it's a jar. Pop got me a Dad Joke of the Day calendar and now you must all suffer.

67. __ the wiser: NONE. Y'all really don't want the Dad Joke desk calendar.

68. Secret store: CACHE.

69. Sought damages: SUED.

70. Part of a Latin 101 conjugation: AMAT.

71. __ Top Creamery: HALO.

72. "The Good Dinosaur" dinosaur: ARLO. Google tells me Arlo is the protagonist in Disney's 2015 movie. An Alice's Restaurant or Motorcycle Song reference is more in my wheelhouse for ARLO.

76. Lear daughter: REGAN.

77. "Easy on Me" singer: ADELE.

78. Last one to cross the finish line: LOSER. How about the softer euphemism "didn't place"?

80. Klondike Gold Rush site: YUKON.

What would you do?

82. Run off with: SWIPE. Took [90a clecho], steal, rob, sometimes clued as 'take badly.'

83. Risk: PERIL.

85. "Mad Men" role for Elisabeth Moss: PEGGY.

86. "Happy Birthday" writer: ICER.

87. "Comin' __ the Rye": THRO. Robert Burns' 1784 poem.

88. Singer Perry: COMO.

89. Fuel guzzler: GAS HOG.

95. Omelet maker: EGG PAN.

96. Work behind the camera: DIRECT.

99. Wanderers: NOMADS.

Dion

100. Brutus co-conspirator: CASCA. He, too?

101. Casual lead-in to "I'm home": HI HON.

102. Memorable Texas mission: ALAMO. The first time I went to the Alamo was post-Basic AIT (Advanced Individual Training) at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio in '88. The River Walk has grown a lot since then, but the core (and the Alamo) remains the same.

Remember the um, um, um...

103. "Botheration": NERTS.

104. "Haystacks" painter: MONET.

Haystacks

105. English county: SHIRE. The OED [94a] (subscription required, so this instead) will tell you that Sheriff comes from "Shire's Reeve" where reeve is an official steward.

110. Quaint hotels: INNS.

112. Black-and-white treat: OREO.

113. Arabian port: ADEN.

114. Cough syrup amts.: TSPS.

116. Upstate NY school: RPI. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy (Hi, IM!) New York.

117. 50 Cent piece?: RAP. 50 Cent, aka Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), is a Rapper.

118. Letters on Megan Rapinoe's jersey: USA. Megan in a soccer player.

119. Some Windows systems: NTS. Windows NT / XP / Vista / 10 / 11 all have the same kernel base first developed for IBM's OS/2. I first worked with NT 3.1 & 3.5 on a DEC Alpha in the early '90's.

120. Chest protector: BIB.

121. "Painting To Be Stepped On" artist Yoko: ONO. Is there any other Yoko? Oh, there is (but not in crossword-world).

Painting To Be Stepped On [MOMA]

The Grid:

The Grid

WOs: DoTSUN - > DATSUN, rIB -> BIB
ESPs: ROBERTS, BOYEGA, ADESTE, RITA, ARAMIS, NEVIL, REGAN, PEGGY, ICEO, CASCA, ARLO (as clued) & probably other names.
Fav: SCTV brings back many fond memories.

Y'all have a great Sunday.
Cheers, -T

Sunday Feburary 1, 2026 Katie Hale

 Theme: "EXTRA PADDING" - P is added to each common phrase. 

23. Jaunty coast-to-coast race?: CROSS-COUNTRY SKIP. Cross-country ski. 

39. Arizona running back's evasive maneuver?: CARDINAL SPIN. Cardinal sin.

58. Incomprehensible peace treaty?: A HARD PACT TO FOLLOW. A hard act to follow. 

80. "Sesame Street: Sing the Alphabet," perhaps?: BEST-SPELLING ALBUM. Best-selling album.

99. Painters who specialize in portraits of imps?: SCAMP ARTISTS. Scam artist.

120. "Better not throw a changeup"?: SCRATCH THAT PITCH. Scratch that itch.

You need to read the title as P-ADDING. Very clever. When I first glanced at the title, I thought the letters EXTRA were orderly added to each common phrase. 

A nice variety where P is added to the start, the end and the middle. You can't get free letter fill-ins.

Katie, Patti's assistant, is also a terrific constructor. She's been generous with her time and guidance to all constructors. 

Across:

1. Noise that repeats nine minutes after snoozing: ALARM. The default snooze interval is 9 minutes.

6. Home of the NWSL's Royals: UTAH. The National Women's Soccer League.

10. La __: Italian opera venue: SCALA.

15. Good spot to check for loose change: SOFA.

19. Red __: playground game: ROVER.

20. Bond villain with an underwater lair: DR NO.

21. Islamic dietary standard: HALAL. Opposite of haram.

22. Video game franchise set on ring-shaped worlds: HALO.

26. Shiraz's land: IRAN.

27. Attached with thread: SEWED ON.

28. Cassowary relative: EMU.

29. Tried something new: HAD A TASTE. Have you had hōjicha tea before?

31. Tic-__-toe: TAC.

32. Scrapping: AXING.

34. Legitimate: LICIT.

35. Relax completely: BLISS OUT.

44. "Good to go!": A-OK.

45. American short story writer Bret: HARTE.

47. Padre's hermana: TIA. Father's sister.

48. Shot administrator: NURSE.

49. Hosted, for short: MCED.

51. Skewed view: BIAS.

53. "Licorice Pizza" setting: ENCINO. LA area. 

57. "Close this program" key: ESC.

62. __ it up: YUK.

63. Beijing money: YUAN. Here's one Yuan. My dad's salary was 49 Yuan ($8) per month for a long while. I learned to take care of my clothes at an earlier age, as we didn't get new clothes until the Chinese New Year.

64. "Oh boy": MAN.

65. Midflight info: ALT.

66. "What difference __ it make?": DOES.

67. Tidy up: CLEAN.

69. Turned off?: WENT BAD. And  72. Gets even?: IRONS. Fun clues.

74. "__ she blows!": THAR.

75. Arriving soon: DUE.

77. Vegan milk choice: OAT. Grew up drinking soy milk. 

78. Years, in Italian: ANNI.

79. Bowl edge: RIM.

87. "Midsommar" director Aster: ARI.

88. Photoshop tool: ERASER.

89. Absence: LACK.

90. Time long past: YORE.

91. Latest fad: MANIA.

93. Year divs.: MOS.

95. Maldon and Himalayan pink: SALTS. Never tried Himalayan pink salt.

98. In the past: AGO.

104. Beef stroganoff, e.g.: MEAT STEW.

106. Romantasy novelist __ J. Maas: SARAH. She wrote the "Throne of Glass" series.

107. "__ been warned": YOU'VE.

109. Co. founder's second title, often: CEO. Not co-founder. Company founder.

110. Literary 1-Down: PLOT LINES. 1. Characters' journeys: ARCS.

114. Cocktail shaker noisemaker: ICE.

115. Tubes: TEEVEES.

119. Actor Liu: SIMU.

123. Blueprint detail: SPEC. This P is the only non-theme P in the grid. 

124. Rock opera by The Who: TOMMY.

125. Chemist's building block: ATOM.

126. __ de tigre: ceviche marinade: LECHE. Tiger's milk.  Google result: "Leche de Tigre is usually made using lime juice, sliced onion, chillies, salt, pepper and of course the wonderful juices of the fish it helps to marinate. It's sometimes served with the ceviche and sometimes in a separate glass." No milk is involved.

127. Totally flop: TANK.

128. Got going: AROSE.

129. Looks at: SEES.

130. Shared values: ETHOS.

Down:

2. Ancient tales: LORE.

3. Swear: AVOW.

4. Unplugs and plugs back in, say: RESETS.

5. Low-sodium seasoning brand: MRS DASH. I have this bottle.

6. Japanese noodle: UDON.

7. "Ur correct": TRU. Too lazy to add an E.

8. Additional wing: ANNEX.

9. Source of some political gaffes: HOT MIC.

10. A little short: SHY. And 11. Till filler: CASH.

12. Basic compound: ALKALI.

13. Stored up: LAID IN.

14. Fleecy camelid: ALPACA.

15. Acupressure massage: SHIATSU. Literally finger pressure. 

16. Couple of rowers: OARS.

17. London apartment: FLAT.

18. Primo: A ONE.

24. Brown shade: COCOA.

25. Cost: RUN AT.

30. Up to the moment: TIL NOW.

32. Story accessed by ladder, maybe: ATTIC.

33. Sorrow: GRIEF.

35. Iron Bowl team, familiarly: BAMA. Iron Bowl is the rivalry between Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers.

36. Highlands water: LOCH.

37. Malm bed seller: IKEA.

38. __ Outfitters: URBAN.

40. "Pantheon" voice actor Paul: DANO.

41. Target, as for a con: PREY ON.

42. Magazine productions: ISSUES.

43. Bottle parts: NECKS.

46. Words on a Wonderland cake: EAT ME.

50. Wash day appliance: DRYER.

52. Superfan: STAN.

54. Covered (in): CLAD.

55. Sick: ILL.

56. Paying careful attention to: NOTING.

59. With 111-Down, "Illusion" singer: DUA. 111. See 59-Down: LIPA.

60. Insincerely aim to please: PANDER.

61. Using pointe shoes: ON TOE.

66. Fancy mat: DOILY.

67. French president before Sarkozy: CHIRAC. Jacques Chirac (1995-2007). Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–2012). 
 
68. Thin coating: LAMINA.

69. Preps, as a Slip 'N Slide: WETS.

70. Marble, for one: BALL.

71. Mercator projection book: ATLAS.

73. Vaccine molecule: RNA.

74. Amusement park rides: TRAMS.

76. Winners of the first FIFA Women's World Cup: USA. 1991. USA defeated Norway 2-1 in the final in Guangzhou. 

78. Maxi skirt terminus: ANKLE.

80. "Little help here": BE A PAL.

81. Not entirely: SEMI.

82. Like tedious text: PROSY.

83. Start of a classic boast: I CAME. I saw. I conquered.

84. Craft sometimes shaped like a swan: BOAT.

85. Strong impulse: URGE.

86. Mouser's call: MEOW.

92. "Little help here": I'M STUCK.

94. Showing no feelings: STOIC.

96. "Don't play," in music: TACET. Related to tacit.

97. Church topper: STEEPLE.

100. Record label launched by Clive Davis: ARISTA.

101. Deep hatred: RANCOR.

102. Dynamics prefix: THERMO.

103. "An example being ...?": SUCH AS.

105. Part of USSR: SOVIET.

108. Chevy sports car, for short: VETTE.

110. "Hey, can you keep a secret?": PSST.

112. Sign from above: OMEN.

113. __ Club: SAM'S.

115. Scots' bonnets: TAMS.

116. Make a nameplate, perhaps: ETCH.

117. Sound in an empty room: ECHO.

118. Patrick Swayze's "__ Like the Wind": SHE'S.

121. Sheridan of "Mud": TYE. He also starred "Ready Player One"

122. Garden tool: HOE.

C.C. 

Sunday January 25, 2026 Priyanka Sethy & Rajiv Sethy

 Theme: "DARN IT ALL" - Six different kinds of stitches bookend each theme entry. 

23. *Result of turning over a new leaf: BLANK SHEET. Blanket.

33. *Staple of mid-century campus style: BASEBALL JACKET. Basket.

51. *Composure metaphor in a P.G. Wodehouse title: STIFF UPPER LIP. Slip.

69. *Royal who's next in line: CROWN PRINCESS. Cross.

90. *Circle of care: SUPPORT SYSTEM. Stem.

105. *Silent film legend in a bowler hat: CHARLIE CHAPLIN. Chain.

Reveal:

120. Laughing hysterically, or what the answers to the starred clues literally are: IN STITCHES.

Priyanka Sethy and Rajiv Sethy are a daughter-father construction team who have published puzzles in several outlets. This is their Los Angeles Times debut. Congratulations to both!

I often see complaints about circles in crossword grids, and I've never quite understood them. You aren't  asked to draw the circles. You're simply being asked to notice them. Circles are an important tool for constructors. They allow for original theme ideas like today's, and, in some cases, help create visual elements that couldn't otherwise be shown. If you can spot the theme without the circles, great. But many solvers rely on them to see what's going on.

Across:

1. Aries animals: RAMS.

5. WWII sub: U BOAT. U stands for undersea.

10. Toiling away: AT IT.

14. Swanky events: GALAS.

19. "Planet of the __": APES.

20. River that crosses the equator twice: CONGO. I always love trivia clues.

21. Extinct Mauritian bird: DODO.

22. Japanese 65-Across: UNAGI. 65. Fish in East London pie shops: EELS. I could eat this every day.

25. Onion relative: LEEK. More food: 29. Kebab bread: PITA. 64. Soba alternative: UDON. And 68. Tuna variety: AHI.

26. Geography text: ATLAS.

27. Fen: BOG.

28. Pop star: IDOL.

30. Routing word: VIA.

31. "That is to say ... ": I MEAN.

40. Harness part: BRIDLE.

43. School staff org.: NEA. The National Education Association. Also 45. Government org. with a flower logo: EPA.

44. Entreaties: PLEAS.

46. Cattle chorus: MOOS.

47. Guise: GARB. I associate "Guise" with "false front". Not GARB.

49. "__ queen!": YAS.

50. Grand __: PRIX.

56. Future JD's major, maybe: POLI SCI. Political science. 78. Future MBA's major, maybe: ECON.

58. Wine-y prefix: OENO.

59. Go-getters: DOERS.

60. Fastidious sort: NEATNIK.

62. "Killers of the Flower Moon" director: SCORSESE.

74. Consume: EAT.

76. Speak unclearly: SLUR.

79. Rosary unit: HAIL MARY. I can recite this and the Lord's Prayer. 

81. Too much of a good thing: SURFEIT.

84. Fungus propagator: SPORE.

86. Quelques-___: some, in French: UNES.

87. Soap with a bird imprint: DOVE BAR.

93. Bygone Apple player: IPOD.

94. Static cling particle: ION.

96. Status of a Microsoft Teams message: SEEN.

97. French possessive: A TOI.

98. Cul-de-__: SAC.

99. "No more for me!": I'M SET.

101. Appeal of texting?: PLZ. Please. 

102. Tacky: GAUCHE.

109. Chuckle: LAUGH.

111. Abbreviation before stating a new fact: TIL. Today I Learned.

112. Nut in early Coke recipes: KOLA.

113. Dutch cheese?: EURO. Dutch currency.

116. Mexican Mrs.: SRA.

117. __ donna: PRIMA.

119. PC key: CTRL.

123. Slender woodwinds: OBOES.

124. Parting word: CIAO.

125. Source of dust allergies: MITES.

126. Green action: PUTT. Golf green. 

127. Belarus capital: MINSK.

128. Hot: SEXY. And 129. Not hot: PASSE.

130. Abbey space: APSE.

Down:

1. Jewish leader: RABBI. Funny!

2. Poise under pressure: APLOMB.

3. Scant: MEAGER.

4. Target of ID thieves: SSN.

5. La Jolla sch.: UCSD. UC San Diego.

6. Flower child style: BOHO.

7. Roughly half a kg: ONE LB.

8. Get old: AGE.

9. Tyke: TOT.

10. Improvise: AD LIB.

11. Movement in a core-strengthening Pilates exercise: TOE TAP. Toe taps the ground.

12. In a perfect world: IDEALLY.

13. Tik follower: TOK.

14. Pink-fleshed tropical fruits: GUAVAS.

15. Caper: ANTIC.

16. Kobe Bryant's team: LA LAKERS.

17. Ottoman title: AGA.

18. Part of the fam: SIS.

24. "Ish": KIND OF.

29. Oyster gem: PEARL.

32. Work toward: AIM FOR.

34. Make mad: ANGER.

35. Old name on Chicago's Willis Tower: SEARS.

36. Hopped: LEAPT.

37. Actor Momoa: JASON.  The Aquaman.

38. The Mahabharata, for one: EPIC. The other is Ramayana.

39. Summoned ride: TAXI.

41. "For those in the back!": LOUDER.

42. Spanish partner: ESPOSO.

48. Adornment below a maang tikka, perhaps: BINDI. Maang tikka is traditional headpiece for Indian brides.

50. __ Place: Starbucks blend: PIKE.

51. Sammy who hit 609 homers: SOSA. And 54. Dodger great Reese: PEEWEE.

52. Lab assts.: TECHS.

53. How samosas are fried: IN OIL.

55. Laborer: PEON.

57. Eldest von Trapp daughter: LIESL.

61. Sailor's tattoo, perhaps: ANCHOR.

63. Use elbow grease: SCRUB.

64. Catering container: URN.

66. Inclined, to a Brit: LEANT.

67. South Asian dress: SAREE.

70. CBS procedural set in D.C.: NCIS.

71. Article II subj.: POTUS. Article II established the Executive Branch.

72. Livestock tracker: EAR TAG.

73. Afternoon nap: SIESTA.

75. Texter's show of gratitude: TYSM. Thank You So Much. 

77. Like preloved items: USED.

80. Reguetón, e.g.: MUSICA. Reggaeton/Music.

82. "Spider-Man" filmmaker: RAIMI (Sam) I often confuse him with Sam Mendes, who directed "Skyfall".

83. Icy wine drink: FROSE.

84. Mage's cast: SPELL.

85. __ scheme: PONZI.

87. Hockey puck, e.g.: DISC.

88. Moonfish: OPAH.

89. Calling: VOCATION.

91. Cartoon pig with a British accent: PEPPA.

92. British collective: YOU LOT.  Their "Y'all" 

95. Part of some school uniforms: NECKTIE.

99. "Let me find out": I'LL ASK. Such a big comfort to have TTP back. 

100. Middle of an ant: THORAX.

103. "Zip it": HUSH UP.

104. National Audubon Society symbols: EGRETS.

106. Country star LeAnn: RIMES.

107. Metallic mixture: ALLOY.

108. Gets comfortable: NESTS.

110. Eagerness to act: HASTE.

114. Salt Lake City athletes: UTES. The Utah Utes.

115. "__ and shine!": RISE.

117. Fluffy dog, familiarly: POM.

118. Slugger's stat: RBI.

119. Includes on an email: CCS.

120. Troublemaker: IMP.

121. "The Marvels" director DaCosta: NIA. The first Black woman to direct a Marvel film.

122. IRS form expert: CPA.

C.C.