Wednesday, September 2, 2026 - Guilherme Gilioli

 

Theme:  Order in the Court!

 

It was so ordered; until it wasn't ...

 

 

 

Perhaps you'll like this video instead? (for anyone who's a Boomer or older)

 

Puzzling thoughts:

Chairman Moe here.  Today's constructor Guilherme Gilioli (the link will take you to his last appearance at the Crossword Corner) has been featured as a constructor @ the LATimes a total of four times now.  He also has 3 published puzzles @ NYT and has his own webpage for crosswords (in his native, Portuguese) - very impressive

Today's puzzle has the dreaded circles (side-eye shout out to SS); however, without them I am not sure that you would have noticed the reveal:

59 across. Judge's directive, or a feature of each set of circled letters?: COURT ORDER. 

The reveal is supported by the following entries; I highlighted the circled letters in red text:

17 across. 1990s grunge icon: KURT COBAIN.  There is far too much to write about him to fit into this blog. I'm pretty sure that he was quite polarizing, but then again, aren't we all to some degree?  When I read his biography @ Wikipedia I noticed this fact about him, straight away: he died at the age of 27 (this link will provide the names of the other iconic rock stars who passed at this specific age, which began the use of the term, "27 Club")

23 across. Some street food vendors: TACO TRUCKS.  These are quite popular here in the desert SW but I hear that they are becoming popular in more and more places across the country, not just in Arizona or other states that border Mexico.  Does your city have one?  Do tell!

 

This is one that we frequent

37 across. Going the faster way, hopefully: TAKING A SHORTCUT.  This brings back some not so fond memories of taking road trips with my parents and sister.  Earliest memory probably was at the age of 6 or so.  Dad was "infamous" for trying to find a shortcut rather than stick to the beaten path.  I guess that he swore by the adage that the shortest distance between two spots is a straight line.  Well, often that "straight line" that dad drove resulted in a dead end.  Many times at a farm house!  My mom had an expression for his shortcuts and called them "two-mile roads", as we always seemed to drive two miles in and then two miles back out

48 across. Easy A's: GUT COURSES. [from AI] "A gut course is college slang for an easy, undemanding academic class. The term arose in the early 20th century from the older slang notion of a "feast" or "belly-full"—implying a course so simple that a student could easily "swallow" or consume it without mental strain. Campus slang dictionaries and historical references (such as the Online Etymology Dictionary) note student use of "gut" for an easy class emerging around 1916, though some major lexicons trace its widespread recorded use to the mid-20th century."  I did not know this

After solving the puzzle and revisiting the circles, I noticed that the "order" of the letters in the word COURT were correct in only 3 of the four entries.  37 across (TAKING A SHORTCUT) was the exception, and the added T next to the circled letters felt "odd".  I suppose that is a nit but when I do my recaps and rate the puzzles I take everything into account; I WANT ORDER!! 🤨

To his credit, Guilherme used very few three-letter words; the entries were quite fresh; and he used 55 letters for the reveal and entries (that's a lot). Overall, I rate this ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐.   Bom trabalho!

Here is the grid: 

 

On to the rest:

Across:
1. Rascal: SCAMP.

6. With 30-Across, FIFA women's powerhouse: TEAM (30 across. See 6-Across) USA.  [from AI] "Team USA women hold elite historic milestones across sports, highlighted by the soccer team's 4 World Cup titles, basketball's dominant Olympic streak, and a record-breaking 12 gold medals for female athletes at the 2026 Winter Games"

10. Rip-off: SCAM. Moe-ku:

        A Generic brand

        Ripped-off Hormel with canned meat.

        It was a Spam SCAM 

14. Green growth in a pond: ALGAE.  Moe-ku: (this one will test your knowledge of soul music)

        Hi Records star Green

       ("Let's Stay Together") 

        Has homo-phonic nickname 

        I think it's ALGAE

15. Rotating shaft: AXLE.

16. Salt-N-Pepa, e.g.: TRIO. Soul music was what I grew up with; the next generation was into Hip-Hop (I think!).  Salt-N-Pepa was formed in 1985 in NYC.  Salt (Cheryl James) Pepa (Sandra Denton) and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper) are the trio [Wikipedia].  Their website

[entry #1]

19. Learning tools: AIDS.  Anyone remember these?

 

20. Manatee habitat: SEA. But the Malodorous Manatee's habitat is here, at the Crossword Corner!

21. Ray of McDonald's history: KROC. Moe-ku: (this will test your knowledge of TV sitcoms)

       "New Girl" actor Max

        Played McDonald's founder Ray;

        That's a Kroc of Schmidt 

22. General locations: AREAS.  As opposed to "Dollar General" locations: everywhere! 

[entry #2]

26. VEX creations: ROBOTS. Perps helped solve this one

29. Make a choice: OPT.

[see above @ 6]

33. Azerbaijan neighbor: IRAN. Today's geography lesson

34. Right-hand page: RECTO. Today's Latin lesson.  Recto in Spanish, though, means "straight" (as in straight ahead)

36. Only word spoken in "Silent Movie": NON.  Ironically spoken by famed mime artist Marcel Marceau

[entry #3]

41. Former quarterback Manning: ELI.  Eli and his NY Giants Football Team won two Super Bowls: Super Bowl XLII and XLVI - both versus the New England Patriots.  Not sure if this video will load, but the highlight of SB 42 was this catch:

 

42. 1/16 of a pound: OUNCE. 

43. 2026 "Legally Blonde" prequel: ELLE. Any fans here of this movie or its prequel?

44. Taxpayer ID: SSN. Entered as a nine-digit number: xxx-xx-xxxx.  It helps to remember your last four digits

45. "Sweet!": RAD. The word "rad" became popular in the mid-1980's.  My generation used the word "cool"

46. Make a value judgment: ASSESS. 

[entry #4]

52. Result of haste, in an adage: WASTE.  

54. Colossal: VAST.

55. Prefix with -tainment: EDU.  Hand up for trying CON first?  

Learning moe-ment: [from AI and Wiki]: "Edutainment is a blended word combining education and entertainment. It means media or activities designed to teach people while keeping them amused and interested. This approach turns learning into a fun experience instead of a chore".  So is this a portmanteau?

58. So much: A LOT.  Would "very" much have been A TON??

[reveal]

62. Junction point: NODE.  Moe-ku:

 

        The energy flow

        Was all catawampus, but

        The NODE knowed the way

63. Hayride seat, say: BALE.  Why I chose LOFT first befuddles me; I was on a hayride, not on a "ride in the hay" 😂😂😂

64. "All sales are __": FINAL.

65. Beloved: DEAR.

66. Scrabble board symbol covered in the first play of the game: STAR.  It also is a Double Word symbol.  Helps to get off to a good start.  The image below was a game I played against another person (you'll notice the score for the "Chairman".  The word RALPHED was my star-ter.  I also made a few Triples

67. Young horses: FOALS. Very young horses.  Newborns

Down:
1. Fifth Avenue retailer: SAKS.  

2. Game with secret passages: CLUE.  Colonel Mustard, in the kitchen, with a knife

3. Taj Mahal city: AGRA.  Moe-ku:

 

        Magicians say this

        Magic word in India:

        AGRA-cadabara 

  

4. Yoga surface: MAT.

5. Eat like a bird?: PECK AT.  These birds know

6. Frowned upon: TABOO.  I've always instructed people not to wear cologne or perfume at wine tastings, so I guess THIS would also be

7. Spot-on: EXACT.

8. Legend in the ring: ALI.  Father or daughter?? 

9. Big boys: MEN.

10. Severely plain: STARK.  But not THIS Stark:

11. Throws in the towel: CRIES UNCLE.

12. Verdi opera: AIDA.

13. Green growth in a terrarium: MOSS.  Are you one who believes that moss only grows on the north side of a tree?  That sounds a bit shady, to me

18. Middle-earth monsters: ORCS. 

22. Many a Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree: ACTOR.

There are exceptions though 

23. "Un-Break My Heart" singer Braxton: TONI.

24. Swiss pharmaceutical giant: ROCHE.  [Wikipedia] "F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, commonly known as Roche, is a Swiss multinational holding healthcare company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Its holding company, Roche Holding AG, has shares listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The company headquarters are located in Basel.

25. As many as: UP TO.  There may be up to six Moe-ku's today

26. Ceremonial events: RITES. And one Moe-l'ick, for a change ... and the rite is probably well-known to our Jewish cornerites:

        After birth, couple's son had his Bris

        
But just wait 'til you hear about this!

        The Mohel arrived drunk;

        Then butchered baby's junk.

        Looks like something's become quite a Miss.

27. Spoken exams: ORALS. 

28. Science fair volcano ingredient: BAKING SODA.  [From AI]: "A classic science fair volcano uses baking soda and vinegar to create a fizzy, foaming chemical reaction"

The video below is a tad juvenile but it's still pretty cool 😎😎

 

31. Spiritual essences: SOULS.

32. Pays to play: ANTES.  Today's grammar lesson:  Why would you say ante versus antes? "Ante is the base form of the verb used for I, you, we, they, or plural nouns in the present tense, while antes is the third-person singular form used for he, she, it, or singular nouns.  Did I say this correctly??

34. Total stranger: RANDO.  [AI explanation]: "The slang word "rando" comes from shortening the word "random" and adding the suffix -o (similar to words like weirdo or sicko). It first appeared in American youth slang during the 1990s and 2000s before becoming mainstream in the 2010s"

35. Key near F1: ESC.

38. America del __: Mexico's continent: NORTE.  North America

39. Green dip, briefly: GUAC.  I make a mean guac if I do say so myself.  My recipe includes (besides avocados) fresh cilantro, chopped red onion, diced Hatch chili peppers (when in season) or jalapeño peppers, lime juice, and low-sodium tajin.  I put everything into a food processor and puree, maintaining just a bit of "chunkiness" 

40. Model/activist Holliday: TESS.  Ryann Maegen Hoven, known professionally as Tess Holliday and formerly known as Tess Munster, is an American plus-size model, blogger, and make-up artist based in Los Angeles - she is unknown to me

46. Helper: Abbr.: ASST.  One of the other nits I had with today's puzzle was the number of abbr's

47. Trigger, as an alarm: SET OFF.  

49. Total: UTTER.  

50. Throat dangler: UVULA.  This was one from Jim Davis that was a bit surprising ... 

51. More uncommon: RARER.

52. Steam __: latte-making gadget: WAND.  

53. Sunburn treatment: ALOE.

55. "Giant" novelist Ferber: EDNA.

56. "Works for me!": DEAL.

57. Web addresses: URLS.  Moe-ku #6

        Websites in Russia

        Are all named after mountains:

        The Urals' URLs 

 

(hey, they can't all be winners ...)          

59. "48 Hours" airer: CBS.  I always thought that "60 Minutes" was all I could watch in one sitting.  "48 Hours"?  My attention span now lasts for maybe 30 seconds ... 😉

60. Breakfast bit that might soak overnight: OAT.

61. Home of Sugarloaf Mountain: RIO.  Here is a fun fact:  There are no less than 450 mountains, hills, and rock formations named Sugarloaf worldwide, with over 200 located in the United States alone.  Bet you didn't know THAT!  

Now, when it comes to rock bands named Sugarloaf, the one featured in the video below is the Chairman's favorite - not sure when in 1970 that this one became a "hit"; either before I graduated HS or after I became a freshman in college.  But I still like this song (Green-Eyed Lady) some 56 years later ...

  

See you next month - my carpal tunnel surgery on hand number two is manaña

Wednesday, August 26, 2026, Zachary Gallardo

 

Good Morning, Cruciverbalists.  Malodorous Manatee here with the recap of a Wednesday puzzle constructed by Zachary Gallardo.  Zachary recently had another LAT puzzle recapped here (on 24 May 20226).  

In today's puzzle, Zachary stacks the names of bands on top of types of seagoing ships.  In each case, the name of the band stands alone while the letters forming the type of vessel are consecutive parts of longer answers.  The reveal is both clever and playful:

59 Across:  "Everyone in the water!," or when parsed differently, what can be found in each set of circled words: ABANDON SHIP.  Or, in this instance, A BAND ON SHIP.  To help us recognize what the constructor and editor are up to, the grid contains those ever-polarizing circles.

It is also worth noting that the reveal does double duty as part of one of the four themed (pairs of) answers.

Here are the four places where the gimmick is employed:

15 Across:  Camel's watering hole: OASIS (a British rock band) and 17 Across:  Programming problem: ENDLESS LOOP.    SLOOP (A sloop is a single-masted sailing vessel typically rigged with a fore-and-aft configuration)

25 Across:  Enclosed rhyme scheme in Petrarchan sonnets: ABBA  (the Swedish pop quartet) and 30 Across:  Clinton secretary of state: ALBRIGHT.  BRIG (a ship with two square-rigged masts)

Madeline Albright

41 Across:  "Exactly right!": YES, (an English band perhaps best known for the song "Owner of A Lonely Heart) and 45 Across:  Bible Belt state: ARKANSAS.  ARK  Ahoy, Noah!

54 Across:  Yellow brick road terrier: TOTO (formed in Los Angeles in 1977) and 59 Across:  "Everyone in the water!," or when parsed differently, what can be found in each set of circled words: ABANDON SHIP.  SHIP (in this case, generic)

The completed grid looks like this:

Here are the other clues and answers:

Across:

1. Emerged: AROSE.  Emerged not from an eggshell or from hiding.  More like an issue that came up.

6. Korean-American grocery store: H MART.  Per Wikipedia, the chain was founded in 1982 and there are now 98 locations.

11. Dim sum brew: CHA.  IIRC, Dim Sum being Chinese dumplings and CHA being tea.       

14. Little solo break: ME DAY.  Hand up for first trying to think of something music-related.

16. "That'll leave a mark!": OOF.  Meh.

19. Scand. country: NOR.  Abbreviated.  Had to be NOR, DEN, SWE, or FIN.

20. Proboscis: NOSE.  By definition.

21. Feature of Canada's flag: LEAF.

22. Nove minus uno: OTTO.  Lezione di italiano di oggi.

23. Suspicious: SHADY.  Suspicious is used, here, as an adjective.

27. Turkish peak: ARARAT.  Often visited in our puzzles . . . and where the ARK came to rest.

34. Olympic gymnast with five moves named for her: BILES.

Simone Biles

35. 2025 Best Picture Oscar winner: ANORA.

36. Letters of liability?: IOU.  Liability as in a debt to repay.

37. Dongle, e.g.: ADAPTER.  A computer hardware reference.

39. Synagogue singers: CANTORS.  CANTORS lead the congregation in singing.

42. __ Sports Bureau: stats giant: ELIAS.  IIRC, I learned about this one from Vin Scully

44. "Punch-__ Love": Paul Thomas Anderson film: DRUNK.

47. Shelters: HOUSES.  From the general to the more specific.

48. Altar site: APSE.

49. Change: COINS.  Used as a noun.  Not as in the verb "to alter".  Loose, or spare change.

51. Prometheus's gift: FIRE.

53. "See ... ": WELL.  Something someone might say . . . and mean.

58. Aussie hopper: ROO.

62. Nocturnal bird of prey: OWL.

63. __ Gras: MARDI. 

64. Unlike the rest: OTHER.  With your kind indulgence, I will pass on a Kendrick Lamar video at this point.

65. Young lady: GAL.

66. Clique: POSSE.  POSSE has expanded from its context in old westerns to now indicate with whom one hangs out.

67. Vociferous: NOISY.  Due to noise complaints, they passed a law in Hawaii that you are no longer allowed to laugh above a certain decibel.  Now you can only use a low hah.

Down:

1. "Exactly right!": AMEN.  Why do they say AMEN instead of awomen in church?  Because they sing hymns instead of hers.

2. City north of Carson City: RENO.

3. Probabilities: ODDS.

4. Service promoter: SALES REP.

5. Cyclone center: EYE.

6. Swindled: HOSED.  Either way we've been had.

7. __ bear: Southeast Asian forest dweller: MALAYAN.

Photo by MM

8. Since: AS OF.  A time reference.  Not "because".

9. Animated film about Spix's macaws: RIO.

10. Baker's shortening?: TSP.  Shortened as in TSP for teaspoon.

11. Like laughter, sometimes: CONTAGIOUS.

12. 62-Across call: HOOT.

  Me: I don't wanna alarm anyone, but I think someone in this room might be an owl.

  Grandkid: Who? WHO?

  Me: gasp Oh no, it's worse than I thought!

13. Curly hairstyle: AFRO.

18. Bed frame board: SLAT.

22. Japanese sash: OBI.  Frequently worn in our puzzles.

24. Picks up the pace: HASTENS.

25. Pokémon that ultimately evolves into Alakazam: ABRA.

26. Jason's "Beverly Hills, 90210" role: BRANDON.

27. Modest Muslim robe: ABAYA.

28. Bus passenger: RIDER.

29. Sushi bite topped with salmon: ALASKA ROLL.

31. Hairstyle that may begin with comb coils: LOCS.  New to this solver.  Thanks, perps.  Seems to be a form of the word Dreadlocks.

32. "Stormy Weather" singer Lena: HORNE.

1943

33. Elephant pair: TUSKS.

35. Operatic solo: ARIA.

38. If-then-__ statement: ELSE.

40. Leaves in the care of: TRUSTS TO.  Often, ENTRUSTS

43. Climbs: ASCENDS.  What was it called when all the good dinosaurs ASCENDED to Heaven before the meteor struck.  The veloci-rapture

46. Big galoot: APE.

47. Big Island county seat: HILO.  A bit of Hawaiian geography.

50. Throwback hit: OLDIE.

51. Amphibious hopper: FROG.

52. Corn Belt state: IOWA.

53. Major conflicts: WARS.

55. "Didn't see you there!": OH HI.

56. Knots: TIES.  Which country is known for manufacturing TIES?  Tieland.

57. The Grand Ole __: OPRY.

59. Metal box?: AMP.  A reference to "Heavy Metal" music.

60. Dim sum bun: BAO.  See also 11 Across.

61. Persona __ grata: NON.

Well, perhaps, this reviewer has overstayed his welcome and become a Persona Non Grata (unwelcome).  So, this Manatee will now abandon ship.  One parting comment, however:  It was interesting to travel the world (sail the seven seas?) with this puzzle's references to Sweden, Arkansas, Korea, Africa, Norway, China, Japan, Canada, Turkiye, Australia, New Orleans, Malaysia, Reno, Hawaii, Alaska, and other places.

_____________________________________

MM Out

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 Max Schlenker

Theme: What An Earthquake Might Do.  Here we have a jumbled hidden word theme.  Let's see what's going on inside this quivvering humble abode.  

17. Social pariah:.   One who does not fit in.  BLACK SHEEP.  Our jumbled word fits nicely into the fill.

25. "All Eyez on Me" rapper: TUPAC SHAKUR.   Tupac Amaru Shakur [1971 - 1996] also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. He was one of the most influential musical artists of the 20th century, and a prominent political activist for Black America.   On September 7, 1996, Shakur was murdered by an unidentified assailant in a drive-by shooting in Paradise, Nevada; he died six days later.  His name also includes our hidden word.

35. Laughs during an "SNL" appearance, say: BREAKS CHARACTER.   To break character means to stop acting like the person or role you are playing and act like your real self. This happens when an actor laughs, smiles, or loses focus during a play, movie, or show.  Have you deciphered the hidden word yet?

51. Drawing toy that uses aluminum powder: ETCH A SKETCH.   A classic mechanical drawing toy invented in 1959. It has a red plastic frame, a gray screen, and two white knobs. Turning the left knob moves the stylus left and right. Turning the right knob moves it up and down. Shaking the toy erases the picture.  By now, we've pretty thoroughly sketched out our hidden word.  What is left for the reveal to reveal?

59. Fast-food chain that began as a hot dog cart, and what this puzzle's circled letters do?: SHAKE SHACK.    An American multinational fast casual restaurant chain based in New York City. It started out asa hot dog cart inside Madison Square Park in 2001, and its popularity steadily grew. In 2004, it received a permit to open a permanent kiosk within the park, expanding its menu from New York–style hot dogs to one with hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and its namesake milkshakes.   Shake Shack Inc. owns and operates over 400 locations globally.  And it now shows us what has been going on, shaking up a simple hovel.  

So, here we have the work SHACK shaken in each of the theme fill entries, with its letters in the circles.  This is a cleverly done, thematically rich puzzle.  Let's see what else we can shake out if it.

Hi Gang - JazzBumpa here.  All is calm in my home, and I hope nothing is shaking in yours.  

Across:

1. Cherubic god: CUPID. Often pictured as a chubby winged infant, carrying a bow and arrows that inspire uncontrollable passion or repulsion in his targets. His name comes from the Latin word cupido, meaning "passionate desire". 

 6. Spot for pore strips: NOSE.  A place for deep cleansing adhesive strips. Your nose gets there before the rest of your face, and you want to make a good impression. 

 10. Jumbled mess: HEAP.  A disarrayed stack of things. 

 14. Stunt show setting: ARENA.   An enclosed space designed for sports, entertainment and public events.

15. Significant work: OPUS.   Generally said of the works of major composers.

16. Syllables for a stage magician: ABRA-.  -cadabra, to complete the phrase.

19. Social media spammers: BOTS.   Automated software programs that run tasks over the internet. They do repetitive jobs much faster than a person can. Bots can be helpful tools like search helpers, or bad programs like spammers.

20. Rectitude: HONOR.    Unshaken moral integrity, strict honesty, and righteousness. 

21. In flight: ALOFT.  Up in the air.

22. Union agreement?: I DO.  The marriage union vow.  Do people nervously shake while saying this?

28. Film technique derived from the French for "to assemble": MONTAGE.   A montage is an artistic technique that combines multiple separate images, video clips, or musical pieces into a single unified composition. In film and video, it is used to compress time, show the passage of days, or express a character's complex inner emotional state through a rapid sequence of shots.

30. "Not answering email," briefly: OOO.   Out Of Office [I assume.]

31. Foxy: SLY.   Clever in a sneaky, hidden, or quiet way.  Artful, maybe.

32. Capitol canvas for "The Apotheosis of Washington": DOME.   The Apotheosis of Washington is the fresco painted by Greek-Italian artist Constantino Brumidi in 1865 and visible through the oculus of the dome in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The fresco is suspended 180 feet above the rotunda floor and covers an area of 4,664 square feet.

33. Jilt: SPURN.    To jilt is to suddenly and unkindly reject or abandon a romantic partner after having encouraged their love or commitment.  To spurn means to reject someone or something with hatred, pride, or deep dislike. It is a harsh way to say no because you feel the other person or offer is not good enough for you.  I don't see these as equivalent.

42. Settle, as a debt: REPAY.   Pay back what is owed.

43. Vibe: AURA.   A distinct atmosphere, feeling, or quality that seems to surround a person, place, or thing. 

44. "Future Nostalgia" singer Lipa: DUA.    Dua Lipa is a Grammy-winning English singer and songwriter known for her dance-pop hits like "Levitating", "Don't Start Now", and "New Rules". Her music blends pop, R&B, and disco, and she's known for her deep voice and confident persona. Lipa has won seven Brit Awards, including best British female solo artist and British breakthrough act. She's also known for her fashion sense, feminist views, and advocacy for refugee issues and women's rights. 

47. Some Eng. degrees: BAS. Bachelors of Arts, undergraduate university degrees focused on arts, humanities, or social sciences.  "Eng." here must mean English, and not Emgineering.

48. Truly fiendish: SATANIC.  An adjective meaning relating to Satan, extremely wicked, or tied to modern religious and philosophical groups known as Satanism

54. Opening day pitcher, typically: ACE.    A team's premier starting pitcher, typically the number-one starter on their pitching staff. Aces are elite hurlers expected to consistently deliver dominant, high-quality performances, control games, and start on Opening Day or during crucial postseason matchups

55. SAT prep subj.: VOCAB.  The SAT is a digital standardized college admission test created and managed by the College Board.  "Vocab" is a short, informal word for vocabulary. It means all the words a person knows, uses, or learns in a language.   It would be relevant to the reading and writing modules of the test.

56. "Thus with a kiss I die" hero: ROMEO.   From Shakespeare's play.  Romeo was badly shaken by Juliet's death.

58. Tirade in the Times, say: OP-ED.  An op-ed is a short essay published by a newspaper, magazine, or news website that shares the personal opinion of a writer. The term is short for "opposite the editorial page," because print newspapers traditionally place these guest essays on the page facing the publisher's official editorials.  Until I learned this, I thought it meant opinion-editorial. 

64. Antler point: TINE.   A slender, sharp-pointed prong or spike on a tool, implement, or animal horn. 

65. FX drama about New York City's ball culture: POSE.   Set in the 1980s, `Pose' is a dance musical that explores the juxtaposition of several segments of life and society in New York: the ball culture world, the rise of the luxury Trump-era universe, and the downtown social and literary scene. 

66. Magazine release: ISSUE.   One copy of a magazine or newspaper from a specific day or month.

67. Has a meal: EATS.  Ingests victuals.

68. Serve a meal to: FEED.   Provide the victuals.

69. Like a toddler mid-bath: SOAPY.   Covered with suds, maybe.

Down:

1. Zin alternative: CAB.   Zinfandel and Cabernet are red wines.

2. Link destination: URL. Universal Resource Locator - a web site's unique address.

3. Storied cause of royal insomnia: PEA.  From the Princess and Pea story by Hans Christian Anderson.  There's a PEA the bed joke in there somewhere, but I'm avoiding it.

4. Progress slowly: INCH.  Make progress in small increments.

5. Actress Fanning: DAKOTA.   Hannah Dakota Fanning [b. 1994] is an American actress and model known for her roles in both blockbuster and independent films. Born in Conyers, Georgia, she started her career in local productions at the Towne Lake Arts Center. Fanning has received critical acclaim for her performances, earning nominations for four Emmys, a Golden Globe, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. 

6. Pessimist's words: NO HOPE.  All is lost.

7. "Fire Shut Up in My Bones," e.g.: OPERA.    Composer Terence Blanchard turned Charles M. Blow's memoir of the same name into an opera with a libretto by Kasi Lemmons. It made history in 2021 as the first opera by a Black composer ever performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.  Fire shut up in my bones" is a famous Bible phrase from the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:9). It describes an unstoppable, burning urge to share a message or truth. 

8. Litigate: SUE.   Initiate a legal proceeding.

9. Ability to see what others can't: ESP.   Extra Sensory Perception.   A claimed paranormal ability pertaining to reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses, but sensed with the mind.   I experienced this at a pivotal moment in my life.

10. "Se __ español": HABLA.  "I speak Spanish," in Spanish.  

11. Paperless reads: E-BOOKS.   Digital books that you can read on a screen like a phone, tablet, computer, or e-reader.

12. Foxy: ARTFUL.   Being clever and skillful, often in a crafty, cunning, or sneaky way to get what you want.  Possibly sly.

13. Bakery offering: PASTRY.    A baked food made from a dough of flour, water, and a high amount of fat like butter or shortening. 

18. Nesting cozily: SNUG.    Fitting closely and comfortably, or feeling warm, safe, and cozy in a protected space.

21. Now, in Nicaragua: AHORA.   Mas Español.

22. Cinephile's site: IMDB.   The Internet Movie Data Base - a popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. 

23. Cuckoo clock part: DOOR.   Cuckoo bird's portal.

24. "I'll pay this time": ON ME.  An offer to buy something, like a round of drinks.

26. Manilow's "hottest spot north of Havana," familiarly: COPA.  Reference in his 1978 song to the Copacabana night club in New York City.

27. Like a gooseberry: SOUR.  Having a sharp acidic taste.  

29. Feature of some happy and sad emoji: TEAR.  Crying, either way.

33. Slow to open up: SHY.  Being timid, bashful, or uncomfortable when meeting new people or talking in groups.

34. Org. for Sarah Strong and Hannah Hidalgo: NCAA.  These ladies are college basketball players for Connecticut and Notre Dame, respectively.  College sports are under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

36. Shish __: KEBAB.  Skewered and grilled cubes of meat.

37. Ice bath spots: SPAS.   Business offering health, beauty, and relaxation treatments like massages, facials, and baths. 

38. Bourbon barrel: CASK.    A large, strong, barrel-shaped container made to hold liquids, especially alcoholic drinks like wine, beer, or whiskey.

39. Protein in some melts: TUNA.   A grilled sandwich containing tuna, condiments and cheese.

40. Comedian Andrè: ERIC.  Eric Samuel André [ b. 1983] is an Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, writer, producer, musician, and television host. He's best known for creating, hosting, and co-writing the surreal Adult Swim comedy series The Eric Andre Show, which blends stand-up, live events, and controlled chaos. The show opens with André destroying the set and often features celebrity impersonators. 

41. "RuPaul's Drag __": RACE.   "RuPaul's Drag Race" is a reality show in which a group of talented drag queens compete in challenges to impress host RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, to win a cash prize along with a crown and the title of America's Next Drag Superstar. 

44. Dedicate, as time: DEVOTE.    To give your time, money, energy, or love completely to a specific person, activity, or cause. 

45. Harmonious society: UTOPIA.   An imaginary place or state where the government, laws, and social conditions are completely perfect.   The word, made up by Sir Thomas More in 1516, comes from Greek roots meaning "no place."

46. Brogue, for one: ACCENT.    A distinct way of pronouncing a language that shows where a person comes from, their social group, or their background. 

48. Amped up: STOKED.    Feeling very excited, happy, or thrilled about something.

49. Peak: ACME.  Apex, zenith, pinnacle, summit.

50. Grad school hurdle: THESIS.   An academic research paper  - a long, formal written project required for a university degree.

52. Disney villain with hair of blue flame: HADES.   Hades is the main antagonist of Disney's 1997 animated feature film Hercules. He is the fast-talking god of the Underworld, known for having a fiery temper and a vendetta against his oldest brother, Zeus.

53. Wipe: ERASE.    To rub out, remove, or delete something written, recorded, or stored. 

57. Quite a bit: OH SO.   A phrase that acts as an intensifier meaning very or extremely, usually placed right before an adjective to add strong feeling or emphasis.

59. Tanning oil letters: SPF.   Solar Protection Factor.    A measure of how well a sunscreen blocks UVB rays, which cause sunburn and skin cancer.  

60. Weeding tool: HOE.   an ancient and versatile hand tool used in farming and gardening to shape soil, clear dirt, and remove weeds. It features a long handle with a flat metal blade set at a right angle to the end.

61. Red __ beet: AS A. "Red as a beet" is a common English idiom used to describe someone whose face has become bright red because of strong emotions like embarrassment, anger, shyness, or extreme physical exertion.  Or of any body part exposed to strong sunlight with insufficient SPF.

62. Chalice, e.g.: CUP.     A large drinking cup or goblet raised on a stem with a base. It is used most often in Christian religious services to hold the sacramental wine for the Eucharist, but it also appears in other traditions and everyday language.

63. Decryption need: KEY.    A piece of digital information or a string of characters used in an algorithm to turn scrambled text, or ciphertext, back into readable data.    Today's reveal provided one.

So ends another Wednesday.  Hope you were able to shake some enjoyment out of today's offering.

Cool Regards!

JzB

Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Erik Agard

  SWISH! Or Nothin' but Net!

Another slam dunk from Erik Agard!

While "hat trick" is not used, basketball has other milestones based on the number three or achieving three feats:

The Triple-Double: Getting double-digit numbers in three out of five categories (points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals) in a single game.
Three-Peat: Winning three championship titles in a row.
Three-Pointer: Scoring a field goal from beyond the three-point arc. 

The Reveal: 

53 Across. Distance shot in basketball, or what 16-, 26-, and 39-Across are altogether?: LOGO THREE.

A logo 3 in basketball is a three-pointer shot taken from extreme range, specifically at or near the mid-court center circle where the teams floor logo is painted.

How is this represented in the 3 themers you ask? Why, it's simple! The first word of each begins with LO, and the last word begins with GO. Coming up with a new and fresh theme after more than 100 years of crossword puzzles is a long shot, I just didn't expect Erik to do it literally!

16 Across. "I like it!": LOOKS GOOD. (Like a long shot that goes "swish.")

26 Across. Bucket list item, perhaps: LONG TIME GOAL. (Long air time that is...)

39 Across. Not rigid: LOOSEY-GOOSEY. (Absolutely necessary to make those long shots....)

Let's see if there is anything in the fill that could block our shot at this theme...

Across:
1. Succeed in a class: PASS. (Or succeed in basketball, don't hog the ball...)

5. With 47-Down, tropical shade providers: PALM.

9. Content warning letters: NSFW. Not Suitable For Work.

13. Two-tone apex predator: ORCA.

Pass me the ball!

14. Inventor's jumping-off point: IDEA.

15. Underwater detector: SONAR.

16. [Theme]

18. Location: PLACE.

19. Out like a light: ASLEEP.

20. Vintner's harvest: GRAPES.

21. Top stripe of a pride flag: RED.

Hmm, not always red...

22. Lousy grade: DEE. (I always wait, could be C or F...)

24. "Gosh!": GEE.

25. Channel with music videos and "Reba" reruns: CMT. Country Music Television.

26. [Theme]

29. Statistical average: MEAN.

There ya go, now it's about s clear as mud...

31. Jokes: GAGS. (I never joke about statistical averages...)

32. Cunning plan: RUSE.

Not really a ruse, but I couldn't resist..

33. "A Change Is __ Come": GONNA. The sad history behind this song can be found here.

34. Victor Wembanyama's org.: NBA. (Is this a Clecho?)

35. Features of 4c hair: KINKS. Ten hairstyles Suitable for type 4c hair.

36. A single time: ONCE.

37. Plant anchor: ROOT.

38. CPR pros: EMTS. (Crossword staple.)

39. [Theme]

42. Seasonal vaccine target: FLU.

43. Some undergrad degs.: BAS. Bachelor of Arts degrees.

44. Fleeting snooze: NAP.

45. Pvt. trainer: SGT.

48. Chicken __ bleu: CORDON. If you ever get tired of making chicken salad from your leftover chicken:

TRY THIS!

50. Throw trash away, but not in a trash can: LITTER. (Please dont...)

52. An additional time: AGAIN.

53. [Theme Reveal.]

56. Sport with scrums: RUGBY. This may be difficult for Americans unfamiliar with the game to comprehend, but it is a way to restart play fairly after a minor infraction.

Can you predict what side will regain control of the ball?

57. Component of steel: IRON.

58. Lack of difficulty: EASE.

59. Simple tops: TEES.

60. Domestic four-leggers: PETS.

61. "Their __ Were Watching God": EYES. Tough one if you don't know luckily 4 perps to the rescue...

Down:
1. Big name in seltzer water: POLAR. Tough one, as not really seen in my area. And now with the hard seltzer market, Polar gets lost in the crowd.

2. Came up: AROSE.

3. Give a talking-to: SCOLD.

4. "For goodness' __!": SAKE.

5. Animal enclosure with a namesake cipher: PIGPEN. The Wiki Explanation.

6. "And now, without further __ ... ": ADO.

7. Sign before Virgo: LEO.

8. Ticked off: MAD.

9. Mardi Gras city, familiarly: NOLA. New Orleans.

10. Signals called by a quarterback before each play: SNAP COUNT.

11. Protections against respiratory illnesses: FACE MASKS.

12. Competes on a mat: WRESTLES.

15. Shopping jag: SPREE.

17. Arizona city near the Seven Sacred Pools: SEDONA. 

17 minutes worth of sightseeing.

20. Precious stones: GEMS.

23. Creamy Christmas concoctions: EGGNOGS.

24. Huge unit of mass: GIGATON. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

26. Pool divisions: LANES.

27. Like a dirty word: TABOO. I dunno.. (see below.)

28. Dirty: GRIMY. (Is grimy taboo?)

29. Actor's audition selection: MONOLOGUE.

30. Spur on: ENCOURAGE.

33. Transport on the way to sink a putt: GOLF CART.

35. "You hang on to that": KEEP IT.

37. "Sinners" director Coogler: RYAN. Ack! A Name!

40. Dark wood: EBONY.

41. Makeover sites: SALONS.

45. Wander off: STRAY.

46. V-formation flyers: GEESE.

47. See 5-Across: TREES.

49. "I call it!": DIBS.

51. Old-school "you": THEE. (Or thou, or ye, but don't get too hung up on thyself...)

53. Guff: LIP.

54. Metallic resource: ORE.

55. Duped: GOT.

And, The Grid.

There you have it. Was it a slam dunk for you (or thou.) or did you jam your thumb?

Let us know in the comments...

CE:D out.

(˵◝ ⩊  ◜˵マ

P.S.  A Crossword Corner Blog Interview with Erik Agard from 2013 can be found here.