Tuesday, February 10, 2026 Matthew Gritzmacher

Bubbles, Bubbles EveryWhere.

6-Across. Oscar-nominated Disney film set in Alaska: BROTHER BEAR.  BOBA.  Brother Bear was a 2003 animated Disney film.  It was not on my radar.

26-Across. Hostile territory, idiomatically: BELLY OF THE BEAST.  BOBA.  For many people, having an IRS audit is like going into the Belly of the Beast.

43-Across. Canadian province that hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics: BRITISH COLUMBIA.  BOBA.  British Columbia is the western-most Canadian province.

And the unifier:

56-Across. Bubble tea option, or a feature of 16-, 26-, and 43-Across: POPPING BOBA.  The Bubbles in Bubble Tea are typically made of tapioca pearls.   In this puzzle, the word BOBA is spread out across each them clue, hence the bubbles (or boba) are being "popped."

Here's the Grid, so you can see all the "popped" bubbles.

Across:

1. Latte purveyors: CAFÉS.  A latte is an espresso-based coffee drink consisting of roughly 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk, topped with a thin layer of foam.  The full name of this Italian coffee is short for caffè latte, which literally means milk coffee.

6. __ one's time: BIDE.

10. Volcanic eruption residue: ASH.

13. Company name often said with a quack: AFLAC.  AFLAC stands for American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus.  The company, which was founded in 1955, specializes in supplemental insurance for individuals and groups.

14. Indiana NBAer: PACER.

15. Community leader?: CEE.  As in the letter "C".

18. Programming language named for the first Countess of Lovelace: ADA.  Ada Lovelace, Countess of Lovelace (née Augusta Ada Byron; Dec. 10, 1810 ~ Nov. 27, 1852) led a fascinating life.  She was an English mathematician and writer. whom many consider to be the world's first computer programmer.  Her work focused on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical computer, the Analytical Engine.  She was the first to recognize its potential beyond pure calculation.  She understood that computers could perform abstract operations, not just calculations.  She was the only legitimate of the poet, Lord Byron.  See also 60-Across.

19. Decisive periods, for short: OTs.  As in OverTimes.

20. Tinkered (with): TOYED.

Cat toying with a mouse.

21. Leave a mark on: SCAR.  Did you know that Princess Eugenie has scar running the length of her spine?

22. Kimono sash: OBI.  The Obi make an appearance in the puzzle quite often.

23. P-like Greek letter: RHO.

24. Peaceful protests: SIT-INS.

30. Esteems: VALUES.

31. Savory flavor: UMAMI.  Everything you wanted to know about Umami but didn't know to ask.

32. Comics icon Lee: STAN.  Stan Lee (né Stanley Martin Lieber; Dec. 28, 1922 ~ Nov. 12, 2018) was the creative leader of Marvel Comics.  He started his career at Timely Publications, which later became Marvel Comics. 

33. Startup co.'s milestone: IPO.  As in Initial Public Offering.

34. Angel City FC org.: NWSL.  Angel City FC is the Los Angeles area's first women's professional soccer team.  The team first began playing in the 2022 season.  It is a member of the National Women's Soccer League.

38. "Fear of Flying" author Jong: ERICA.  Fear of Flying has nothing to do flying.

41. __ dust: pervasive orange powder: CHEETO.

47. Moving van sign, perhaps: RENT ME.

48. Tent stake: PEG.

49. Cozy lodging: INN.

50. Kauai, for one: ISLE.  Kaua'i is the 4th largest island of the Hawaiian archipelago.  It's called the Garden Isle and is known for its dramatic cliffs.  Many Hollywood films and TV shows were filmed on this island, including scenes from South Pacific, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the opening credits of  M*A*S*H.

51. __ Rica: COSTA.  The coastlines of Costa Rica are on both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

54. "I'll __ around": ASK.

55. Outstanding: DUE.

59. Dosage no.: AMT.

60. Pioneering computer: ENIAC.  As in Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer.  The ENAIC was was the world's first programmable, electronic, general-purpose digital computer, completed in 1945.  It was a tad larger than my laptop.  See also 18-Across, above.

61. "Opposites Attract" singer Paula: ABDUL.  Paula Julie Abdul (b. June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, and choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a  cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers. 

62. Arles article: LES.  Today's French lesson.  Arles is a city in southern France.  It's known largely for being where Vincent Van Gogh (Mar. 30, 1853 ~ July 29, 1890) lived and painted.

63. Dangerous date for Caesar: IDES.  We've had a lot of Julius Caesar in the past several Tuesdays.  We learned a couple of weeks ago that Caesar died in Act III of the Shakespear play, Julius Caesar on the IDES of March.

64. Blockade: SIEGE.

Down:

1. Bus alternative: CAB.

2. Genre created by Nigerian musician Fela Kuti: AFROBEAT.  Afrobeat is a Nigerian music genre that combines West African music with American funk and jazz.  Fela Kuti (né Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; Oct. 15, 1938 ~ Aug. 2, 1997) is considered the creator of this musical genre.

3. Nautical convoy: FLOTILLA.

4. Sups or downs: EATS.

5. CalArts or Caltech: SCH.  Both are schools in California.

6. Coddle: BABY.

7. Slurpee kin: ICEE.  What's the difference?

8. Salt lake fed by the Jordan River: DEAD SEA.  If you are ever in Israel, I highly recommend a stop at Ein Gedi on the Dead Sea.

9. Mispronounce a word, say: ERR.  But ... to Err is Human.

10. Prominent part of a giraffe's diet: ACACIA.  Everything you might ever want to know about the relationship between the Giraffe and the Acacia Tree.

11. Impalas and Civics: SEDANS.  An Impala is made by Chevrolet and and the Civic is made by Honda.

12. Publisher William Randolph __: HEARST.  William Randolph Hearst (Apr. 29, 1863 ~ August. 14, 1951) was an American newspaper publisher and politician.  He created the country's largest newspaper chain and media company, Hearst Communications.  He is also known for Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California.

14. Evidence: PROOF.

17. Institutional belief: ETHOS.

21. Ms. magazine co-founder Gloria: STEINEM.  Gloria Marie Steinem (b. Mar. 25, 1934) will be 92 years old next month.  She is American feminist, journalist, and political activist.  In the 1960s and 1970s, she was a prominent leader of the women's rights movement.

22. "Duh," in a text: OBVS.  Textspeak for Obvious.

23. Bread with caraway seeds: RYE.  Yummers!

25. PC pioneer: IBM.  Why is IBM called Big Blue?

27. Crescent moon shape: LUNETTE.  The word Lunette comes from the French and means Little Moon.

28. Rapper Shakur: TUPAC.  Tupac Amaru Shakur (né Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 ~ Sept. 8, 1996) was a talented rapper, actor and dancer.  He was tragically murdered when he was just 25 years old.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. 

29. Med. care option: HMO.  As in Health Maintenance Organization.

33. German personal pronoun: ICH.  Today's German lesson.

35. Installment in an online series: WEBISODE.  Suffered through a lot of Webisodes during the Covid era.

36. Invasive insect native to East Asia: STINK BUG.  What do you know about Stink Bugs?

37. Advance, as funds: LOAN.

39. Outer edge: RIM.

40. Words to support a motion: I SECOND.  Following Robert's Rules of Order.

41. Like a radio edit: CLEAN.  A modified song to take out the profanity so it is family friendly.

42. Remain close to: HUG.

43. __ shower: BRIDAL.

44. Job application document: RESUME.

45. Shore recesses: INLETS.

46. Fiber-__ cable: OPTIC.

52. Mayberry moppet: OPIE.  It's been a while since we've seen Opie Taylor in the puzzles.  His alter ego, Ron Howard (b. Mar. 2, 1954), is almost 72 years old!

53. Me-time spots: SPAS.

54. "Broad City" star Jacobson: ABBI.  I am not familiar with Broad City.  Apparently it was a sit-com that ran for 5 years in the 2010s.  Abbi Jacobson (b. 1984) was one of the co-creators.

56. Shar-__: wrinkly dog: PEI.  The Shar-Pei is a dog breed from southern China.  The dogs were used as  property guardians.

57. Hybrid need: GAS.

58. Taphouse offering: ALE.

I think I need an Ale instead of Boba Tea after this puzzle!

חתולה

Monday, February 9, 2026, Dan Caprera

Theme:  Ewes use yews for shelter -- don't youse?

Constructor Dan Caprera is back to remind us that English can be puzzling.  He's constructed a lovely grid -- see the end of this post to admire the symmetry -- in which he employs all the English homonyms of RIGHT.

17-Across. "Don't forget we want lots of letters!": REMEMBER TO WRITE.

28-Across. Aviation pioneer who said, "It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill": WILBUR WRIGHT.

50-Across. Exchange of wedding vows, e.g.: MARRIAGE RITE.

64-Across. "I think that's correct," or what one may say about the ends of 17-, 28-, and 50-Across: SOUNDS RIGHT TO ME.

Time to check the rest of the clues and answers.

Across: 

1. Prepare to be photographed: POSE.

5. Lobster's pincer: CLAW.  Lobsters have two specialized claws, the pincer and the crusher.  The pincer claw is smaller, narrower, and used for tearing food, while the larger, thicker crusher claw is used for breaking shells.

9. Trig subject: MATH.  TRIGonometry is a branch of MATHematics concerned with relationships between angles and side lengths of triangles.

13. "Grand" ice cream: EDY'S.  Sold as Dreyer's in the Western United States.

14. Buenos __, Argentina: AIRES.

16. Wound-treating plant in ancient Greece and Egypt: ALOE.

17. [Theme clue]

20. PC connection port: USB.

21. __ of Skye: ISLE.  The Isle of Skye is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

22. Gabbed on end: YAKKED.

23. 10-min. NFL periods: OTS.  Not offensive tackles, but overtimes.  I think overtime is about avoiding tie scores.  Enlighten me!

25. Buffoon: OAF.

27. Sesame __ bun: SEED.

Do the seeds enhance your enjoyment?

28. [Theme clue]

32. Emphatic confirmation of accomplishment: I DID SO!

33. __-mo replay: SLO.

34. Under the weather: SICK.

38. "__ Misérables": LES.  Les Misérables is a musical based on the 1862 novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, in which no good deed goes unpunished.

39. "That's gross!": EWW.

41. Songwriter __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.  Lin-Manuel Miranda is famous for another historical musical, Hamilton, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016.

Lin-Manuel Miranda and Philippa Soo

43. Convent resident: NUN.

44. The Dalai __: LAMA.  The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.  Tenzin Gyatso (born Lhamo Thondup in 1935) was enthroned as the 14th Dalai Lama in 1940.  When Tibet rebelled against the People's Republic of China in 1959, he escaped to India and established a Tibetan government in exile in Dharamshala, where he continues to live and teach.  He was the 1989 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Dalai Lama in 2012

46. Have lunch: EAT.

48. Replaceable turntable part: NEEDLE.  Last Wednesday's puzzle by Nate Curry and Zhou Zhang was all about machines that "move the needle."  They missed the turntable!  But then, it's a mostly obsolete technology.

Many of our regular readers are old enough to have played recorded music with a needle!

50. [Theme clue]

53. React to ear scritches, perhaps: MEOW.

55. U.K. part: ENG.  Part of the United Kingdom is England.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

56. Near-failing grade: DEE.

57. Hats for haute cuisine chefs: TOQUES.

59. Gas sealed in glass: NEON.

61. Rizzo the Muppet, for one: RAT.

64. [Theme clue]

67. Fluttered down to the ground: ALIT.

68. Pitcher Ryan who holds the MLB record for career strikeouts: NOLAN.  Nolan Ryan pitched for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball. 

Nolan Ryan

69. Apex: ACME.

70. Ice Spice songs: RAPS.  Isis Gaston, AKA Ice Spice, is an American rapper.  She had a top ten single with Nicki Minaj, and another with Taylor Swift.  She's received four Grammy nominations and a handful of awards.

Ice Spice

71. Word underlined in red, maybe: TYPO.

72. Fight enders, briefly: TKOS.  Technical knockouts in boxing and mixed martial arts.

Down:

1. Cuzco's country: PERU.

2. Lyrical homages: ODES.

3. Book club discussion topic: SYMBOLISM.  Sure, and let's not forget to discuss motifs, allusions, the unreliable narrator, and the book jacket!

4. Opposite of WNW: ESE.  Compass points.

5. Fleet that may display local ads: CABS.

6. Stay out of the limelight: LIE LOW.

7. Unpaid and overdue debts: ARREARS.

8. Drenched: WET.

9. Grocery stores: MARKETS.

10. Quite similar: ALIKE.

11. Schlepped around: TOTED.

12. Follow, as advice: HEED.

15. Tempeh base: SOY.

18. Apply incorrectly: MISUSE.

19. Launder: WASH.

24. "More deets soon": TBD.  To Be Determined.

26. Staff, as a position: FILL.

28. "Elf" star Ferrell: WILL.  Will Ferrell established his comedic reputation as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2002, and has starred in many comedy films since then.  He's also taken on dramatic roles, and received four Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a producer on the drama series Succession and for the specials Live in Front of a Studio Audience.

29. Lightbulb moment: IDEA.

30. Coxswain follower: ROWER.  In a boat with oars, the coxswain is in charge of navigation, steering, and safety.  The rowers follow the coxswain's directions.

Sounds like COCKsun.

31. Not hanging around: GOING.

35. The Smiths genre: INDIE ROCK.  The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums).  They focused on the sound of their instruments, in contrast to the synthesizer sounds popular at the time.

36. __ of personality: CULT.

37. Reflex test target: KNEE.  Striking the patellar tendon with a reflex hammer allows a physician to assess the nervous tissue between the L2 and L4 segments of the spinal cord.

And here I thought the doctor was just having a laugh at my expense.

40. Suffix with spy or ransom: WARE.

42. May refuse to: NEEDN'T.  

45. Sum totals: AMOUNTS.

47. In a high-pitched, cheap-sounding way: TINNILY.  This sounded odd to yours truly, but it's a word meaning "with a sound that is of low quality or like metal being hit."  In other words, "with a tinny sound."  I've used the word "tinny" a few times but have never needed to say "tinnily."

49. Poet's before: ERE.  In The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, the dwarves sing:

Far over the Misty Mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day

To seek our pale enchanted gold

51. Floored: AWED.

52. Factor in family planning: AGE GAP.  How many years do you want to leave between siblings?

53. Bucks: MOOLA.  Also spelled moolah, it's slang for "money."

54. Provide with gear: EQUIP.

57. Russian monarch: TSAR.

58. Data breach target fig.: SSN.  Hackers target Social Security Numbers.  A nasty business.

60. "What a disaster!": OH NO!  What you say when you've been hacked.

62. Nerf darts, e.g.: AMMO.  And yet the only ammo you have to wield is Nerf darts.  Because you're a nice person.

Nerf Elite Jr Explorer Blaster with Nerf Darts

63. Golf pegs: TEES.

65. Nonsense, to a Brit: ROT.  As in "What a lot of rot you do talk."

66. Tit for __: TAT.  Responding to negative treatment like injury or insult with more of the same.

Here's the grid:

I have YAKKED long enough!  I NEEDN'T go on.

Time for me to LIE LOW and let you express your IDEAs in the comments.

Thanks for playing along!

-- NaomiZ

 

 

Notes from C.C.:

 

Happy 55th birthday to dear Splynter, our fun and steadfast Friday Sherpa! During his many years blogging the Saturday puzzles, he missed only one - a true testament to his reliability. He later went on to guide us through Wednesdays with the same care and insight. 

 

So proud of his gym journey the past year. Seriously impressive. Wishing you a year of laughter, strength, and continued gym success, Splynter!