Wednesday, April 15, 2026, Hoang-Kim Vu

 Many Happy Returns... (Hopefully...)

This was a very taxing puzzle! But daughter no. 1 helped me with it, so call her my CPA!

17 Across. Tries something earnestly: HAS A GO AT IT.  The circled SAG backwards = Gas Tax.

25 Across. Uploads again, say: RESUBMITS. The circled ESU backwards = Use Tax.

49 Across. "That's so typical": IT FIGURES. The circled TFIG backwards = Gift Tax.

58 Across. "Just enjoy this victory": A WIN IS A WIN. The circled NIS = Sin Tax

And the reveal:

35 Across. April 15 filing, or what can be found in each set of circled letters in this puzzle: TAX RETURN.           

                           
Across:
1. Sore after a run, say: ACHY.

5. Pastel hue: LILAC.

10. Trident-shaped Greek letters: PSIS. (Looks weird without an apostrophe...)

14. Pump or clog: SHOE.

15. Comic actor Cheri: OTERI.

On the right, (name #1)

16. "Field of Dreams" locale: IOWA.

17. [Theme]

19. Glitzy genre: GLAM.

20. Plumbing fitting under a sink: P TRAP.

21. Two-time Oscar nominee Rooney: MARA.

Name #2

23. Singer Yoko: ONO. (Name #3, every time she sings, I cover my ears and yell "Oh No!")

24. Some spa treatments: PEELS.

They whack you with flat wooden sticks,

Supposed to make your skin look rosy...

25. [Theme]

27. Afro-Caribbean sound: CALYPSO.

29. Soda brand named for a mountain: SHASTA.

30. Fishy, in slang: SUS. I suppose short for "suspect." But it sounds fishy to me...

31. Grains that might be rolled: OATS.

34. Not duped by: ONTO.

35. [Theme Reveal.

38. Text incessantly: SPAM. Yes, the dreaded Spam...

Be sure to read the credits at the end...

40. Salty septet: SEAS. Let's hope Misty can convert this puzzle into a poem for us... ( or at least a good story, it's very taxing when these puzzles don't rhyme...)

41. Org. in 66-Across: CIA.

44. Like a well-earned comeuppance: KARMIC.

46. Films that often end in weddings: ROMCOMS.  (I am not going to link the wedding singer, )

49. [Theme] 

The clue was "that's typical=It figures."

I posted the pic before I moved the Themers,

And now I don't know how to move it, or delete it...

52. Loses one's hair: BALDS.

53. Avril follower: MAI. (Frawnch...) should not be in an English puzzle if you ask me...

54. Since: AS OF.

55. Like beaches: SANDY.

56. Laptop shortcut key: CTRL.

58. [Theme]

61. Laptop shortcut key: HOME.

62. Ariz. neighbor: CALIF.

63. "Well, fudge": DANG.

64. __ facto: IPSO.

65. Prepared to be knighted: KNELT.

66. Best Picture winner set in Iran: ARGO.

Ok, they went undercover as film makers making a movie...

Wait! Which one is the real movie?

Down:
1. Barbecue detritus: ASH.

2. Béret, par exemple: CHAPEAU. (French for hat, how do I know this? Dr. Seuss...)

3. Budget lodgings: HOSTELS. I did not know this... Reasonably priced overnight lodging in NYC?

4. Like birthdays: YEARLY.

5. Roller coaster section: LOOP. (Not to be confused with 4. Down)

6. Winner of four FIFA World Cups, for short: ITA. Italy, I wanted USA, but it was not to be...

7. Phrase during a handover: LET ME. Curious clueing, sounds more like "gimme" during a hold up.

8. Met highlights: ARIAS.

9. Satsuma, e.g.: CITRUS. 

Learning moment.

Specifically, Satsuma Mandarin Orange.

10. Certain truffle hunter: PIG.

One does not live by Aroma alone...

11. Recital performer: SOLOIST.

12. Expression of desire: I WANT TO.

13. Appetizer at an Indian restaurant: SAMOSA.

Yummers! Choose your filling!

18. Sound of shock: GASP. What! We're out of Samosas?

22. Detest: ABHOR.

24. Dells, e.g.: PCS. Personal Computers

25. Bellows: ROARS.

26. "Ferrari" director Michael: MANN.

Name #4

28. Rivals of the Yanks: SOX. Baseball: Boston Red Sox.

32. Merch table buy: TEE. This could be either at a flea market, or a Golf Pro Shop...

33. Marks on some items of note: STARS. ⭐️ 

35. Roman of "Basketball Wives": TAMI.

Tami Roman, name #5

36. Latina chum: AMIGA. Latin"o" chum: Amigo.

37. Mil. morale booster: USO. United Service Organizations.

The face of The USO.

38. Led, as a leaderboard: SAT ATOP.

39. Image-shaping cos.: PR FIRMS. Public Relations Firms.

41. Conflict that may feature proxy battles: COLD WAR.

42. "Too funny!": I'M DYING.

Could also refer to a failed stand up gag...

43. Pack animal: ASS.

44. Bibimbap topping: KIMCHI.

Bibimbap=Korean Rice Bowl

Kimchi=Fermented vegetables, usually cabbage, with a variety of spices.

45. John or Joan of "High Fidelity": CUSACK. Names #5 and 6?

47. Enterprise trainees, for short?: MBA'S. Master of Business Administration Degree for the budding entrepreneur... 

48. Ontario's country: CANADA.

50. Atkinson of "Mr. Bean": ROWAN. Name #7.

Oh, but he has done so much more than just Mr. Bean.

51. Option for a 35-Across: EFILE. File Taxes Electronically.

55. Comb (through): SIFT.

57. Astrological cat: LEO.

59. Naught: NIL. Zip, Nada, Zilch, or just a big fat Goose Egg...

60. WWF, e.g.: NGO. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1961 that works in over 100 countries to conserve nature, protect endangered species, and address environmental threats. It is the world's largest independent conservation organization, focusing on forests, oceans, freshwater, wildlife, food, and climate.

Here is the grid:

Here is a link to Saturday April 12, 2025 puzzle write up, where Husker Gary tells us all about our Constructor, Hoang-Kim Vu.

CE:D out.

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 Caroline Hand

That's Entertainment! Imaging winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

3-Down. *  Actress who plays Fiona Gallagher on "Shameless": EMMY ROSSUM.  An Emmy is a television and media award.

21-Across. *  Wise maternal figure voiced by Betty White in "The Lorax": GRAMMY NORMA.  A Grammy is a music award.

30-Down. *  "The Picture of Dorian Gray" novelist: OSCAR WILDE.  An Oscar is awarded in the film industry.

53-Across. *  Mob boss played by James Gandolfini: TONY SOPRANO.  A Tony is awarded in the live stage industry.

And the unifier:

65-Across. "Grand slam" awards acronym spelled out by the starts of the answers to the starred clues: EGOT.  An EGOT winner is an individual who has won all four major American entertainment awards: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.

As of today 22 people have achieved this competitive feat. Notable winners include Richard Rodgers (1962), Helen Hayes (1977), Rita Moreno (1977), John Gielgud (1991), Audrey Hepburn (1994), Marvin Hamlisch (1995), Jonathan Tunick (1997), Mel Brooks (2001), Mike Nichols (2001), Whoopi Goldberg (2002), Scott Rudin (2012), Robert Lopez (2014), John Legend (2018), Andrew Lloyd Webber (2018), Tim Rice (2018), Alan Menkin (2020), Jennifer Hudson (2022), Viola Davis (2023), Elton John (2024), Benj Pasek (2024), Justin Paul (2024), and Steven Spielberg (2026).

Here's the Grid so you can see the prizes.  Note that two are in the Across position, and two are in the Down position, but I don't think there is a deeper meaning in these positions.

Across:

1. __ the fat: gab: CHEW.

5. Get the last of, as gravy: SOP UP.

10. Nap spot: SOFA.  Did you know that the word sofa originates from the Arabic word ṣuffa, which refers to a raised, cushioned seat or bench.  It entered English via Turkish and French in the 17th century.  Historically, this term described a more formal, upholstered seat, distinct from the French-derived couch (from coucher), which was historically meant for lying down.

14. Tibetan spiritual leader: LAMA.

15. Teaser ad: PROMO.

16. Rather wicked: EVIL.  I grew up in the Northeast, so this cartoon makes perfect sense to me.

17. Some early PCs: IBMs.

18. "Finding Nemo" setting: OCEAN.  //  And 6-Down. Black-and-white 18-Across predator: ORCA.

19. Irish ancestor: CELT.

20. Household pest with wings: FLY.

23. "Groovy, man!": FAR OUT!

25. Nutrient in kale: IRON.

26. Answers for a mistake: OWNS IT.

29. Like some swimming pools: INDOOR.

33. Washbowl: BASIN.

35. Celebration with rainbow flags: PRIDE.  Apparently, the Idaho legislature recently banned the flying of Pride flags on government buildings.  The city of Boise found a loophole and wrapped flagpoles in Rainbows.

37. Dallas sch.: SMU.  Southern Methodist University.  A brief history of this University.

38. Clever ploy: RUSE.

39. Household pest with a tail: MOUSE.

40. Base's chemical opposite: ACID.

41. 37-Across email ending: EDU.

42. Military academy student: CADET.

43. Speechify: ORATE.

44. Chinese small bites: DIM SUM.  Yummers!

46. Wireless network device: ROUTER.

48. Stitched borders: HEMS.

50. Large crustaceans: PRAWNS.  Prawns and shrimp are different species of decapod crustaceans. While often used interchangeably in cooking due to similar flavor and texture, they differ anatomically: prawns have branching gills, three pairs of clawed legs, and straight body segments, while shrimp have plate-like gills, one pair of clawed legs, and a distinctive bend in their body.

58. Physics particle: ION.

59. Soothing gel: ALOE.  This has become a crossword staple.

60. Hidden treasure: TROVE.

61. Bummed out: BLUE.  The association of blue with sadness likely originated from the 17th-century phrase blue devils for depression, further influenced by ancient, cold-color symbolism, and possibly nautical traditions of flying blue flags when a captain died.  The term has been linked to sorrow as far back as Geoffrey Chaucer in 1385.

62. Beer barrels: KEGS.

63. Corkscrew shape: HELIX.

64. Novelist Ferber: EDNA.  Edna Ferber (Aug. 15, 1885 ~ Apr. 16, 1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright.  Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big, Show Boat, Cimarron, Giant and Ice Palace.  Many of her novels were also adapted into films.

66. Look at, in the Bible: SEEST.  Probably from the 1604 King James Bible.

67. Cubicle fixture: DESK.

Down:

1. Hang glider's launching spot, perhaps: CLIFF.

2. "Se __ español": HABLA.  Today's Spanish Lesson.

4. "Now, where __ I?": WAS.

5. Newspaper section with game recaps: SPORTS.

7. Verse: POEM.

8. Savory flavor: UMAMI.  Umami is the fifth basic taste alongside sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.  It has a a savory, meaty, or brothy flavor.  This taste was identified by chemist Kikunae Ikeda (Oct. 8, 1864 ~ May 3, 1936) in 1908, and yet I only learned of it in the past few years.

9. Short trip on a short horse: PONY RIDE.

10. Fraction of a minute: SECOND.

11. Completed: OVER.

12. Cannes festival showing: FILM.  The Cannes Film Festival is considered one of the most prestigious film festival in the world.  The festival this year is begins on May 12 and runs through May 23, 2026.  The festival previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around the world.

13. Utah ski resort: ALTA.

21. Fashion icon Tim: GUNN.  Timothy MacKenzie Gunn (b. July 29, 1953) is probably best known with his association with Project Runway.

22. Zero: NONE.

24. Tot's injury: OWIE.

27. Onetime Zune rival: iPOD.  I still use my iPod.

28. More loyal: TRUER.

31. Fail to mention: OMIT.

32. Impolite: RUDE.

33. Born and __: BRED.

34. Automaker with a four-ring logo: AUDI.  The four rings represent four different automakers that merged in 1932 to create what was then called the Auto Union.

36. Analogy words: IS TO.

39. Woolly beasts of the past: MAMMOTHS.

40. Zone: AREA.

42. Pool hall sticks: CUES.

43. Other, in Spanish: OTRO.  More of today's Spanish lesson.

45. Least assertive: SHYEST.

47. "Coming after the break ... ": UP NEXT.

49. Buying binge: SPREE.

51. Subjects of most sentences: NOUNS.  Do students still have to diagram sentences?

52. Tiptoe: SNEAK.

53. Grab: TAKE.

54. Designer Cassini: OLEG.  Oleg Cassini (né Oleg Cassini Loiewski; Apr. 11, 1913 ~ Mar. 17, 2006) is probably best known for being Jackie Kennedy's favorite designer when she was in the White House.

55. Scrapped, at NASA: NO GO.

56. Actor's goal: ROLE.

57. Rental car giant: AVIS.

61. __-and-breakfast: BED.

That's all for this week.

חתולה