Tuesday, March 10, 2026 Geoffrey Schorkoph and Matthew Luter

Odds or Evens?

20-Across. Road trip activity with yes or no answers: TWENTY QUESTIONS.

34-Across. Uno's predecessor: CRAZY EIGHTS.

41-Across. Hasbro product with yellow and red checkers: CONNECT FOUR.

And the unifier:

51-Across. "You must consider the odds," and what can be said about 20-, 34-, or 41-Across?: IT'S A NUMBERS GAME.  Consider the Odds that all the Games have Even Numbers.

Across:

1. Sleight of hand: MAGIC.

6. Film trivia site: IMDB.  As in Internet Movie DataBase.  It's useful when you recognize an actor's face, but can't think of his name.

10. __ golf: DISC.  I'll let the golfers among us describe this sport.

14. Best Picture Oscar winner starring Mikey Madison: ANORA.  Anora is a romantic comedy-drama about a young girl from Brooklyn who meets and marries the wealthy son of a Russian oligarch.  His parent's aren't amused.

 

15. Nurture: REAR.

16. Machu Picchu builder: INCA.  Machu Picchu is an Incan city set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru. Built in the 15th century and later abandoned.  It is known renowned for its dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar and panoramic views.   It is truly breathtaking.  If you have an opportunity to visit the site, I highly recommend it.

17. Played on TV again: RERAN.

18. Years, in Latin: ANNI.  Anno is singular; Anni is plural.

19. Aussie greeting: G'DAY.  We learned about Australian greetings a couple of weeks ago.

23. Fashion designer Anna: SUI.  Anna Sui (b. Aug. 4, 1955) was a big name in fashion in the early aughts.

24. Low-carb diet: KETO.  Keto is short for ketogenic, a diet designed to induce ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.

25. Bona fide: ACTUAL.  More of today's Latin lesson.  It literally means In Good Faith.

29. On a cruise ship, maybe: ASEA.

31. Glamping options, for short: RVs.

36. Butter unit: PAT.

37. Saintly ring of light: HALO.

38. "Hamilton" actress Phillipa: SOO.  Philippa Anne Soo (b. May 31, 1990) makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.  She is best known for her role as Eliza Hamilton in the original Broadway musical Hamilton.

39. The Big Easy, for short: NOLA.  As in New Orleans, Louisiana.

40. Mother of 41-Down: EVE.  //  41-Down. Genesis brother: CAIN.

45. Lair: DEN.

46. Like some limited-release films: ARTY.

47. Hoot and __: HOLLER.

48. Bed size: TWIN.  Back in the olden days, married couples slept in twin beds.

50. Buddy: PAL.

59. __ scale: measure of mineral hardness: MOHS.  The Mohs scale of mineral hardness was developed in 1812 by Friedrich Mohs (né Carl Friedrich Christian Mohs; Jan. 29, 1883 ~ Sept. 29, 1839), a German chemist.

60. Beat handily: ROUT.

61. Language of Sri Lanka: TAMIL.  Sri Lanka is the island country off the tip of India.

62. Item on a stage manager's checklist: PROP.

63. Ilk: SORT.

64. Pizzeria appliances: OVENS.

65. Participates in a bee: SEWS.

66. Tense and irritable: EDGY.

67. Gossipy person: YENTA.

Down:

1. Bodega: MART.

2. From the top: ANEW.  A crossword staple.

3. 1990s vice president: GORE.  Before he became the 45th Vice President, Al Gore (né Albert Arnold Gore Jr.; b. Mar. 31, 1948) served as a United States Senator from Tennessee.

4. Tehran's country: IRAN.  I think this country has been in the news recently.  Did any of you watch the television show Tehran that is on Apple TV?

5. "Who knows": CAN'T SAY.

6. Baghdad citizen: IRAQI.

7. Array of course offerings?: MENU.

8. Great __: big dog: DANE.

9. Staple of Texas barbecue: BRISKET.  Yummers!

10. Finger or toe: DIGIT.

11. Splashy hotel amenity?: INDOOR POOL.

12. Read a barcode: SCAN.

13. Tropical islets: CAYS.  Everything you ever wanted to know about Cays, but didn't know to ask.

21. Christmas season: YULE.

Christmas in July.

22. Brews enjoyed with scones: TEAS.

25. Felt a workout: ACHED.

26. Hunger for: CRAVE.

27. Amateur production: TALENT SHOW.

28. "The Residence" star Aduba: UZO.  I am not familiar with either The Residence or Uzo Aduba (née Uzoamaka Nwanneka "Uzo" Aduba; b. Feb. 10, 1981).  She is probably best known for her portrayal of Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on Orange Is the New Black.

29. Torment: AGONY.

30. "If the __ fits ... ": SHOE.

32. Regard highly: VALUE.

33. Ringo of the Beatles: STARR.

35. "This __ about you": ISN'T.

39. Gp. that sets a zebra among the Lions?: NFL.  The zebras here are the referees.

42. Surgical asst.: OR NURSE.

43. Blacken, as a steak: CHAR.

44. "Anna Karenina" novelist: TOLSTOY.  Leo Tolstoy (Sept. 9, 1828 ~ Nov. 20, 1910) published Anna Karenina as a novel in 1878.  It had initially been released in serial increments between 1875 and 1877.  You can read it here.

49. Builders of papery nests: WASPS.

50. Like one who holds grudges: PETTY.

51. Rascals: IMPS.

52. Ripped: TORE.

beyond torn.

53. Word before ring or swing: MOOD.

54. Town: BURG.

55. Donated: GAVE.

56. Blessing ender: AMEN.

57. Julep herb: MINT.  Yummers!

58. Disney princess with icy powers: ELSA.  A reference to Frozen.

That's all for this week.

חתולה

Monday, March 9, 2026, Zhouqin Burnikel

Theme:  Lace up!

Today's puzzle comes to us from prolific constructor and generous host in this blog space, Zhouqin Burnikel, known here as C.C.

The theme is somewhat hidden until the big reveal:

50-Across. Prepare to skate, or what can be found in 3-, 8-, 10-, and 33-Down?: LACE UP.  Indeed, upon examination, we find the word LACE going UPwards in four vertical entries.  If you didn't see the laces, check the image of the grid at the end of this blog post!

3-Down. Business meetings over the phone: CONFERENCE CALLS.  

8-Down. Stillness before a storm: EERIE CALM.

10-Down. Zodiac cycle in which the Rabbit follows the Tiger: CHINESE CALENDAR.

33-Down. Baby humpback: WHALE CALF.

Things are definitely looking up in this puzzle, but it's time for us to look across and down.

Across:

1. Treaty between nations: PACT.

5. Diamond corner: BASE.  Baseball diamond.

9. Highest point: ACME.  Will it be ACME or APEX?  Only the perpendicular entries know for sure.

13. Aroma: ODOR.

14. Soak in the tub: BATHE.

15. Guacamole scoop: CHIP.

16. Last stretch before graduation: SENIOR YEAR.

18. Increase in altitude: RISE.

19. North Pole helper: ELF.

20. __ Angeles Sparks: LOS.  The Los Angeles Sparks are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association.

21. "Stop talking!": SILENCE.

23. Playground board with two seats: SEE SAW.  A SEE SAW (or teeter-totter) is a long, narrow board, balanced in the center on a single pivot point.  One person sits on each end of the board, and they take turns pushing their feet against the ground to raise their side.  If one person jumps off when their side is low, the other may fall and be injured.  For this reason, see saws have been removed from most playgrounds in the United States.  Today's blogger was fortunate to grow up in the days when children were largely unsupervised.  My siblings and I spent several summers in and around Salida, Colorado, and spent hours on see saws in the shady city park.

Children on a see saw

25. "Relax, soldier": AT EASE.

26. Beam of light: RAY.

27. Make into law: ENACT.

28. U.S. ID issuer: SSA.  Social Security Administration.

31. Broken mirror, to some: OMEN.  A bad omen, at that.

33. Get hitched: WED.

34. White-barked trees: ASPENS.  Aspen trees (Populus tremuloides AKA "trembling poplar") are not individual trees but rather part of a shared root system. A grove of aspens shares the same genetics, with new trunks sprouting from the roots. 

Aspen grove

36. Go on a tirade: RANT.

37. Red Monopoly piece: HOTEL.

39. Palm with berries: ACAI.

40. Noisy summer insect: CICADA.

42. Meat in a croque monsieur: HAM.  A Croque Monsieur is a French hot sandwich made with ham, cheese, and béchamel sauce.

Croque monsieur

43. California wine valley: NAPA.

44. Pint night purchase: ALE.

45. Respected villager: ELDER.

47. Zilch: NIL.

48. "Door's open": COME IN.

50. [Theme clue]

53. Bold alternative?: ITALICS.  Font options!

55. Fragrant evergreen: FIR.

56. Org. whose seal depicts an eagle atop a key: NSA.  An abbreviation in the clue calls for an abbreviation in the answer.

57. "You got a deal!": SOLD.

58. Fruity fall beverage: APPLE CIDER.

61. "Riverdale" actress Reinhart: LILI.  Lili Reinhart gained recognition for playing Betty Cooper on the CW teen drama series Riverdale (2017-2023). She also starred in the crime drama film Hustlers (2019) and the romantic drama film Chemical Hearts (2020).  

62. Strung along: LED ON.

63. Title for New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko: DAME.  Dame Lydia Ko (born April 24, 1997) is a New Zealand professional golfer, member of the LPGA Hall of Fame, and the reigning Olympic champion. She first reached number one in the Women's World Golf Rankings in 2015 at 17 years, 9 months and 9 days of age, making her the youngest player of either gender to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf.  Ko was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2025, for services to golf. She is believed to be the youngest dame or knight of the modern era.

Lydia Ko

64. "If all __ fails ... ": ELSE.  If you don't know Lili or Lydia, try to fill in the perps (perpendicular entries), and if that doesn't complete the names, take a WAG (wild ass guess).  

65. Defect: FLAW.

66. Unrefined minerals: ORES.

Down:

1. Prepares for a photograph: POSES.

2. One-named "Hello" singer: ADELE.  Adele is an English singer, songwriter, and actress, known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting.  Her accolades include 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards (including three for British Album of the Year), an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Adele

3. [Theme clue]

4. The first "T" of TNT: TRI.  Trinitrotoluene, commonly known as TNT, is a chemical compound best known as an explosive material with convenient handling properties. Wile E. Coyote certainly finds it convenient.

5. Howls at the moon: BAYS.

6. Enjoyed some tteokbokki, say: ATE.  Tteokbokki is a Korean food made from small, cylindrical rice cakes, simmered in chili paste.  It is often paired with fish cakes, boiled eggs, and scallions.  This was a good spot for a WAG.  After all, what's a three letter word for "enjoyed"?

Tteokbokki

7. Peak in the Cascade Range: SHASTA.  Mount Shasta is a volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in California. At an elevation of 14,179 feet, it is the second-highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth-highest in the state.  The last significant eruption was about 200 years ago, but it is still a high threat and is monitored by the United States Geological Survey.

Would you live this close to an active volcano?
This is the city of Mount Shasta.

8. [Theme clue]

9. Units of land area: ACRES.

10. [Theme clue]

11. Catchall category: Abbr.: MISC.

12. Heaviest fencing sword: ÉPÉE.

14. Body part that can be furrowed: BROW.

17. CeraVe rival: OLAY.  Brands of skin care products.

DH uses this cleanser as recommended by his dermatologist.

22. Muscles near delts: LATS.  Delts (deltoids) and lats (latissimus dorsi) are crucial upper-body muscles that define shoulder width, posture, and pulling/pushing strength.

24. North Pole VIP: SANTA.

25. "What happened next?": AND THEN?

27. Fair-hiring initials: EEO.  Equal Employment Opportunity is a legal principle meant to ensure that all employees and applicants receive fair treatment by prohibiting discrimination in hiring, promotion, and firing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40+), disability, or genetic information. 

29. "Just like that" sound: SNAP.

30. Iran's continent: ASIA.

31. Dolphin with eye patches: ORCA.  Have you heard about the orcas in the Pacific Northwest who engaged in a trend of wearing dead salmon on their heads like hats?  This fad spread through various pods in the late 1980s, and is experiencing a retro revival.  Who can keep up?

Orca rocking a salmon hat.

32. Postal delivery: MAIL.

33. [Theme clue]

35. Become frantic: PANIC.

38. Serving of corn: EAR.

41. "The Substance" Oscar nominee Moore: DEMI.  For her role in The Substance (2024), Moore won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, the Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress, and an Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.  She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance.

46. Quash, as a rumor: DISPEL.

47. DEA agent: NARC.  An agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration may be a narcotics officer.

49. Song from a bygone era: OLDIE.

50. Property claim: LIEN.

51. "I'm at your service": USE ME.

52. Trims (down): PARES.

53. Part of an archipelago: ISLE.

54. Work hard: TOIL.

55. __ state: focused mindset: FLOW.  Flow state, or being "in the zone," is a state of total immersion in an activity, characterized by intense concentration, deep enjoyment, and high productivity.

59. Kissing on the kiss cam, say: PDA.  Public Display of Affection.

Too much?

60. Swear words?: I DO.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did you achieve a FLOW state while solving?  

Or did you PANIC?  AND THEN?

Let us know in the comments section!

-- NaomiZ

Sunday March 8, 2026 Seth Weitberg

Theme: "YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN" - The first words are all A + double letter *ed, then TO, the last words are parts of the first words in plural form. 

23. The land developer was __: ATTRACTED TO TRACTS.

39. The billboard installer was __: ASSIGNED TO SIGNS.

51. The tissue manufacturer was __: APPLIED TO PLIES.

65. The importer/exporter was __: ACCUSTOMED TO CUSTOMS.

79. The music producer was __: ATTUNED TO TUNES.

89. The safety inspector __: ATTESTED TO TESTS.

110. The scorekeeper was __: APPOINTED TO POINTS.

So the title "You Can Say That Again" is due to the structural echo. The clues add another layer: each one refers to a specific profession in a different field. The echoed word matches the worker's specialty. 

This is Seth's first LAT Sunday puzzle. Congrats!

Across:

1. Irked by: MAD AT.

6. Lite: LO-FAT.

11. Economical: CHEAP.

16. TD pass throwers, perhaps: QBS. Quarterbacks.

19. Diarist Nin: ANAIS.

20. __ acid: AMINO.

21. Painter Matisse: HENRI.

22. Fed. that hosts F1's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: UAE.

26. Barinholtz of "The Studio": IKE. He won the inaugural prime time season of "Celebrity Jeopardy!".

27. Baseball gripping aid: SEAM.

28. Tops: A ONE.

29. Actress Birch: THORA. Known for her role in "American Beauty". Then and now.

30. Threw it out there: ASKED.

32. Annual Kentucky event: DERBY.

34. Sudden impulse: WHIM.

35. Ice Follies venue: RINK.

37. Stuffy sort: PRUDE.

46. Send back: REMAND. To a lower court. 

48. Otherwise: ELSE.

49. Western treaty gp.: OAS. The Organization of American States.

50. Lummox: LOUT.

55. Penta- minus one: TETRA.

56. Calendar pgs.: MOS. Months.

57. Sleeveless top: VEST.

58. "You will __ the day!": RUE. 62. "You made that up!": LIAR.

59. Early 1990s pres., familiarly: BUSH SR. Prez #41.

60. Tour of duty: STINT.

64. Demonstrating more courage: GUTSIER.

69. Holds fast (to): ADHERES.

70. Comfort: EASE.

71. Pine secretion: RESIN.

72. Crabby folks: CRANKS.

73. Used to be: WAS.

74. Annoyance: PEST.

75. Seer's gift: ESP.

78. NFL team with a horseshoe logo: COLTS.

84. Cambodian currency: RIEL. RIAL is Iranian/Omani.  

85. Cape __, Massachusetts: ANN.

87. Part of Caesar's boast: VENI.

88. Bao Li, Qing Bao, et al.: PANDAS. Bao means "precious" in Chinese.

94. Pie component: CRUST.

95. Finishing __: SALT. This is a hugely popular brand.

96. Surface alternative: IPAD.

97. Love, in French: AMOUR.

99. Uninspired, as writing: PROSY.

102. "That sounds like safe money": I'D BET.

104. Tierra en el oc ano: ISLA.

106. Young woman: LASS.

109. Overalls part: BIB.

114. Java: JOE.

115. Perfume: AROMA.

116. City in upstate New York: OLEAN. About 60 miles southeast of Buffalo along the Allegheny River.

117. Intel-gathering mission: RECON.

118. Farm enclosure: STY.

119. Suite spot: HOTEL.

120. Approves: OKAYS.

121. Cooks up: BREWS.

Down:

1. "A Court of Thorns and Roses" novelist Sarah J. __: MAAS.

2. Poker buy-in: ANTE.

3. Massive transfers of information: DATA DUMPS. 

4. Decoration awarded in all branches of the military: AIR MEDAL. Oh I thought it's just for the Air Force.

5. Bag-screening org.: TSA.

6. Sister of Janet and Jermaine: LATOYA.

7. Portent: OMEN.

8. Bona __: FIDE.

9. Foraging insect: ANT.

10. Dental product: TOOTH GEL. I just call it "gel toothpaste".

11. Classic auto trim: CHROME.

12. Learn through the grapevine: HEAR.

13. Pioneering digital encyclopedia: ENCARTA. From Microsoft. Now we have Wikipedia.

14. Part of LACMA: ART. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 

15. Some Tuscans: PISANS.

16. Classic Nestlé drink: QUIK. Never had this.

17. Make clafoutis, say: BAKE.  Wikipedia says clafoutis is "a French dish of pitted sour cherries, arranged in a buttered dish, covered with a thick but pourable batter, then baked to create a crustless tart."

18. Tournament assignment: SEED.

24. Subway alternative: CAB.

25. Gauzy: THIN.

31. Situation that inevitably goes downhill?: SKI LESSON. 59. Place where pickup lines may be common?: BUS STOP. Fun clues for both. 

33. Baroque painter Guido: RENI. Born in Bologna. 

34. Tendril: WISP.

36. Mobile platform since 2007: IOS.

37. Buggy for a bairn: PRAM.

38. Take back, briefly: REPO.

40. Gets cracking on: SETS TO.

41. Schedule opening: SLOT.

42. Daily tablet, say: DOSE.

43. Celebratory cry during a game of tag: GOT HIM.

44. Some care coordinators: NURSES.

45. Hall of Fame drummer from Liverpool: STARR (Ringo)

47. Concocts: DEVISES.

52. Bad impressions: DENTS. Using the physical sense of "impression".

53. Livid: IRATE.

54. Currency symbolized by €: EURO.

55. __-frutti: TUTTI.

60. Like products for sensitive skin, often: SCENTLESS.

61. __ and Caicos: TURKS. Beautiful islands.

62. Tiniest bit: LEAST.

63. Cards with pics: IDS.

64. B&B patron: GUEST.

65. Skillful: ADROIT.

66. Alpine dwelling: CHALET. The chalet in our local Elm Creek Park Reserve.

67. Charcuterie fare: MEAT.

68. College unit: CREDIT.

69. Ghana's capital: ACCRA.

73. Magic show prop: WAND.

74. Farm enclosures: PENS.

75. Staying power: ENDURANCE.

76. Neptune's realm: SEAS.

77. Subtle "Over here!": PSST.

80. Skin art only visible in black light: UV TATTOO.

81. Demand: NEED.

82. Snack topped with onions and cilantro: TACO.

83. Harder to control: UNRULIER.

85. Delta HQ: ATL.

86. Nasal irrigation vessel: NETI POT.

90. Checkup request: SAY AAH.

91. Shin-related: TIBIAL.

92. "__ sesame!": OPEN.

93. Spots that do dos: SALONS.

98. Treasure hunt aid: MAP.

99. Easy sammies: PBJS. I like peanut butter and honey. 

100. Real hoot: RIOT.

101. Toe the line: OBEY.

103. Pantheon feature: DOME.

104. Inkling: IDEA.

105. Temporary reprieve: STAY.

107. Put in the overhead bin: STOW.

108. Form W-2 digits: SSNS.

111. In favor of: PRO.

112. Animal on the Michigan state seal: ELK.The seal features an elk and a moose, but no wolves. 

113. Poetic sphere: ORB.

C.C.