Tuesday April 28, 2026 Robert E L Morris

A Little Dab Will Do You!  Today we have a puzzle filled with homophones.  The last word or syllable of each theme has the same sound.

17-Across. Total left to pay: BALANCE DUE.

26-Across.  Farmer's wake-up call: COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO.

45-Across. "Any suggestions for my next move?": WHAT AM I GONNA DO?

59-Across. Water on the grass at dawn: MORNING DEW.

Here's the Grid:

How will we DO with the rest of the puzzle?

Across:

1. Minty cocktail associated with the Kentucky Derby: JULEP.  Yummers!

6. FedEx competitor: UPS.  Both companies have been delivering packages to the wrong addresses.  I get daily notices on NextNeighbor from people trying to locate a package that has been misplaced.  

9. No longer happening: PAST.

13. Pioneering gaming company: ATARI.  Atari has been in the gaming business since 1972!

14. The two of them: BOTH.

16. Palo __, California: ALTO.

19. Decisive victory: ROUT.  The largest rout in college football took place in 1916 when Georgia Tech beat Cumberland University in a score of 222 to Zero.  John Heisman, later honored by having a trophy named after him, was the coach of Georgia Tech.

20. __ Na Na: SHA.  Sha Na Na was an American rock and roll and doo-wop revival group formed in the late 1960s.

21. Rower's blade: OAR.

22. Anxious fellow in the maternity ward: DAD-TO-BE.

24. James Bond creator Fleming: IAN.  In addition to writing the James Bond series, Ian Fleming (né Ian Lancaster Fleming; May 28, 1908 ~ Aug. 12, 1964)  also wrote children's book, notably Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

25. Mineral in hemoglobin: IRON.

33. Weighty volume: TOME.

34. Golf course standard: PAR.

35. Sends sprawling: TRIPS.

36. Color wheel segment: HUE.

37. Stirs memories in: REMINDS.

40. To the __ degree: NTH.

41. Athlete from College Station, Texas, familiarly: AGGIE.  The school was founded in 1871 and opened in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, hence the A&M in its name.  Texas A&M was the state's first public institution of higher education.  It was established under the Morrill Land-Grant Act. It began as an all-male military academy, then evolved into a major research university.  In the 1960s, the school began admitting women and minorities.  In 1963, the name officially became Texas A&M University.

43. Wedding announcement word: NÉE.  We see this French word often in the puzzles.

44. Anti-fur gp.: PETA.  People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

49. Slender: SLIM.

50. Early ISP: AOL.  America On Line.

51. Infuriated: MADE MAD.

54. PC key on either side of the space bar: ALT.

55. Angst-filled musical genre: EMO.

58. Region: AREA.

62. Fibs: LIES.

63. Victorious cry: I WIN!

64. Deliver a speech: ORATE.

65. Gentle whirlpool: EDDY.

66. Hoops org.: NBA.  The National Basketball Association has been around since 1947.

67. Louisa May Alcott's "Little __": WOMEN.  Little Women is the 1869 novel by Louisa May Alcott.  It was based on Alcott's live and follows the lives of the four March sisters ~ Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy~ as they grow from childhood to womanhood during the American Civil War.

Down:

1. Quick punches: JABS.

2. Arches National Park state: UTAH.  Arches National Park was established to protect over 2,000 natural sandstone arches,  It was originally designated as a National Monument in 1929 before it became a National Park in 1971.

3. "__ Land": Emma Stone/Ryan Gosling musical film: LA LA.  La La Land is a movie that starred Ryan Gosling (b. Nov. 12, 1980) and Emma Stone (b. Nov. 6, 1988) as a struggling jazz pianist and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles.

4. Chapter in history: ERA.

5. Acorn producer with a pyramid-shaped crown: PIN OAK.  A Pin Oak is a fast-growing, deciduous tree in the red oak family known for its distinctive pyramidal shape, drooping lower branches, and tolerance for wet, heavy soils.  Native to the eastern and central US, it is popular in landscaping for its russet-red fall color, though it requires acidic soil to prevent yellowing.

6. Taxi alternative: UBER.

7. Group of whales: POD.

8. Recording venue: STUDIO.

9. Significant other: PARTNER.

10. __ gobi: vegetarian curry dish: ALOO.  Aloo gobi is a flavorful Indian curry made from potatoes (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi) cooked with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and a blend of aromatic spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander. It is generally served over a bed of rice.  The key to a good aloo gobi is cooking the potatoes and cauliflower to a tender consistency, which means adding them at different stages or cooking them separately before combining. 

11. Ticket remnant: STUB.  Most of my tickets are now electronic, so I no longer have ticket stub souvenirs.

12. Lug (around): TOTE.

15. Gathered through the grapevine: HEARD.

18. Party snack: CANAPÉ.  Yummers!

23. Dunderheads: DOLTS.

24. Raw bar surface: ICE.

26. Cold symptom: COUGH.

27. Final Greek letter: OMEGA.  It's all Greek to me.

28. Beaver construction: DAM.

29. Round rubber gasket: O-RING.  Sadly, the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was caused by the failure of rubber O-ring seals in the right Solid Rocket Booster (SRB), which became brittle and failed to seal in cold temperatures

30. Enjoyed an elegant supper: DINED.

31. Decide one will: OPT TO.

32. Workplace std. setter: OSHA.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration often finds it way into the puzzles.  

33. Melt: THAW.

37. Dominion: REALM.

38. "The Matrix" protagonist: NEO.  Neo was portrayed by Keanu Charles Reeves (b. Sept. 2, 1964).

39. Alaska national park with the tallest peak in North America: DENALI.  So beautiful and majestic.

42. "Piece of cake": IT'S EASY.

44. Friend: PAL.

46. Florida setting of some Carl Hiaasen novels: MIAMI.  Carl Hiassen (b. Mar. 12, 1953) is a Floridian journalist and novelist. He began his career as a newspaper reporter and in his spare time he began writing novels.  His novels are humorous crime stories.  I haven't read any of books, but I did watch his adapted-for-television show Bad Monkey.

47. "Works for me": I'M DOWN.

48. "Maybe later": NOT NOW.

51. Like tomcats: MALE.

52. Bone-dry: ARID.

53. Monopoly card: DEED.

54. Actress Kendrick: ANNA.  Anna Cooke Kendrick (b. Aug. 9, 1985) is known for her comedic timing and endearing characters in musicals and comedies.

55. Mild Dutch cheese: EDAM.  Yummers!  Edam is a semi-hard Dutch cheese traditionally sold in spheres with a red wax rind.

56. Dole (out): METE.

57. Wilson of "Stick": OWEN.  Owen Wilson (b. Nov. 18, 1958) is also known for his comedic roles in movies and television.  In Stick, Wilson portrayed a has-been golf pro.

60. Part of a celery stalk: RIB.  It's the chewy part of the celery.

61. Miracle-__: garden brand: GRO.

I'm sure you all DID well on today's puzzle.

חתולה

Monday, April 27, 2026, Patti Varol

Theme:  OVERJOYED!

Today's puzzle comes to us from Patti Varol, who is not only the editor of the Los Angeles Times Crossword, but whose puzzles have appeared in many other publications, and have been the challenges presented in many crossword tournaments. 

Each of today's long entries begins with a synonym for "happy" -- a very nice way to start Monday morning.

20-Across. Carnival ride with seats shaped like animals: MERRY-GO-ROUND.

33-Across. Hard candies with blue raspberry and green apple flavors: JOLLY RANCHERS.

43-Across. Brand of heavy-duty trash bags: GLAD FORCEFLEX.

59-Across. Golfer played by Adam Sandler: HAPPY GILMORE.

I wanted to echo Patti's theme by using another familiar phrase that starts with a synonym for "happy" -- and does not re-use one of Patti's synonyms -- and I could not do it.  The fact that Patti found these four phrases and fit them into symmetrical spots in the grid is impressive.  The whole thing left me delighted, joyful, thrilled, and ecstatic.

Let's see what other cheerful things show up in the grid.

Across:

1. Allure of a coffee shop: AROMA.

Sometimes the aroma is the best part.

6. Private convos: DMS.  Direct messages are private conversations, usually on social media sites.

9. Initial phase: ONSET.  It has been over a year since the ONSET of my daughter's dog Charlie's crippling disability.  Five veterinarians and thousands of dollars later, we may have a diagnosis.

Our dearly departed terriers at left; Charlie (a European village dog) on the right.

14. Student: PUPIL.

15. Snakelike fish: EEL.

16. "And there you have it!": VOILÀ.  "See there!" in French.  Adopted into English to call attention to something, or to suggest an appearance as if by magic (like "ta-da").

17. Flower part: PETAL.

18. D-backs, on scoreboards: ARI.  The Arizona Diamondbacks (or D-backs) are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Arizona Diamondbacks logo

19. ATM key: ENTER.

20. [Theme clue]

23. Strong urge: DESIRE.

26. Earsplitting: LOUD.

27. Pick up the tab: PAY.

28. Before, poetically: ERE.

     Maid of Athens, ere we part,

     Give, oh, give me back my heart!

     Or, since that has left my breast,

     Keep it now, and take the rest!

          -- Lord Byron, 1810

29. Frustrated cry: GAH.  An interjection used to express disappointment, frustration, or dismay.

Gah!

31. Recipe amount: CUP.

33. [Theme clue]

38. Tibet's continent: ASIA.

39. Sign before Virgo: LEO.

40. Dinghy pair: OARS.

43. [Theme clue]

48. One who may have a platonic partner, for short: ARO.  Aromantic -- a person who does not experience romantic attraction.

49. Flesh and blood: KIN.

50. Photo __: OPS.  Photo opportunities.  Occasions or settings that lend themselves to, or are deliberately arranged for, taking photographs, especially for favorable publicity of the subjects.

51. Delivery room docs: OBS.  Obstetricians.

54. Backless shoe: MULE.  Mules can be flat, or on wedges or block heels, or even high-heeled.  Many slippers are mules.  Toes can be open, as shown below, or closed.

Mule with block heel.

57. "This sale ends soon!": ACT NOW.  Pressure tactics sometimes lead to poor decisions.

59. [Theme clue]

62. "Rashomon" director Kurosawa: AKIRA.  Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998) was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 30 feature films over six decades.  Rashomon (1950) was the surprise winner of the Golden Lion at the 1951 Venice Film Festival, opening Western markets to Japanese films for the first time.  You may remember Seven Samurai (1954).

Akira Kurosawa

63. Actress Goth of Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein": MIA.  Mia Goth is a British actress and model.  She has a fitting surname for the genre.

She's too old for her mother to prevent her going out like this.

64. "I'm the best!": YAY ME.

68. Intel job: RECON.  Intel is intelligence, or information concerning a subject of interest, especially an enemy; recon is reconnaissance, or an exploratory military survey of enemy territory.

69. K-pop band who began their Arirang World Tour in 2026: BTS.  BTS (which stands for the Korean words for "Bulletproof Boy Scouts"), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010.  In 2020, BTS became the fastest group since the Beatles to chart four US number-one albums in less than two years.  They are the best-selling musical act in South Korean history.

70. __ to: before: PRIOR.

71. Very skilled: ADEPT.

72. Dead __ Scrolls: SEA.

73. Categories: TYPES.

Down:

1. Program opened with a tap: APP.  An app, which is short for "application," is a type of software that can be installed and run on a computer, tablet, smartphone or other electronic devices.  Most apps have a specific and narrow function.

Apps on a smartphone.

2. Truly regret: RUE.

3. Choose: OPT.

4. Metropolis east of the Everglades: MIAMI.

5. Hypersensitivity that may be diagnosed with a scratch test: ALLERGY.

6. Precious: DEAR.

7. Actress Streep: MERYL.  Meryl Streep is an American actress who has had success with critically acclaimed dramas and mainstream silliness alike.  Over her long career, she has earned three Academy Awards:  Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Kramer vs Kramer (1979), and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Sophie's Choice (1982) and for The Iron Lady (2011).  She is the most Academy Award-nominated performer in history.

Meryl Streep in 1977

8. Irish county next to Mayo: SLIGO.  County Sligo is a county in the Northern and Western Region of Ireland.  W. B. Yeats grew up there and its landscapes inspired his poetry.  Obscure for a Monday puzzle.

The dark green area is County Sligo; the pink is Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.

9. Like a library book one has to pay for: OVERDUE.  My long career as a librarian was partly inspired by my childhood fascination with date due cards and the machine that captured an image of each card alongside my library card.

Alas, I never got to use the photocharger.  I mostly worked in computerizing catalogs.

10. Off-limits move: NO NO.

11. "Quit slouching!": SIT UP.

12. Supreme Court justice Kagan: ELENA.  Elena Kagan is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was appointed in 2010 by President Obama and is the fourth woman to serve on the Court.  PRIOR to her service on the Supreme Court, she was a clerk for Justice Thurgood Marshall; a lawyer in private practice; a professor at the University of Chicago Law School; a special counsel for the Senate Judiciary Commmittee; Associate White House Counsel for President Clinton; professor and then Dean of Harvard Law School; and then Solicitor General for President Obama. 

The first four female U.S. Supreme Court justices:
 Sandra Day O'Connor, Sonia Sotomayor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Elena Kagan.

13. Not on time: TARDY.

21. Tail end: REAR.

22. Cry of pain: OUCH.

23. __ vu: familiar feeling: DÉJÀ.  Déjà vu is French for "already seen."  In English, it refers to the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time, that is, a feeling that one has seen or heard something before.

24. God with a bow and arrow: EROS.

25. Former baseball commissioner Bud: SELIG.  "Bud" Selig is the commissioner emeritus of baseball.  He was de facto acting commissioner beginning in 1992 in his capacity as chairman of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Executive Committee before being named the official commissioner in 1998.  He served as the ninth commissioner of baseball from 1998 to 2015.  He is credited with the financial turnaround of baseball, with a 400 percent increase in the revenue of MLB during his tenure.

Bud Selig

30. Grapefruit serving, often: HALF.

32. Univ. teacher: PROF.  A university teacher is often a professor.

34. Singsong syllables: LA LA.

35. Opposite of paleo-: NEO.

36. Wine stopper: CORK.

37. Cut-and-dry spot: SALON.

41. Seized auto: REPO.  Repossessed (usually for failure to make payments).

42. Annual festival in Austin, TX: SXSW.  South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of film, interactive media, and music festivals that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas.

44. Insect that forages in large raids: ARMY ANT.

45. Heisman winner Flutie: DOUG.  Doug Flutie is a former professional football quarterback.  In a 21-year career, Flutie played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and one season in the United States Football League (USFL).  He played college football for the Boston College Eagles, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1984.

46. Italian farewell: CIAO.  Or, as DH likes to say:  "Ciao for now!"

47. Put into code: ENCRYPT.

51. Catherine of "The Studio": O'HARA.  Catherine O'Hara (1954-2026) was a Canadian-American actress and comedian. She began in improvisational and sketch comedy before expanding her career with dramatic roles. She has a long list of film credits, but may be best known for her roles in Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and Schitt's Creek. 

Catherine O'Hara in 2005

52. Made cookies, say: BAKED.

53. Jazz (up): SPICE.

55. Arms and legs: LIMBS.

56. Crème de la crème: ELITE.  More French!  "Crème de la crème" is literally "cream of the cream" and is used to mean "best of the best." 

58. In need of tissues: TEARY.

60. Actor's accessory: PROP.

61. Tortilla dough: MASA.  Masa is dough made from ground corn that has been softened by soaking in alkali. 

65. Shrill bark: YIP.

66. Fellow Stooge of Larry and Curly: MOE.  We have a Chairman by that name in our Corner.

67. Hosp. triage areas: ERS.  Hospital triage areas are Emergency Rooms.

Here's the grid:

Solvers, did you RUE attempting this puzzle, and cry "GAH" HALFway into it?

Or are you an ELITE solver, so ADEPT at crosswords that you yelled "YAY ME!"?

All TYPES of solvers are welcome in the Comments.  We DESIRE your input.

-- NaomiZ

Sunday April 26, 2026 Zhou Zhang & Kevin Curry

Theme: "A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT" - A well-known river runs through each theme entry between the letters I & T. 

26. Performs for only one side of the audience?: EXISTS STAGE RIGHT. Exits stage right. Crossing 27. Slithering reptile: SNAKE. 

35. Support for a fractured fruit?: BANANA SPLINT. Banana split. Crossing 12. Seattle-based retail giant: AMAZON.

69. Sew angry?: RAGE QUILT. Rage quit. Crossing  60. "Slow down" light color: YELLOW.

 94. Mass celebrations?: PIETY PARTIES. Pity parties. Crossing 78. __ blue: biology stain: NILE.

110. Needs size EEEEEE shoes?: HAS A PROBLEM WIDTH. Has a problem with. Crossing 100. "Song Sung Blue" Oscar nominee: HUDSON.

Very creative theme. Notice all the rivers are clued in the non-river direction. You can't have GANGES as there's no other way to clue it other than the river itself. So this grid has an extra layer of constraint. 

Our first Sunday from Zhou Zhang & Kevin Curry, a true puzzle family. Their kids are crossword constructors also.  

Across:

1. Salad follower?: BAR. Salad bar. 

4. Like clothes after a spin cycle: DAMP.

8. Dream state, briefly: REM.

11. Savors the sun: BASKS. Spring is finally here.

16. __ carte menu: ALA.

17. Cookies that debuted with a lemon meringue variety: OREOS. 

19. French friend: AMIE.

21. Italian fashion giant: ARMANI. 

22. Understand: GET.

23. "Don't interrupt!": I'M SPEAKING.

25. Longs for: CRAVES.

29. Puzzle pieces?: ZEES.

30. "Bleeding Love" singer Lewis: LEONA. British singer. 

31. "Otello" baritone: IAGO.

32. Herd word: MOO.

33. Like mackerel: OILY. Good fat. 

34. Natural rope fiber: SISAL.

40. Supermodel Heidi: KLUM.

43. Use a keyboard: TYPE.

44. Caterpillar roll ingredient: EEL. Eel sauce on top. Yummy! We also have 87. California roll ingredient: CRAB.

45. Calendar col.: FRI.

48. Ye __ Apothecary: OLDE.

51. Snoop (around): NOSE.

53. Snoop: PRY.

55. Leave for a minute: STEP OUT.

57. Beach volleyball team, e.g.: DUO. 64. Pair in a ring: TAG TEAM.

58. Kitchen gloves: MITTS.

59. First woman to be head writer on "SNL": FEY. Tina. 

61. Applies, as influence: EXERTS.

62. Head of the class: EDUCATOR.

67. Crush it, informally: SLAY. And  68. With competence: ABLY.

71. Wild guess: STAB.

72. Org. that sells "I Read Banned Books" bookmarks: ACLU. I always like the trivia angle. 

73. Headache remedy: ASPIRIN.

74. Texas symbol: LONE STAR.

77. Primps: PREENS.

79. High-end camera initials: SLR.

80. Was victorious in: WON AT.

81. Sense of self: EGO.

82. Cobbler container: PIE DISH.

84. Poorly lit: DIM.

86. Flabbergasts: AWES.

88. Donkey: ASS. I'm still searching for my lost donkeys. 

89. Gymnast Suni with six Olympic medals: LEE. Minnesotan!

90. Direction in a Steinbeck title: EAST.

92. Hindi film star __ Rukh Khan: SHAH.  "King Khan" of Bollywood. 

99. Shanghai salutation: NI HAO. Ni = You. Hao = Good.

103. Prop for Zach Galifianakis's talk show: FERN. Super funny show. "Between Two Ferns".

105. "__ out!": YER.

106. Home run run: TROT.

108. Poor skiing condition: SLUSH.

109. Graph lines: AXES.

114. Benefit: UPSIDE.

116. Ability to spot details: TRAINED EYE.

117. Moo __ pork: SHU.

118. Scottish monster, affectionately: NESSIE.

119. Chow for a Clydesdale: OATS.

120. American Red Cross visitor: DONOR.

121. Yoga chants: OMS.

122. Coin receivers: SLOTS.

123. Sound of disapproval: TSK.

124. Apprehends: NABS.

125. "I don't wanna": NAH.

Down:
 
1. Deli staples with cream cheese: BAGELS. 

2. Vronsky of "Anna Karenina": ALEXEI. Anna's lover. 

3. Mathematical comparisons: RATIOS.

4. Be good at everything: DO IT ALL.

5. Upper limbs: ARMS.

6. First MLS player to win consecutive MVP awards: MESSI. Leo. 

7. Can opener: POP TAB.

8. Zen garden tool: RAKE.

9. Mideast dignitary: EMIR.

10. A maximis ad __: MINIMA.  Latin for "from the greatest things to the smallest".

11. Sweater weather sound: BRR.

13. "Now's not the time": SAVE IT FOR LATER. 50. Risky late-night coffee order: DOUBLE ESPRESSO. We seldom see a pair of 14s as fill on a Sunday grid. Lovely.  

14. Pay respect, in a way: KNEEL.

15. Actress Spacek: SISSY.

18. Channels that provide ocean access: SEA GATES.

20. Freezer aisle waffles: EGGOS.

21. Playbill word: ACT.

24. Suffering: AGONY.

28. Crosses one's fingers: HOPES.

36. Where a QR code may lead: APP.

37. Toy ball blaster: NERF GUN.

38. "Who cares if they do": LET EM.

39. Holly genus: ILEX. Learned from doing crosswords. 

41. Foot or stone: UNIT.

42. Parts of e-bikes: MOTORS.

46. Root vegetable high in vitamin C: RUTABAGA. Didn't know this. Boomer always prepared us boiled rutabaga for Thanksgiving. So hard to cut. 

47. Tiny: ITSY.

48. Words of praise: ODE.

49. Rapper in the "Fast & Furious" franchise: LUDACRIS.

52. Thin parts on tanks: STRAPS.

54. Cooler named for a cryptid: YETI.

56. Younger siblings, stereotypically: PESTS.

58. Month that's rarely abbreviated: MAY.

63. Like crosswords: CLUED.

64. Yorkie, for one: TERRIER.

65. Pollution stat: AQI.

66. Makes amends (for): ATONES.

70. Give an expensive coat to: GILD.

71. Adjust, as an alarm: SET.

72. Dad, in Korean: APPA. Mom is eomma.

73. Liability opposite: ASSET.

75. Basketball Hall of Famer Steve: NASH.

76. Actor Corddry: ROB. Was a correspondent on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart".

80. Furniture prohibited in many apartment leases: WATER BED.

83. OutKast hit: HEY YA.

85. Small rug: MAT.

87. __ crisp oil: CHILI.

91. Hold back, as information: SIT ON.

93. Gets back to: ANSWERS.

95. Stand firm: INSIST.

96. Sauce made with pine nuts: PESTO.

97. Genesis mountain: ARARAT. Noah's Ark landed here.

98. Convinced of: SOLD ON.

101. Respiratory condition: ASTHMA.

102. "Quiet, you": OH HUSH.

103. Followers of Bacchus: FAUNS.

104. Boot: EXPEL.

107. "Congo Square" singer-songwriter __ Marie: TEENA.

110. Laugh syllable: HEE.

111. Bits of butter: PATS.

112. Game whose board has 42 territories: RISK.

113. "Stay out of this," for short: MYOB. Mind Your Own Business.

115. Put down: DIS.

In case you missed yesterday. I mentioned a thoughtful initiative from the Minnesota-based constructors Will Eisenberg and Hannah Slovut-Einertson: Midis for Minnesota, a pack of 13 midi puzzles tied to donations supporting immigrant families in need. The puzzles are edited by Will. Contribute to a mutual aid organization, send in proof, and the puzzles are yours. I made the preview puzzle. Give it a solve. 

C.C.