Monday, June 8, 2026, Patti Varol

Theme:  Unfettered vocabulary.

Prometheus Unbound by Carl Bloch

Crackerjack crossword constructor (and our competent copy editor) Patti Varol brings us a wealth of wonderful words, while her four grid-spanning theme answers are unfettered by any formal reveal.  They are:

17-Across. Get-up-and-go that never goes: BOUNDLESS ENERGY.

25-Across. Therapy technique that encourages a thoughtful flow of ideas: FREE ASSOCIATION.

42-Across. School organizer with three rings: LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

55-Across. Righteous Brothers hit in the film "Ghost": UNCHAINED MELODY.

Was anyone unmoved by Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost, 

to the soundtrack of Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers?

In case you missed it, the four theme answers all begin with synonyms for "free."

And now, we are at liberty to review the rest.

Across:

1. Table where Holy Communion is consecrated: ALTAR.

6. Play, as a guitar: STRUM.

11. Lifesaving skill, for short: CPR.  Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

14. Yankees manager Aaron: BOONE.  Aaron Boone is the manager of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball.  He previously played in MLB for 13 seasons from 1997 to 2009.  He was a baseball analyst on ESPN from 2010 to 2017, and became the Yankees manager in 2018.  He's led the team to the playoffs in seven of his eight seasons, and to the World Series in 2024.

Aaron Boone

15. Make fun of: TEASE.

16. Scoffing laugh: HAH.

17. [Theme clue]

20. Crumb-carrying insect: ANT.

21. Toffee bar brand: HEATH.

22. Great Plains Natives: OTOES.

23. Quick look: PEEK.

24. Family nickname for some matriarchs: GRAN.  (I tried GRAm at first, but it didn't work out.)

25. [Theme clue]

32. Sped: RACED.

33. Sound of relief: SIGH.

34. Forensic sci. specialty: CSI.  Crime scene investigation (CSI) is a scientific discipline focused on the recognition, preservation, documentation, and collection of physical evidence at a crime scene. 

Also a gripping TV series.

35. Megastar: IDOL.

36. Tusked hogs: BOARS.

38. "Sounds like a __!": "Works for me!": PLAN.

39. "Hamilton" creator __-Manuel Miranda: LIN.

40. Corporal or private: RANK.

41. Feudal lord: LIEGE.

42. [Theme clue]

46. Extra helping: MORE.

47. Tenant's monthly payment: RENT.

48. App replaced by Microsoft Teams: SKYPE.  In my home and office, we replaced Skype with Zoom.  Guess it's time to join Teams.

50. __ the pot: causes trouble: STIRS.

52. Word before a maiden name: NÉE.  French for "born."  "Alicia Keys, née Cook" indicates the singer was born Alicia Cook.  If you want to indicate a man's former name, the word is "né," for instance, "Nicolas Cage, né Coppola."

55. [Theme clue]

58. Feathery garland: BOA.

59. Comedy counterpart: DRAMA.

60. Otherworldly: EERIE.

61. Cello's sect.: STR.  The cello's section in an orchestra is strings.

62. Cloyingly sentimental: SAPPY.

63. Coins that can be screwdrivers in a pinch: DIMES.  Dimes are handy because they are thin.

Down:

1. "Dancing Queen" pop quartet: ABBA.

2. Canadian lake bird with a unique call: LOON.  Loons make eerie calls, each with specific meanings.

Harry Collins makes exceptional videos of loons.

3. Promote loudly: TOUT.

4. __ Arbor, Michigan: ANN.

5. One with hair like Little Orphan Annie: REDHEAD.  Only 1-2% of the global population has naturally red hair.  It is most prevalent in Scotland and Ireland.

6. T-bones, e.g.: STEAKS.

7. Sample: TEST.

8. Foolishly impulsive: RASH.

9. "__ it or lose it!": USE.

10. Hanukkah centerpiece: MENORAH.  A Hanukkah menorah is technically a hanukkiah. The word menorah means "lamp" in Hebrew and usually refers to the seven-branched candelabrum used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.  A hanukkiah celebrates the miraculous rekindling of the menorah when the Maccabees overthrew their Greek oppressors and rededicated the Temple to the one God.

Count the branches!
The menorah was described by God to Moses.
The chanukiah is a later invention, specific to one holiday.

11. Told the story of: CHRONICLED.

12. Beep on a beeper: PAGE.

13. Actor Matthew of Netflix's "The Beast in Me": RHYS.  Matthew Rhys is a Welsh actor.  He played Kevin Walker in Brothers & Sisters (2006-2011) and Philip Jennings in The Americans (2013-2018).  He played the title role in Perry Mason (2020-2023). In 2025, he appeared as antagonist Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me. Rhys currently plays the lead role in the comedy-horror series Widow's Bay (2026). 

Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys
Co-stars on screen and off.

18. Wine sediment: LEES.  Lees are the natural sediments -- dead yeast cells, grape skins, and seeds -- that settle at the bottom of a wine vat. Winemakers remove the heavy lees after fermentation, but sometimes leave fine lees in the vat, and even stir them up to maximize the release of beneficial compounds into the developing wine.  This is common in French Muscadet Sèvre et Maine,  Chardonnay, and Champagne.  When "sur lie" appears on a wine label, it means the wine was aged "on the lees."

19. Coup d'__: ÉTAT.  A coup d'état (French for "stroke of state") is a sudden seizure of power by a small group, such as military leaders or political elites.

23. Rind: PEEL.

24. Jobs for a band: GIGS.

25. Perk: FRILL.

26. "All Things Considered" medium: RADIO.  All Things Considered, on National Public Radio since 1971, is the most listened-to, afternoon drive-time, news radio program in the country.

27. Option for travelers on a budget, perhaps: ECONOMY CAR.  I wanted ECONOlodge.  Had to get a few perps in there to FIR.

28. Japanese port city: OSAKA.

29. Geometric fig. with a radius: CIR.  A geometric figure with a radius is a circle.

30. Missouri River tributary: OSAGE.

31. Bay Area NFLer: NINER.  The San Francisco 49ers (Niners) are a professional NFL team.

36. Hay bundle: BALE.

37. __ and only: ONE.

38. Ice cream purchase: PINT.

40. Goes over again, as a contract: REREADS.

41. Type of oil extracted from flax: LINSEED.  Edible linseed oil is a nutritious oil from flax seeds, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, but it must be cold-pressed and used cold as it spoils quickly.  It should not be confused with boiled linseed oil used for wood finishes, which is treated with chemicals and is toxic.

Linseed oil AKA flaxseed oil

43. Former frosh: SOPH.  Frosh is for freshman, a first year student.  Soph is for sophomore, a second year student.

44. Start of many long weekends: FRIDAY.

45. Natural sandbank: BERM.  Berms can be built for landscaping purposes, but are also naturally occuring raised ridges of sand or pebbles on a beach, formed by wave action at high tide marks.

Beach berm

48. Long sandwiches: SUBS.

49. Nautical speed unit: KNOT.

50. Simple fastener: SNAP.

51. Fill-in worker: TEMP.

52. Convention: NORM.

53. Emmy winner Falco: EDIE.  Edie Falco was amazing in her role as Carmela Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos (1999-2007), and won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for that show.  She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing the title role in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie (2009-2015).  She has lots of other TV, film, and Broadway credits.  Impressive. 

Edie Falco

54. Potato buds: EYES.

56. 401(k) rollover target: IRA.  A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement account.  An IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is an account you open yourself.  When you leave an employer, you may wish to roll your 401(k) into an IRA under your own control.  You can do the rollover without paying tax or early withdrawal penalties.

57. Tropical garland: LEI.

Here's the grid:

Solvers:

Were there any answers today that you DNK (Did Not Know)?  I DNK Matthew Rhys.

Did perps (perpendicular entries) help you fill them in?

Or did you FWH (Finish With Help) by turning on red letters, searching Google, or asking a friend?

Maybe your DW (Dear Wife) or DH (Dear Husband) helped.

Maybe you FIW (Finished It Wrong) or DNF (Did Not Finish).

I FIR (Finished It Right) and enjoyed it, but everyone wants to know how YOU did.

Please comment, even if it's just WEES (What Everyone Else Said).

-- NaomiZ

Monday, June 1, 2026, Katie Hale

Theme:  Yada yada yada.

Today's crossword puzzle comes to us from Katie Hale, assistant crossword editor of the Los Angeles Times.  Although she is clearly a sparkling wit and wordsmith, today Katie is concerned with conversation that lacks spark.  The theme answers are:

20-Across. Warning on delicate garments: DRY CLEAN ONLY.  A DRY conversation is lifeless, humorless, or matter-of-fact.

34-Across. Feature of nonglossy countertops: DULL FINISH.  A DULL conversation is boring, tedious, or uninteresting.

44-Across. Espressos with steamed milk: FLAT WHITES.  A FLAT conversation lacks energy, emotion, or enthusiasm.

56-Across. "... and other meaningless drivel," or what can be found at the start of 20-, 34-, and 44-Across: BLAH BLAH BLAH.  All of these conversations are BLAH and sound to at least one of the participants like BLAH BLAH BLAH (or yada yada yada) -- in other words, meaningless drivel.  Katie has clued us in to look for something BLAH at the start (or beginning) of the answers cited.

Let's not put you to sleep with all this blather.  On to the rest of the clues and answers!

Across:

1. Timelessly stylish: CHIC.

5. Many a robocall: SCAM.

9. Brewery tour pours, for short: IPAS.  India Pale Ales.

13. Polo ground chunk: DIVOT.  A divot is a small chunk of grass and soil dug out of the ground, most commonly the result of swinging a golf iron.  In polo, divots are torn up by the horses' hooves as they gallop, stop or turn.  Polo matches feature a halftime break during which spectators stomp the upturned chunks of turf back into place, making the field safer for the horses.

The divot stomp is even more fun if you're drinking.

15. __ stick: POGO.  The pogo stick's name comes from the surnames of two German inventors, Max Pohlig and Ernst Gotschall, who registered a German patent for a "spring end hopping stilt" in 1920.

Pogo stick

16. French peak, to locals: ALPE.  The French Alps are located in southeastern France, along the borders with Switzerland and Italy.  The French language loves unpronounced letters, so of course Alp is Alpe in French.

17. Public tantrum: SCENE.  As in, "Don't make a scene!"

18. Bring in: EARN.

19. Stare open-mouthed: GAPE.

20. [Theme clue]

23. On land: ASHORE.  As a landlubber, I don't generally think of myself as being ashore, but my late sister's husband lives on a little sailboat and is usually out at sea, so his time ashore is a distinct experience.

26. Verbal hesitations: ERS.

27. Lipton drink: TEA.

28. The Jazz of the NBA, on scoreboards: UTA.  The Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City.

29. "Most definitely": IT IS.  Is the weather getting weirder every year?  IT IS.

32. Vlogger devices, informally: CAMS.  A vlogger (or video blogger) produces video content to share online.  CAMeraS are essential.

34. [Theme clue]

37. Like a room with open windows: AIRY.

40. Parquet floor feature: INLAY.  Parquet is a geometric mosaic of wood pieces used for decorative flooring.  Inlay is a technique of setting wood or other materials into shallow recesses carved in a base surface so that the inserted pieces are flush with the surrounding surface.

Parquet floor.

41. Airport entry org.: TSA.  The Transportation Security Administration was established in 2001, in direct response to the September 11 terrorist attacks. Originally under the Department of Transportation, the agency was moved to the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. 

42. Mentor's pupil: TUTEE.

43. "You told me a thousand times already!": OK OK.  But is that enough?  IT IS!

44. [Theme clue]

46. Glam gala: FETE.

48. Elderly Shakespearean king: LEAR.

49. All Hallows' __: EVE.

50. 1980s sitcom ET: ALF.  ALF was a television sitcom that aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990.  The title character, ALF (an acronym for Alien Life Form), crash-lands in the garage of a suburban California family.  ALF ran for four seasons, with a total of 97 episodes.  Did anyone here watch it?

52. Each and every one: ALL.

54. Not top quality, screenwise: LOW RES.  A LOW RESolution display lacks sharpness and fine detail.

56. [Theme clue]

60. Crimson Tide team, familiarly: BAMA.  The Alabama Crimson Tide (known as "Bama") represents the University of Alabama in NCAA Division I athletics.

61. October birthstone: OPAL.  My sister and I used to speculate about who would inherit Mom's incredible antique opal necklace.  Mom had no idea we were interested.  She sold it.

Opal

62. Baby shower bear: TEDDY.

66. Bad news bringer: OMEN.

67. "Now __ talking!": WE'RE.

68. "I'm so great!": YAY ME.

69. Fixes, as potholes: TARS.

70. Snow glider: SLED.

71. Assessment: TEST.

Down:

1. Record store section: CDS.  Compact discs -- the format between vinyl records and online digital music.  Except there were a lot of tape formats, too!  And audio DVDs.  Audiophiles, your comments are welcome.

CDs

2. Sound of a diaphragm spasm: HIC.  The sound of a hiccup.

3. "__ been meaning to tell you ... ": I'VE.

4. Unit in a complex: CONDO.

5. Hardware detail, for short: SPEC.  Hardware SPECifications are the technical details of a computer’s hardware -- such as the processor, memory, storage, graphics card, and operating system -- that define its performance and capabilities.  I suppose there are SPECs for other kinds of hardware, too, like nuts, bolts, and hinges.

6. Snowman's eyes, sometimes: COAL.

7. Be in harmony: AGREE.

8. Charles III, e.g.: MONARCH.  Ever heard of Charles III?  He's the reigning MONARCH in the UK.

9. "Othello" villain: IAGO.  Iago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello. 

10. Friend who maintains one's watering schedule, say: PLANT SITTER.  Or hire a professional!

11. Orchard pick: APPLE.

12. "Bye now": SEE YA.

14. Fill with fear: TERRIFY.

21. Hairy cryptid: YETI.  A cryptid is a creature whose existence has been suggested by legends or eyewitness accounts, but whose existence remains unproven or unrecognized by scientific consensus.  A prime example is the North American Bigfoot AKA "Sasquatch."  The Himalyan Yeti AKA "Abominable Snowman" is another.

22. Govt. intel org.: NSA.  The National Security Agency is a U.S. Department of Defense intelligence agency tasked with global monitoring of information, and protecting U.S. government communications networks and information systems.

23. Broadcast's sound component: AUDIO.

24. Didn't do well: STUNK.

25. Cooperstown honoree: HALL OF FAMER.  Cooperstown is a village in central New York State, known for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

30. Abbr. in some airport names: INTL.  Abbreviation for "international."

31. Doormat fiber: SISAL.

33. "You're Welcome" singer in "Moana": MAUI.

Moana and Maui

35. Waterskiing spot: LAKE.

36. Fully gratify: SATE.

38. Superman player Christopher: REEVE.  Christopher Reeve (1952-2004) played Superman in the 1978 film and three sequels (1980-1987), along with a number of other fine film performances.

Christopher Reeve as Superman

39. Affirmative replies: YESES.

42. Husky, as a voice: THROATY.

44. Guys: FELLOWS.

45. Barrier: WALL.

47. Tavern tally: TAB.

50. Religious brotherhood leader: ABBOT.

51. Vicuña kin: LLAMA.  The vicuña is a wild South American camelid which lives in the high alpine areas of the Andes. Vicuñas are relatives of the llama, and are the ancestors of domesticated alpacas.  The vicuña is the national animal of Peru and appears on the Peruvian coat of arms.

Vicuñas

53. Jacket flap: LAPEL.

55. Flour source: WHEAT.

57. "Dune" film score composer Zimmer: HANS.  Hans Zimmer is a German composer who has scored over 150 films.  He won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score, for The Lion King (1994) and for Dune (2021).

Hans Zimmer

58. Fabled race loser: HARE.

59. Turned light laundry pink accidentally, perhaps: BLED.  Who hasn't washed a red shirt and gotten pink socks by accident?

63. Turn light laundry pink intentionally, perhaps: DYE.  Cute follow-up to the previous clue.

64. Private app convos: DMS.  A DM is a Direct Message, sent privately between social media or app users.

65. As of now: YET.  Is it over ... as of now?

Here's the grid:

Do we all AGREE that this was a nifty puzzle?  Do I hear YESES?

Or do you think it STUNK?

SEE YA in the comments section!

-- NaomiZ

Monday, May 25, 2026, Janice Luttrell

Theme:  Snail mail.

Crossword constructor Janice Luttrell regularly brightens up our Monday mornings.  In today's puzzle, Janice has four symmetrically placed theme entries (the last of which is the reveal) with subtly disguised references to items one sends in the mail.

The theme entries are:

20-Across. Metaphor for a plan that may collapse at any moment: HOUSE OF CARDS.

27-Across. Empire State NFL team: BUFFALO BILLS.

44-Across. Features of easy-to-read signs: BLOCK LETTERS.

52-Across. Stack heading to the post office, or what 20-, 27-, and 44-Across all have?: OUTGOING MAIL.

Oh, how we oldsters used to enjoy receiving CARDS and LETTERS in the MAIL!  No one enjoyed receiving BILLS, but it beat getting notices of payment due via email, and navigating endless payment portals. We even sent snail mail to our nearest and dearest to share thoughts and feelings, and to brighten their days.  Well, it's time to pick up the pace.  Not everyone here is as ancient as yours truly.

Across:

1. Sweeties: DEARS.

6. "Gimme a break!": C'MON.

10. Like Supreme Court arguments: ORAL.

14. Sight-related: OPTIC.

15. Tick off: RILE.

16. Item in a hotel closet: ROBE.  Might have been a SAFE, but it wasn't.

17. One thumbing for a ride: HITCHHIKER.  Prior to our marriage in the mid 1970s, my ex was a hitchhiker.  During our marriage, he picked up hitchhikers.  It was part of his hippie ethos.  We were a mismatch, but remained HITCHed for 23 years.

Ex was taller, but otherwise, this coulda been him.
I don't know who *she* is!

19. Mother Earth, in Greek myth: GAIA.  In Greek mythology, Gaia (or Gaea) is the personification of Earth. She is the mother of Uranus (Sky), as well as of Pontus (Sea).

Uranus and Gaia

20. [Theme entry]

22. From __ Z: A TO.

25. Inc. kin: LLC.

26. Phase one: ONSET.

27. [Theme entry]

32. Chapel centerpiece: ALTAR.

33. Dishwasher capacity: LOAD.

34. Pop-ups in a free game: ADS.  Online games, and phone apps, show you ads unless you pay for a subscription.

37. Snow toy with runners: SLED.

38. Shapewear company founded in 2000: SPANX.

40. "In __ of gifts ... ": LIEU.

41. Cornish game __: HEN.

42. "__ go bragh!": ERIN.  Erin go Bragh is the English spelling of an Irish language phrase, Éirinn go Brách, and is used to express allegiance to Ireland. It is most often translated as "Ireland Forever."

43. Agreed (with): SIDED.

44. [Theme entry]

47. Insurance filing: CLAIM.

50. "There you __!": ARE.

51. Susan of "L.A. Law": DEY.  Susan Dey is a retired actress, known for her roles as Laurie Partridge on The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992. She won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for L.A. Law in 1988.

Susan Dey

52. [Theme entry]

57. Edinburgh resident: SCOT.

58. Rats out one's co-conspirators, say: NAMES NAMES.

62. Former Yankee slugger Martinez: TINO.  Constantino "Tino" Martinez is a former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1990 through 2005.  

"Tino" Martinez, 1998

63. Health resorts: SPAS.

64. The Met Gala, e.g.: EVENT.

65. Spread slowly: SEEP.

66. Org. with a white rabbit in its logo: PETA.  PETA is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  Their attention grabbing tactics have gone a long way toward popularizing concern for the treatment of animal companions, and of animals used for food and for scientific research.

67. Patinkin of "Homeland": MANDY.  Mandy Patinkin has enjoyed a long career in musical theater, television, and film.  He played Che in the first Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita (1979), earning a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.  He won the Emmy for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series for Chicago Hope in 1995.  And among his many film roles, he played Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride (1987).  

Mandy Patinkin in The Princess Bride.

Down:

1. Play-__: Hasbro toy clay: DOH.  

2. Allergist's lead-in to Pen: EPI.  EpiPen is a brand name for an auto-injector device containing epinephrine (adrenaline) used for emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). It works by quickly opening airways, raising blood pressure, and reducing swelling.

3. QB passing stat: ATT.  In football statistics, ATT stands for "Attempts," referring to the number of passes a quarterback (QB) throws, or the number of carries a running back makes. 

4. Like a billionaire: RICH.

5. Intellectual: SCHOLAR.  According to Wikipedia, an intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the nature of reality, especially the nature of society, and proposed solutions for its problems. Coming from the world of culture, the intellectual participates in politics and defends a system of values.  So ... SCHOLAR is a little narrow as a definition, but I think Wikipedia's definition is a little broad.  Do all intellectuals propound their viewpoints publicly?

6. Butter substitute, in some recipes: CRISCO.

7. Angels outfielder Trout: MIKE.  Mike Trout is a professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. He is an 11-time All-Star, three-time American League MVP, and 9-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award. He captained the United States national team during the 2023 World Baseball Classic and was named to the All-WBC Team. He is regarded by many as the best baseball player of his generation and one of the greatest players in baseball history.

Mike Trout

8. Butter substitute: OLEO.

9. Backyard water fight brand: NERF.

10. Instruments with many pipes: ORGANS.

11. Laughs noisily: ROARS.

12. Endure: ABIDE.

13. "That's the __ of my worries": LEAST.

18. Ship's framework: HULL.

21. Frosty: COLD.

22. Embarrass: ABASH.

23. Bridal veil netting: TULLE.  Tulle is a sheer netting fabric with a hexagonal mesh pattern.

Tulle

24. Frequently: OFTEN.

28. Passing trend: FAD.

29. Like a brand-new canvas: BLANK.

30. Lithium-__ battery: ION.

31. Hardly strict: LAX.

34. Supported: AIDED.

35. Name on much farm equipment: DEERE.

36. Foamy, as soap: SUDSY.

38. B'way sign: SRO.  Broadway sign:  Standing Room Only.

39. Insta post: PIC.  On the social media app INSTAgram, most posts are PICtures or reels (short videos) with commentary.  

40. Held a match to: LIT.

42. Ticklish Muppet: ELMO.

43. Women's Media Center co-founder Gloria: STEINEM.  Gloria Steinem is an American journalist and activist who emerged as a feminist leader in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  Steinem was a columnist for New York magazine and a co-founder of Ms. magazine.  She co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus, the Women's Action Alliance, and the Women's Media Center.

Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes,
co-founders of Ms. magazine, 1971

44. Three-ring circus setting: BIG TOP.

45. San Diego suburb whose name means "the table": LA MESA.

46. Historic stretches: ERAS.

47. Expenditures: COSTS.

48. Port St. __, Florida: LUCIE.  This reviewer was ignorant of the existence of Port St. Lucie (the sixth most populous city in Florida), and it crossed in the grid with TINO Martinez, who was unknown to me, so I had make a bit of a WAG (wild ass guess) there, but it wasn't difficult.

The dart marks Port St. Lucie on the map

49. Make amends: ATONE.

53. Clouseau or Gadget's rank, briefly: INSP.  Inspector.

54. Sensitive neck part: NAPE.

55. MBA hopeful's exam: GMAT.  Graduate Management Admission Test.

56. Volcanic flow: LAVA.

59. Guys: MEN.

60. Conclusion: END.

61. Hog farm pen: STY.

Here's the grid:

Dear Solvers, 

Did this puzzle RILE you up, taunting you with BLANK spaces?

Or were you AIDED by perpendicular entries?

Can you CLAIM to have FIR (finished it right)?

Let us know in the comments!

Fondly,

NaomiZ

Monday, May 18, 2026, Brian Callahan, Amie Walker

Theme:  Swing for the fences!

A scene from Happy Gilmore starring Adam Sandler, 1996

Brian Callahan and Amie Walker are frequent crossword contributors to the LA Times, solo or teamed up with others, and at least once in the past, together.  How do they make great moves in the grid?  Today's big reveal is:

61-Across. Advice for adding power to a golf swing, or what can be said about 17-, 27-, and 50-Across: IT'S ALL IN THE HIPS.  In the listed entries, the answers are contained within the word HIPS, written in helpful circles at either end of each answer.  Note the progression of the letter breaks from 1:3, to 2:2, to 3:1.  Are the HIPS moving from one side to the other, as in a golf swing?

17-Across. "Let me give you a few pointers ... ": HERE ARE SOME TIPS.

27-Across. Some track-and-field attempts: HIGH JUMPS.

50-Across. VW adorned with decals from the flower power era, e.g.: HIPPIE BUS.

We can expect some groaning in the comments today about circles, but yours truly feels they are needed to see the theme.  Aside from that, I think we can all appreciate the symmetry of the grid and the theme answers, and the fact that two of the themers span the grid.  I did have one little problem with the solve, which I'll share when we get there.  Shake a leg!

Across:

1. Annoying ordeal: HASSLE.

7. Reddit tell-all sesh: AMA.  Ask Me Anything question-and-answer session on Reddit, a news aggregator and social media platform.

10. Veil material: LACE.

14. Fiction influenced by net culture: ALT LIT.  Alternative literature (or alt-lit) is a literary movement influenced by internet culture and online publishing.  It is characterized by autofiction (telling an altered story of one's own life in the third person), self-publication, and a presence on social media networks.

15. Grass roll: SOD.

16. __ hygiene: ORAL.

17. [Theme clue]

20. Pointed (at): AIMED.

21. Galápagos lizard: IGUANA.  The marine iguana is found only on the Galápagos Islands. It forages in the sea for algae, which make up almost all of its diet.  There are land iguanas in the Galápagos as well.

Marine iguana, Isla Española, Galápagos, 2022

22. Small stick in a bird's nest: TWIG.

24. Yoga poses: ASANAS.

27. [Theme clue]

30. First step of a home reno: DEMO.  Home RENOvation shows make DEMOlition look like fun.

33. Beatty/Hoffman film flop: ISHTAR.  Ishtar is a 1987 comedy film written and directed by Elaine May, and produced by Warren Beatty, who co-stars with Dustin Hoffman.  The story revolves around a pair of talentless songwriters who travel to a gig in Morocco and stumble into international intrigue.  Shot on location in Morocco and New York City, the production drew media attention for cost overruns on top of a lavish budget.  A change in management at Columbia Pictures also hurt the film's release, which was a notorious failure at the box office.  Initially considered to be one of the worst films ever made, it has since had better reviews.

34. "I'm not sure" sounds: UHS.  UH ... did anyone else put UMS here, and then wonder what kind of heroine at 26-Down could be named ASMA?  I did.  FIW (finished it wrong) by one square.

36. Phoenix NBA team: SUNS.

38. Pickleball barrier: NET.

Pickleball court divided by a net.

39. Overt: BLATANT.

42. Fuel additive brand: STP.  STP is a brand of automotive products, including motor oil, fuel additives, and brake fluids.  The name STP originally stood for "Scientifically Treated Petroleum."

43. Avocado dip, for short: GUAC.  Short for guacamole, a Mexican Spanish word which comes from the Nahuatl word āhuacamōlli meaning "avocado sauce."

45. Oft-protected personal ID: SSN.

46. "Same here": I AM TOO.

48. College Board exam for sophs: PSAT.  The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test has been administered to high school sophomores since Fall 1971.  

50. [Theme clue]

52. Capital of Kansas: TOPEKA.

54. Richard of "Chicago": GERE.  Chicago is a 2002 musical crime film based on the 1975 stage musical, which in turn originated in the 1926 play.  It explores celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Chicago during the Jazz Age, and stars Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere. 

55. These days: LATELY.

58. "Gavel-to-gavel" coverage provider: C-SPAN.  Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network is an American cable and satellite television network, created in 1979 by the cable television industry as a nonprofit public service.  C-SPAN provides unfiltered coverage of the U.S. House, Senate, and major congressional hearings from the beginning of each session to the end.

61. [Theme clue]

66. Lion's sound: ROAR.

67. Pop singer Rita: ORA.  Thank you, crossword puzzles, for teaching me this one.

68. Call forth, as memories: ELICIT.

69. Car loan figs.: APRS.  The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the total cost of borrowing to pay for a vehicle over the course of one year.  It serves as a comparison tool between loan offers.  Imagine that Bank A has a low interest rate, but also has a large fixed fee for car loans. The fee will be figured into the APR.  Bank B has a slightly higher interest rate, but lower or no fees.  Bank B's overall APR may be lower than Bank A's, and therefore a better deal.

70. __ and improved: NEW.

71. Show up for: ATTEND.

Down:

1. Laugh syllable: HAH.

2. Tavern beer: ALE.

3. Likely feature of a valedictorian's report card: STRAIGHT A'S.  The highest mark in all school subjects.

4. __ of hand: magician's knack: SLEIGHT.  "Sleight" refers to a deceitful kind of craftiness, or to skill and dexterity.

5. Actor Neeson: LIAM.  Liam Neeson is an actor from Northern Ireland who has garnered many accolades over forty years in films.  He rose to prominence portraying Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg's Holocaust drama Schindler's List (1993), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Liam Neeson

6. To be, in French: ÊTRE.  Oh, to be a French verb ... how wonderful that would be.  Here's a phrase you know using être:  "C'est la vie."  "That is life."

Present tense conjugation of the verb "to be" in French.

7. Donkey: ASS.

8. Dairy sound: MOO.

9. Online moderator, briefly: ADMIN.

10. Pink blooms sacred to Buddhists: LOTUSES.  Rooted in mud but blooming above water, the lotus flower symbolizes the purity of an enlightened mind rising above suffering.  According to legend, everywhere the baby Buddha stepped, a lotus flower bloomed.

Lotus flower

11. Solo for an opera diva: ARIA.

12. Breakfast mascot's rank: CAP'N.  "Cap'n" is a contraction of the word captain, and is used to represent a sailor's pronunciation: "Aye aye, cap'n!"

Can you spot the verb être on this box of Canadian Cap'n Crunch?
It is crunchificent!

13. "Frozen" ice queen: ELSA.  Frozen is a 2013 animated musical film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's 1844 fairy tale, "The Snow Queen."

The characters of this film often show up in our puzzles.
It might be helpful to watch it sometime.

18. Dutch cheese: EDAM.

19. "Yikes!": EGAD.

22. Category of noun: THING.  Nouns are words that name people, places, things, or ideas. 

23. Get smart: WISE UP.

25. Soviet satellite launched in 1957: SPUTNIK.  Sputnik 1 was the world's first artificial Earth satellite. A 23-inch metal sphere with four antennas, it orbited for three months, emitting a radio signal.

26. "Wish" heroine voiced by Ariana DeBose: ASHA.  Here's the other half of my downfall at 34-Across, where I wrote UMS, not UHS.  Asha is the protagonist of the animated film Wish (2023) produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.  She is voiced by American actress Ariana DeBose.  The idea for the film was hatched during the creation of Frozen II.

Ariana           and           Asha

28. Quick punch: JAB.

29. Web addresses: URLS.

31. "Wish we all had that kind of luck": MUST BE NICE.

32. Moving from gig to gig: ON TOUR.  What the protagonists of Ishtar were hoping to be doing.

35. Scissors sound: SNIP.

37. Slangy "Let's say ... ": SPOSE.  An informal contraction of the word "suppose."  In the sense of "let's say," you can imagine a phrase like, "Spose we pay higher interest to Bank B, but there are no other fees ..."

40. Arthur in the International Tennis Hall of Fame: ASHE.

41. __ chi: martial art: TAI.

44. Part of a "Gabby's Dollhouse" costume: CAT EARS.  I have twin grandchildren who are 12 years old, and a grandbaby who is 8 months, so I'm perfectly positioned to know absolutely nothing about Gabby's Dollhouse, a television show for preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years.

Gabby's Dollhouse

47. Smash success: MEGA HIT.  Not Ishtar.

49. Bridge charge: TOLL.

51. Treaty: PACT.

53. Traffic marker: PYLON.  Usually just a good old fashioned orange cone.

55. Money of Italy, once: LIRA.

56. Resting on: ATOP.

57. Former Russian ruler: TSAR.

59. __ butter: skin care ingredient: SHEA.  Shea butter is a fat extracted from nuts of the African shea tree.  It is a popular ingredient in skin care products.

Shea butter

60. Pepper (with): PELT.

62. Furious feeling: IRE.

63. Casual refusal: NAW.

64. Brooch: PIN.

65. Norm: Abbr.: STD.  Another word for norm is standard, abbreviated std.

Here's the grid:

To cap off our theme:

Shakira and friends:  "Hips Don't Lie."

Solvers, was this puzzle a HASSLE for you, with BLATANT obscurities ELICITing groans?

Or do you SPOSE it will be considered a MEGAHIT for its fine qualities?

MUST BE NICE to win them all.  Let's hear from you in the comments.

-- NaomiZ