QOD

Tuesday, 17 February 2026

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

QOD: What Happens on the Float Stays on the Float.

What's the Word, Hummingbird?

18-Across. * Celebration of Mexico's victory in the Battle of Puebla: CINCO DE MAYO. Yo! Not a word of Welcome that I would use. Contrary to popular belief in the United States, Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla, which occurred on May 5, 1862. This year, the holiday will fall on a Tuesday, so I may be providing the commentary.

24-Across. * Only woman to serve as prime minister of India: INDIRA GANDHI. Hi!

39-Across. * Evaluates: SIZES UP. S'up? Another word I would not use. Slang for What's Up?

52-Across. * Punxsutawney Phil's big moment: GROUNDHOG DAY. G'Day. I heard this a lot when I was in Australia.

And the unifier:

61-Across. "So glad you've returned!," or a feature of the answer to each starred clue?: WELCOME BACK. Also the name of a television sit-com from the 197s. Another word of Welcome can be found at the Back of each theme answer.

Here's the Grid, so you can see the Welcomes.

Joyeaux Mardi Gras would be a better welcome for today.

What Happens on the Float, Stays on the Float.

Across:

1. "God bless you, please, __ Robinson": MRS. Mrs. Robinson was a song by Simon and Garfunkel for the 1967 movie The Graduate.

4. Subterranean lava: MAGMA.

9. "Stop!," at sea: AVAST.

14. Feel queasy: AIL.

15. Rumored Roswell visitor: ALIEN.

16. Courage: VALOR.

17. Egg cells: OVA. A crossword staple.

20. Swab again, as a deck: REMOP.

22. Cold War rival of the KGB: CIA.

23. Jr.'s practice exam: PSAT. As in the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test.

28. Going solo: ALONE.

29. Sobbing: TEARFUL.

33. Refute: DENY.

35. Big bang letters: TNT.

37. Alabama civil rights march city: SELMA. Selma, Alabama was a pivotal city in the civil rights actions of the 1960s. The events were the subject of the 2014 movie, Selma.

38. UVA's athletic org.: ACC. The University of Virginia is in the Atlantic Coast Conference in NCAA collegiate sports.

42. Special __: OPS.

43. Litter member: WHELP.

45. Part of a semicolon: DOT.

46. One of a deadly septet: LUST. According to Christian theology, there are seven deadly sins. They are: Avarice, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Pride, Sloth, and Wrath.

47. "That's 100% true": NO DOUBT.

50. "__, Macduff": Shakespeare: LAY ON. This quote can be found in Act 5, scene 8 of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth. We've seen a lot of Willie the Shakes in the puzzles recently.

56. Green curry cuisine: THAI. Yummers!

59. Maker of small kitchen gadgets: OXO. This company makes frequent guest appearances in the puzzles.

60. Witherspoon of "Legally Blonde": REESE. In addition to acting, Reese Witherspoon (née Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon; b. Mar. 22, 1976) is an avid reader. About 10 years ago, she started the Reese Witherspoon Reading Club. Many of the books she selects become bestsellers.

65. Male sheep: RAM.

66. Trojan War tale: ILIAD. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Trojan War.

67. City whose airport is named for 24-Across: DELHI.

Inside the Indira Gandhi International Airport

68. Stockholm-to-Helsinki dir.: ENE. Traveling from Stockholm, Sweden to Helskini, Finland. The Baltic Sea is in-between the two cities.

69. Book identifier: TITLE.

70. Basic skateboard jump: OLLIE.

71. Aykroyd of "Ghostbusters": DAN. The original Ghostbusters movie came out over 40 years ago! Dan Aykroyd (né Daniel Edward Aykroyd; b. July 1, 1952) portrayed one of the scientists out to find ghosts.

Down:

1. Native New Zealander: MAORI. The Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. he Māori language is an official language of New Zealand, so signs are written in both English and Te Reo (the native language).

2. Torn asunder: RIVEN.

3. Joined a mosh pit: SLAM DANCED.

4. Apple on a teacher's desk, perhaps: MAC PRO. Not the edible kind of apple.

5. Boxer Muhammad: ALI. Muhammad Ali (né Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; Jan. 17, 1942 ~ June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. He is often regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.

6. Gimlet liquor: GIN. A brief history of the origin of Gin.

7. Muslim pilgrim's destination: MECCA.

8. Name as a successor: ANOINT.

9. Michigan in Chicago, e.g.: Abbr.: AVE. A 13-stretch of Michigan Avenue in Chicago is known as the Magnificent Mile. This portion of the avenue was known for high-end shopping, dining and luxury hotels.

10. One who's long in the tooth?: VAMPIRE.

11. Pitiful interjection: ALAS.

12. High-protein bean: SOYA. A brief history of the soy bean.

13. Bouncy gait: TROT.

19. Miami-__ County: DADE. The CSI: Miami took place in Miami-Dade County.

21. Like an otter's fur: OILY.

25. Not on board with: ANTI-. Like Anti-Freeze? Not on board with Freezing!

26. Gp. after millennials: GEN-Z.

27. Door fastener: HASP.

30. Struggled to gain traction: FLOUNDERED.

31. Pros who cry "out" loud?: UMPS.

32. __-in first-out: LAST.

33. Start of the day: DAWN.

34. Sound return: ECHO.

36. Actor Danson: TED. Ted Danson (né Edward Bridge Danson, III; b. Dec. 29, 1947) became a house hold name when he portrayed Sam Malone on Cheers.

39. Stimulus: SPUR.

40. Marketed: SOLD.

41. Snowbird ski resort state: UTAH.

44. Coherent: LOGICAL.

46. Premier seating area: LOGE.

48. Rapid growth period: BOOM.

49. Union suit?: TUXEDO. Not sure I understand the connection here.

51. Little terrier: YORKIE. Cute pun. The Yorkshire Terrier is known as a Yorkie. They are adorable little dogs.

53. Prestigious prize with six categories: NOBEL. Originally, there were only five categories for the Nobel Prize: Chemistry, Literature, Medicine, Peace and Physics. The sixth category, which was added in 1968, is the officially the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.

54. Lotus pose, for one: ASANA.

55. Southernmost nation on the Arabian Peninsula: YEMEN.

56. Ninny: TWIT.

57. Prefix with pad: HELI-.

58. Settled on a perch: ALIT. A crossword staple.

62. Poem of homage: ODE. Another crossword staple.

63. Bailiff's first word: ALL.

64. Greek letter X: CHI.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Tuesday, 10 February 2026

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

QOD: Never doubt the courage of the French, they are the ones who discovered snails are edible. ~ Doug Larson (Feb. 10, 1926 ~ Apr. 1, 2017), American columnist

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.