Tuesday, August 11, 2026

  

QOD:  There’s one place where the people with the greatest potential are gathered.  And that’s the graveyard.  ~  Viola Davis (b. Aug. 11, 1965), African-American actress

Shape-Shifters:

4-Down. Aspiring actor's asset: STAR QUALITY.

8-Down. Trustworthy sort: SQUARE SHOOTER.

17-Down. Intensely shocking events: HEART STOPPERS.

27-Down. Peak physical condition, or a feature of 4-, 8-, and 17-Down: TIP-TOP SHAPE.  Each of the the theme clues is in the down position, making the Shape at the Tip-Top of the answer.

Here's the Grid:

Which personality shape helps you complete this puzzle?

Across:

1. Colorful violet kin: PANSY.  I love these flowers.  

6. Suga and Jung Kook's band: BTS.  BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010.  The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook.  The band makes frequent appearances in the puzzles.

9. "__ the Cat": children's book series: PETE.  Pete the Cat was not around when I was a child.

13. Give a speech: ORATE.

14. Atty.'s title: ESQ.

15. And others, in a bibliography: ET AL.  We had a discussion about this Latin phrase just two weeks ago.

16. Highly sensitive person: EMPATH.

18. Kitchen deputy: SOUS CHEF.  The Sous Chef was in last Tuesday's puzzle and is visiting us again today.

20. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.

21. Bothers greatly: EATS AT.

23. __-Wan Kenobi: OBI.  Obi-Wan Kenobi wearing an Obi.  //  And 56-Down. Offspring of Leia and Han: KYLO.  References to the Star Wars franchise.

24. Thigh muscles, familiarly: QUADS.

26. Exposes, in a way: RATS ON.

28. Treat that may be dipped in dulce de leche: CHURRO.  Yummers!  A churro is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape.

30. Indiana University basketball coach Moren: TERI.  Teri Marie Moren (b. Apr. 14, 1969) is the current head coach of the Indiana University women's basketball team.  Unknown to me.

31. Flexible: PLIANT.

32. Amusement park time-saver: FAST PASS.

36. Former first lady Biden: JILL.  Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (b. June 3, 1951) was First Lady from 2009 to 2017.

37. Winter migration direction: SOUTH.

39. Tried's partner: TRUE.  Tried and True ...

40. "Hear me out ... ": SO, LISTEN.  I initially tried Listen Up.

42. Woodwind section player: OBOIST.

44. Norse god of thunder: THOR.

45. Two-door cars: COUPES.

46. Neaten: TIDY UP.

49. Many shelter dogs: MUTTS.

50. Astonishment: AWE.

51. Soft drink brand with a "lymon" logo: SPRITE.

53. Creative solution: HACK.

57. Spinning toy: PINWHEEL.

59. "Are you serious?": REALLY.

61. "Let It Go" singer: ELSA.  A reference to the Disney film Frozen.  Elsa is the fictional character in the film.  The actual performer is Idina Menzel (b. May 31, 1971).

62. Genetic transcription molecule: RNA.  Another last Tuesday repeat.

63. Thread holder: SPOOL.

64. Snow day ride: SLED.

65. Daughter's brother: SON.

66. Canine command akin to "drop it": LET GO!

Down:

1. Expert concerned with feet?: POET.  Everything you ever wanted to know about poetic feet.

2. Octopus octet: ARMS.  Octopuses are Remarkably Bright Creatures.

3. Auto parts giant that shares a name with a California wine valley: NAPA.  The National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) was founded in Detroit in 1925 by 28 independent auto parts suppliers to fix an unorganized parts market.

5. So far: YET.

6. One-ups: BESTS.

7. General __ chicken: TSO'S.  General Tso's chicken is a sweet and spicy deep-fried chicken dish.  It supposedly was first created in the 1950s in Taiwan.

9. Delt neighbor: PEC.  Deltoid and Pectoral muscle groups.

10. Shared ideology: ETHOS.

11. Martial arts-based fitness regimen: TAE-BO.  Everything  you wanted to know about Tae-Bo.

12. Like Santa's helpers: ELFIN.

19. One end of a maze: START.

22. Ruckus: ADO.

25. Spot where there's no trouble brewing?: URN.

28. Advertising award: CLIO.  The Clio Awards were first awarded in 1959 for advertising.  The name is derived from the Greek mythological muse, known as the recorder and glorifier of great deeds and accomplishments.

29. Biker's challenge: HILL.

30. Skin art, for short: TAT.

31. Sleepover attire, familiarly: PJs.  The origin of the word Pajama.  Do people really wear pajamas when they fly?

32. Enjoyable: FUN.

33. Grammy winner India.__: ARIE.  India Arie Simpson (b. Oct. 3, 1975) is an American singer and songwriter.

34. Puzzle (out): SUSS.  I'm sure we all sussed out the correct answers to today's puzzle.

35. Group of reps at the gym: SET.

38. Above, in classic odes: O'ER.

41. "Be quiet!": SHUSH.

43. "Having said that ... ": BUT.

45. Minor injury: CUT.

46. Cassettes: TAPES.

47. "Count on me": I WILL.

48. Quite thick: DENSE.

49. 2026 Winter Olympics host city: MILAN.  The 2026 winter olympics were held in February.

52. "The Biggest Little City in the World": RENO.  Reno is also the home of the National Judicial College.

54. Tons: ALOT.

55. Drain blockage: CLOG.

58. Crumple (up): WAD.

60. Course for some intl. students: ESL.  English as a Second Language.

Until next week ...

חתולה

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

QOD:  What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.  ~  Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher

I Double Dare You:  The word Check can follow the first and second word of each theme answer.

16-Across. *  Video game boost that may repair damage: HEALTH SPELL.  Health Check / Spell Check.  I am not familiar with the term Health Spell as it refers to video games.

23-Across. *  Waterproof garment: RAIN COAT.  Rain Check / Coat Check

34-Across. *  Internal setting controlled by thermoregulation: BODY TEMPERATURE.  Body Check / Temperature Check

49-Across. *  High-intensity workout program: CROSSFIT.  Cross Check / Fit Check

And the unifier:

59-Across. Go over twice, or what can be found in the answer to each starred clue: DOUBLE CHECK.

Here's the Grid, so you can Double Check my responses.

Across:

1. Corn cores: COBS.

5. Pet rehoming org.: ASPCA.  As in the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  The ASPCA has been around for over 150 years.

10. Sandwich letters: BLT.  As in the Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich.

13. Opera solo: ARIA.  A crossword staple.

14. Replacements for flat tires: SPARES.  Here's to you, Desper-Otto!

15. "__ la la!": OOH.

18. __ Lanka: SRI.

19. "Absolutely out of the question!": NO SIREE.

20. Wall surface: PLASTER.

22. Quick snooze: NAP.

24. Unleashed: FREED.

27. Cry for attention?: HEY.

28. "You're __ human": ONLY.

29. Charged particle: ION.

30. Barely gets (by): EKES.

32. Vietnamese soup: PHO.  Pho is a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and some sort of meat. 

40. Span of epoch proportions?: EON.

41. Frozen dessert brand: EDY'S.

42. NBC show that inspired "30 Rock," for short: SNL.  The Saturday Night Live abbreviation is a crossword staple.

43. Dull pain: ACHE.

46. Superhero franchise initials: MCU.  As in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

47. Steel girder: I-BEAM.

52. Kissing in the open, for short: PDA.  As in Public Display of Affection.

53. Beeper on the road: CAR HORN.

54. Promo in a magazine: PRINT AD.

58. Sci-fi visitors: ETs.  As in ExtraTerrestrials.

61. Alumna bio word: NÉE.  Today's French lesson.

62. Add to a kitty: ANTE UP.

63. Lo __: noodle dish: MEIN.  Lo Mein was part of the theme of last week's puzzle.

64. Take a crack at: TRY.

65. Cook in a basket: STEAM.

66. Annual May auto race, informally: INDY.

Down:

1. "High Hopes" lyricist Sammy: CAHN.  Sammy Cahn (né Samuel Cohen; June 18, 1913 ~ Jan. 15, 1993), was a lyricist and songwriter.  He is also known for the song, Let it Snow!

2. "Milk's Favorite Cookie" brand: OREO.  A crossword staple.

3. Skewed view: BIAS.

4. __ solution: contacts wearer's need: SALINE.

5. Cathedral recess: APSE.  Another crossword staple.

6. Sticky tree juice: SAP.

7. Purchase in advance: PRE-PAY.

8. String section instruments: CELLI.  Today's Italian lesson.  Celli is the Italian plural for Cello.

9. Lion of Narnia: ASLAN.  A reference to C.S. Lewis's novels The Chronicles of Narnia. 

10. Paul Revere House city: BOSTON.  The Paul Revere House is a historic house museum at 19 North Square in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts.

11. Cosmetics giant: L'ORÉAL.

12. Two points, in tennis: THIRTY.  Anyone know why tennis has such a weird scoring system?

14. TV soccer analyst Messing: SHEP.  Shep Norman Messing (b. Oct. 9, 1949) is an American retired soccer goalkeeper.

Back in his soccer-playing days.

17. Swap with: TRADE TO.

21. "Amscray!": SCOOT.

23. High regard: RESPECT.

24. Bit of baloney: FIB.

25. Milne youngling: ROO.

26. Infinity sign's lack: END.  There is no beginning, either.

27. Stitched border: HEM.

31. "Jeopardy!" host Jennings: KEN.  For years, Ken Jennings (né Kenneth Wayne Jennings, III; b. May 23, 1974) co-hosted a podcast called Omnibus.

32. Be nosy: PRY.

33. Like some Orthodox Jews: HASIDIC.  They are not equivalent terms.  Hasidic Judaism is a specific 18th-century mystical branch focused on joyful spirituality, distinct clothing, and a hereditary leader called a Rebbe.

35. "For crying out loud!": YEESH!

36. School URL suffix: EDU.

37. Draw upon: USE.

38. Molecule in some vaccines: RNA.

 

39. Shade tree with serrated leaves: ELM.

43. Regional speech pattern: ACCENT.

44. Meteorite's mark: CRATER.

45. Rocking toy, in baby talk: HORSEY.

46. Very hard to see: MINUTE.

48. Vietnamese sandwich: BÁNH MÌ.  It looks like a po-boy.

50. Combo meal drinks: SODAS.

51. Moving line on a weather map: FRONT.

52. Work overseen by a sous-chef: PREP.  Today's French lesson.  The word sous means under.  The sous-chef is second-in-command in the kitchen.

54. Deep purple: PLUM.

55. Adolescent: TEEN.

56. Tart: ACID.

57. Big Apple fashion letters: DKNY.  DKNY stands for Donna Karan New York.  The fashion company was founded by fashion designer Donna Karan (née Donna Ivy Fake; b. Oct. 2, 1948) in the late 1980s.

60. Arthur of "The Golden Girls": BEA.  Did you know that Bea Arthur (née Beatrice Arthur; May 13, 1922 ~ April. 25, 2009) served in the military during World War II?  She served in the U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve and worked as a typist, truck driver, and dispatcher.

I Dare You to Complete this Puzzle.

חתולה