Sun 2/1/2026 Comical Mutation
| L | I | F | E | B | A | R | | I | M | P | A | L | A | | P | O | S | T | I | T |
| O | L | E | S | T | R | A | | S | A | I | L | O | N | | I | P | H | O | N | E |
| C | L | A | S | S | I | C | A | L | C | L | O | W | N | | M | I | A | S | M | A |
| A | G | R | I | | | I | S | A | Y | S | O | | | B | L | E | D | S | O | E |
| L | O | S | E | S | T | E | A | M | | | | S | A | R | I | | | E | N | G |
| | | | C | A | S | H | I | N | | T | O | P | I | C | A | L | D | O | G |
| T | W | O | P | A | R | T | I | C | L | E | H | A | R | M | O | N | Y | | | |
| H | I | K | E | R | S | | | | M | Y | O | P | E | | | D | E | B | R | A |
| E | L | B | A | | | | C | A | V | E | R | | S | I | R | | S | L | E | W |
| A | D | O | R | B | S | | A | P | P | S | | | | C | A | B | | A | D | S |
| F | O | L | L | I | C | L | E | S | O | N | O | N | E | S | F | A | C | E | |
| V | I | M | | T | A | U | | | | C | O | R | A | | P | A | R | K | A | S |
| P | R | E | K | | M | E | N | | A | K | R | O | N | | | | M | A | R | K |
| S | E | R | I | F | | | I | N | B | E | D | | | | S | P | O | R | T | Y |
| | | W | E | R | E | N | A | U | T | I | C | A | L | W | O | R | T | H | Y |
| L | Y | R | I | C | A | L | J | E | T | | C | A | G | E | I | N | | | | |
| L | O | U | | | B | I | A | S | | | | N | A | S | T | Y | G | R | A | M |
| A | M | N | E | S | I | A | | | R | E | M | I | S | S | | | R | E | L | Y |
| M | A | S | T | E | D | | B | O | S | T | O | N | P | O | P | S | I | C | L | E |
| A | M | O | R | A | L | | I | N | V | A | D | E | | R | O | O | S | T | E | R |
| S | A | N | E | L | Y | | C | O | P | S | E | S | | S | E | X | T | O | Y | S |
The ICLE or ICAL sound is added to common phrases to match the clue. For example:
- WE'RE NOT WORTHY → WE'RE NAUTICAL WORTHY
- FALLS ON ONE'S FACE → FOLLICLES ON ONE'S FACE
- LEAR JET → LYRICAL JET
– puzzle by Lance Enfinger and John Kugelman
Mon 2/2/2026
| H | E | R | S | | L | E | S | S | | E | B | B | E | D |
| A | V | E | C | | E | T | O | N | | N | O | R | T | H |
| N | E | M | O | | A | C | L | U | | C | O | R | A | L |
| G | R | O | U | N | D | H | O | G | D | A | Y | | | |
| A | S | T | R | O | S | | | | O | N | A | J | A | G |
| R | O | E | | I | T | T | | A | T | T | | E | D | U |
| | | G | R | O | U | N | D | H | O | G | D | A | Y |
| E | A | R | N | | | S | E | A | | | A | I | M | S |
| G | R | O | U | N | D | H | O | G | D | A | Y | | | |
| A | L | A | | F | O | Y | | E | O | S | | U | S | S |
| D | O | N | A | L | D | | | | S | T | E | N | C | H |
| | | G | R | O | U | N | D | H | O | G | D | A | Y |
| S | T | A | R | E | | R | O | J | O | | R | O | L | E |
| H | I | D | E | F | | S | U | E | T | | E | N | D | S |
| E | A | S | E | S | | A | N | D | S | | T | E | S | T |
Feeling deja vu all over again? It's already the second crossword of 2026 with repeated answers. They're more common than you might think.

– puzzle by John Ewbank and Colin Thomas
Tue 2/3/2026
| N | A | S | C | A | R | | T | O | T | E | S | | S | A | T |
| I | Q | U | O | T | E | | W | H | A | M | O | | H | B | O |
| T | U | N | N | E | L | V | I | S | I | O | N | | A | L | L |
| E | A | S | T | | I | A | G | O | | T | A | S | K | E | D |
| | | O | V | E | N | S | | H | I | T | M | E | | |
| T | V | G | U | I | D | E | | B | E | C | A | U | S | E | |
| B | A | R | R | E | | | S | O | L | O | | T | H | A | T |
| S | P | A | | W | E | T | P | A | I | N | T | | A | G | E |
| P | E | D | I | | Y | E | A | R | | | U | N | C | L | E |
| S | E | C | R | E | C | Y | | S | T | R | O | K | E | S |
| | L | E | A | S | H | | B | U | R | N | T | | | |
| S | P | E | E | D | O | | F | I | R | E | | H | A | H | A |
| M | A | V | | I | N | S | I | D | E | V | O | I | C | E | S |
| O | N | E | | S | M | I | L | E | | O | W | N | E | R | S |
| G | E | L | | H | E | X | E | S | | R | E | G | R | E | T |
The circled squares reveal the names of famous singers ELVIS in 18-Across, KESHA in 12-Down, T-PAIN in 38-Across, and ADELE in 30-Down — voices inside the longer entries.
– puzzle by Nate Cardin
Wed 2/4/2026
| D | E | L | H | I | | B | L | A | B | S | | O | M | G |
| I | V | I | E | D | | B | O | G | I | E | | N | I | A |
| V | I | S | I | O | N | Q | U | E | S | T | | T | N | T |
| A | L | A | S | N | O | | T | I | C | | G | H | E | E |
| | | T | T | O | P | | S | U | S | I | E | | |
| E | K | G | S | | B | A | R | M | I | T | Z | V | A | H |
| R | E | I | | I | S | L | E | | T | I | M | E | L | Y |
| R | A | V | E | N | | M | I | C | | F | O | R | T | E |
| O | N | E | S | E | C | | G | O | O | F | | G | E | N |
| R | U | M | S | P | R | I | N | G | A | | T | E | R | A |
| | E | A | T | A | T | | S | T | A | R | | | |
| D | E | F | Y | | T | A | S | | E | R | O | I | C | A |
| O | B | I | | H | E | L | L | O | N | E | W | M | A | N |
| M | A | V | | B | R | I | A | R | | P | E | A | T | Y |
| E | Y | E | | O | S | A | G | E | | A | L | C | O | A |
Thu 2/5/2026
| H | A | S | A | T | | S | L | A | Y | | S | H | A | M |
| O | C | A | L | A | | T | A | S | E | | P | E | T | A |
| T | O | L | L | B | O | O | T | H | S | | A | L | E | E |
| D | U | T | Y | | A | R | K | | | G | R | I | D | S |
| O | P | T | | F | R | E | E | W | A | Y | E | X | I | T |
| G | L | A | R | E | S | | | E | L | M | | E | R | R |
| S | E | X | E | R | | C | L | A | P | | A | S | T | O |
| | | O | N | T | H | E | R | O | A | D | | | |
| A | B | C | S | | A | I | D | S | | D | I | S | C | S |
| L | E | A | | P | I | N | | | G | U | N | L | A | P |
| L | A | N | E | C | L | O | S | U | R | E | | I | R | A |
| C | R | A | M | S | | | C | P | A | | A | M | F | M |
| A | P | S | E | | T | R | A | F | F | I | C | J | A | M |
| P | A | T | E | | A | E | R | O | | S | H | I | R | E |
| S | W | A | T | | O | V | E | R | | M | E | M | E | D |
Fri 2/6/2026
| P | R | O | N | G | | J | P | G | S | | A | C | T | S |
| O | E | N | O | P | H | I | L | I | A | | M | O | O | T |
| L | A | S | T | S | E | C | O | N | D | | I | N | T | O |
| E | L | I | | W | R | A | P | S | | O | N | T | A | P |
| I | T | S | A | S | M | A | L | L | W | O | R | L | D |
| D | E | L | T | | A | R | I | A | L | | A | L | E |
| | | I | C | K | | T | N | T | | | C | I | A |
| H | A | R | D | H | A | T | | G | H | O | S | T | E | D |
| O | L | E | | | R | I | M | | E | V | A | | | |
| O | L | D | | P | A | N | E | L | | E | T | T | A | |
| L | I | F | E | S | T | Y | L | E | C | R | E | E | P | |
| I | N | L | A | Y | | H | I | T | U | P | | A | P | B |
| G | O | A | T | | B | O | S | S | B | A | T | T | L | E |
| A | N | G | I | | I | M | S | O | S | C | A | R | E | D |
| N | E | S | T | | B | E | A | N | | K | N | O | T | S |
I've heard IT'S A SMALL WORLD referred to as the Curse of Disneyland. Take that ride once, and you'll never get the song out of your head.
– puzzle by Geoffrey Schorkopf and Rafael Musa
Sat 2/7/2026
| | W | A | F | F | L | E | M | A | K | E | R | | |
| M | A | C | A | R | O | N | I | S | A | L | A | D | |
| G | E | N | U | S | A | N | D | S | P | E | C | I | E | S |
| O | D | D | I | T | Y | | | S | O | L | A | N | G | E |
| D | I | E | T | S | | G | R | I | T | | M | I | R | E |
| N | A | R | Y | | F | O | O | L | | L | I | N | E | N |
| O | N | S | | C | L | O | S | E | R | A | N | G | E | |
| | | R | E | A | D | Y | T | O | G | O | | | |
| S | P | O | R | T | S | B | E | T | S | | D | A | B |
| S | T | U | P | A | | P | O | S | H | | Y | A | L | L |
| L | U | T | E | | F | E | A | T | | H | E | D | G | E |
| O | P | T | I | M | A | L | | | L | E | S | B | O | S |
| T | O | E | N | A | I | L | S | C | I | S | S | O | R | S |
| R | E | T | I | R | E | T | H | E | S | I | D | E | |
| | S | O | N | Y | R | E | A | D | E | R | S | | |
Sun 2/8/2026 Who's In Charge Here?
| A | R | T | I | S | A | N | | L | E | E | K | S | | | G | A | U | C | H | O |
| B | E | R | N | I | N | I | | E | N | R | I | C | H | | A | N | T | E | U | P |
| E | L | A | S | T | I | C | H | A | I | R | T | I | E | | P | O | O | R | M | E |
| T | Y | P | O | | | K | I | N | D | | T | E | A | M | S | | P | E | A | R |
| | | M | O | R | E | S | | | M | E | N | L | O | | T | I | A | N | A |
| C | H | A | N | N | E | L | | P | R | I | N | C | E | O | F | W | A | L | E | S |
| A | E | R | I | E | S | | S | E | E | N | | E | D | D | I | E | | | | |
| T | H | E | A | D | C | O | U | N | C | I | L | | | S | T | E | L | M | O | |
| S | E | W | | G | U | A | R | D | | | Y | O | M | | S | N | O | O | P | S |
| | E | P | E | E | S | | | E | A | S | E | U | P | | S | N | O | R | E |
| D | A | D | A | | D | I | R | E | C | T | O | R | D | E | R | | E | N | Y | A |
| S | T | O | R | K | | S | H | R | I | L | L | | | T | E | A | R | S | | |
| T | I | N | M | E | N | | O | M | G | | | S | O | R | E | N | | H | O | E |
| T | E | A | B | A | G | | | S | H | O | C | K | I | N | G | P | I | N | K |
| | | | A | P | A | R | T | | A | L | A | S | | T | O | O | N | I | E |
| L | I | F | E | B | E | F | O | R | E | M | A | N | | F | E | R | R | E | T | S |
| A | T | O | M | S | | F | L | A | G | S | | | C | A | R | A | T | | | |
| D | O | R | A | | S | E | L | I | G | | P | A | I | N | | | A | C | A | I |
| I | N | C | I | T | E | | U | N | D | E | R | C | O | V | E | R | B | O | S | S |
| E | Y | E | L | E | T | | P | E | Y | T | O | N | | I | M | A | L | L | I | N |
| S | A | S | S | E | S | | | R | E | E | S | E | | D | I | N | E | D | A | T |
Mon 2/9/2026
| A | T | A | D | | | S | E | A | S | | S | C | A | B |
| N | O | W | I | N | | A | R | C | H | | A | L | T | O |
| G | R | A | V | Y | | G | A | T | O | | D | I | E | T |
| L | A | S | V | E | G | A | S | S | T | R | I | P | | |
| O | H | H | I | | U | S | E | | P | U | E | B | L | O |
| | | E | A | R | | | Y | U | M | | O | A | R |
| G | O | L | D | N | U | G | G | E | T | | H | A | R | D |
| I | M | O | U | T | | L | O | L | | G | O | R | G | E |
| R | A | S | P | | G | O | A | L | T | E | N | D | E | R |
| T | N | T | | C | A | W | | | E | M | O | | | |
| H | I | C | C | U | P | | S | I | C | | R | I | D | E |
| | A | R | E | Y | O | U | C | H | I | C | K | E | N |
| T | R | U | E | | E | R | I | E | | N | O | N | E | T |
| E | A | S | E | | A | C | N | E | | A | D | O | R | E |
| A | W | E | D | | R | A | G | S | | | E | W | E | R |
Tue 2/10/2026
| V | I | M | | | | B | A | L | S | A | | D | I | A |
| I | M | A | G | E | | A | B | A | T | E | | I | N | N |
| P | O | K | E | R | P | L | A | Y | E | R | | V | A | T |
| | E | T | A | I | L | | | E | I | L | I | S | H |
| C | F | O | S | | P | A | L | M | R | E | A | D | E | R |
| A | L | V | I | N | | D | A | E | | | D | E | C | O |
| N | A | E | N | A | E | | V | E | N | T | I | | | |
| M | R | S | P | O | T | A | T | O | H | E | A | D | |
| | | H | A | S | U | P | | D | I | S | B | A | R |
| M | A | M | A | | | N | I | H | | S | N | O | R | E |
| C | L | A | P | O | M | E | T | E | R | | I | V | A | N |
| P | A | N | E | R | A | | | R | A | N | G | E | | |
| H | S | N | | G | I | V | E | M | E | A | H | A | N | D |
| E | K | E | | A | N | O | D | E | | S | T | L | E | O |
| E | A | R | | N | E | X | U | S | | | | L | E | G |
Wed 2/11/2026
| W | A | L | R | U | S | | S | H | O | E | | A | S | I | F |
| A | M | O | U | N | T | | Y | O | U | L | O | S | T | M | E |
| G | O | O | D | N | E | S | S | G | R | A | C | I | O | U | S |
| S | N | E | E | R | A | T | | | | T | A | R | P | S |
| | | | E | E | N | | A | R | C | A | N | A | | |
| E | E | O | | D | O | G | B | R | E | E | D | | G | P | A |
| D | E | F | I | E | S | | L | I | F | E | | B | E | A | M |
| G | R | I | N | D | | S | A | S | S | | S | O | F | I | A |
| E | I | N | S | | M | I | R | E | | C | A | T | E | R | S |
| S | E | T | | S | A | F | E | S | E | A | T | | E | S | S |
| | E | J | E | C | T | S | | O | P | I | | | | |
| L | O | R | D | E | | | | E | N | S | N | A | R | E | |
| G | R | E | A | T | B | A | L | L | S | O | F | F | I | R | E |
| B | E | S | T | O | F | A | L | L | | F | O | R | M | A | L |
| T | O | T | E | | F | A | C | E | | F | R | O | S | T | S |
The letters F-I-R-E are found in each of the great balls superimposed on the grid. Each instance shows a different rotation.
– puzzle by Joseph Gangi
Thu 2/12/2026
| D | W | E | L | L | | | G | U | A | M | | M | E | N |
| R | A | D | I | A | N | | I | N | C | A | | O | X | O |
| O | W | E | S | T | O | | S | H | U | T | O | U | T | S |
| P | A | N | T | E | R | A | | O | R | E | L | S | E | |
| | | E | X | I | T | | L | A | D | D | E | R | S |
| S | E | E | | | S | A | Y | | | E | T | N | A |
| A | T | V | | I | B | E | X | | C | O | R | R | A | L |
| D | E | E | | C | L | A | M | S | U | P | | A | L | T |
| L | A | N | C | E | T | | E | N | D | S | | P | L | Y |
| I | L | S | A | | | D | N | A | | | P | S | Y | |
| B | A | T | I | S | T | E | | R | O | M | A | | | |
| K | E | N | N | E | L | | F | L | A | M | I | N | G |
| G | I | V | E | A | H | U | G | | E | X | E | T | E | R |
| U | S | E | | C | E | D | E | | S | I | L | I | C | A |
| M | S | N | | K | E | E | L | | | M | A | S | K | S |
In the deep past, before there were emojis, amorous writers resorted to X for KISS and O for HUG. The letter shapes tell you which is which. The Across theme answers here are missing the O, so give them a hug. The Down themers have an extra X, so steal that kiss.
Solvers who care about such things will be pleased that the answers are legitimate words or phrases with or without those extraneous Xs and missing Os.
XO
– puzzle by Kareem Ayas
Fri 2/13/2026
| T | S | A | | P | S | S | T | | | L | A | S | T | S | |
| H | E | L | L | Y | E | A | H | | F | I | R | E | H | A | T |
| I | C | E | A | R | E | N | A | | I | V | O | T | E | N | O |
| N | U | T | S | O | | M | I | F | F | E | D | | R | D | A |
| G | R | A | S | | T | A | I | L | E | D | | N | A | B | S |
| Y | E | P | | C | I | R | C | A | | | C | O | V | E | T |
| | | M | O | V | I | E | T | R | A | I | L | E | R | S |
| D | I | A | M | O | N | D | E | A | R | R | I | N | G | |
| M | I | N | N | E | S | O | T | A | N | I | C | E | | | |
| A | V | A | N | T | | | E | R | A | S | E | | S | I | S |
| H | E | R | A | | B | E | A | T | L | E | | Z | I | N | C |
| A | B | A | | S | A | Y | S | H | I | | D | I | E | G | O |
| L | A | B | N | O | T | E | | E | G | G | D | O | N | O | R |
| O | R | I | O | L | E | S | | R | H | I | A | N | N | O | N |
| S | C | R | O | D | | | S | T | A | Y | | A | D | S |
Sat 2/14/2026
| | | P | E | A | C | E | S | I | G | N | | | |
| | S | A | N | T | A | P | H | O | T | O | S | | |
| L | O | V | E | T | R | I | A | N | G | L | E | S | |
| C | O | M | E | | | E | C | G | | | A | R | E | A |
| L | O | A | D | U | P | | | | D | I | N | I | N | G |
| A | T | L | | S | L | E | E | V | E | S | | A | S | H |
| P | S | I | | S | E | X | T | A | P | E | | L | E | A |
| | P | A | R | A | C | H | U | T | E | I | N | | |
| S | W | I | G | | T | O | O | L | S | | C | U | S | H |
| W | A | R | E | S | | P | S | T | | T | E | M | P | E |
| A | V | A | L | O | N | | | | C | A | S | B | A | H |
| G | E | T | I | N | O | N | | S | A | C | H | E | T | S |
| R | E | M | O | T | E | W | O | R | K | E | R | S | |
| | S | I | M | O | N | E | B | I | L | E | S | | |
| | | T | A | K | E | S | A | B | E | T | | | |
Sun 2/15/2026 Good to the Last Drop
| C | H | A | R | | L | I | D | S | | S | C | O | T | | A | F | L | A | S | H | |
| N | O | N | O | | O | R | A | L | | P | H | E | W | | T | R | O | T | T | E | D |
| B | L | O | W | T | O | S | M | I | T | H | E | R | E | | M | O | T | H | E | R | E |
| C | E | N | S | U | S | | | D | R | E | W | | E | A | S | T | S | | E | R | A |
| | | | S | E | A | S | | A | R | O | U | N | D | | H | A | R | P | E | R |
| T | E | A | C | H | E | R | E | | M | O | U | S | S | E | | | | B | E | R | T |
| I | M | R | U | I | N | E | D | | W | I | T | S | | L | A | H | D | I | D | A | H |
| L | I | M | P | E | D | | I | P | A | D | | T | E | E | P | E | E | | | | |
| E | R | R | | | S | A | T | A | Y | | T | E | X | | B | L | A | N | K | E | D |
| | E | S | C | | D | I | Y | | A | R | E | P | A | | I | R | O | N | E | D |
| I | T | S | A | L | L | D | O | W | N | H | I | L | L | F | R | O | M | H | E | R | E |
| N | A | T | G | E | O | | N | A | B | O | B | | O | F | T | | E | O | E | | |
| A | R | S | E | N | I | C | | L | A | Y | | W | R | I | E | R | | | B | E | D |
| | | | C | R | A | W | L | S | | B | E | E | N | | E | T | H | E | R | E |
| F | E | A | T | H | E | R | E | | T | I | R | E | | I | N | S | O | M | N | I | A |
| A | L | B | A | | | | D | E | A | G | E | D | | T | O | P | M | O | D | E | L |
| T | A | O | I | S | M | | G | A | R | N | E | T | | Y | E | E | T | | | | |
| C | S | U | | P | A | G | E | S | | I | C | E | E | | | L | I | T | M | U | S |
| A | T | T | H | E | R | E | | I | S | T | H | A | T | A | L | L | T | H | E | R | E |
| T | I | T | A | N | I | A | | E | P | E | E | | A | L | O | E | | U | G | L | I |
| C | O | N | D | O | R | | R | A | D | S | | L | E | W | D | | S | A | S | S |
Answers that turn corners in the grid is old hat by now, but 73-Across is superb justification.
Michael Lieberman also has this weekend's Variety Puzzle. It's a Puns and Anagrams, and it has some particularly clever and fun clues. If you have an XWord Info account, you can print it out or solve online.
– puzzle by Michael Lieberman and Rebecca Goldstein
Mon 2/16/2026
| C | L | A | S | P | | | B | O | D | | A | M | E | N |
| L | I | L | L | E | | D | E | V | O | | V | A | M | P |
| O | G | L | E | D | | R | A | I | D | | O | D | O | R |
| T | H | E | W | I | Z | A | R | D | O | F | I | D | | |
| S | T | Y | | G | O | T | H | | B | A | D | A | S | S |
| | | B | R | O | | U | N | I | X | | S | H | E |
| A | D | F | E | E | | I | G | O | R | | C | H | I | C |
| B | O | I | S | E | I | D | | I | D | T | H | E | F | T |
| H | U | N | T | | N | E | A | R | | R | U | S | T | S |
| O | L | E | | S | C | A | N | | M | A | G | | | |
| R | A | W | B | A | R | | T | I | E | D | | D | E | M |
| | I | D | G | O | E | I | T | H | E | R | W | A | Y |
| A | N | N | A | | W | A | G | E | | G | E | E | S | E |
| O | B | E | Y | | D | R | U | M | | A | D | L | E | R |
| L | A | S | S | | S | P | A | | | P | O | L | L | S |
ID goes "either way" because it's either at the beginning or the end of each theme answer. The central one has both.
– puzzle by Ian Livengood
Tue 2/17/2026
| S | K | A | | S | I | N | C | E | | A | B | A | S | H |
| P | A | L | | O | P | E | R | A | | D | A | R | L | A |
| A | L | B | I | N | O | R | A | T | | O | R | I | O | N |
| N | E | A | T | O | | F | I | S | T | | I | A | M | S |
| S | N | A | F | U | | G | U | E | S | S | S | O | |
| N | A | I | L | A | R | T | | P | E | A | T | | | |
| O | L | A | Y | | S | A | G | | | T | A | P | A | S |
| P | A | N | | B | A | R | O | Q | U | E | | A | C | H |
| E | D | S | E | L | | | D | E | N | | U | P | T | O |
| | | A | T | M | S | | D | I | S | B | A | N | D |
| P | E | R | S | O | N | A | | T | A | E | B | O | |
| S | A | R | A | | P | O | P | S | | F | R | E | R | E |
| L | U | R | C | H | | O | R | A | L | E | X | A | M | S |
| A | L | O | H | A | | Z | O | N | E | S | | R | A | P |
| W | I | R | E | D | | E | N | D | I | T | | S | L | Y |
The circled baroque musical forms ORATORIO, FUGUE, SONATA, and CHORALE are all baroquen-up by black squares.
– puzzle by Stephan Prock and Jeff Chen
Wed 2/18/2026
| R | A | N | D | B | | A | R | A | M | | P | A | C | T | S |
| A | M | O | R | E | | L | O | C | O | | A | G | O | R | A |
| P | E | T | E | R | E | D | O | U | T | | S | A | M | U | S |
| S | I | G | N | S | O | F | T | H | E | T | I | M | E | S |
| | | S | A | P | | S | E | R | R | A | N | O | | |
| G | A | H | | R | I | O | | | A | A | S | | D | A | M |
| A | B | U | N | D | A | N | C | E | | | | P | O | L | E |
| S | Y | M | B | O | L | I | C | G | E | S | T | U | R | E | S |
| U | S | D | A | | | | S | O | R | C | E | R | E | R | S |
| P | S | I | | H | U | T | | | E | R | R | | S | T | Y |
| | N | O | I | S | O | M | E | | A | R | K | | | |
| F | I | G | U | R | E | S | O | F | S | P | E | E | C | H | |
| I | R | E | N | E | | S | C | R | E | E | N | S | H | O | T |
| C | I | R | C | E | | E | H | O | W | | C | H | A | S | E |
| A | S | S | E | S | | D | I | N | S | | E | A | T | E | N |
Emojis in clues are fun. They are also risky, because different devices display them differently. A 2020 puzzle used emojis to describe movies.
Here are some other pictures in clues.
Back in the pre-emoji time of 1995, you had to use punctuation.
– puzzle by Victor Schmitt
Thu 2/19/2026
| J | E | T | T | | T | R | I | B | E | | | S | P | E | C |
| A | T | O | M | | H | A | V | I | N | G | | L | A | M | A |
| C | R | U | I | S | I | N | F | O | R | A | B | R | U | I | S |
| K | E | G | | A | R | K | | S | I | L | L | | P | R | O |
| | H | I | S | S | | | | C | L | O | S | E | S | |
| S | I | N | G | S | T | H | E | S | H | O | W | E | R | | |
| S | T | U | N | G | | A | L | I | | N | S | A | | | |
| N | O | T | E | | W | H | I | R | R | S | | B | A | N | A |
| | | O | U | R | | T | E | E | | P | E | C | O | S |
| | B | U | S | I | N | E | S | S | S | I | D | E | R | S |
| L | O | S | E | T | O | | | | T | E | S | S | | |
| B | E | N | | M | E | G | A | | O | R | C | | H | O | P |
| L | E | S | S | E | R | O | F | T | W | O | E | V | I | L | S |
| I | C | A | N | | S | O | A | K | E | D | | E | G | G | S |
| P | H | I | L | | | D | R | O | N | E | | T | H | A | T |
Fri 2/20/2026
| O | L | A | F | | S | K | U | | L | A | S | S | O | S |
| B | A | R | I | S | T | A | S | | A | T | T | A | C | H |
| O | V | E | N | W | A | R | E | | S | E | E | S | T | O |
| S | W | E | A | T | E | R | W | E | A | T | H | E | R |
| | E | L | G | I | N | | I | R | S | | A | T | E |
| M | A | L | I | G | N | | A | Z | T | E | C | | | |
| O | P | I | N | E | | R | H | E | A | | O | H | N | O |
| R | E | V | E | R | S | E | E | N | G | I | N | E | E | R |
| E | D | E | N | | N | D | A | S | | M | A | R | N | E |
| | | S | H | O | E | D | | S | P | R | E | E | S |
| A | B | T | | A | W | E | | S | C | O | T | S | | |
| F | R | I | E | N | D | M | A | T | E | R | I | A | L | |
| R | A | M | A | D | A | | C | A | N | T | S | T | O | P |
| O | V | E | R | L | Y | | L | I | E | S | T | I | L | L |
| S | A | S | S | E | S | | U | N | S | | S | P | A | Y |
Sat 2/21/2026
| B | L | A | N | K | S | T | A | R | E | | N | I | C | E |
| B | O | D | Y | H | O | R | R | O | R | | O | R | A | L |
| Q | U | E | S | A | D | I | L | L | A | | F | O | R | K |
| P | I | X | | N | A | V | E | L | | P | U | N | S | |
| I | S | E | E | | S | I | N | | P | O | N | C | H | O |
| T | A | C | I | T | | A | E | S | O | P | | L | A | V |
| | | G | R | I | T | | T | S | Q | U | A | R | E |
| M | E | T | H | A | N | E | | A | S | U | N | D | E | R |
| E | X | O | T | I | C | A | | R | E | I | D | | | |
| L | O | X | | L | U | M | E | T | | Z | I | P | I | T |
| D | R | I | V | E | R | | P | E | A | | D | O | P | E |
| C | C | E | D | | F | O | R | M | S | | P | H | X |
| J | I | G | S | | R | O | C | K | B | O | T | T | O | M |
| A | S | A | P | | E | X | H | I | L | A | R | A | T | E |
| M | E | S | A | | M | Y | S | T | E | R | Y | B | O | X |
Sun 2/22/2026 Books of the Bible
| A | B | A | T | E | | | C | A | N | V | A | S | | A | C | I | D | I | C | |
| L | O | C | A | T | E | | A | T | B | E | S | T | | F | O | R | E | M | E | N |
| P | R | E | T | A | X | | D | E | A | T | H | O | N | T | H | E | N | I | L | E |
| H | A | L | T | | T | I | E | | | | B | A | A | | E | D | I | T | E | D |
| A | T | A | L | E | O | F | T | W | O | C | I | T | I | E | S | | M | A | B | |
| | | I | L | L | S | | A | N | O | N | | F | R | I | | | T | R | A |
| F | A | N | S | | | P | I | E | S | | | | D | O | A | | I | A | N |
| D | A | N | G | E | R | O | U | S | L | I | A | I | S | O | N | S | | O | T | T |
| R | I | G | | | A | P | P | T | | | R | B | I | S | | S | I | N | E | S |
| A | T | L | A | N | T | A | | | | M | O | E | T | | O | I | L | | | |
| W | H | E | R | E | T | H | E | W | I | L | D | T | H | I | N | G | S | A | R | E |
| | | L | A | Y | | L | I | C | K | | | | R | E | N | A | M | E | D |
| D | E | C | O | R | | P | L | I | E | | | M | O | O | N | | | I | I | I |
| A | D | O | | T | H | E | A | G | E | O | F | I | N | N | O | C | E | N | C | E |
| M | M | M | | O | A | R | | | | M | E | M | O | | | A | L | O | E | |
| P | C | P | | | T | C | M | | I | N | R | I | | E | A | R | S | | | |
| M | A | R | | T | H | E | P | R | I | N | C | E | O | F | T | I | D | E | S |
| C | A | R | E | E | R | | A | L | I | | | | P | S | I | | N | O | N | O |
| T | H | E | G | R | E | A | T | E | S | C | A | P | E | | R | H | O | N | D | A |
| R | O | T | A | T | E | D | | B | E | A | N | I | E | | E | A | R | N | E | R |
| N | O | L | E | S | S | | E | S | T | O | P | S | | | H | E | E | D | S |
Mon 2/23/2026
| B | O | Z | O | S | | A | B | D | U | L | | R | A | G |
| I | R | A | T | E | | W | E | E | P | S | | E | R | A |
| B | A | C | H | E | L | O | R | P | A | D | | C | E | L |
| | | E | Y | E | L | E | T | | | B | O | N | A |
| O | U | T | R | O | S | | T | H | E | L | O | R | A | X |
| U | S | A | | U | S | B | | | W | O | O | D | S | Y |
| R | E | R | A | N | | R | A | C | E | B | Y | | | |
| R | O | L | E | R | E | V | E | R | S | A | L | S | |
| | | I | V | O | T | E | D | | T | H | E | I | R |
| C | H | A | S | E | D | | | E | S | E | | F | R | O |
| D | E | L | O | R | E | A | N | | O | R | A | T | E | D |
| C | A | I | N | | | N | I | G | H | T | S | | | |
| A | T | E | | N | A | V | E | L | O | R | A | N | G | E |
| S | U | N | | T | W | I | C | E | | A | D | O | R | N |
| E | P | S | | H | E | L | E | N | | P | O | S | E | D |
The word ROLE can be found spelled backward (reversed) in each theme answer.
– puzzle by Hannah Binney
Tue 2/24/2026
| D | R | E | C | K | | A | M | B | E | R | | W | R | Y |
| M | E | T | O | O | | N | A | O | M | I | | H | E | E |
| E | T | H | N | I | C | G | R | O | U | P | | E | N | T |
| D | I | E | D | | O | E | D | | | O | L | A | F | |
| E | L | E | C | T | R | I | C | G | U | I | T | A | R |
| | | M | A | S | S | | A | U | T | O | B | I | O |
| X | I | N | G | | | A | K | A | | N | E | R | F |
| T | I | C | | E | L | G | R | E | C | O | | E | E | L |
| A | J | A | R | | A | I | M | | | V | C | R | S | |
| M | I | N | I | P | I | G | | L | E | A | H | | | |
| E | N | D | O | C | R | I | N | E | G | L | A | N | D | |
| P | I | T | H | | | O | V | A | | R | O | O | S |
| J | I | G | | E | V | E | N | I | N | G | G | O | W | N |
| U | N | I | | L | E | V | E | E | | M | E | N | S | A |
| S | G | T | | P | E | E | T | S | | C | R | E | E | P |
Each "e.g." answer is a two-word phrase, the first word starting with E, and the second with G. For example.
From Wikipedia: Nuyorican is a portmanteau word blending "New York" (or "Nueva York" in Spanish) and "Puerto Rican," referring to Puerto Ricans located in or around New York City, their culture, or their descendants (especially those raised or currently living in the New York metropolitan area).
– puzzle by Adam Aaronson
Wed 2/25/2026
| H | I | T | M | E | | C | L | E | F | S | | E | M | O |
| O | N | E | A | L | | T | A | R | O | T | | C | M | D |
| C | R | E | D | I | | S | C | O | R | E | | H | A | D |
| K | E | N | O | | I | C | E | S | | P | O | O | F | S |
| | | N | A | D | A | | | M | I | L | L | I | |
| V | I | N | C | E | N | T | | A | N | G | O | G | H |
| H | I | H | A | T | | | R | E | Z | | A | C | H | E |
| U | S | A | | S | C | O | O | T | E | R | | A | T | A |
| S | U | D | S | | U | R | L | | | A | S | T | E | R |
| H | A | N | N | I | B | A | L | L | E | | T | E | R | |
| L | O | O | T | S | | | I | K | E | A | | | |
| W | A | I | T | S | | N | E | N | E | | N | A | Y | S |
| H | I | D | | B | R | E | A | K | D | A | N | C | E | S |
| A | D | E | | A | B | O | V | E | | R | E | R | U | N |
| T | S | A | | D | I | N | E | D | | E | D | E | N | S |
It's hard to come up with original themes, but breaking up dances with action silhouettes that look like letters is not something you see every day.
– puzzle by Brad Lively
Thu 2/26/2026
| C | I | N | C | H | E | S | | D | R | E | A | M | S |
| S | O | N | A | T | I | N | A | | R | E | D | T | I | E |
| A | N | T | E | A | T | E | R | | O | P | I | A | T | E |
| L | A | A | | | | | A | F | O | O | T | | | |
| V | I | K | I | N | G | S | H | I | P | S | | B | B | Q |
| O | R | E | C | A | R | T | | E | Y | E | S | O | R | E |
| | | E | L | I | A | S | | | | T | W | O | D |
| R | O | M | A | N | N | U | M | E | R | A | L | S | |
| J | I | V | E | | | | S | A | V | O | Y | | | |
| I | C | A | N | S | A | Y | | N | A | T | A | S | H | A |
| G | E | L | | L | I | A | B | I | L | I | T | I | E | S |
| | | P | E | S | K | Y | | | | | M | R | S |
| P | L | U | R | A | L | | G | A | I | N | T | I | M | E |
| I | O | N | I | Z | E | | U | N | N | A | I | L | E | D |
| X | B | O | X | E | S | | M | A | N | G | L | E | S | |
Roman numerals in the answers to the italicized clues have to be interpreted as numbers.
- CINCHES → 100 INCHES (8 x 12 + 4)
- DREAMS → 500 REAMS = (500 x 500 sheets/ream) = 250,000 sheets
- VIKING SHIPS → 6 KINGSHIPS
- LIABILITIES → 51 ABILITIES (48 + 3)
- ☐☐☐☐☐
☐☐☐☐☐ → 10 (italicized) boxes
- MANGLES → 1000 ANGLES
A chiliagon is a polygon with 1,000 sides, and consequently also 1,000 angles. Blame René Descartes for making it enough of a thing to show up in a 2026 crossword.
– puzzle by Yitzi Snow
Fri 2/27/2026
| S | A | C | A | G | A | W | E | A | D | O | L | L | A | R |
| A | M | E | R | I | C | A | N | P | A | L | E | A | L | E |
| D | I | S | T | R | E | S | S | E | D | D | E | N | I | M |
| D | R | A | F | T | S | | U | R | S | A | | K | E | Y |
| | R | U | H | | T | I | C | | S | W | A | N | |
| R | E | E | L | | R | O | T | U | N | D | A | | | |
| O | R | A | | D | A | R | E | | A | I | R | B | A | G |
| K | I | N | D | E | S | T | | T | A | R | T | A | R | E |
| U | N | S | E | A | T | | A | I | N | T | | S | G | T |
| | | B | R | A | I | S | E | S | | T | S | O | S |
| M | R | I | S | | Q | T | S | | C | U | L | | |
| P | A | O | | A | S | T | O | | D | A | R | I | U | S |
| R | U | N | I | N | T | E | R | F | E | R | E | N | C | E |
| A | N | A | S | T | A | S | I | A | S | T | E | E | L | E |
| M | A | N | H | A | T | T | A | N | K | A | N | S | A | S |
My dictionary defines audacious as "debuting on a Friday with two triple-stacks."
– puzzle by Caroline Hand
Sat 2/28/2026
| A | I | M | L | O | W | | | F | R | A | T | B | O | Y |
| S | M | E | A | G | O | L | | D | E | A | R | O | N | E |
| T | H | A | T | S | M | E | | R | E | V | O | L | T | S |
| R | E | N | T | | B | A | E | | F | E | D | O | R | A |
| A | R | I | E | L | | T | R | I | S | | | T | I | N |
| L | E | E | | E | T | H | A | N | | N | A | I | A | D |
| | | S | T | R | E | S | S | L | E | V | E | L | |
| | B | E | F | O | R | E | T | I | M | E | S | | |
| C | U | R | L | Y | B | R | A | C | E | S | | | |
| S | A | T | B | Y | | A | P | N | E | A | | P | O | I |
| A | L | T | | | F | R | E | T | | N | E | R | F | S |
| M | O | H | A | I | R | | N | T | H | | L | O | L | A |
| B | R | U | S | H | E | D | | A | U | T | O | P | A | Y |
| A | I | R | H | O | R | N | | N | E | O | P | E | T | S |
| R | E | T | Y | P | E | D | | | S | T | E | R | E | O |
{ CURLY BRACES } at 36-Across are indeed "used to group blocks of computer code" in many languages. This site uses TypeScript on the client side and C# on the server side, and both languages (and many others) use curly braces.
An increasingly common counterexample is Python, which uses indentation to accomplish the same thing, making the code look a little cleaner. If you're a constructor, I have some sample Python scripts you can use with your word lists to accomplish tricks far beyond what Finder or even RegEx searches can do.
– puzzle by Adam Levav