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Puzzles for August, 2026
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (4)Editor (2)Jim Horne (9)Hide comments
Sat 8/1/2026
TRASHTALKAPBS
VAGUEIDEASBALI
DIADELOSMUERTOS
ANTSSUSANLUCCI
DYEMITESKPH
DOTNUTTWIN
RCCARASTRONOMY
IRANIANRIVERAS
GARGANTUAASKME
APSEYETORS
HRTDISHYCOT
AMAZEBALLSGABE
CORONATIONROBES
MIENMETPAYROLL
ELSEDYSPEPSIA

The most famous appearance of LUCCI in a grid is from 2001 after a beloved long-time runner up at the American Crossword Tournament finally won. Read the top and bottom lines here.

Sun 8/2/2026 Going for a Spin
BICSARITAGSCARPS
MENUTIERWRAPALERTS
OFFROADVEHICLEREVERE
TOLLFREEATHLETESFEN
TRUSTRAMSADOSBEAD
SEXTARSUSNEWSHOCKS
MISSEDETREARTS
LOWEMISSIONSSLATE
ORATESNEEDREDACT
VANESSCAMPIMACSNOR
ENTSBUCKETSEATSNODE
IGOFARSIUPSETFEIGN
TENDONNANAIRONED
RISESKEYLESSENTRY
THISVISAOVULES
QUIETRIDEPRIMALSIM
URLSICEEPHILOMANI
AFLACTTHREEDEBACLES
SWATCHREARWHEELDRIVE
HARAREIRISMALEAVER
RYDERPELESDSUEAR
Mon 8/3/2026
COSTSNAILAREA
ODORTEDDYPUMP
MIDIABASEINCA
BEACHBUMPETER
YELLCROCHET
ICECREAMMAKER
AISLEOOZEOAF
MATEMILNEHURL
BOABETABUGLE
TRUECRIMESHOW
STEALTHMALT
LASIKCHILLING
ETASBLOODEVER
PELEAGAMERARE
TRESEATENSNOW

Terrific clues today, especially for a Monday:

XWord Info sometimes has BETA features, and I believe Trump, not unlike NERO, has won every game of golf.

Tue 8/4/2026
MITTSLIMESSKA
ACERCOMBATWAD
SARINOTSARIOLD
SNIPERSLYRES
LLCBALEEN
DELHIPLATTERS
ONUSGAUNTNOW
HEMAYNMAOEVA
ORBREIGNAMEN
HOLIMATRIMONY
ETCHERORG
YADDACREEPIN
UFONAANAPOLOGY
MARDANISHIPOS
AREYACHTSCORE

Indian wedding puns!

Wed 8/5/2026
CHARTTOPPER
LEADINGNOWHERE
ARIZONAICEDTEA
PAGERANKS
CARDCASE
HEADMASSAGES
CARBONSTORAGE
WESTERNSAHARA
INTERNETBOTS
GOESBUST
FIRSTMATE
BOOLEANALGEBRA
INDIANAHOOSIER
COUNTSNOSES

"Temple services" for HEAD MASSAGES is brilliant.

Thu 8/6/2026
TONIICEDEDDIE
ANONSAMEGROOM
JAICANRUMGAUNT
RISOTTOPRIG
TRYMELEBRONJES
MARCOOLHAL
SESAMEHOTLANTA
CLANTHOSEHUMP
RENDEREDSPITES
ANDMIROTAG
PAJAPARTYROIDS
WILLELMTREE
PRIMOJAMPACKED
DICEYONEGHERA
ACHESETNAADEN

JAM is packed into three down answers, as it would be packed into the middle of the food items.

Fri 8/7/2026
STRESSBALLAFEW
IHADNOIDEARAVI
CATSOUTOFTHEBAG
SISWRISTOWENS
SCOTTASER
PECANBUSTAGUT
TRAITPORKTEVA
NERFTOONSHEEL
UGLIAWESBIGAL
TOYMAKERSONGS
ROVERBERG
OLIVEGRIDSNYC
MUSICPRODUCTION
ICEEGATECHANGE
TARSABITETOEAT
Sat 8/8/2026
TOSSSARICBS
HOOTSHEMANDHAW
ALFREERICCARLE
WATERSLIDEPILE
SLEEVELESSTSET
ANTIRUSTRETRY
STEEVEDAVIS
ETNAMAGI
RIATAFINITE
GETMELENSCAPS
AAHSPANAKOPITA
BREAHYDROMETER
BELLEAMIEIRONS
ENPASSANTCOMTE
RDSPENGNESS
Sun 8/9/2026 Freestyle Exercise
ATALLHEISTSFLUAXIS
COMEONINTHEWATERSFINE
CONGRESSIONALDISTRICT
OCEANUSSWAMPDAYO
ROSTERUNUMHOEEMAIL
DOTEONTOPDAUNTANNE
SLYSLEETDEBTHINTAT
BOONSLIFESPANCHI
LODGEHAVETHINGSOUT
TODAYMOVEASONENLRB
ROTISTONISTONEMOORE
IMINPALESTINETAWNY
TONGUELASHINGCOVEY
URLBEESTINGDOMED
ARISENSANGGROANSIP
LOFTSHENGWRISTMINE
SWEEPUSSIHOPISOLDE
POOLWARIOFLAREUP
CORPORATESURVEILLANCE
INVERTEDROLLERCOASTER
SASSODSFESSESTSARS

Read about Toni Stone on Wikipedia.

Caitlin Lovinger over on Wordplay wondered if this was the first-ever Sunday grid with two double grid-spanning stacks. It is the first since 1990. The only one before that was in 1958. Both of those managed the feat in 23x23 grids.

See more notable Sunday spanners by scrolling to the bottom of this page.

Mon 8/10/2026
APESSLATENJOY
MAXIAIMSGEODE
OPEDSTEPBYSTEP
RICECHEXUPS
BAAHOTPAN
PLAYBYPLAYCANE
LASSOHAZEANTS
UGLISOSADSILT
CUEDUBERRENEE
KNEEBIRDBYBIRD
YAPETALAY
ALLLAUNCHED
FOURBYFOURAURA
LARGOISNTSLAM
YKNOWNETSEASE

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott.

Now I have Side by Side by Sondheim stuck in my head.

Tue 8/11/2026
IPADSSYSCOESC
NOTUPAOKAYVIA
FLAMINGLIPSIAM
OLDPROOPSELMO
LEAKIDLE
ANTIHANSZIMMER
LAWNSRITESPIE
LUIGIMAACHIDE
ORSGAILYSORES
WUTANGCLANMERE
ELSETAKE
DAREDOIRUBIES
RUMSONGDYNASTY
IRAOUTERISLAM
PATSTORESEALS
Wed 8/12/2026
TAGSTREBLEDMS
OTRAHARROWAYE
GOOGLEDRIVENBA
AMIGOONESCAM
NETWORKSPEEDS
DREWARO
CISALECRIFTS
INTERNETTRAFFIC
ANORATAROSKI
RUGLAMA
COMPUTERCRASH
LUSTHAIICARE
ANOSERVERDELAY
ICUORNATENOSE
METWESLEYTSPS
Thu 8/13/2026
ZAGBEEPPARIAH
IMOOKRARICOLA
LOBSTERSORATED
CREPTSTUMPAVE
HERALDESPOUSES
STEAMETDS
PIESTALLSABER
BRRSAXLESFAVA
JAKOBIMSADNEW
FARMSPEND
AQUARIUMSNOWED
BUNROMANSOARE
BOBCATSIZINGUP
ORANGEKNITOPT
TANNEDSONYNTH
Clued phrase Grid entry Size change
MOBSTERS ("Mafia members") LOBSTERS M → L
EX-SPOUSES ("Alimony recipients") ESPOUSES XS → S
ALES ("Drinks at a pub") AXLES L → XL
AQUARIUS ("11th of a noted 12") AQUARIUM S → M

Note: PI Day (3/14) comes just before the Ides of March (3/15).

Fri 8/14/2026
GIZASNIFFSOUT
IMONAYCARAMBA
NEONBREAKUPSEX
SAMURAIRIC
UNFAIRRENTACOP
CALORIEGOLOCO
COTSETCHSINCE
AMIINCLOSEFAM
SEGERHUSHSAMS
COUSINSEALABS
ANECDOTELEMURS
ERRGOSPLAT
THATSMYJAMLAZE
RAPACIOUSETON
UMPTEENTHSERT

Breakup sex! Maleska would be so jealous that Shortz can get away with entries like this.

Sat 8/15/2026
DAWNEDTVACTORS
REHIREHISTORIC
OSAKANENTREATY
POTSETSAILJUL
SPAMBRUINPEAL
HIPAAENGHOLLA
ICANTHEARYOU
PALATECLEANSERS
TEXASTWOSTEP
ARMEDNOTRICCI
LOBEPORESNELL
BOACAPISCETIL
EMPHASISATHENA
REPARTEELAUREN
TRESPASSPLEASE
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