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The LA Times Crossword offers a daily mental workout with clever clues and tricky themes that challenge solvers of all levels. If you’re stuck on today’s February 26, 2026 puzzle, don’t worry! Below, you’ll find helpful hints and full answers to each clue—both across and down—to guide you through. Whether you’re hunting for a single tricky word or completing the entire grid, our answers have you covered. Be sure to check back every day for fresh LA Times Crossword hints and answers, and keep sharpening those solving skills!

Across

• 1A Former “Top Chef” host Lakshmi: PADMA
• 6A Imperfection: FLAW
• 10A Tennis champion Swiatek: IGA
• 13A Second calling?: ECHO
• 14A Untimely?: LATE
• 15A Carpentry wedge: SHIM
• 16A See 33-Across: HAND
• 18A “Educated” memoirist Westover: TARA
• 19A Creative inspiration: MUSE
• 20A “In __ of gifts … “: LIEU
• 21A Coffees, casually: JOES
• 22A Branch: ARM
• 23A See 33-Across: IN
• 25A Marcus partner: NEIMAN
• 27A __ baseball: esoteric knowledge: INSIDE
• 28A Dove bar: SOAP
• 29A Pacific resort, casually: CABO
• 32A “__ but a scratch”: ‘TIS
• 33A Walk with one’s sweetie, and what 16-, 23-, 49-, and 58-Across do?: GO HAND IN HAND
• 37A General on a takeout menu: TSO
• 40A Financial services co. for mil. families: USAA
• 41A Checkout device: SCANNER
• 44A Down counterpart: ACROSS
• 47A Margaret who was the first editor of the NYT crossword: FARRAR
• 49A See 33-Across: HAND
• 53A Molecule in some vaccines: MRNA
• 54A “No fooling!”: HONEST
• 55A Mousetrap brand: VICTOR
• 56A Supermodel Hadid: GIGI
• 57A Land measure: ACRE
• 58A See 33-Across: IN
• 60A Take five: REST
• 61A Ponte Vecchio river: ARNO
• 62A “25” and “30” singer: ADELE
• 63A Afore: ERE
• 64A 403(b) IDs: SSNS
• 65D Early PC platform: CP/M

Down

• 1D Arcade classic with ghosts: PAC-MAN
• 2D Draws: ALLURES
• 3D “¡Ay, caramba!”: OH NO
• 4D Spice cookie spice: MACE
• 5D “Thought you’d never __”: ASK
• 6D 14-time WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte: FLAIR
• 7D Like most sneakers: LACED
• 8D Devoured: ATE UP
• 9D Bentley of “Yellowstone”: WES
• 10D “Found a solution!”: I HAVE IT
• 11D Yankees manager after Torre: GIRARDI
• 12D Racks up: AMASSES
• 15D Hotel bookings: SUITES
• 17D Custard dessert similar to crème caramel: FLAN
• 21D First mo.: JAN
• 23D Guitar accessory: CAPO
• 24D Animal in the Premier League logo: LION
• 26D __-jongg: MAH
• 29D Pre-iTunes stack: CDS
• 30D Cry with a finger snap: A-HA
• 31D Response to Bo Peep: BAA
• 34D Rich: DEEP
• 35D Semana parts: DIAS
• 36D Beautiful time of yr. at a botanical garden: IN BLOOM
• 37D Raw preparation: TARTARE
• 38D Harder to find: SCARCER
• 39D Hosp. caregiver during surgery: OR NURSE
• 42D Got somewhere: ARRIVED
• 43D Beverly of the “Vacation” films: D’ANGELO
• 45D Largish jazz combo: SEXTET
• 46D “Quiet, you!”: SHUSH
• 47D __ shui: FENG
• 48D Hikes: RAISES
• 50D Baking soda targets: ODORS
• 51D NCAA school with the most first-round WNBA draft picks: UCONN
• 52D Pilots’ milestones: SOLOS
• 56D Mercury and Neptune: GADS
• 58D Once cost: IN AT
• 59D Go on the __: LAM