December 26, 2025—Stuck on today’s LA Times Crossword? This daily puzzle offers a fun brain challenge with clever themes and wordplay for solvers of all levels. Below you’ll find today’s helpful clues and answers to get you through those tricky spots. Scroll through the list to find the hints you need—or check the full solutions if you’re really stumped.

Across

1A Personal space, perhaps — ELBOW ROOM

5A 1950s politico Stevenson — ADLAI

10A Wax-coated cheese — EDAM

14A All that’s left of a spent apple — CORE

15A Rings up — DIALS

16A Chianti o pinot grigio — VINO

17A Can’t and won’t — CONTRADICTIONS (Theme: Add BACK = Back-to-back contradictions)

20A Absolut rival — STOLI

21A Actor Watanabe — KEN

22A Call off a romance — SPLIT

23A Respectful title in “Bridgerton” — GRACIOUS LADY (Theme: Add BACK = Back-to-back gracious lady)

26A Oracle — SEER

27A “__ all adults here” — WE RE

28A Jelly bean dispenser opening — SLOT

31A Reiteration opening — I SAID

33A Take off politely — DOFF

37A Babe — BABY

38A Revealing garment, or how to make 17-, 23-, 49-, and 53-Across match their clues — BACKLESS

40A __ culpa — MEA

41A Eco-friendly beauty brand — AEDA

43A To the __ degree — NTH

44A “Army of Darkness” director Sam — RAIMI

44A “Army of Darkness” director Sam — RAIMI

46A Insulation resistance tester’s unit — OHM

48A Doorway — PORTAL

49A Tribute band’s set list — COVER COVERS (Theme: Add BACK = Back-to-back cover covers)

53A Decorator’s samples — SWATCH SWATCHES (Theme: Add BACK = Back-to-back swatch swatches)

55A Photo session — SHOOT

57A Half and half? — SEMIS

58A Put into effect — ENACT

61A Sliced fruit in some salads — PEAR

62A Metric weights, casually — KILOS

63A Florida city that hosts an annual Pirate Festival — TAMPA

64A Shows curiosity — ASKS

65A Match component — SET

66A Sudden and jarring transition — JUMP CUT

Down

1D Covertly includes on an email — BCC

2D Booty — LOOT

3D “Welp, never mind” — I LOST

4D “Amscray!” — BEAT IT

5D Orthodontist’s org. — ADA

6D Hall of Famer Eric — DICKERSON

7D “Peace” — LATER

8D Accompanied by — ALONG

9D Web gateway co. — ISPS

10D Made plain to see — EVIDENCED

11D Part of LED — DIODE

12D Years of Caesar’s reign — ANNI

13D Guinness superlative — MOST

18D Stinky — RANK

19D Wardrobe malfunction — SLIP

24D Beneficiary — HEIR

25D Mulligan — REDO

28D Ersatz — SHAM

29D Not just fancy — LOVE

30D Universal donor’s type, briefly — O NEG

32D Germane — APPLICABLE

34D Leave out — OMIT

35D Disaster relief org. — FEMA

36D Come to nothing — FAIL

38D Partnership, informally — B-SIDE (Wait, correction: BIZ)

39D Oracle — SYBIL

42D __ Without Borders — DOCTORS

45D Tottenham’s opponent in the North London derby — ARSENAL

47D Letters for a GOAT, perhaps — MVP

48D Abbreviation that refers to many racial identities — BIPOC

50D Tree hut dwellers on Endor — EWOKS

51D Kitchen fixture — SINK

52D Statistical tool for comparing means — ANOVA

53D Water down, say — STEP (Wait, correction: DILUTE)

54D “Me too” — AS AM I

55D Self-care destination — SPA

56D Chaps — MEN

59D Busy bee in Apr. — CPA

60D Draft source — KEG

Whether you’re a crossword pro or just getting started, visit us each day for the latest LA Times Crossword hints and answers. Happy solving and see you tomorrow!