Every day, the LA Times Crossword offers a fun and challenging puzzle to test your word skills. If you’re stuck on any clue from today’s January 21, 2026 puzzle, don’t worry! Below, you’ll find clear hints and answers to help you move forward without spoiling the whole grid. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, our guide makes solving easier and more enjoyable.

Across

1A (Old car from Sweden): SAAB

5A (__ Rica): COSTA

10A (Distance runner Zátopek): EMIL

14A (Bike trick also called a stoppie): ENDO

15A (Poker buy-ins): ANTES

16A (“Ciao”): ADIU (Wait, ADIO—it’s ADIEU)

17A (Natural painkillers): ENDORPHINS

19A (Fluid-filled cavity): CYST

20A (Italian staple): PASTA

21A (Story-sharing app): INSTA (Instagram)

23A (“I’m on vacay” notification): OOO (Out Of Office)

24A (Prisoner): INMATE

26A (“Peter Pan” protagonist): WENDY

28A (“Bon __!”): APPETIT

31A (Low-calorie sweetener): STEVIA

33A (Source of minerals): ORE

34A (Garden pest with tentacles): SLUG

36A (__ Mujeres, Mexico): ISLA

37A (One way to stop a cab?): STEP ON THE BRAKE

39A (JD seekers’ hurdles): LSATS

41A (Baking instruction): PREHEAT

44A (German article): DER

46A (“Heads up!”): FORE

48A (__ Paulo, Brazil): SAO

49A (Classifications for nouns): GENDERS

52A (Wild): AMOK

54A (Lets use): LENDS

55A (Saved option): AS AS (Wait, AS IS)

57A (Lennox of R&B): ARI

58A (Weasellike critter): ERMINE

60A (First lady of the 1950s): MAMIE (Eisenhower)

64A (Obsolete phone part): DIAL

66A (One way to tumble / Reveal): HEAD OVER HEELS

68A (Scope prefix): TELE

69A (Wide-mouthed): AGAPE

70A (Hawk): VEND

71A (Rough words?): ARFS

72D (Brusque): TERSE

73A (Marketplace with personalized gifts): ETSY

Down

1D (Leak slowly): SEEP

2D (“The Piano” Oscar winner): ANNA (Anna Paquin)

3D (Puts two and two together): ADDS

4D (Knitted baby outfit part 1): BONNET

5D (Knitted baby outfit part 2): BOOTIE (Theme: BONNET over BOOTIE)

6D (Taking a gap year, say): OFF

7D (Spell): STINT

8D (Reacts to suspense): GASPS

9D (Admin. aide): ASST

10D (Succinct “I could go on”): ETC

11D (Thousand Island base): MAYO

12D (“This ain’t normal”): IDDS (Wait, IDIO—it’s IEWS? No, ILLS) — Correction: ODDS

13D (Singer Jackson): LATOYA

18D (__ and raves): RANTS

22D (Piercing tools): AWLS

25D (Playwright Arthur): MILLER

27D (Bed fellows?): OYSTERS (Theme: CLAM over OYSTER? No.)

28D (Rep. from the Bronx): AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez)

29D (Expert): PRO

30D (Plants with a long life cycle): PERENNIALS

32D (Star fish?): ASTEROID

35D (Knock (about)): GAD

38D (Novelist): KIDD (Sue Monk Kidd)

40D (Garments that lead to cold shoulders): HALTER TOPS

42D (Not close): AFAR

43D (Tik’s partner): TOK

45D (Loch for monster hunters): NESS

47D (Last word in doughnuts): HOLE

49D (“My pleasure”): GLADLY

50D (More spine-tingling): EERIER

51D (Freeload): SPONGE

53D (“Feed a cold, __ a fever”): STARVE

56D (Meteorology tool): RADAR

59D (Udder part): TEAT

61D (Bump into): MEET

62D (Stops along the way): INNS

63D (Sink hole feature): EDDY

65D (Novelist Tolstoy): LEO

67D (Vendetta’s origin?): REE (Wait, REV)

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