LA Times Daily Crossword Answers Today March 24, 2026
L.A. Times Crossword Answers Today: Tue, Mar 24, 2026
Table of Contents
- Today’s Overview
- Grid Strategy & Intersection Analysis
- Theme Breakdown & Crosswordese
- Today’s Top Answers
- Frequently Asked Questions
Today’s Overview
Welcome, solvers! Today’s LA Times Daily Crossword, dated March 24, 2026, comes from the talented Victoria Fernandez Grande, edited by Patti Varol. This Tuesday puzzle offers a delightful theme that’s both clever and accessible. It’s a classic “words that can follow X” type, but with a neat twist. The grid feels balanced, with a good mix of straightforward clues and some playful misdirection. You’ll find a satisfying solve here, perfect for easing into the week.
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Grid Strategy & Intersection Analysis
Breaking into today’s grid is quite manageable. For a Tuesday puzzle, you often find a few easy entries right off the bat. Start with the shorter, more direct clues in the top left and bottom right corners. These often provide quick wins. Look for common abbreviations or well-known proper nouns. For instance, 1-Across, “Many July 4 parties, for short,” is a great entry point. It’s a common abbreviation, giving you immediate letters.
The grid features a fairly open structure, which means good connectivity. This helps when you get stuck. If one section feels tough, jump to another. The circled squares are a big visual hint. Once you uncover a few letters in these, the theme might reveal itself early. This can unlock entire sections of the puzzle. Don’t be afraid to leave tricky spots blank and come back. Let the intersecting answers fill in the gaps. The middle of the grid, particularly around 33-Across and 41-Across, might be a choke point if you don’t get the theme quickly. However, the surrounding fill is fair, so you should be able to chip away at it.
Theme Breakdown & Crosswordese
Today’s theme is a real treat! Victoria Fernandez Grande has crafted a puzzle where several long answers end with the word “WORDS.” The brilliant revealer at 57-Across, “Goodbyes, or what 20-, 33-, and 41-Across are doing?”, ties everything together perfectly. The answer to 57-Across is PARTING WORDS. This phrase itself ends in “WORDS,” and it cleverly describes the other theme entries.
Let’s look at the theme entries:
- 20-Across: “Jocular term for some close colleagues” leads to WORK HUSBANDS. This is a fun, modern phrase.
- 33-Across: “Achievements tracked by Guinness” gives us WORLD RECORDS. A very common phrase, but the “WORDS” ending is key.
- 41-Across: “Practice weapons that may be made of hickory” is WOODEN SWORDS. Another solid phrase.
- 57-Across: The revealer, PARTING WORDS, not only fits the pattern but also explains it. The other theme answers are all phrases that end with “WORDS.” It’s a neat, consistent theme that’s well-executed.
As for classic crosswordese, you’ll spot a few familiar faces. OPRY (15-Across) for Nashville’s Grand Ole __ is a staple. SRA (51-Across) for “Mexican Mrs.” appears often. OMNI (36-Across) as a prefix meaning “all” is another common one. INRE (66-Across) for “Memo phrase” is always good to know. These are words that seasoned solvers recognize instantly. They often help unlock trickier sections of the grid.
Today’s Top Answers
Here are some of the most notable clues and answers from today’s LA Times Daily Crossword, including the theme entries and some challenging or interesting fills. We’ll explain the wordplay for the trickier ones.
| Clue Number | Direction | Clue | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Across | Many July 4 parties, for short | BBQS | A common abbreviation for backyard cookouts. |
| 15 | Across | Nashville’s Grand Ole __ | OPRY | A classic piece of crosswordese, referring to the famous country music show. |
| 20 | Across | Jocular term for some close colleagues | WORK HUSBANDS | A modern, informal term for a close male colleague. This is a theme answer. |
| 23 | Across | Cosmetics company that owns CeraVe | LOREAL | A major player in the beauty industry. Specific brand knowledge helps here. |
| 33 | Across | Achievements tracked by Guinness | WORLD RECORDS | These are the famous feats documented by Guinness. Another theme answer. |
| 41 | Across | Practice weapons that may be made of hickory | WOODEN SWORDS | Used for training in martial arts or historical reenactment. Our third theme answer. |
| 55 | Across | Interstellar cloud | NEBULA | A beautiful astronomical term for a cloud of gas and dust in space. |
| 57 | Across | Goodbyes, or what 20-, 33-, and 41-Across are doing? | PARTING WORDS | The brilliant revealer! It’s a phrase ending in “WORDS” and describes the other theme entries. |
| 64 | Across | Scoring 100% on | ACING | To perform perfectly on a test or task. |
| 67 | Across | Japanese lunchbox | BENTO | A single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. |
| 2 | Down | Desperate whisper to a parent in front of one’s crush, maybe | BRAT | A clever misdirection! You might think of a plea, but it’s the child’s behavior. |
| 3 | Down | Industrial site that may become a swimming spot | QUARRY | Many old stone quarries fill with water and become popular swimming holes. |
| 4 | Down | Sharp increase | SPIKE | This word has many meanings, from a sharp point to a sudden rise in value. |
| 10 | Down | Outback birds | EMUS | Large, flightless birds native to Australia, a common crossword animal. |
| 26 | Down | Ctrl+Z, on a PC | UNDO | The universal keyboard shortcut to reverse the last action. |
| 30 | Down | Simple sammies | BLTS | A common abbreviation for Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwiches. |
| 36 | Down | Birds whose young sometimes face-plant to sleep | OWLS | An interesting fact about these nocturnal birds, making for a fun clue. |
| 44 | Down | Crab __: fried appetizer filled with cream cheese | RANGOON | A popular item on many Chinese-American restaurant menus. |
| 49 | Down | Seasoned expert | PRO | Short for professional, someone highly skilled in their field. |
| 58 | Down | State bird of Hawaii | NENE | The Hawaiian goose, another frequent visitor to crossword grids. |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the theme of the LA Times Crossword for March 24, 2026?
The theme revolves around phrases ending with the word ‘WORDS’, cleverly revealed by 57-Across, ‘PARTING WORDS’. - Who constructed today’s LA Times Daily Crossword?
Victoria Fernandez Grande created this puzzle, with editorial guidance from Patti Varol. - What does ‘PARTING WORDS’ mean in today’s puzzle?
‘PARTING WORDS’ is the revealer, indicating that the other long theme answers (WORK HUSBANDS, WORLD RECORDS, WOODEN SWORDS) are all phrases that end with the word ‘WORDS’.