January 25, 2026

Title: EMOCORE

Constructor: Zachary Edward-Brown

Editor: Amie Walker


Theme synopsis:
  • CAFE MOCHA (17A: Chocolatey coffee order)
  • BABY ONE MORE TIME (41A: Debut hit for Britney Spears)
  • HOME MOVIE (66A: Footage of a family vacation, say)
EMOCORE: Each theme answer has the word EMO at its CORE (center): CAFE MOCHA, BABY ONE MORE TIME, and HOME MOVIE.

What I learned from today's puzzle:
  • SUS (39A: Their, in Spanish) My Spanish is rusty at best, so I appreciate the occasional review provided by solving crosswords. I needed the help of crossing answers here to refresh my memory of this Spanish word.
  • THIEF (27D: "I only lied about being a ___" ("Ocean's Eleven" quote)) Ocean's Eleven (2001) is a heist film and the first movie of the Ocean's trilogy. The 2001 movie stars George Clooney as ex-con Danny Ocean. The movie is a remake of the 1960 movie Ocean's 11 in which Frank Sinatra portrayed Danny Ocean. "I only lied about being a THIEF," is Danny Ocean's reply to the accusation by his ex-wife (portrayed by Julia Roberts), "You're a THIEF and a liar." I know about Ocean's Eleven, but didn't know this specific line because I haven't actually seen the movie.
Random thoughts and interesting things:
  • ARTTOK (20A: Video-sharing platform on which many painters and sculptors showcase their work) ARTTOK is one of the niche communities on TikTok. Others include FoodTok, GymTok, and FoodTok.
  • BABY ONE MORE TIME (41A: Debut hit for Britney Spears) "...BABY ONE MORE TIME" is the 1998 debut single of Britney Spears. It is the title track from her debut album.
  • FUTON (46A: Bedding in a ryokan) A ryokan is a type of traditional Japanese inn. Ryokans generally have public areas for guests to socialize and communal baths. Rooms have tatami mats on the floor, and the bed is usually a FUTON.
  • BERT (51A: Muppet who lives with Ernie) Always happy to see a BERT and Ernie reference.
  • HAS (58A: "That ship ___ sailed") Yesterday we saw the clue ["That ship has ___"]. 
  • POTENT (60A: "___ Potables" (category in every SNL "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketch)) "POTENT Potables" is a category that refers to alcoholic beverages and is occasionally featured on the game show Jeopardy. And as the clue informs us, the category always shows up on each SNL "Celebrity Jeopardy!" sketch.
  • SHED (71A: Lose fur) I do love my cat, Willow, as you know. I don't always enjoy how much she SHEDs though. Here she is SHEDding (presumably) on my husband's shoes.
A calico cat is sitting on top of a pair of shoes. The shoes are on a rug in front of a stand with a lot of plants.

  • AMEN (11D: Beyonce song with the lyric "Say a prayer for what has been") "AMEN" is, appropriately, the final track on Beyoncé's 2024 album Cowboy Carter. 
  • MOE (18D: "The Simpson's bartender) On the animated TV series, The Simpson's, MOE Szyslak, voiced by Hank Azaria, is the owner of MOE's Tavern.
  • QATAR (22D: 2022 World Cup host) The FIFA World Cup is an international football (called soccer in the U.S.) competition held every four years. The 2022 World Cup was held in QATAR. It was the first World Cup to be held on the Arabian Peninsula. The next World Cup will be held this year, and will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
  • LOHAN (38D: "Freakier Friday" star Lindsay) Freakier Friday is the 2025 sequel to the 2003 movie Freaky Friday. In the 2025 movie, Lindsay LOHAN and Jamie Lee Curtis reprise their roles from the earlier movie of daughter and mother, Anna and Tess Coleman. I have seen Freaky Friday, but haven't seen the sequel yet. I have heard good things about it though.
  • SONG (59D: "Hey There Delilah," e.g.) "Hey There Delilah" is a SONG recorded in 2004 by the Plain White T's. Tom Higgenson, the band's lead vocalist, wrote the SONG after meeting steeplechase and cross country runner Delilah DiCrescenzo. "Hey there, Delilah, what's it like in New York City..."
  • MUG (67D: Cup for coffee) I have a significant collection of MUGs, though mine generally hold tea instead of coffee. Today I'm drinking from a snowman MUG that also features cats. I'm hoping my MUG choice will influence the weather and bring us some more snow.
A hand is holding a mug that is decorated with snowmen and cats.

  • A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
    • EATEN (26A: Off the table, perhaps?)
    • SMOKED (4D: Like some salmon and ham)
    • HUMOR (34D: It may be dark or dry)
I suspected a hidden word theme after I read the puzzle's title, and I was correct. I appreciate that the word EMO is located in the exact center of each theme answer, making it truly a CORE. Thank you, Zachary, for this splendid puzzle.


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