February 23, 2026

Title: I'M AT THE END OF MY ROPE!

Constructor: Sala Wanetick

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme synopsis:

• WATER SKIER (20A: Person being pulled behind a boat)
• MOUNTAIN CLIMBER (38A: Junko Tabei or Tenzing Norgay, e.g.)
• BUNGEE JUMPER (58A: Thrill seeker who securely leaps from a high platform)

I'M AT THE END OF MY ROPE: Each theme answer is a person who is attached to a ROPE.

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• MOUNTAIN CLIMBER (38A: Junko Tabei or Tenzing Norgay, e.g.) Junko Tabei (1939-2016) was a Japanese MOUNTAIN CLIMBER. She was the first woman to successfully summit Mt. Everest, which she did in 1975. She was also the first woman to climb the highest peak on every continent, a group referred to as the Seven Summits. Tenzing Norgay (1914-1986) was a Sherpa. In 1953, he and Edmund Hilary were the first MOUNTAIN CLIMBERs to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.
• AMIE (57A: "M3GAN" actress Donald) M3GAN is a 2022 horror movie about an artificially intelligent doll who develops self-awareness. AMIE Donald portrays the title doll, M3GAN (model 3 generative android).
• OUTLAW (66A: Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, e.g.) Red Dead Redemption 2 is a video game in the Red Dead series of games. The game is set in a fictionalized version of the U.S. in 1899, and follows the exploits of OUTLAW Arthur Morgan.
• BATTLE (3D: "One ___ After Another" (2025 film)) One BATTLE After Another (2025) is and action-thriller movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benico del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. The movie focuses on the story of an ex-revolutionary who is forced to return to his former lifestyle.
• FOE (32D: "___ tha Love of $" (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony hit)) The hip-hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony released their song, "FOE tha Love of $" in 1995. The song features rapper Eazy-E. 
• DJ SET (56D: Martin Garrix performance, e.g.) A DJ SET is a sequence of musical tracks that a DJ mixes together to appear as one continuous track. Martin Garrix is a Dutch DJ and record producer. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• CUB (1A: Chicago slugger) and SPUR (8D: San Antonio athlete) The Chicago CUBs are an MLB team based in Illinois. The San Antonio SPURs are an NBA team based in Texas.
• HEAT (25A: "___ of the Moment" (80s rock anthem)) "HEAT of the Moment" is the debut single by the progressive rock group Asia. It was released in 1982.
• RUMS (44A: Liquors in grogs) Grog is a drink that consists of RUM cut with water and often served hot with lemon juice and sugar added. Grog has its origins in the practices of the British Royal Navy. Sailors were given an allotment of RUM each day. The RUM was diluted with water to dilute its effect and accelerate its spoilage (to prevent hoarding).
• IDA (45A: ___ B. Wells (civil rights leader)) I have previously written about civil rights leader and investigative journalist IDA B. Wells (1862-1931).
• NERD (53A: Bit of candy in a Gummy Cluster) NERDs Gummy Clusters are bite-sized gummy balls coated in NERDs. After Kylie Jenner mentioned the candy on her Instagram account in 2021, NERDs Gummy Clusters went viral on social media.
• STAR (4D: One of four on the Chicago flag) The city of Chicago's flag consists of two light blue horizontal stripes on a white background. Between the blue stripes are four red six-pointed STARs. 
• IAN (9D: James Bond creator Fleming) During World War II, IAN Fleming (1908-1964) worked for Britain's Naval Intelligence Division. After the war, he worked for the Kemsley newspaper group, overseeing correspondents of The Sunday Times. In 1952, during a three-month vacation to Jamaica, IAN Fleming wrote his first book, Casino Royale. The book was published in 1953, introducing the world to James Bond aka 007, an MI6 agent. IAN Fleming wrote a totally of 12 novels and two collections of short stories about James Bond. His writings have, of course, been adapted into many movies. Fun fact: IAN Fleming named his famous character after American ornithologist James Bond (1900-1989).
• TRIBE (10D: The Chickahominy, e.g.) The Chickahominy TRIBE are an indigenous people of Virginia. The name Chickahominy can be interpreted as "people of the coarse-pounded corn." The TRIBE is known for having provided corn to the English and to other Algonquian TRIBEs.
• ELLEN (21D: "Grey's Anatomy" actress Pompeo) The medical drama Grey's Anatomy premiered in 2005 and has run for 22 seasons so far. The show is set in Washington at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital, which is later named the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. Meredith Grey, portrayed by ELLEN Pompeo, is the narrator and title character on Grey's Anatomy. Although ELLEN Pompeo made her last regular appearance on the show in Season 19, she continues to narrate the show and make occasional appearances.
• MOB (38D: Group of kangaroos) In addition to a MOB, a group of kangaroos may also be referred to as a court, a herd, or a troop.
• ORA (39D: Singer Rita) Rita ORA's most recent album, You & I, was released in July 2023. Singles from that album include "Praising You" and "You Only Love Me." Rita ORA is also currently a host on the reality singing competition TV series The Masked Singer US.

This is a delightful category theme. After I uncovered WATER SKIER and realized, "Aha! A WATER SKIER is at THE END OF a ROPE," I looked forward to seeing who else was at the END OF their ROPE. MOUNTAIN CLIMBER and BUNGEE JUMPER did not disappoint. Thank you, Sala, for this clever puzzle.

One more thing: A reminder that the ORCAS Awards ceremony will be broadcast tonight at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET. David Kwong and Ophira Eisenberg are the co-hosts.