May 1, 2026

Title: PACK YOUR BAGS

Constructor: Matthew Luter

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme synopsis:

• BACON AND EGGS (20A: Classic pairing in a hearty breakfast)
• BARBECUE WINGS (35A: Saucy, tangy chicken appetizer)
• BALL BEARINGS (51A: Round objects in yo-yos and skateboard wheels)

PACK YOUR BAGS: Each theme answer is contained in the word BAGS: BACON AND EGGS, BARBECUE WINGS, and BALL BEARINGS.

And now a word from our constructor:

Matthew: This one doesn’t have a dramatic origin story. Instead, I heard someone use the phrase “pack your bags” in conversation, and I filed that away pretty quickly as a potential revealer or title, using just this wordplay mechanism. It was also fun to get some good bonus downs in this one like BRASS BAND and GET A CLUE. I suppose the big takeaway is that puzzle concepts don’t always come from sitting down and trying to dream up a theme; instead, listening for them to announce themselves can often be the move instead. Hope you enjoy the solve.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• GOBI (5A: Desert in Mongolia) Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia. The GOBI Desert covers the southern part of Mongolia and parts of northeastern China. We often imagine deserts as being hot and sandy, but the GOBI is a cold desert, which occasionally receives snow. Much of the GOBI is exposed bare rock rather than sand.
• STEAM (9A: Cook, like shumai) Shumai is a type of traditional Chinese dumpling. The dumplings are most often STEAMed, though fried variations exist. Shumai are most commonly filled with ground pork.
• EVEN (15A: Like the year of every U.S. Senate election) U.S. Senators serve a six-year term. The terms are staggered such that one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years. As the clue notes, U.S. Senate elections are held in EVEN years. That means this year is an election year for 35 Senate seats. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Please make plans to vote in any election you are eligible to vote in, not just Federal elections. Elections matter.
• AARON (19A: "Appalachian Spring" composer Copland) AARON Copland (1900-1990) was a composer, pianist, and conductor. Appalachian Spring is a ballet composed by AARON Copland and choreographed by Martha Graham in 1944. AARON Copland arranged Appalachian Spring as an orchestral suite the following year. For the ballet version, AARON Copland won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
• HANOI (34A: World capital on the Red River) HANOI is the capital of Vietnam. HANOI is located in the Red River Delta, an area in northern Vietnam where the Red River and the Thái Bình River meet. HANOI is the second largest city in Vietnam, following Ho Chi Minh City.
• SPOT (58A: One of many on a leopard) My cat, Willow, is always happy to see a clue referencing one of her big cat cousins. Willow does not have SPOTs. Perhaps that's what she's hollering about here.

• EAST (60A: To the left, on a map with south-up orientation) This clue hurt my brain. I am directionally challenged anyway. To deal with that, I have memorized the fact that if I am facing north, EAST is to my right. But wait, what if I'm facing south?! I got there, but it wasn't pretty!
• CANE (61A: Prop for Mr. Peanut) Mr. Peanut is the top hat-wearing, CANE-carrying, monocled mascot of Planters. He made his first appearance in 1916.
• GET A CLUE (5D: "Time to face reality!") GET A CLUE, you say? How about 74 CLUEs to help you solve this puzzle?
• TRASH CANS (10D: Props (or abodes) alongside Oscar the Grouch) Today's constructor and I share an appreciation of all things Muppet and Sesame Street. I enjoyed seeing TRASH CANS clued in reference to Oscar the Grouch. And now I'm thinking about whether there are other grouches living in the TRASH CANS around Oscar's TRASH CAN.
• BRASS BAND (33D: Musical ensemble with tubas and trombones) This clue is making me realize how alliterative the instruments in a BRASS BRAND are. Tubas, trombones, trumpets, and ... French horns? Well, certainly beginning with the letter T is not a requirement to be in a BRASS BAND.
• HELMET (43D: ___ hair (cyclist's alliterative problem)) As a bicyclist, I can tell you that HELMET hair is real. Nothing like a HELMET to plaster your hair to your head. I can also tell you that HELMET hair is absolutely worth it to protect your head. I've experienced a fall severe enough to crack a HELMET (that one was a roller blading accident). I'm extremely grateful for the protective power of HELMETs, even when the result is HELMET hair. 
• DISCS (50A: Gear for ultimate teams) Ultimate, also known as Ultimate Frisbee, is a team sport played with a flying DISC. Ultimate differs from most other sports by relying on self-officiating at most levels of competition. Players call their own fouls, officiating in the "spirit of the game" (SOTG) – an expectation that each player will be a good sport and play fair. 

Thanks to today's puzzle, I'm imagining suitcases packed with BACON AND EGGS, BARBECUE WINGS, and BALL BEARINGS. That would certainly give TSA a reason to check YOUR BAGS, wouldn't it? Thank you, Matthew, for this fun puzzle.

A note about comments: I welcome your comments on the blog! For one thing it's nice to know folks are reading what I've written. My goal for this blog has always been for it to be informational, conversational, and kind. I ask that you keep those goals in mind when commenting. Unkind comments will be deleted. Note that I am more likely to delete a negative comment if it is posted anonymously. (P.S. You can point out when I make a mistake – in fact, I appreciate that so I can correct it.)