June 28, 2026

Title: MAKING ENDS MEET

Constructor: Glenn Cook

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme synopsis:

• KIRSTEN DUNST (20A: "Bring It On" and "Spider-Man" star)
• GOLDEN DELICIOUS (40A: Apple variety that's the state fruit of West Virginia)
• FROZEN DINNER (55A: Meal made after a busy day, maybe)

MAKING ENDS MEET: The word END is found in each theme answer where the two words of the answer MEET: KIRSTEN DUNST, GOLDEN DELICIOUS, and FROZEN DINNER.

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• I SAW (10A: "___ the TV Glow" (2024 horror movie)) I SAW the TV Glow (2024) is a horror film written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun. The movie centers on two high school students who bond over a TV show called The Pink Opaque. Because this is a horror movie, strange and bizarre things happen.
• JUAN (19A: Mets slugger Soto) JUAN Soto has played for the New York Mets since 2025. He previously played for the Washington Nationals (2018-2022), San Diego Padres (2022-2023), and New York Yankees (2024). JUAN Soto is known for his unique movements in the batter box, which have been dubbed the "Soto Shuffle."
• OSAGE (35A: "August: ___ County") August: OSAGE Comedy is a play written by Tracy Letts. It won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. As the play's title suggests, it is set during the month of August in OSAGE County, Oklahoma (specifically in a house just outside the county seat of Pawhuska). 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• EDIE (15A: "Nurse Jackie" actress Falco)  Nurse Jackie, as you might expect from its title, is a medical TV series. The show originally aired from 2009-2015 on Showtime. EDIE Falco played the title character.
• AIDA (18A: Opera about an Ethiopian princess) AIDA is an 1871 opera by Giuseppe Verdi. It is set in ancient Egypt and the title character is an Ethiopian princess.
• KIRSTEN DUNST (20A: "Bring It On" and "Spider-Man" star) Bring It On is a 2000 cheerleading movie. KIRSTEN DUNST plays cheer captain Torrance Shipman. In the 2002 movie Spider-Man, KIRSTEN DUNST portrays Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker's love interest. She reprised the role of Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007).
• EMU (30A: Bird that can run up to 30 miles an hour) I always appreciate a clue that features a fun animal fact. The EMU is the only bird with calf muscles. Those muscles allow the EMU to sprint up to 30 miles per hour.
• GOLDEN DELICIOUS (40A: Apple variety that's the state fruit of West Virginia) This clue made me wonder if my state has a state fruit. It does not. In fact, Iowa appears not to have designated any state foods. Our neighbor to the north, Minnesota, on the other hand, has a state berry (blueberry), a state pop (orange), a state grain (wild rice), a state mushroom (morel), a state muffin (blueberry muffin), and a state fruit (Honeycrisp apple).
• SHY (46A: Like a pet that hides when company comes over) This is very much my cat, Willow. She's quite SHY, though she is getting a little more adventurous as she ages. (Personally, I think she's forgetting that she doesn't like people - ha!)

• ELBA (49A: Idris who voiced Chief Bogo in "Zootopia 2") In the animated movies Zootopia (2016) and Zootopia 2 (2025), Idris ELBA voiced the role of Chief Bogo, the African buffalo chief of police.
• WINEHOUSE (60A: "Rehab" singer Amy) "Rehab" is a 2006 song written and recorded by Amy WINEHOUSE. The song is autobiographical, addressing the singer's refusal to enter a rehabilitation clinic for alcohol. The song won three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. This song is especially poignant given that Amy WINEHOUSE died of alcohol poisoning in 2011.
• XENON (70A: Gas in many headlights) We often associate the noble gas neon with its use in lights, but other noble gases – such as XENON, argon, and krypton – are also used in lighting applications. Noble gases have low chemical reactivity, which makes them useful for this purpose. XENON is used in flash lamps, arc lamps, and headlights.
• WES (1D: "Asteroid City" director Anderson) Asteroid City is a 2023 movie directed by WES Anderson. The movie is set in a retro-futuristic version of 1955, and depicts the events of a Junior Stargazer convention which is "spectacularly disrupted by world-changing events."
• EDIT (7D: Prepare to run?) I found this question mark clue slightly tricky, but satisfying once I figured it out. A piece of writing (or a crossword) is edited before it is published (or before it runs). So to EDIT something is to prepare it to run.
• ROE (21D: Tobiko, for example) Tobiko is the ROE of flying fish.
• CGI (32D: Movie VFX) VFX is an abbreviation for visual effects. CGI stands for computer-generated imagery.
• BETHLEHEM (34D: Church of the Nativity location) The Church of the Nativity is located in BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Palestine. It is the oldest major church in the Holy Land. It was built on the site traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Jesus.
• REN (64D: Stimpy's TV pal) The REN & Stimpy Show is an animated TV series that originally aired from 1991-1996. REN is a chihuahua and Stimpy is a Manx cat.
• Other clues and answers I especially enjoyed:
• POT (26A: Its home is on the range)
• BEAST MODE (6D: Intense, unstoppable mindset)
• RELAX (53D: "Take a chill pill!")

This is a clever theme, and I enjoyed finding the places where the ENDS MEET. Thank you, Glenn, for this enjoyable 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.)