July 14, 2026

Title: A BLUSTERY DAY (Freestyle)

Constructor: Boaz Moser

Editor: Amanda Rafkin

Theme synopsis:

A BLUSTERY DAY (Freestyle): There's no theme today, as this is a freestyle, or themeless, puzzle. The title is a nod to ALL TALK NO ACTION (17A: Overpromising and underdelivering).

What I learned from today's puzzle:

• CRIT (28A: Gaming term for a hit that deals extra damage) CRIT in this usage is short for critical hit. I believe it was just a couple of days ago that I was saying I'm not a gamer. Still true. I was thankful for crossing answers here.

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• ASHES (1A: What phoenixes are born from) Phoenixes are mythical birds of ancient Greek folklore that combust into flames when they die. Phoenixes then regenerate from the ASHES.
• FINNS (25A: The first people to use saunas) Its appropriate that since FINNS were the first people to use saunas, they also gave us the word sauna. Saunas remain popular in Finland, and almost every house in the country contains a built-in sauna.
• FUTURAMA (44A: Cartoon set in the 31st century) FUTURAMA is an animated sci-fi sitcom whose eight seasons originally aired from 1999 TO 2023. FUTURAMA tells the story of Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1,000 years and is revived on December 31, 2999 – on the cusp of the 31st century.
• LIN (56A: "F9" director Justin) F9, also known as F9: The Fast Saga, is a 2021 movie in the Fast & Furious franchise. In addition to directing the movie, Justin LIN co-wrote the screenplay. Justin LIN also directed The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), and Fast & Furious 6 (2013).
• ENEMIES TO LOVERS (60A: Trope where a hostile relationship becomes romantic) ENEMIES TO LOVERS is a classic trope. It's a classic for a reason; it has so much potential for interesting and funny storylines. I recently reread Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (for the umpteenth time) – now there's a great ENEMIES TO LOVERS story.
• LEG BONES (64A: Femurs and fibulae, e.g.) My first thought here was BONES, but when that didn't fit, I remembered that both of the given examples are LEG BONES. Femurs are thigh bones. The femur is the longest bone in the human body. Fibulae (and tibiae) are lower LEG BONES.
• SOLAR CELL (2D: Part that relies on star power?) The key here is to remember that the sun is a star.
• HOLY GRAIL (3D: Highly sought-after achievement) When I uncovered this answer, I immediately thought of the 1975 British movie Monty Python and the HOLY GRAIL. The first time my husband and I showed this movie to our kids, our daughter was about 10 years old. She was extremely mad about how the movie ends. (If you've seen it, you'll understand.)
• DIEGO (50D: "Andor" star Luna) The TV series Andor, which premiered on Disney+ in 2022, is part of the Star Wars franchise. A prequel to the 2016 movie Rogue One, the show focuses on the story of Cassian Andor, who is portrayed by DIEGO Luna.
• LOCO (9D: El Pollo ___) El Pollo LOCO, which is Spanish for "The Crazy Chicken," is a restaurant chain specializing in Mexican-style grilled chicken. Juan Francisco Ochoa first established El Pollo LOCO in Mexico in 1974, then expanded the chain of restaurants to the United States in 1980.
• ENT (10D: Resident of Fangorn Forest) J.R.R. Tolkien's work, Lord of the Rings, describes a fantasy world known as Middle-earth. In this world, ENTs are a species that resemble trees. ENTs live in Fangorn Forest, which is named for their leader, Fangorn, also known as Treebeard.
• SNOOK (12D: "Succession" actress Sarah) Succession is a TV series that focuses on the Roy family, the owners of a global media and entertainment conglomerate, Waystar RoyCo. Siobhan "Shiv" Roy, portrayed by Sarah SNOOK, is the youngest child of the Roy family, and the only daughter.
• OLAF (14D: Friend of Queen Elsa) In the Frozen franchise, the snowman OLAF is not just a friend of Queen Elsa, he was created by her.
• ENO (16D: Ambient musician Brian) I write about a lot of different topics in the course of blogging about the USA Today crosswords. Every once in a while, something I write will stick with me and I will continue to think about it for weeks after the puzzle has run. Such is the case with the last time I wrote about ENO, two weeks ago, when I learned about the movie ENO, which is different every time it is shown.
• INDUS 31D: Pakistani river) One of the longest rivers in Asia, the INDUS River flows through China and India, as well as Pakistan.
• IMAGINEER (35D: Disney theme park designer) The term IMAGINEER was coined at Disney in the 1950s to combine the ideas of imagination and engineering. IMAGINEERs are illustrators, architects, engineers, lighting designers, show writers, and graphic designers, who work together to design Disney's theme parks, as well as Disney's cruise ships and resorts.
• LION (56D: "The ___ does not concern himself with the opinion of sheep") "The LION does not concern himself with the opinion of sheep" is a line popularized by the HBO TV series Game of Thrones, based on George R.R. Martin's book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. The line is spoken by Tywin Lannister.
• Other clues and answers I especially enjoyed:
• ASK (27A: "___ again later" (Magic 8 Ball answer))
• TED (40A: "Thanks for coming to my ___ talk")
• FUN (44D: "You must be ___ at parties")

The word BLUSTERY makes me think of Winnie the Pooh. No Hundred Acre friends here though, just a BLUSTERY promise of ALL TALK NO ACTION. Thank you, Boaz, 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.)