10/30/26
Sports Fan Friday
Are you stuck with the Crosswords With Friends Puzzle Today? Stuck No More. We offer complete solutions as well as “no spoiler” mode to give you that little extra push. Or simply use this cheat sheet to help you get the best and fastest completion time possible.
1A
Diplomatic skill
TACT
5A
Snack item that might be dunked into a dip
CHIP
9A
Throw a ___ (be very angry)
FIT
12A
“The Rite of Spring” composer Stravinsky
IGOR
13A
Fork’s pointy part
TINE
14A
“You ___ Not Alone” (Michael Jackson’s last #1 hit)
ARE
15A
Atlantic Division NBA team that beat the Cavaliers to win the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals: 3 wds.
NEW YORK KNICKS
18A
Stuff flicked from the end of a cigarette
ASH
19A
India pale ___
ALE
20A
Part of a suit (in America), or an undershirt (in England)
VEST
21A
Make a request
ASK
23A
Agent infiltrating the enemy
SPY
25A
Institution that loans money
BANK
27A
Get caught on something
SNAG
29A
Zero, in soccer lingo
NIL
32A
Central Division NBA team that beat 15-Across to win the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals: 2 wds.
INDIANAPACERS
35A
“Boy With Luv” K-pop group
BTS
36A
Wrinkly pet dogs
PUGS
37A
Fired from the staff
AXED
38A
Woven fly trap
WEB
39A
Well-chosen, as an expression
APT
40A
11-time Golden Globe nominee Falco
EDIE
43A
“Midsommar” director Aster
ARI
45A
Gentle nudge
TAP
48A
Atlantic Division NBA team that beat 32-Across to win the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals: 2 wds.
BOSTON CELTICS
52A
Garment with “nursing” and “training” varieties
BRA
One Clue Crossword
WordBrain
WordBubbles!
Word Whizzle
Words Crush
53A
Scully’s first name on “The X-Files”
DANA
54A
Central Iowa city
AMES
55A
Big ___ Country (nickname for Montana)
SKY
56A
Gave a new color to
DYED
57A
Unsurpassed
BEST
1D
Fey who co-created Netflix’s “The Four Seasons”
TINA
2D
The Middle ___ (medieval era)
AGES
3D
Cattle ranch workers
COWHANDS
4D
“I gave it the old college ___”
TRY
5D
PC’s lower left key
CTRL
6D
Walk along a mountain trail
HIKE
7D
8-Down’s liquid
INK
8D
Fountain ___ (calligraphy tool)
PEN
9D
Body part represented in many emojis
FACE
10D
Aggravates
IRKS
11D
Litmus ___
TEST
16D
Tree that bears acorns
OAK
17D
Wrigley Field wall covering
IVY
22D
Glide down on fresh powder
SKI
23D
Drains all the energy from
SAPS
24D
It runs the Masters Tournament: Abbr.
PGA
25D
Baby’s dinnertime covering
BIB
26D
Industrious, tunnel-building insect
ANT
27D
Rudely overlook, as for an award nomination
SNUB
28D
Pester over and over
NAG
29D
“Better luck ____!”: 2 wds.
NEXT TIME
30D
Pique
IRE
31D
Illicit drug taken on “trips”: Abbr.
LSD
33D
Big primate, or a big oaf
APE
39D
Be sick
CAP
40D
Recedes, like the tide
WET
41D
Dweeb
AIL
42D
“… if ____ so myself!”: 2 wds.
EBBS
43D
Problem treated by a dermatologist
DORK
44D
“____ my lips!”
I SAY
46D
High cards in the game of war
ACNE
47D
“Hey, you!” sound
READ
49D
A bit weird
ACES
50D
Homophone of “neigh”
PSST
51D
Internet browser page
TAB