8/20/20
Top 40 Thursday
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
“Above the ___” (1994 movie about basketball)
Rim
4A
Makes a decision
Opts
8A
Red-and-white Christmas candy shape
Cane
12A
Kid who’s not always well-behaved
Imp
13A
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this”: Hyph.
Uhoh
14A
Idris of “The Wire”
Elba
15A
2007 Grammy-nominated hit by Beyoncé and 26-Across: 2 wds.
Beautiful Liar
18A
Homophone of “tacked”
Tact
19A
___ of time (minute or hour, for example)
Unit
20A
Spot for a diner’s cloth napkin
Lap
22A
Throw to a batter
Pitch
26A
Colombian singer with the 2006 #1 hit “Hips Don’t Lie”
Shakira
30A
Soft drink such as Tab or RC
Cola
31A
One of the Three Stooges
Moe
32A
Make into law
Enact
34A
“One thing ___ to another”
Led
35A
Where a college freshman is likely to live
Dorm
37A
2009 26-Across hit whose Spanish-language version is called “Loba”: 2 wds.
She Wolf
39A
Got up from a sofa
Stood
41A
Chicken of the ___ (brand of tuna)
Sea
42A
Short-term office employee
Temp
45A
Soul singer ___ James
Etta
48A
2016 26-Across song on the “Zootopia” soundtrack: 2 wds.
Try Everything
53A
Steel ___ (scouring pad material)
Wool
54A
Lymph ___ (kidney-shaped organ)
Node
55A
Organization that might hold a school carnival: Abbr.
PTA
One Clue Crossword
WordBrain
WordBubbles!
Word Whizzle
Words Crush
56A
Weighty burden
Onus
57A
America’s Cold War rival: Abbr.
USSR
58A
“Toy Story” kid who makes mutant toys
Sid
1A
Part of a “cage” in the chest
Rib
2A
“How ___ Your Mother”: 2 wds.
I Met
3D
Group that assigns Rs and PG-13s: Abbr.
MPAA
4D
Unused movie scene in a blooper reel
Outtake
5D
___ Beta Kappa (honor society)
Phi
6D
Meat alternative that comes in blocks
Tofu
7D
Deliberately avoid
Shun
8D
Boston basketball player
Celtic
9D
Actor Mahershala whose first Oscar was for “Moonlight”
Ali
10D
8-Down’s league: Abbr.
NBA
11D
Body part that can be cupped to catch a soft sound
Ear
16D
West Coast college attended by Gabrielle Union and Ali Wong: Abbr.
UCLA
21D
___ pencil (makeup kit item that’s often red)
Lip
23D
On ___ and needles (edgy)
Pins
24D
Fee to drive on a road
Toll
25D
Treble ___
Clef
26D
“I’ve ___ a lovely time”
Had
27D
Stuff inside a filthy chimney
Soot
28D
Person who uses their superpowers for good
Hero
29D
Cheer at a football game, maybe
Rah
31D
Tennis serves that aren’t returned
Aces
33D
Degrees for healers: Abbr.
MDs
36D
Part of a speaker that’s not a woofer
Tweeter
38D
Lodging spots near highway off-ramps
Motels
40D
Trial witness’s pledge
Oath
43D
Actor Patel who starred in “Slumdog Millionaire”
Dev
44D
List of dessert offerings, say
Menu
46D
___ and cons
Pros
47D
Extra money for taxi drivers
Tips
48D
Prefix for “histamine” or “body”
Anti
49D
Number of people needed to use a teeter-totter
Two
50D
Father of Bryce Dallas Howard
Ron
51D
“How dare ___!”
You
52D
Rushing distances, in football: Abbr.
Yds
54D
Josh who voices Olaf the snowman
Gad