9/17/26
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
Route traveled by a fly ball
ARC
4A
Closest pal: Abbr.
BFF
7A
Talk indiscreetly
BLAB
11A
Substance such as hair gel or honey
GOO
12A
Total size of a carpet
AREA
13A
Sci-fi character who says “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope”
LEIA
14A
Have possession of
OWN
15A
Is deliberately untruthful
LIES
16A
Author Weir who wrote “Project Hail Mary”
ANDY
17A
2026 Don Toliver hit with a title appropriate for thrift-store merchandise
SECOND HAND
20A
“___ Arnold!” (Nickelodeon animated show)
HEY
21A
Liquid that can be “indelible” or “invisible”
INK
22A
Up to the task
ABLE
25A
Automated software program
BOT
26A
“Manchester by the ___” (2016 movie)
SEA
29A
Nocturnally titled 2022 hit where Don Toliver was one of Metro Boomin’s featured artists: 3 wds.
TOO MANY NIGHTS
33A
Dodgers infielder Muncy
MAX
34A
Shirt that’s often paired with jeans
TEE
35A
Reaction to sudden pain
OUCH
36A
End of a sock or shoe
TOE
37A
Objectivist author Rand
AYN
39A
2026 Don Toliver hit with a title appropriate for a romantic tryst
RENDEZVOUS
43A
Word at the end of a prayer
AMEN
45A
Tardy
LATE
46A
Came across
MET
48A
NBA team from Florida
HEAT
One Clue Crossword
WordBrain
WordBubbles!
Word Whizzle
Words Crush
49A
Days before major holidays
EVES
50A
Benchmark on a golf course
PAR
51A
Puts into the mix
ADDS
52A
Last month of the year: Abbr.
DEC
53A
Where a pig wallows in mud
STY
1D
“That was a long time ___”
AGO
2D
They intersect columns in Google Sheets
ROWS
3D
Orange obstacle during a driving test
CONE
4D
Salty, like the ocean
BRINY
5D
Provide dinner for
FEED
6D
Realm of Dior and Gucci
FASHION
7D
Fill-in-the-___ (type of crossword clue this is)
BLANK
8D
What libraries and banks do
LEND
9D
Be of assistance to
AID
10D
Tampa ___ Rays (MLB team)
BAY
12D
Ingredient in some lotions
ALOE
18D
Science class with beakers, for short
CHEM
19D
Prefix that means “against”
ANTI
22D
Device that’s an alternative to going to the bank: Abbr.
ATM
23D
Large snake of South America
BOA
24D
Protein often paired with cream cheese
LOX
25D
“Ta-ta!”
BYE
26D
Moo ___ pork (Chinese food)
SHU
27D
And others: Abbr.
ETC
28D
“___ vs Evil Dead” (former Starz series)
ASH
30D
Lots and lots: 2 wds.
A TON
31D
Gently teased
NEEDLED
32D
“___ further!” (“Stop right there!”): 2 wds.
GONO
36D
Shelters for campers
TENTS
39D
___ the fine print
READ
40D
Overhanging edge of a roof
EAVE
41D
Baseball officials near bases, for short
UMPS
42D
An usher might lead you to it
SEAT
43D
“At last, I understand!”
AHA
44D
Prescription drug, for short
MED
47D
“You’ll never know until you ___”
TRY