Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Adam Vincent

So, when does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent. I'm actually a big fan of the so-called "dad-joke" but, partly because I'm such a big fan, I don't like that it's been tarred by that epithet. I like to think the fondness for and appreciation of these types of jokes belongs to everyone. :)

In today's puzzle we have four sibilant-forward grid entries (PATCHOULI, MASSACHUSETTS, CATCHYOULATER, STATUETTE) that might, under the correct circumstances, elicit the "dad-joke" response ITSNOTHING TOSNEEZEAT. Sometimes a joke gets old when it's repeated, and sometimes it gets funnier. You be the judge. :) IMHO, the "sneeze" joke, at its most amusing, is situational and relies on the most important part of telling a joke: timing. I prefer it when someone says a 'wet' word and someone else says "Gezundheit." That's when hilarity ensues. But, not everyone can tell a joke. [32!]

But, that's KNOT why I called you all here. A good puzzle can't just ELI on theme material. Fortunately, we have some fun clue/answer pairs like "Evian, Perrier or Badoit" for EAU, "Muss and fuss" for HOOPLA, and "Alcoholic equivalent of a fun-size candy bar" (NIP), plus some fine fill like SCANT, AUTEUR, EXCLAVE, and STYMIE.

Knowing Scott ODELL, the Spanish for "Primer mes del anõ" (ENERO), and CHOCO Taco resulted in AGAIN of time, but I did have a little trouble in the top left where I entered SKIclub for "Sporting group at a cold-weather school" until "Myrmecology subject" (ANT) forced the correction to SKITEAM. I also first entered KNit for "Word with cap or socks" until I got the clue "Six-line poems" (SESTETS) and had to change the i to an E (KNEE). Otherwise, no gotchas. :)

Now, I'm going to make like a tree and leaf. 

~Frannie.

Bonus material:

Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.

When is a door not a door? When it's a jar.