Beat the LA Times Crossword and Mini Today: Complete Solutions for December 26, 2025
Chasing a streak? The LA Times Crossword and Mini drop fresh, fiendish grids every day—keep the wins coming with our daily hints and answers.
If you just want to keep your LA Times streak alive and get on with your day, I’ve got you. Here are the December 26, 2025 solutions for both the daily crossword and the mini, plus a quick note on the weird theme trick the main puzzle is pulling.
Today’s daily has a neat construction gag: the revealer at 38-Across is 'CROP TOP', and that’s exactly what you do to make a few long Across entries line up with their clues. Some of the fill looks wrong at first glance, but once you lop the word 'TOP' off the front of those specific entries, the clue suddenly makes sense.
Theme tip: For 17-, 23-, 49-, and 53-Across, remove the 'TOP' at the front to get the answer that matches the clue.
Examples so you don’t think you’re losing it:
- 23-Across shows 'TOPHERGRACE'; crop 'TOP' and you get 'Her Grace', the formal address used in Bridgerton.
- 53-Across reads 'STOPWATCHES'; shave off 'TOP' and you get 'Swatches', the decorator samples the clue is after.
- 49-Across is 'COVERTOPS'; chop 'TOP' and you land on 'Covers' — exactly what a tribute band plays.
- 17-Across looks like 'CONTRACTOPTIONS'; take off 'TOP' and it becomes 'Contractions', as in 'can't' and 'won't'.
- LA Times Crossword (Dec 26, 2025) — Across: 1 BLOG; 5 ADLAI; 10 EDAM; 14 CORE; 15 DIALS; 16 VINO; 17 CONTRACTOPTIONS; 20 STOLI; 21 KEN; 22 ENDIT; 23 TOPHERGRACE; 26 SEER; 27 WERE; 28 SLOT; 31 ISAID; 33 DOFF; 37 HON; 38 CROPTOP; 40 MEA; 41 AVEDA; 43 NTH; 44 RAIMI; 46 MEGOHM; 48 PORTAL; 49 COVERTOPS; 53 STOPWATCHES; 55 SHOOT; 57 ONE; 58 ENACT; 61 PEARS; 62 KGS; 63 TAMPA; 64 ASKS; 65 SET; 66 LEAP.
LA Times Crossword — Down: 1 BCCS; 2 LOOT; 3 ORNOT; 4 GETLOST; 5 ADA; 6 DICKERSON; 7 LATER; 8 ALONGWITH; 9 ISP; 10 EVIDENCE; 11 DIODE; 12 ANNI; 13 MOST; 18 RIPE; 19 TEAR; 24 HEIR; 25 REDO; 28 SHAM; 29 LOVE; 30 ONEG; 32 APT; 34 OMIT; 35 FEMA; 36 FAIL; 38 CAHOOTS; 39 PROPHET; 42 DOCTORS; 45 ARSENAL; 47 MVP; 48 POC; 50 EWOKS; 51 RANGE; 52 TTEST; 53 SOAK; 54 SAME; 55 SPA; 56 HES; 59 CPA; 60 TAP.
LA Times Mini (Dec 26, 2025) — Across: 1 ELATE; 6 MOSES; 7 BRITE; 8 EDGE; 9 DEN.
LA Times Mini — Down: 1 EMBED; 2 LORDE; 3 ASIGN; 4 TETE; 5 ESE.
That should keep your streak intact. See you tomorrow with fresh grids and, hopefully, fewer tops to crop.