LA Times Daily Crossword December 27, 2025 Answers

5. Barely usable pencils 9. "Kapow!" 13. Snaps 15. Banchero who was the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year 16. Manipulator of one of the four elements, in a classic animated series 17. Natural styles 18. __ punk: "Tragic Kingdom" genre 19. "All My Children" actress Kathleen 20. "Failing that ... " 21. Must 23. Like some waiters 25. Hesitant sounds 27. Mikey Day's show, for short 28. Guests' guesses 31. Some boxing losses 35. "And??" 36. "Who Shot Mr. Burns?," for one 37. Glom __ 38. Some humanities degs. 39. Confession confession 40. "The best in pests" company 42. Attracted to more than one gender, informally 46. Peak reward 48. Stay at a 57-Across, perhaps 52. "Hadestown" Tony nominee Noblezada 53. Big name in chips 54. Hot bodies? 56. Close call 57. Sustainable place to unwind 58. Good listeners? 59. __-eyed 60. Code breakers

1. Squirrel away 2. Waititi of "Our Flag Means Death" 3. Mallow family plants with edible seed pods 4. Intricate trap 5. Tech startup? 6. Top knot, e.g. 7. "Très __!" 8. Safari snap 9. Array at a hotel breakfast bar 10. Lizard with defensive spines 11. __ gobi 12. More than some 14. Miss living in Mexico, say 15. Duo 22. Forms of rapid transit 24. Crime stories? 26. Kylie's daughter 27. Tennis great Monica 29. Up the __ 30. Compass pt. 31. Like cut lumber 32. One just starting to shine 33. Forced a comb through, say 34. "Easy-peasy!" 35. Exec who might oversee R&D 41. Superfood whose "special power is tasting bad," per Jim Gaffigan 43. Tea type 44. Not just some 45. Gives a role 46. Bench clamp 47. Worshipper of the goddess Pachamama 49. Peignoir trim 50. Declare 51. Writer Shelley 55. "Why do you __?"