Wednesday, July 22, 2026 — Ooh, the Carnival's In Town! 🎉🤡

If you find the aroma of fresh popcorn wafting from the grid, that means you've really gotten into the spirit of this absolutely endearing crossword by Rebecca Goldstein*. It had everything that we want to see in a Wednesday crossword: a highly ingenious theme, clues that make you sweat, and a terrific payoff. This undoubtedly deserves 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, for reasons described herein. On a logistical note, we are going to be taking the next few days off for some R&R. If you have...