Lights up

Latest answer — August 15, 2026

20 Across

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Clue explained

A person’s face SMILES, or “lights up,” when they become happy or delighted. SMILES is the third-person singular verb form matching the clue’s phrase.

Clue type:
Word form
A person smiling with visible happiness.

LA Times Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 15, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Teddy bear
  2. 6Carousel rider?
  3. 9Basaltic plain on the moon
  4. 13Roadside snack
  5. 16Driver on a movie set
  6. 17Sign that means it's time to turn around
  7. 18Spam musubi wrapper
  8. 19White-hot
  9. 20Lights up
  10. 22Quick kiss
  11. 23Useful spot
  12. 24Some sci-fi villains
  13. 25Multipurpose tool
  14. 27Verb coined in "Stranger in a Strange Land"
  15. 28Hindi honorific
  16. 29Berry grown in Ohio?
  17. 30Jordan who won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay
  18. 31Org chart leader
  19. 32"Sure, that tracks"
  20. 35"J to __ L-O!": 2002 remix album
  21. 36Replacements after leaving marks?
  22. 37Huffs and puffs
  23. 38__ de deux
  24. 39Mass agreement
  25. 40Huffs and puffs
  26. 41"Yes, captain"
  27. 42Clear (of)
  28. 43Clear of contaminants
  29. 44Varied
  30. 46Opportunities to learn the hard way
  31. 50Mil. no-show
  32. 51"Mine! Mine! Mine!"
  33. 53"The Goonies" role for Ke Huy Quan
  34. 54Brings the temperature down, maybe
  35. 55Googly-__
  36. 56Fashion letters
  37. 57Trapped, in a way

Down

  1. 1Fed. IDs
  2. 2Della Warrior's heritage
  3. 3Priceless?
  4. 4One-night stand, perhaps?
  5. 5Frustrated expression
  6. 6[All of a sudden!]
  7. 7Stanford's gp.
  8. 8Disbands?
  9. 9Digital art, informally?
  10. 10Juvenile
  11. 11Special indulgences
  12. 12Targets of smog checks
  13. 14Bridge unit
  14. 15Choke
  15. 21One who tries not to overshadow the star?
  16. 23Feeds (on)
  17. 25"Shantay, you stay" opposite
  18. 26"This is important"
  19. 27Mount
  20. 29Top tunes
  21. 30Trimmed (down)
  22. 33Hair curler?
  23. 341982 Hall & Oates song
  24. 40Shows signs of age
  25. 43Chappell Roan's "__ Pony Club"
  26. 45Chuffed
  27. 46Edina, Minnesota is home to the first U.S. indoor one
  28. 47Lucci role
  29. 48Conditional word in Python
  30. 49Blair Braverman vehicle
  31. 52Portrayed

The answer to “Lights up” in the LA Times crossword is SMILES — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 15, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 20-Across. Other answers we've seen for this clue include SHINES. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Lights up” answer

SMILES (6 letters) — most recent; also seen as SHINES

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is SMILES.

What does SMILES mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of SMILES is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(verb)

  • form one's features into a pleased, kind, or amused expression, typically with the corners of the mouth turned up and the front teeth exposed

Other answers for “Lights up”

LA Times has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides SMILES, it has also been SHINES. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Lights up”?

The answer is SMILES, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on August 15, 2026. Other answers for this clue include SHINES.

How many letters is the answer to “Lights up”?

6 letters: SMILES. Earlier fills for this clue have also been SHINES (6).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the LA Times crossword on August 15, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 20-Across. Earlier appearances: July 11, 2026 → SHINES.

Can “Lights up” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides SMILES, LA Times has also used SHINES for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

Where can I find the rest of this day's LA Times answers?

The full grid for August 15, 2026 is on the LA Times answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

LA Times Crossword is published by Los Angeles Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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