Show stoppers?

Latest answer — October 01, 2026

44 Across

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

Clue explained

The question mark signals a pun: advertisements can interrupt a TV show, so they are literal “show stoppers.”

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A television viewer watching a program during an advertising break.

LA Times Crossword

This clue's Thursday, October 01, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

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

Across

  1. 1Pride letters
  2. 5Latch (onto)
  3. 9Pricey strings, familiarly
  4. 14Geometric calculation
  5. 15Spiritual energy
  6. 16Canines, e.g.
  7. 17"Top Gun" and "Top Gun: Maverick" actor
  8. 19Spy collection
  9. 20Do-nothing
  10. 21Fastest qualifier in auto racing
  11. 23Welcomes
  12. 25Insect such as Bombyx mori
  13. 28Possesses
  14. 29All ready
  15. 31"I disagree"
  16. 32Word with flat or late
  17. 33Plemons of "The Power of the Dog"
  18. 35Lends a hand
  19. 36"The Kiss" painter
  20. 40Without a date
  21. 42Like many a chimney sweep
  22. 43Resistance unit
  23. 44Show stoppers?
  24. 47Org. overseeing LA28
  25. 48Part of BB
  26. 51Appear as
  27. 54"Friends" friend
  28. 56Lady Gaga, for one
  29. 58Moral standard
  30. 59Burp
  31. 61Ice cream treat, or what can be found in 17-, 25-, 36-, or 51-Across?
  32. 63Nebraska city
  33. 64Fancy party spread
  34. 65Like leap years
  35. 66Some sushi fish
  36. 67Lock lips, in London
  37. 68Musical pause

Down

  1. 1Extravagant
  2. 2Top-notch
  3. 3Some ball attendees
  4. 4Opinions, informally
  5. 5Lass
  6. 6Gravy imperfection
  7. 7Cookies with many limited-edition flavors
  8. 8Miami baseball player
  9. 9Like flypaper
  10. 10Brunch hr.
  11. 11Supply with updated parts
  12. 12Feasted on
  13. 13UPS competitor
  14. 18Van Gogh flowers
  15. 22She, in Portuguese
  16. 24Tree house?
  17. 26Danson of "The Good Place"
  18. 27Bucks and rams
  19. 30ID checkers at an airport
  20. 33Big container
  21. 34Chargeable autos, for short
  22. 35"Good Hang" podcaster Poehler
  23. 36Locker room strategy
  24. 37Fish that turns into a dragon, per myth
  25. 38Roller coaster feature
  26. 39Desires
  27. 40"Help us!"
  28. 41Not just a
  29. 44Socially dominant types
  30. 45Accomplished
  31. 46Cuts corners
  32. 48"Don't act up!"
  33. 49Battery-powered rides
  34. 50Clothed, so to speak
  35. 52Frappuccino flavor
  36. 53Water brand
  37. 55Last multiple-choice choice, often
  38. 57Midrange voice
  39. 59Many a customer service assistant
  40. 60Animal mascot for Liberty Mutual
  41. 62Beer dispenser

The answer to “Show stoppers?” in the LA Times crossword is ADS — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on October 1, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 44-Across. 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.

“Show stoppers?” answer

ADS (3 letters)

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 ADS.

What does ADS mean?

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

(noun)

  • an advertisement

When else has “Show stoppers?” appeared?

LA Times reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

October 1, 2026 (most recent) → ADS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Show stoppers?”?

The answer is ADS, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the LA Times crossword on October 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Show stoppers?”?

3 letters: ADS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the LA Times crossword on October 1, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 44-Across.

Can “Show stoppers?” have a different answer?

Yes — LA Times sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

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

The full grid for October 1, 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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