Stuck on the Up in Smoke Costar Crossword Clue? Here is the Answer You Need

You're staring at the grid. The coffee is getting cold, and that one pesky corner of the New York Times or LA Times crossword is mocking you. It's a four-letter word. Or maybe it’s six. You know the movie. You can practically smell the interior of the upholstery-covered van from the 1978 cult classic, yet the name of the Up in Smoke costar crossword answer just won't click into place. Honestly, it happens to the best of us. Crossword constructors love the 1970s stoner comedy era because the names are short, punchy, and full of vowels—the "crosswordese" gold mine.

Usually, when you see a clue referencing Cheech Marin’s legendary partner, you're looking for one man: Chong.

Tommy Chong is the most frequent answer for any "Up in Smoke" related clue. But crosswords are rarely that straightforward, are they? Sometimes the clue is looking for the duo's collective name, or perhaps a more obscure character actor who shared the screen with them during their hazy adventures through Southern California.

Why Tommy Chong Dominates the Up in Smoke Costar Crossword Scene

Crossword creators, or "constructors" as they're known in the biz like Will Shortz or Stanley Newman, have a handful of favorite words. These are words that help bridge difficult sections of a puzzle. CHONG is a five-letter dream. It has that "C" and "H" start, but it's the "O" and "N" that really do the heavy lifting in a grid.

If you're looking at a five-letter space, it's almost certainly CHONG.

Thomas B. Kin Chong, known to everyone as Tommy, didn't just costar; he co-wrote and directed (uncredited at the time) the film. He played Anthony "Man" Stoner. If the clue mentions "Man" or "Cheech's partner," you've found your guy. It’s funny how a movie that was largely panned by critics in 1978 became the blueprint for an entire subgenre of film. Without Up in Smoke, we probably don't get Friday, Pineapple Express, or even The Big Lebowski.

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But let's say "Chong" doesn't fit. What then?

The Other Players in the Van

Sometimes the puzzle is a bit more devious. If the clue asks for a "costar" but the letter count is four, look for MARIN. Cheech Marin is, of course, the other half of the pair. While usually, the clue focuses on the person other than the one named in the prompt, some puzzles use "Up in Smoke costar" to refer to Cheech himself if the clue mentions Tommy Chong.

Then there is the character actor factor.

Up in Smoke featured a surprisingly deep cast of seasoned actors who probably had no idea they were making a counter-culture masterpiece. Take STACY Keach. He played Sergeant Stedenko, the bumbling, perpetually frustrated narcotics officer. If you have a five-letter slot and "Chong" doesn't work, try STACY or even KEACH.

The Mechanics of Solving Movie-Based Clues

Crosswords are basically a game of mental filing cabinets. When you see "Up in Smoke," your brain should immediately flip to the "1978 Stoner Comedy" folder.

Why do constructors keep going back to this well? It's simple. The movie is a cultural touchstone that spans generations. Even people who have never seen the film know the "Dave's not here" bit. That kind of universal recognition is what makes a "good" crossword clue. It shouldn't be so obscure that only three people in a basement in Seattle know it, but it shouldn't be so easy that it feels like a chore.

CHEECH is another common one. Six letters. It's a great word because of those double "E"s. If you’re filling out a Sunday puzzle and you see a long string of boxes, "Cheech and Chong" might even be the themed answer.

Honestly, the trick to mastering the Up in Smoke costar crossword hurdle is to look at the surrounding letters first. Crosswords are a game of intersections. If you have a "G" at the end of a five-letter word, you can bet your last dollar it’s Chong. If you have an "H" at the end of a five-letter word, you might be looking at Keach.

Breaking Down the Variants

Let's look at how these clues are usually phrased in major publications:

1. "Cheech's partner" (5 letters): CHONG
2. "Stedenko portrayer in Up in Smoke" (5 letters): KEACH
3. "1978 comedy costar, familiarly" (6 letters): CHEECH
4. "Tommy's comedic half" (6 letters): MARIN

There's also EDIE Adams, who played Mrs. Stoner. She’s a frequent flyer in crosswords because "Edie" is a vowel-heavy four-letter name that constructors use to escape corners. If the clue specifies a "female costar" or "Mrs. Stoner," EDIE is your answer.

Then you have TOM Skerritt. He played Strawberry. He's a legendary actor known for Alien and Top Gun, but he got his start in some pretty wild places. "Tom" is only three letters, making it a very common fill.

The Cultural Weight of a Four-Letter Word

It's sorta wild that we're still talking about this movie in 2026. When it was released, it was a low-budget gamble by Paramount. It ended up grossing over $100 million. That's a massive amount of "moola" (another favorite crossword word) for the late seventies.

The reason it sticks in the crossword lexicon is that it represents a specific era of Los Angeles history. It’s that grainy, sun-bleached aesthetic of the late 70s. For solvers, it’s a bit of nostalgia. For younger solvers, it’s a bit of trivia they’ve picked up through cultural osmosis.

If you find yourself stuck, don't just guess. Look at the era. If the clue says "Up in Smoke costar," and it's not Tommy or Cheech, think about the secondary characters. Is it SKERRITT? Is it KEACH?

Most people get this wrong because they only think of the main two. They forget that the movie was actually populated by real, trained actors who went on to have massive careers. Stacy Keach is a Shakespearean actor, for crying out loud! Yet, here he is, forever immortalized in a crossword puzzle because he chased a green van made of "fiberglass" (which was actually something else in the movie).

Nuances You Shouldn't Ignore

Sometimes the clue isn't about a person at all. If the clue is "Up in Smoke's 'grass'?", the answer might be WEED or POT. It’s rare, but some "edgy" modern puzzles like those in the AV Club or New Yorker might lean into the theme a bit more than the strictly traditional NYT.

Also, keep an eye out for the word "Partner." In crossword-speak, partner can mean a lot of things. It could mean a romantic partner, a business partner, or a comedic partner. Cheech and Chong are the ultimate comedic partners.

How to Solve it Next Time

The next time you see "Up in Smoke costar" in your morning puzzle, follow this mental checklist. It will save you time and frustration.

First, check the length.

• 5 letters? It's CHONG. (90% of the time).
• 4 letters? It's EDIE.
• 6 letters? It's CHEECH or MARIN.
• 5 letters (but Chong doesn't fit)? Try KEACH.

Second, look for the "crosses." If you have a vertical word that ends in a "Y," and it crosses the second letter of your five-letter word, you're probably looking at STACY.

Third, consider the source. If you're doing a British cryptic crossword, the clue will be much harder and likely involve an anagram. But for most American style puzzles, it's a straightforward test of your pop culture knowledge.

Expert Insights for Serious Solvers

The Up in Smoke costar crossword clue is what we call a "hinge" clue. It's meant to be a breather. It's the clue you fill in quickly so you can focus on the truly difficult stuff, like the 15-letter word for a rare species of Amazonian orchid.

Don't overthink it. Crossword constructors aren't usually trying to trick you with the 45th lead actor in the credits. They want you to get that satisfying "click" of a correct answer so you keep playing.

Tommy Chong's presence in crosswords is a testament to his longevity. He’s been a counter-culture icon for over fifty years. He’s survived legal battles, a stint in prison for selling glass pipes (a very weird moment in American legal history), and a late-career resurgence on Dancing with the Stars. He is crossword royalty.

Actionable Tips for Your Next Puzzle

• Keep a list of "Crosswordese" actors. Names like ALDA, ASNER, CHONG, and REED appear constantly because of their letter combinations.
• Pay attention to the year. If the clue mentions 1978, it's almost always a Up in Smoke reference.
• Vary your search. If you're using a crossword solver app and "Chong" isn't working, search for the full cast list and look for names with specific letter counts.
• Use a pencil. Old school, but it helps. If you're not 100% sure if it's "Chong" or "Keach," light marks can save you from a messy grid later.

Crosswords are a test of persistence as much as they are a test of knowledge. The more you play, the more you start to see the patterns. You start to realize that the people making these puzzles have a specific set of favorite movies, books, and historical figures. Up in Smoke is firmly in that "Top 100" list of crossword-friendly cinema.

By memorizing these few key names—Chong, Marin, Keach, and Edie—you effectively eliminate a major roadblock in any puzzle featuring 70s cinema. You're not just guessing; you're using a strategic framework to dismantle the puzzle piece by piece.

Now, go back to that grid. Look at those empty boxes again. With "Chong" or "Keach" or "Edie" in your arsenal, that corner of the puzzle doesn't look so intimidating anymore. You’ve got this. Fill in those letters, finish your coffee, and move on with your day knowing you've conquered another piece of trivia.

Key Next Steps:

1. Identify the letter count in your specific crossword grid.
2. Check for existing intersecting letters to narrow down between Chong (5), Marin (5), or Keach (5).
3. Scan for the "O" or "N" which are the most common anchors for the name "Chong."
4. Fill in the answer and proceed to the adjacent clues to confirm the fit.