PUZZLES Tuesday, September 7, 2021 Making Progress by David Alfred Bywaters Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg ACROSS 1 Rainbow goddess 5 Anti-censorship grp. 9 Really bad 14 “A dolphin sleeps with one eye open,” e.g. 15 In a few minutes, say 16 Employee’s annual goal? 17 Janitorial innovations? 20 Novelist’s language 21 Smile segment 22 Sophs., in two years 23 Horses with speckled coats 25 “Boo-hoo!” 27 Address that contains dots, briefly 28 Revolutions in playground design? 34 Name that sounds like an insect 35 Lack of difficulty 36 Pungent bulb 37 Costa ___ 39 Fail to save 42 Miss, in Mazatlan: Abbr. 43 Notions 45 Word after “sitting” or “waiting” 47 Mask holder, usually 48 Improvement that makes paper money harder to counterfeit? 51 Tiny, magical being 52 “Dang!” 53 Collect together 55 Mud bath venue 58 Tuna type 59 Approach hastily 61 Positive outcome of child psychology? 66 Very, informally 67 Ages and ages 68 Steep, as tea 69 Gather little by little 70 One may jump into a garden 71 “Now, about ...” DOWN 1 Possibilities 2 Not cooked 3 Structures that are many blocks wide? 4 Unrelenting 5 Seller’s warning 6 Edible ice cream holder 7 Proverbial bump’s place 8 Rid of obstruction 9 Great Plains tribe 10 Pallid 11 Fruits that Turkey produces the most of 12 Manual reader 13 Not as much 18 Entourage 19 Sound like a snake 23 Grading aid 24 Frozen french fry brand 25 Dismiss with contempt 26 Clamors 29 Used to be 30 Cable co., often 31 People who have hot meals? 32 Completely destroys 33 Gobbles (down) 38 Satisfied cries 40 Gallic denial 41 Person with a stethoscope, briefly 44 Very arid 46 Intended 49 Qatar’s capital 50 Made null 54 African snake 55 Self-satisfied 56 Thing often stored in a weekly organizer 57 Just one chip, perhaps 59 Ancient letter 60 Russia, once: Abbr. 62 “... blessing ___ curse?” 63 Coffee, slangily 64 Cautious acrobat’s device 65 Lowest roll in Monopoly Auto-Incorrect by Rich Proulx Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg ACROSS 1 Cold-weather jacket 6 And people who didn’t make the list: Abbr. 10 Sage or fennel 14 Clock radio feature 15 Untainted 16 Burn balm 17 Candidate who lost to Truman 18 “Really?” 19 Little bit of land 20 Pause mark that blends in with its surroundings? 23 Last part of a date? 24 An ant has six of them 25 The “S” of GPS: Abbr. 27 Author Ayn 30 Lowest point 34 Feline-oriented section of lease? 37 “That’s terrible!” 38 First Hebrew letter 39 Vow at a vow renewal 40 Blew it 41 Dangerously serious 42 List of starters? 44 Seedy bagel type 46 Word on an octagonal sign 47 YouTubers’ money sources 48 Boorish 50 Fit together snugly 52 Word processing feature that went haywire when correcting 20-, 34- and 42-Across? 58 God who “died” in multiple Marvel movies 59 Long vehicle for a celeb 60 Hazards when unloading silverware from the dishwasher 62 “Sign me up!” 63 Supply-and- demand subj. 64 “Lovergirl” singer Marie 65 Warped 66 Mildewy, perhaps 67 Surgeon, informally DOWN 1 Rocket launch site 2 Baldwin of “It’s Complicated” 3 Seafood items that are supposedly an aphrodisiac 4 Krispy ___ 5 Youngest of the “little women” 6 “Game of Thrones,” e.g. 7 Fanny 8 Popular sans serif font 9 Request for solitude 10 Noisy weather phenomenon 11 Someone ___ (not me) 12 Candy shaped like a truncated cone 13 Existed 21 Asia’s shrinking sea 22 A fragile one is easily bruised 25 Lots 26 New Haven student 28 Depilatory brand 29 Bros 31 Like an endangered species 32 Standing up 33 ___ operandi 35 Refreshing gum flavor 36 Squishy 40 Most likely will 42 Spun one’s wheels? 43 Skye of “Say Anything” 45 Mother, to a Brit 49 “Fear of Flying” author Jong 51 One may need a lift on a snowy day 52 Smooth-talking 53 City built on seven hills 54 Related by blood 55 “Let’s go!” 56 Traffic sound 57 Nevada’s third most populous city 61 Squid’s ink holder East Oregonian A15 HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 Sensibility Trine The Libra moon flirts with Saturn in Aquarius, favoring friendships with shared sensibilities. People bond over liking the same music, enjoying similar foods or having favorite artists in common. Such connections happen regardless of location or generation and defy socioeconomic differences, too. Aesthetic sharing is sharing of the soul. ARIES (March 21-April 19). You have been known to do things to make other people happy, but try something different just for today. Selfishly delight in the satisfaction of giving satisfaction. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’ll be drawn in by attractive people. Stay alert to red flags to avoid wasting your precious time. Qualities like flakiness and insincerity have a high potential to prevent smooth proceedings. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Communication is your gift and your passion. It’s a skill that always needs updating as language and culture evolve. The right words said the right way will get you in to and out of situations. CANCER (June 22-July 22). The task at hand is one you’ve had to grapple with many times before. Don’t let your experience blind you to new approaches. You already know one way to solve it. Think of 10 more and things get really interesting. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You appreciate this time when everyone is getting along and working toward the same aim. Even so, you remain observant, and you know whose side you would choose if it came to it. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Logic doesn’t always rule. Relax your reason. What about poetry? Your abstract ideas will be touched with brilliance. They may not be the solution, but they lead you to the next good idea. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’ll wonder how much something is worth. Perhaps the more pertinent question is, what’s it worth to you? Possessions, relationships and skills have the value you give them. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It doesn’t even take much courage for you to embrace change now because it’s become such a way of life for you lately. However, it will benefit you to seek council about the general direction things are headed. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Mounting tension builds up energy that will eventually find release. It could fly out in a burst of aggression, celebration or creativity. Decide ahead of time how to best use this fuel. Plan for its expression. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You have the drive to revitalize a tired scene, rekindle a lost feeling or renovate an environment. There are helpers in your midst who will gladly join in once you get the job underway. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Even though you’re among the friendliest in the zodiac, starting a conversation isn’t always easy. There are times you just don’t feel like trying. But you’ll be better for making a connection, so just reach out. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Usually, strong feelings will find their own outlet, but you needn’t leave that to chance. Putting an array of tools and options on your table gives the best chance at creating something really beautiful when the mood strikes. TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (SEPT. 8). Community activities bring out the best in you, and you have a knack for drawing in people who can get the most from your contributions. The most important generosity you’ll give is spiritual. People gather to your warmth and are inspired by your work. You’ll enjoy hard-won prizes at the turn of the year. Aries and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 22, 4, 39 and 17. Universal SUDOKU SOLUTIONS HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 Trine of the Everyday Hero The lunar trine to Jupiter in air signs suggests it’s auspicious to tend to the handful of people who make your routine sing. Without these everyday heroes, your ride down life’s road would be rickety at best. Don’t wait to do something special for these people. It counts more when your thoughtfulness comes as a surprise out of the blue. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your progress will inspire others. But if you devolve instead, that will, in time, be inspiring, too... just as long as you don’t give up. The difference between a comedy and a tragedy is where you end the story. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Even though you like a degree of bustle and noise around you, you also require serenity to thrive. You’re super productive as a result of getting different distinct moods into your day. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your cheerful attitude is infectious and attractive to the likeminded. You’ll have interesting conversations and pick up fun facts and helpful social information to connect you to new prospects. CANCER (June 22-July 22). You expect people to spin their stories to the most flattering effect and will be caught off guard by more honest types who would rather connect with you in their vulnerability than try to impress you. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). There is no true fulfillment in conquest or winning the games of love. There may be momentary exhilaration and ego inflation, which is not the same as the wholeness experienced in healthy reciprocal connections. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Swimming against the current, you will stay in one place at best; at worst, you regress and tire yourself out in the process. This flow is too strong. For now, go with it. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When you’re doing what you must, it seems to take forever. Meanwhile, you feel like you have to steal your brief moments of pleasure. Is it possible to give yourself much more time for delight? SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). The relationship has gotten vague, imperfect, unreliable and full of paradoxes. In other words, it is in a good place -- a place where anything can still happen. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You give interactions your own personal touch. If you knew you’d be celebrated and remembered for this, would you take it one step further? Or perhaps three? CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You appreciate and attract those with an enthusiasm for turning life into fiction. This is much better than listening to someone complain on and on about a dull reality. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You would dispel the mystery if it weren’t so fun to watch people try and figure it out. Actually, transparency would only ruin the fun. What if you kept the secret forever? PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’ve earned the trust that comes with doing what you say you will, at times knocking yourself out to keep the agreement. Now you know to limit your commitments to only what you can handle with ease and pleasure. TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 9). You live alongside others, but you don’t live for them. The adoring eyes of loved ones will sparkle up your days, though the path is illuminated by something coming from inside you -- an inner drive and clear purpose to give society something unique. After your move in January, you’ll be getting around in style. Sagittarius and Libra adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 30, 12, 20, 6 and 4. Universal SUDOKU SOLUTIONS