PUZZLES
Thursday, September 9, 2021
Fruitless by Zachary David Levy
Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg
ACROSS
1 Snacks with a
Pizzeria Pretzel
flavor
7 Hit rock bottom,
financially
13 Toy in “Hershel
and the
Hanukkah
Goblins”
15 “I hear ...”
16 Tube-shaped
Italian pastry
17 Name hidden
in “vegetarian
nachos”
18 Post cereal that
doesn’t contain
fruit
20 Destinies
23 Cool, in dated
slang
24 Mar. 17 honoree
28 Awed crowd’s
noises
29 Ceremonial
procedures
31 Word after “fire” or
“tag”
32 Barely make, with
“out”
33 Not satisfied, as
demands
34 ___ and tonic
35 Tea that doesn’t
contain fruit
40 Narrow waterway
42 Included in
45 Gets ready for
the OR
46 Debut discussed
in the WSJ
49 Mars on Earth
50 Was appropriate
51 Clue in about
54 Tyrannosaurus
___
55 Hong Kong
pastries that don’t
contain fruit
58 Pixar film inspired
by the Day of the
Dead
59 Response to a
bad pun
60 Gaiman who
wrote “Coraline”
62 Woeful
exclamation
63 Oafs
64 Pasta resembling
rice
65 Zippo
66 Lauder who was
much-lauded
67 ___ chromosome
DOWN
1 Org. for Rochelle
Walensky
2 60 minuti
3 Guys
4 Watches an
entire season in a
weekend, say
5 Unpleasant
smells
6 Ward of “The
Fugitive”
7 Spiritual leader
8 Leaves
conspicuously
absent
9 Brags
10 Large vessel for
tea
11 Do wrong
12 PreCheck org.
14 Rebellious teen’s
piercing, perhaps
15 Was felt strongly
19 Words on a
Wonderland
dessert
20 Antagonist
21 Perfectly fine
22 Like many
advanced
concepts in
physics
25 Popular beach
reads
26 Boxing legend
Laila
27 X
29 Smallest puppy
30 Individual
instruction
36 Knock hard
37 Grocery store
division
38 Food on a
skewer: Var.
39 Apt-sounding
surname for a
rower
40 UV-blocking
measure
41 Libya’s capital
43 Description for an
adjustable hat,
perhaps
44 Sly animal
46 Tech support
whizzes
47 Really catch the
eye
48 Like “Saturday
Night Live” and
“The Tonight
Show”
52 Two under par
53 Needing to relax
56 Rejections
57 Game with many
red cards
58 Is able to
61 Bagel topper
Whirly Bird by David Bloom
Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg
ACROSS
1 Fake call from the
IRS, e.g.
5 Courts
9 Good news after
a job interview
14 Cab
15 Colts’ city, for
short
16 Lionhearted
17 “I agree 100%!”
18 Extra-bright
19 Stereotypically
cringey H.S.
subject
20 Iconic fast-food
logo (see letters 9
to 5 in this clue’s
answer)
23 Ride a sloop, say
24 Writer
Hemingway
28 Dutch spirit
named after
its original still
(letters 11 to 8)
31 Comedy routines
32 ___ Pods
(inedible laundry
pouches)
33 Big League Chew
product
34 Charitable
offerings
35 Joke targets
37 Soccer great born
Edson Arantes do
Nascimento
38 Animal with a
pouch, briefly
39 “Here today, ___
tomorrow”
40 Certain baby
41 Often-complex
details (letters 6
to 3)
45 God, in Hebrew
46 Ilhan of “The
Squad”
47 MTV series
based on “An
American Family”
(letters 9 to 7)
53 Bipolar phase
56 Jackie Robinson’s
Golden State sch.
57 “Attention,
please!”
58 Startle
59 “Anything but
___!”
60 Baseball stitching
61 Uses an
e-cigarette
62 Gardener’s tube
63 View on
something
DOWN
1 Dateless
2 Pattern for
blending in,
informally
3 Ice skater’s 1.5-
turn feat
4 Attitudes
5 ___ the Pooh
6 Low tie
7 Skunk funk
8 In ___
(harmonized)
9 Watch carefully
10 California
city north of
Bakersfield
11 Send via modem,
perhaps
12 December 24, for
one
13 Like a cooked
lobster
21 Gobbles up
22 Listens to, as
advice
25 Tools used on
lawns’ borders
26 What a calavera
depicts, on the
Day of the Dead
27 Not racy
28 Kobe robe
29 Adorable animal
in a river
30 Trivial thing to
pick
31
34
35
36
37
39
40
42
43
44
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
Light hair color
Diva’s solo
Knife variety
108-card game
Barbecue event
popular in Hawaii
Teddy ___ (bear-
shaped snacks)
Chew on wood,
say
Whole
Australian
animals known
for sleeping
Untimely
comment?
Baseball great
Babe
Video call issue
Seehorn of
“Better Call Saul”
Security breach
“Let’s chat
privately,” on
Twitter
Dallas hoops pro
___ carte menu
Kindergartner’s
break
East Oregonian
A9
HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 Instructions for the Venus Change
Self-consciousness is a product of not knowing yourself.
When you feel uncomfortable with being seen or overly
aware of critical eyes, take it as an invitation to learn
yourself better. The stronger your relationship with
yourself, the less other people’s opinions will matter to
you. This is the first lesson of Venus in Scorpio.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). If anything close to
perfection can be achieved, it will only be without the
ego. But without the ego, perfection doesn’t matter in the
least because being fully present to the process is all that
matters.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Making a wrong choice
doesn’t mean you owe yourself admonishment. This is all
a learning process. Now you know the right move, and
soon you’ll do it so many times it will come automatically
to you.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You know what you want,
and you ask for it in a way that makes it easy for people to
say yes to you. Just make sure they are really qualified to
follow through and you’re golden!
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re courageous
and adventurous. Even when something is completely
unfamiliar to you, you are still able to open your mind
and heart to it. You’ll thrive creatively because of this.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The mystic Osho said that all
artistic activity is on the way toward becoming religious.
Start a practice of creativity today, and it will lead you to a
sacred place in your own soul.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Add people to your world.
The more reciprocal and uplifting relationships you have,
the better balanced your perspective will be -- and, it
follows, your mood.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). No role can represent the
entirety of your being. A role is something you do, not
someone you are. An expansive spirit pervades your
being and inspires you to handle things without defining
yourself in the process.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You have built much in
your life, but the current relationship will not be created
through building. It will come together through allowing,
granting and gaining access to another person.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). People will say
just what you wanted them to. Is it as satisfying to hear
as you thought it would be? Does it accomplish your
original goal? Decide what to do next with your growing
influence.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The stressful
situation will pass; the problem will be solved; the
transition process will be successfully completed. When
they ask why you’re so confident, ultimately, you will
credit this experience.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The scene may meet
your standard on paper, but that doesn’t mean it really
fits. Try things for a while, and then decide. Take your
time because this decision will alter the course.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Avoid twisting yourself
up into a knot to prove how flexible and willing to please
you are. Instead, walk tall and follow your own rules. Just
for today, it’s better to err on the side of rigidity.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 10). The Venus transit
coinciding with your solar return shows a shift in
relationships. Some get deeper; others lighten up. Also,
new subjects will fascinate you, and as you follow your
changing interests, different people come into your
world. The fresh influences enliven your scene and make
existing ties more dear. Sagittarius and Leo adore you.
Your lucky numbers are: 7, 15, 4, 44 and 39.
Universal SUDOKU
SOLUTIONS
HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2021 A Love Goddess Paradox
It’s the first full day of Venus in Scorpio, a sign of paradox.
Truth and mystery intermingle. No one is all good or all
bad. With maturity, we can respect the complex humanity
of others. Just remember, no matter how shiny and
winning the persona, humans possesses both features
and flaws, and are capable of failure and triumph.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). This weekend won’t
ignite the flames of passion, and this is better for you
now. The balance allows for friendship, conversation,
adventure and fun to keep flowing into next week.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You don’t have to solve
a problem for everyone to solve it for someone, nor do
you always have to stand out to do well in a venture. This
applies to both business and personal interactions.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The one who said, “Truth
does not blush” wasn’t paying close attention. The
truth can be very uncomfortable to hear indeed. Today’s
honesty will provoke a visceral response.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You feel like you’re
patting around in the dark to find the light switch.
These temporary outages can’t be helped. No one is
illuminated all of the time. Move slow, and enjoy the way
nondominant senses come alive.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Step back to look at the big
picture. You’ll wake up to a surprising reality. For instance,
if you only feel like you’re doing a good job when you’re
meeting one person’s needs, there’s something wrong
with the job.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). A goal has slipped out
of reach and will continue to drift away unless you act
now to reel it back in. You’re very lucky now. You have
an extremely good chance of getting this one, so make an
action plan and commit.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Money is a motivator, but
it’s not in the top three. Your true desire is for knowledge,
experience and wisdom, which are the golden keys, more
helpful than money for moving beyond your current
limitations.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Frustration is natural
but immature. Do you really have time for self-directed
anger? You can solve the problem or leave it blank and
move on. You’ll be happy either way.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Spontaneous
travel and/or travel plans are favored. In new places, you
are someone else, partly because you are suddenly with
people who you may never see again.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’re a giver
sometimes and a taker other times. The fact that you get
to be both is a signal of health, as embodying only one of
those roles is a sign of a troubled imbalance.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Tenacity and stamina
are your winning attributes, which you’ll apply to
marvelous effect. Good fortune comes via sales, efforts
for your family and community projects.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). A sacrifice will appease
the powers that be. It doesn’t matter if it’s something hard
or easy for you to give. What matters is that it’s something
they need and want. So, before you give, find out what
they are looking for.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 11). You’ll explore vast
distances of the mind, heart and earth, traveling far and
wide to complete your mission. Your social instincts
are on point, and destiny is altered just because you are
welcoming to someone at the moment they most need
it. Your finances will reflect your diligent, intelligent
work efforts. Leo and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 5, 33, 21, 51 and 15
Universal SUDOKU
SOLUTIONS