PUZZLES
Friday, December 31, 2021
Universal Freestyle 1 by Stella Zawistowski
Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg
ACROSS
1 Paintball player’s
cry
6 What icons on a
phone stand for
10 Basics
14 Sister’s daughter,
maybe
15 Blood thinners
might prevent one
16 Steak
specification
17 Reptile that
symbolizes
treachery
18 “Yep, totes!”
20 Little bit
21 “The Great British
Baking Show”
treat
23 Sword-and-
sandal epic
costumes
24 Composer Satie
26 Spoil
27 Country with an
important canal
28 What’s hit at a
39-Down
30 Org. that might
certify an AC tech
32 Kitty’s sound
33 Squatter, say?
37 Major event in
Major League
Baseball
38 Carbs also called
“butterflies”
39 ___ Schwarz
40 Portland-to-
Seattle dir.
41 Best Animated
Short Film and
others
45 Dressed like a
gender-bending
queen
48 (Gimme a treat!)
50 Greek goddess of
marriage
51 Sprinter ___
Moses
52 Chef’s sharp tool
54 Line with one
end, in math
55 Minneapolis
twin?
57 Cloud-forming
insects
59 “Peter Pan” fairy,
for short
60 Pay to play, in a
way
61 “Don’t go easy on
the other team!”
62 Uses an abacus,
perhaps
63 Disorderly room
64 Stockholm
resident
27 Couples up
29 Reason for a civil
case
DOWN
31 “Guilty,” e.g.
1 Marching
34 Biblical paradise
synchronously
2 Lee Isaac Chung 35 Is the right size
for
film named for a
Korean vegetable 36 Show the ropes
3 Way to park
to
4 “Gross!”
37 Saxophone or
5 Tops worn with
flute, e.g.
jeans
38 Short-term
6 Sound before a
solution
blessing?
39
Spanish
party
7 Snack foods
whose container 42 Fill with bubbles
43 Not tween-
features a
monocled legume
appropriate
8 Skin opening
44 “I’m the one
9 The “S” of PST:
declaring this!”
Abbr.
46 Icy venues for
10 Alphabetically
Adam Rippon
first noble gas
47
Tiny,
six-legged
11 Darts and
worker
cornhole, for two
12 Liquid that
49 Makes mad
lightens coffee
52 Girl group Danity
13 What one can’t
___
play on?
53 Tamagoyaki
19 ___ snail’s pace
ingredients
22 Moving like a
56
“Foxy
Brown”
snail
actress Grier
25 Punch sound, in
58 Completely fresh
comics
There’s a Place for Us by Paul Coulter
Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg
ACROSS
1 Regarding
5 “On Earth ___
Briefly Gorgeous”
(Vuong novel)
9 Bygone Russian
ruler
13 False appearance
15 Jazz pianist
Jones
16 ___ mater
17 Where to find a
roof?
19 Gym count
20 One of the
Teletubbies
21 Smooth transition
23 Color similar to
khaki
24 Raunchy material
27 Colorful aquarium
fish
29 Strike down
32 Where to find
soap bubbles?
34 Advanced H.S.
math course
36 Futbol cheer
37 The “A” of T.A.
38 Gallbladder fluid
40 Untruthful person
42 Lumpy stocking
stuffer
45 Jimmy Eat World
genre
47 Midday nap
51 Where to find
logs?
54 Senegal’s capital
55 Soup-serving
utensil
56 Hamilton bills
58 Lead-in to “Pen”
or “center”
59 Works hard
61 Machine for a
Tide Pod
64 Philly Ivy
65 Where to find a
sweater?
69 Abhor
70 Old Italian bread?
71 Cookies with a
Mega Stuf variety
72 De-wrinkling
appliance
73 Wyatt or
Wynonna
74 Major employer?
4 Dept. of Labor
agency
5 Question at the
end of a riddle,
sometimes
6 Water, in French
7 M.D.’s co-workers
8 ___ out (barely
gets)
9 Location to be hit
10 Detectives
11 Units of electrical
current
12 Dorm event
planners, for
short
14 Slippery fish
18 “History ___ Its
Eyes on You”
(“Hamilton” song)
22 “When will you be
here?”
23 PreCheck org.
25 Game whose
name is a
Spanish number
26 Like most WNBA
DOWN
players
1 Back in time
28 “___ is meant to
2 Light therapy
disturb, science
device
reassures”
3 Film with the
30 Cloth napkins and
theme song “My
placemats, e.g.
Heart Will Go On”
31 Former Giant
Manning
33 Floral necklaces
35 Music staff
symbol
39 Radiate
41 Help
42 ___-de-sac
43 Going nonstop
44 Expand, like a
house
46 Underground rock
band?
48 Biting insect,
informally
49 Place with many
beers on draft
50 Name hidden in
“car insurance”
52 Lil ___ Howery
(“Get Out” actor)
53 Swaddle
57 Lowered your
seat?
60 Bottom of a shoe
62 “Ziwe” channel,
for short
63 Queen on Mount
Olympus
64 Greek letter
before chi
66 By way of
67 Screw up
68 One-named
K-pop star
East Oregonian
B7
HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS
SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2022 Lunar Conjunctions
When we leave the house with the intention of having
an experience, what often results is a whole lot of fun.
But when our intention is dutiful attendance to familiar
places, things and people, our spirit of adventure has
a way of falling asleep. Three lunar conjunctions will
shake the spirit of adventure awake, magnetizing life’s
interesting side.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You felt trapped and
now you’ll be released, not because someone else had
the key but because you have come to understand the
situation from a vantage point that shows you all the ins
and outs.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Going into a new
situation is exciting and scary. There’s no amount of
forethought that will let you know what you’re getting
into. You will prevail, though; trust that.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Much is riding on your
decisions. Other people’s lives will be affected, not
to mention in some way, however small, the course
of history. So even though it would be easier to act
impulsively, you’ll take time to reflect.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’ve just reached the
top of a mountain only to discover there are several more
ranges to cross. Don’t lose heart. If you can do it once,
you can do it a hundred times.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). The opportunity to bring your
work to a new crowd or to mingle outside of your usual
setting is not to be missed. Don’t worry about fitting in.
Whether you technically fit or not, you’ll be a smashing
success.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). In life and music,
one rhythm is not inherently better than other, rather
there are different moods produced by different beats.
You’ll groove, march and tap dance through the day,
responding perfectly to its many tones.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You learn a lot about
people because you don’t make assumptions. Your
listening skills help you deepen a connection and create
understanding.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). It’s a waste to wait for
inspiration or motivation. Move even when you are not
motivated and you’ll get the same good result as if you
had moved when you were.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Trust your
instincts. They are creative, accurate and healthy. What
you want to do may be difficult but you have the courage
and tenacity to do hard things.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). If you downplay
your accomplishments, you’ll insinuate doubt in an
otherwise neutral mind. If you praise yourself, it will only
annoy. For today, you’ll win socially by not discussing
yourself at all.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your plans cannot be
carried out alone. There are two other important players
on the team. Take measures to build the morale of these
people and make sure that the communication lines
between the three of you are open.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). More organization
will be necessary for the plan to go smoothly. Get your
priorities straight first to avoid wasting time on things
that won’t matter to you in the long run.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 2). You’ve a permanent
home in the hearts of others. There’s comfort in this.
Feeling loved and safe inspires you to take risks. You’ll
get to spend more time with someone you’ve been
missing. You’ll have the means to spoil the people
you love, and their reactions will be precious. A new
professional circle will open to you. Virgo and Scorpio
adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 4, 14, 44 and 20.
Universal SUDOKU
SOLUTIONS
HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS
MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 2022 Triple Conjunctions
The moon makes three conjunctions today. First, it’s
Venus, the love goddess, getting attention from the realm
of traditional Capricorn. Then Pluto gets a nod, and
finally, after a sign change, Mercury. These lunar visits
promise an active day in which ambition gets us into the
strangest situations, and emotions get processed after
the fact.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Maybe it’s cynical to
think that people are being nice in hopes of future favors
returned but it’s not altogether wrong. Good thing you are
well-versed in the land of politics.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Managing expectations
will be an important part of your day. Master it by
underpromising and overdelivering. In the end, you’ll be
someone’s hero.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). From Shakespeare to
Disney, the dramatists agree that evil plans are most
harmful to the planner. This is a good day to let play out,
unplanned. Let your creed be one of minding your own
business.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). The current problem is
integral to the well-being of the people around you, and
you’ll derive great satisfaction and pride from solving it
even if you go uncompensated. The solution will be the
reward.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). While it would be foolish to
aim to make mistakes, it’s equally silly to avoid and fear
them. The wise do not aim to live without folly. There’s
much to learn in a tidy little mess.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Reflection is in order.
Why did you start this journey? Your reasons have
changed along the way, which is perfectly natural and will
be very helpful to keep track of.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Thinking is the brain’s
natural sorting process. Maybe it’s enough to let your
mind comfortably sift through the day without putting
extra pressure on yourself to solve everything for
everyone.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). There is a way to have
your cake and eat it, too. It’s all about portion control. By
acting in moderation, you’ll be able to savor the present
pleasures without ruining your chances for future ones.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). A social circle
opens to include you. There was a time you would have
found this crowd intimidating but now you fit right in, like
you’ve always belonged there.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Would you rather
win in a minor league game or lose in a major league
game? You have a choice to make. Which option offers
you the biggest opportunity to learn?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’re not trying to
make jokes but when you say the truth, it makes people
laugh. Oddly enough, the truth can be a very unusual
thing to say.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Someone trusts you
enough to give you great responsibilities and seemingly
impossible duties. You’ll rise to the occasion and hone
your skills on these difficult tasks. This is the price of
greatness.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Jan. 3). This will be a year of
truly magical moments. A wondrous mix of luck, talent
and opportunity will culminate in no less than 10 2022
events. You’ll focus on your loved ones’ needs, connect
with them on deep levels and understand how to make
them happy. Your people will be very loyal to you and
be advocates and ambassadors for your cause. Scorpio
and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 2, 22,
18, 6 and 40.
Universal SUDOKU
SOLUTIONS