PUZZLES Tuesday, May 3, 2022 Ahead of Time by Trent H. Evans Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg ACROSS 1 Toot your own horn 5 Waffle brand 9 Sound of a perfect basketball shot 14 Put to sleep, perhaps 15 Queen consort of Jordan 16 Japanese bread crumbs 17 *”You kids hush now!” 19 Muppet with a rubber duckie 20 Gambler’s wager 21 Genome molecule 22 Game of checkers? 23 Back talk 25 Ingredient in fries, informally 27 “Dropped” drug 30 *Flying saucer’s purpose 34 Artist Yoko 35 Christmas lights might hang from one 36 “Mad Men” hat 37 Gear teeth 39 Psychic power, briefly 41 Knighted fellows 42 Impede 45 Part of B.A. 48 Army bed 49 *When college students may hit the beach 51 Triage ctrs. 52 En pointe, in ballet 53 “Judge” of taste 55 It floats up the flue 57 He/him/___ 59 Big name in cubism? 63 Alumnae, e.g. 64 *Complete 180 (Note: The title hints at what can follow both words of each starred clue’s answer) 66 Declares 67 Diagram type with circles 68 Cut loose 69 Unlike this clue, which is far too wordy and could have simply been just “curt” 70 CEO, CFO, COO or CTO 71 “I’ve ___ better” 28 Be nosy 29 One who makes a boxer look smart? 31 Labor activist DOWN 1 Jul. 4 cookouts Chavez 2 Defeat soundly 32 Editor’s catch 3 Big song at the 33 Isn’t just a fad Met 38 Bad eggs or 4 Some speak rotten eggs fluent Klingon 40 *”To continue in 5 Finish English, ___” 6 *”Talked your way 43 Like a strong out of that!” feeling 7 Oscar night dress 44 “The GOAT” 8 Lavishly hides it decorated 46 “The Joy Luck 9 Titular org. in a Club” author Amy 2015 Bond film 47 Hybrid activewear 10 “Extreme Sour” garment candies 50 “Act nice!” 11 What only you 54 Polishes can hear 55 Sultan of ___ 12 Goes down a (Babe Ruth snowy hill, say nickname) 13 Tools to break up 56 “You’re in my soil way!” 18 Taunt 24 The aptly named 58 Goat with curved horns business Face It, 60 Naked for one 61 Slushy treat 26 DOJ division 62 Avid 27 Bodies of water that sound secure 65 Tar Heels’ sch. S-moo-th! by Kyle Dolan Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg ACROSS 1 Direction not used in U.S. state names 5 Wild guess 9 Mind the ___ (subway station warning) 12 Hieroglyphic snakes 13 Sparkly headwear 14 Pine branch hanger 15 Skin care product 17 “All finished” 18 Nay’s opposite 19 “Dancing Queen” group 20 Country side 22 “I’m open to questions!” 24 Spoke at greath length 25 The “O” of REO Speed Wagon 26 Skin care product 29 Super cool 31 Hole in the wall where you may pick up a check? 32 “Aw, shucks” 33 Regarding 34 Argument’s foundation 35 Comparison connector 36 Radar gun measure: Abbr. 37 Victors’ shout 38 London : Underground :: Paris : ___ 39 Skin care product 41 Wood used for some decks 42 Float with the current 43 Improv-style word game 46 Compose music, say 48 Fingernail job, briefly 49 Do some darning 50 Races, as an engine 51 Supermarket section where you won’t find this puzzle’s products 54 Kimono sashes 55 Super- 56 Facebook’s parent company 57 Chum 58 Feel bad for 59 Sound akin to a tap on the shoulder 26 ___ buddy (BFF) 27 Shakespearean king 28 Casino game with balls DOWN 29 First part of many 1 Low-stress email addresses course 30 Road trip game 2 Fire remnants 31 Seek attention 3 “We were just from, as a pet talking about might you!” 4 Airport screening 34 Strengthened org. 35 Bluish hue on a certain duck 5 Remain passive 37 Judge’s issuance 6 “Cheerio!” 38 News shows and 7 “We ___ the such, with “the” Champions” 8 Caribbean island 40 Indelicate that became a 41 “That ‘70s Show” republic in 2021 actress Roberts 9 They’re given at 43 “Will you ___ bedtime me?” 10 Gothic writer Rice 44 Pants supporters 11 Fellow citizen 45 React to heat, say 13 Big band instruments? 46 Something to harvest 14 Largely obsolete storage format 47 McEntire of 16 Amusingly country indecent 48 Catcher’s catcher 21 Dark gem 52 Boxer/poet 23 Voice above tenor Muhammad 24 Bird associated 53 One causing with spring trouble East Oregonian A15 HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2022 Lunar Negativity Bias Lunar squares abound, the cosmic strife throwing focus on unwanted thoughts and feelings. Negativity bias is a fact of human survival that has kept humans safe through the ages. Even so, we would often do better to focus on what it is we do want and keep reminding ourselves of it often. Tell yourself what to think and follow through. ARIES (March 21-April 19). Respect is one of those things that has to be given before it is received. Following the rules and customs will be easy when you know what they are, and tricky in foreign situations. Go deftly into learning. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). What you pay attention to will love you back today. Consider turning some of your focus inward. Attention to your deeper feelings and subconscious layers will repay you in resounding fulfillment. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Relationships will be eventful in both good and bad ways, but when they are built from the heart, whatever happens, love will be the constant -- a rhythm uncomplicated, consistent and enduring. CANCER (June 22-July 22). The way you see things may not match up with how others do, and that only makes it even more important that you capture memories in your own way. Your point of view is vital to the big picture. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Looping thoughts lead nowhere. Order them into a mental arrow instead. This is best done with action. Look straight ahead and shoot yourself into the future. It’s awaiting you! VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There are those who have a cause and those who have a plight. You could help in either case. Those with a cause will pay the help forward. Those with a plight will continue to require the same help indefinitely. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Small changes throw off your plans. You’d rather the changes were big instead! If things aren’t going to go the way you imagined, you’d rather be very surprised than mildly annoyed. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Those who are highly motivated by the last hours of a deadline (which is a nice way of saying “procrastinators”) will get just the inspiration (push) they need to finish strong (or at all!). SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Style doesn’t necessarily cost money, though it does take creativity and effort. Put in the time to learn what works for you. You love how good style makes you feel and how people react to you as a result. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Into every relationship, little rain must fall. Conflict is normal, and when done right, working out differences will bring people closer together. Lead with compassion and you won’t go wrong. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Saying “I love you” doesn’t always occur to you, but when it does, don’t hesitate. Someone needs to hear the words and feel that they are valued for just being themselves. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Appearances lie. People who seem like they should be happy often aren’t. You’ll see past the exterior and connect with how people are really feeling instead of projecting onto them what you think they should be feeling. TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (May 4). You’re the novelist of your life. You’ll center your plot around a beautiful event this year. A perfectly imperfect relationship dances through your days. Tenacity is the quality that influences your work life. The payoff that comes at the end of an arduous journey will be strong indeed! Young people study you; older people hire you. Virgo and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 1, 4, 49, 13 and 27. Universal SUDOKU SOLUTIONS HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2022 Cinco de Mayo Cosmic Conjunction The sun forms a conjunction with rebellious Uranus on this day of remembrance for the time a Mexican army was outnumbered yet prevailed with the victory in the Battle of Puebla of 1862. In the United States, the 5th of May is an opportunity to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage, in this case, under a patriotic Cancer moon. ARIES (March 21-April 19). The longer a story is, the more entertaining it should be. Humor helps, but the most important thing of all is to read the room. A good match of message to audience can be a game changer. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Choose and then let go of the other options. This is the way of power and grace. Regret, rumination, comparison and the like are habits of weakness. Rule out these disempowering options. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Gentle forces will outlast volatile ones because intensity is hard to sustain. Fires die. Volcanos expire. Tornados disperse. For millions of years the placid lake remains. CANCER (June 22-July 22). The interaction you’ve been worried about will come together beautifully and you’ll have a sense of satisfaction akin to flipping an omelet at the exact right moment. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Solar circles and social circles both run on principles of attraction. Usually, you follow your instincts on such matters, but today your conscious awareness of what some people like will also play into the decision-making. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). To lay your heart on the line would normally require courage, though today it just requires math; the potential gain from expressing your feelings is worth the risk. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Just when you think your hard work is going unappreciated, praise and appreciation will come from unexpected directions. This is the start of a trend! SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Any work you do to wrangle and order your scattered thoughts will contribute to your success. Tell yourself what you’re going to think about, write it down, and then keep reminding yourself to stay on track with that line of thought. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). More than anyone else in the entire world, you know what it’s like to be you. Use this to guide key decisions. As for the others, it will be fine to let them figure out what’s right for themselves. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The point of putting some of life on autopilot is to conserve energy for what you’d love to give your attention to. You’ll be transferring more habits to the no-think zone as you ready yourself for something big and juicy. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Whenever you put yourself or your work on the line, you risk rejection. Ultimately, this is the risk that will make you see yourself better. And seeing yourself allows you to align with the needs of those around you. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Many limitations are illusions, and you must alter your perception to see your way past, through or around them. Keep trying to see it different ways. Get close, back off, go cockeyed... you’ll find it eventually. TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (May 5). When you commit to love, the decision doesn’t feel heavy or confining. Instead, playful levity, imagination and possibility rule your interactions. Work gets easier because you learn who you can trust. You’re also excellent at coming up with systems. The trick is in re-investing well. A mentor will help! Leo and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 30, 1, 11 and 28. Universal SUDOKU SOLUTIONS