PUZZLES Tuesday, June 7, 2022 Start Small by Gary Larson and Amy Ensz Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg ACROSS 1 Verge 5 Already in a relationship 10 Instagram and Snapchat, e.g. 14 Sweet sandwich? 15 Word after “mental” or “mirror” 16 Apple variety 17 Singles 18 Boatload, literally 19 Very funny person 20 Doesn’t stop smiling smugly? 23 “Little piggies” 24 Sensible 25 Not as important 28 Threw away 32 Food that’s 37-Across backward 33 Excelled 37 What aptly bookends “Memorial Day” 38 Online business 41 “Bravo,” in Barcelona 42 Opposite of oblivious 44 Quick-witted casino employee? 47 What to do after giving someone a hand? 48 They’re read at slams 50 “Oh, go away” 52 Cram for an exam 54 Act human, they say 55 Came back from behind 57 Sports ___ (gym garment) 58 Saltimbocca meat 60 Angsty people, traditionally 61 Biblical gift givers 62 New Age singer from Ireland 63 Put into law 64 Tech support caller 65 ___ area (road trip stop) 66 They should be tough to crack 67 Cleaning challenge DOWN 1 Whisper sweet nothings 2 Coffee dispensers 3 Appear 4 Puts forward 5 Scrolling graphics on CNBC 6 Pile up 7 Go-___ (kid’s vehicle) 8 Popular waffles 9 Fresh delivery? 10 Matches grammatically 11 Annoyance 12 Walk heavily 13 Prepared for a meeting? 21 Sturgeon eggs 22 “Double Fantasy” singer Yoko 25 Soapmaking ingredient 26 Scarf down 27 Go overboard in a cafeteria food fight? 29 Fawning constituency? 30 Pointy part of an elf 31 Turn red, perhaps 34 In great demand 35 Antiquated 36 Originally named 39 Muslim leader 40 Magic Johnson, once DOWN 1 Spanish for “more” 2 Scrabble GO, e.g. 3 Motion starter? 4 “Do it this way” 5 “Stranger Things” character whose name is a number 6 Depleted Asian sea 7 ___-done (steak option) 8 Spicy sushi condiment 9 Former leader of Iran 10 Milk container 11 Mork and E.T., e.g. 12 Loud, harsh sound 15 Grieves 21 Dr. Jones, familiarly 22 Stagehands 23 Right away, for short 24 Towed auto, perhaps 25 Freezes 29 Klutz 30 ___ dot (clothing spot) HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2022 Jupiter Relationship Test Surely, most relationships come with their deal breakers, caveats and conditions, and yet there are some relationships that seem beyond rules. Do you believe in unconditional love? And which relationships does such a model extend to? The moon in Libra dares to oppose the mighty Jupiter this evening, testing interpersonal limits. ARIES (March 21-April 19). There’s much that concerns you that you can do nothing about, and spending your energy there is, of course, a waste. As you focus on the things you have the ability to change, more will fall into the category. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Since having too much to do makes it hard to do any of it exceptionally well, you’ll take a step back to survey the scene objectively and figure out what to cut. You won’t miss it. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You have a gift for seeing what’s possible. Don’t get too carried away, though. Potential is something to nurture and believe in but not something to bank on or date. CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re in the role for a reason. If you feel like an imposter, that’s actually a sign that you belong there. It’s the people who are overly sure of themselves who make big mistakes. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ll give your admiration without elevating anyone on a pedestal. It’s much easier to work and play when everyone is on the ground together -- equal but different. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You’ve been lost and found, sick and well, winning and losing, but you always find your way back home. Sometimes you take a different route, but the way you journey is always the same: one step at a time. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). A congruent domestic life allows you to do good work in the professional sector, and when things are going well at work, home life is better. Life rings out with the harmony of these sectors. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When you give a project over to the group, you’re not sure what will happen with it, and that’s part of the excitement. You work alone for predictable results. You work with others to achieve exponential results. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You’re sensitive to people’s emotional states, though you don’t take them on as your own. Your empathy engenders trust. Because people feel safe around you, you’ll know an honest version of them. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You’ll be impressed by how others remember details from your shared history. As for your own stories of the past, you may reconsider certain aspects as you discover something in the re-telling. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Just because you can fit yourself into a situation doesn’t mean you belong there. Consider how you really feel around certain people. The best fits feel like hope, curiosity and excitement. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You express yourself so eloquently that people will want you to represent them. Lucky moves: put a word in for a friend, make a pitch, tell a story, give a toast or have a heart-to-heart talk. TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 8). Not only are you excellent at what you do but your beguiling description of it will have people feeling brilliant about choosing you. Popularity soars; money follows the trend. Other highlights: a call from the long lost, a cross-cultural excursion that starts a new hobby and a transformation bringing about a harmonious era in the family. Leo and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 3, 33, 28 and 15. Universal SUDOKU 43 A gardener pulls it up 45 Incentives at car dealerships 46 H.S. student’s challenges SOLUTIONS 47 Tranquil 49 Voltage spikes 50 Slot machine arm, essentially 51 Justice Kagan 52 Because 53 Couples 56 Loose-___ paper 59 Long.’s counterpart on a GPS 61 Ornamental flower, for short Universal Crossword edited by David Steinberg 40 Got up 44 Snatch 46 Brand that used hamsters to sell its Soul 48 27-Across, in Mexico 49 Protestant religious organization (... letters 6-10) 54 Adjacent side/ hypotenuse, in trig 55 “___ to Joy” 56 Like some water rescues 57 Looking for a home, or a theme hint 61 Gumbo vegetable 62 Double-reed instrument 63 K’NEX pieces with teeth 67 Little rascals 68 Comprehends 69 Finish by 70 Impulsive 71 Swish maker in basketball 72 ___ Brook, N.Y. A15 42 Not silently Finding Your Place by Hanh Huynh ACROSS 1 National tree of Canada 6 Reaction to cuteness 9 Scrape covering 13 ___ Fools’ Day 14 Stack of papers? 16 Corridor 17 Said “dada,” for example 18 Too 19 Opera solo 20 Sound such as “Mwahahaha!” (In this answer, see letters 2-6) 23 Gotten up 26 “It’s cold!” 27 Number on the back of a dime 28 What some patients seek before surgery (... letters 3-7) 32 King Kong, e.g. 33 Former NBA center Ming 34 Place to get a massage 35 Suggest 38 Experience turbulence, maybe East Oregonian 31 Quaker morsel 36 QB’s mistake 37 Sierra Nevada lake 39 Yang’s opposite 41 Pronoun for a blended family 42 Fairy tale beginning 43 Qatari city by the Persian Gulf 45 Person with all the sheets 47 Berry in a purple smoothie 49 “___, no hands!” 50 Takes by force 51 Name on a deli menu 52 Door joints 53 Time-sensitive 54 Group often preached to 58 Scout’s badge holder 59 Something passed after saying “Psst!” 60 Exam 64 Hubbub 65 Competed in a dash 66 Spot to serve slop HOROSCOPES BY HOLIDAY MATHIS THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022 Marvelous Mundanity Things will get a bit more hectic after Mercury catches his groove and Venus has her run-in with Uranus. So, for now, take advantage of the calm moments with loved ones where nothing much is going on. The commute, ordering a treat at the drive- thru, an evening in... it’s where the mind will settle later when we think about “the good old days.” ARIES (March 21-April 19). Today’s fix may be as inelegant as duct tape engineering, but the point is that it works. Resourcefulness gets you to the next step and that’s what matters. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). This is a game. Maintain your status. A posture of confidence is more important than knowing the right words. Shoulders back, head high and take up plenty of space. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Even people who grow up in the same house can have drastically different worldviews. Chances are you won’t be able to change anyone’s opinion today, but by spreading out you can at least avoid a clash. Distance is a diffuser. CANCER (June 22-July 22). The milk is positioned in the back of the grocery store so people must pass a number of enticements on their way to it. This will be true of something else today. You’ll put blinders on and go straight to what you need. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Don’t worry, your success doesn’t hinge on one interaction going right. In fact, there are so many outcomes that could work out, the term “right” is too ubiquitous to hold much meaning. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). There will be unexpected twists and changes of venue. Don’t worry whether you’re dressed for the occasion; your smile is the stunning accessory that goes from day into night. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). People sense that you don’t really need them, and it’s an attractive look for you. Because you’re willing to hang back, wait and see or bow out gracefully, an offer gets sweeter. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). A new situation puts you in a naive state. Here your mind is like a clever child, making things up and quite capable of fibbing to you. Your body, however, won’t lie. Trust intuition. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You make efforts to consume nutritious foods, and it’s the same with media. The right things feed your mind; the wrong things make you feel icky -- but sometimes you have to try a little first to find out which way it will go. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Happiness is no mystery today; you feel good around someone, so you arrange to be around that person more often. Quite simply, it feels like a fit because it is. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). People have their own reasons for trying to make you feel like you’re missing the point, but don’t you worry. The point, if there is one, always sticks when it’s supposed to. You know all you need to know for now. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Oh, what you could accomplish with someone of flawless taste and impeccable manners! If you could only find such a person... luckily, a connection forged in vulnerability and shared mistakes is infinitely more useful. TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (June 9). The cosmic bounty will be tangible and mysterious this year, coming from friends and strangers, in forms expected and unexpected. Your enjoyment is gratitude enough, yet your efforts to pay it forward continue a cycle of success. More highlights: a growth spurt in emotional intelligence and a contest win. Aquarius and Leo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 7, 22, 27 and 18. Universal SUDOKU SOLUTIONS