Saturday, July 5, 2025, Tracy Bennett

This is just what we want in a Saturday puzzle. Misdirections like "It's a straight shot" (NEATVODKA), "Uniform shade" (CADETBLUE), and "Alley oops" (GUTTERBALL) (think "bowling alley) totally worked on me. And I did not know that QUEERTHEOLOGY was the subject of "Jonathan Loved David" and "Take back the World." Nor did I know that UNCANNYVALLEY was an "Eerie phenomenon when a robot seems too lifelike." A solid challenge.

"Swell" for NIFTY was tricky. RINKYDINK (Small-time) was fun. "Oil smugglers?" (ARTTHIEVES) was cute. ... but I thought that "Keeps greasing that squeaky wheel?" (REOILS) was a little weak. I mean, oil and grease are different things...

But if that's all we have to suffer for a challenging Saturday, then that's fine with me.

- Horace