The O'Colly, Monday, July 31, 2023

Monday, April 1, 2023

Baylor ‘disappeared’ at times last year, Aranda adjusting to get Bears back on top Tessa Dorrell Staff Reporter Over the next few weeks, The O’Colly sports staff will release its Big 12 preseason rankings in the form of team previews. This time, it’s the Baylor Bears, which our writers picked to finish ninth.

The Bears returned a starting quarterback and nearly the entire offensive line from a 2021 Big 12 Championship season in 2022 and was the preseason media poll favorite to win the conference.

Instead, Baylor went 6-7, losing the last four games of the season. Now, the Bears are regrouping to get back to being conference contenders.

Junior quarterback Blake Shapen is again the Bears’ starter for the 2023 season, it was announced after spring practices. The starting spot did not come without a challenge for Shapen, as he battled redshirt sophomore Sawyer Robertson, a transfer from Mississippi State.

“I look at it as an opportunity to grow and get better and have someone just pushing me and making me better every single day,” Shapen said.

Shapen threw for 2,790 yards, 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2022.

A Bear who has received some of the most preseason recognition is sophomore running back Richard Reese, who was voted preseason All-Big 12.

Reese set a program freshman record

Davis Cordova At Big 12 Media Days, Baylor coach Dave Aranda said his 2022 team lacked qualities of his 2021 team. “When things got hard, we were pretty good. Last year, when things got hard, we disappeared.”

backs. with 972 yards rushing and 14 touchThe transfer portal isn’t somedowns. The Bears also added Oklahoma State transfer Dominic Richardson from thing coach Dave Aranda has liked to the transfer portal to its list of running use in the past, but he dug into it dur-

ing the offseason. Aranda has favored working on players already on his team instead of bringing in new ones, but last season changed his view.

See Baylor on 3

Big 12-Pac 12 saga shows complacency, vanity is deadly in college athletics

Braden Bush Sports Editor

Column History tends to repeat itself, and conference media days have been a hotbed for déjà vu.

Two years ago, then Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby stood at the Big 12 Media Days podium and listed reasons why conference realignment wasn’t one of his top concerns, even though his conference had been raided twice before.

“It doesn’t appear to me that the motivation is there at this point in time,” Bowlsby said. “Not to say it couldn’t happen, but it’s not one of the things that keeps me up at night.”

Then, it happened.

OU and Texas declared for the SEC just days later, without so much as a clue.

The Pac 12 has seen

what’s happened to the Big 12 in recent years.

Heck, it’s even been part of it. It took Colorado and saw three others leave the Big 12 from 2010-11, then watched OU and Texas leave. And the Pac 12 already lost cash cows USC and UCLA. That should have been a sign that other than the SEC and Big Ten, nobody is safe. Better keep looking ahead.

It didn’t resonate.

The Pac 12 missed out on a chance to end the Big 12 by taking OU, Texas and others in 2010, then stuck its nose up to the remnants of the Big 12 seeking shelter from what seemed to be a collapsing conference with the loss of OU and Texas in 2021.

Then, at Pac 12 media day this year, commissioner George Kliavkoff spoke those cursed words.

“It’s not a concern,” Kliavkoff said about expansion on July 21 at Pac-12 media day. “Our schools are committed to each other and the Pac-12.

We’ll get our media rights deal done, we’ll announce the deal. I think the realignment that’s going on in college athletics will come to an end for this cycle.”

See Big 12-Pac 12 on 2

Courtesy of OSU The OSU team will work to address health disparities related to poor nutrition, physical activity and obesity.

OSU will improve nutrition and physical activity in eastern Oklahoma Jake Sellers Staff Reporter

Mackenzie Janish The Big 12 grew from realignment scares in the past, and commissioners Bob Bowlsby (left) and Brett Yormark (right) have been ahead of the game the past two years, securing media rights contracts and new schools.

nutrition and health challenges in eastern Oklahoma.

HOP funds universities working with local cooperative extensions in mostly rural counDeana Hildebrand, Jill ties where obesity is found in Joyce and Lacey Wallace of nearly half the adult population.

Oklahoma State University’s The OSU team will work to adDepartment of Nutritional Sciences received $780,000 from the dress health disparities related to Centers for Disease Control and poor nutrition, physical activity and obesity.

Prevention (CDC) for the first “CDC is excited to anyear in the five-year High Obenounce this new HOP funding to sity Program (HOP) to address

land-grant universities in communities with high rates of obesity,” said Dr. Terry O’Toole, program development and evaluation branch chief in CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “This funding supports local programs to improve access to fresh, healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity with the goal of reducing chronic diseases.”

See Nutrition on 6

Page 2 Monday, July 31, 2023

O’Colly

sports

Mackenzie Janish Brett Yormark and the Big 12 lured Colorado back from the Pac 12, which might not be a conference-ending blow for the Pac 12, but it gives the Big 12 the upper hand.

and learned not to be sedentary.

Big 12-Pac 12... calls You know the story. Big 12 commis-

sioner Bob Bowlsby went on the offensive and added four new teams, Continued from 1 which sturdied the conference. Then he handed the reins to a savvy Brett Yormark.

Call it naivety or hopefulness on While the Pac 12 sat happy with the conferences’ parts, but realignment its 10 teams for the 2024 season and is always bubbling beneath the surface. was content on waiting to renew its Kliavkoff got the Red River treatment media rights upon expiration at the end when the University of Colorado unani- of the 2023-24 season – a year earlier mously voted to leave the conference than the Big 12 – Yormark cut in line six days later. The Pac 12 was foolish and renegotiated with ESPN and Fox in to think it couldn’t happen to them and October 2022. His prize was a six-year, not get ahead of expansion, and now it $2.28 billion contract that raised anis in jeopardy after years of vanity and nual Big 12 distribution numbers from complacency. $42.6 million per school to nearly $50 Both in 2010 and 2021, the Pac 12 million – without OU and Texas. had opportunities to overtake the Big That number is far superior to 12 but instead let it live. That wasn’t so the Pac 12’s current $32.1 million per much as a favor to the Big 12 as it was school figure, and it severely crippled the Pac 12 mindset that it was above the Pac 12 media negotiations, which the Big 12 on an academic level – and are still ongoing and have no timetable. that the banks of the Brazos River were Suddenly, the Big 12, which was on the the closest thing to the Pacific Coast brink of extinction, uppercut the Pac 12 any Big 12 school could offer. and had more stability to offer.

The Big 12 grew from those close

If that wasn’t enticing enough, the Big 12’s contract includes a pro rata clause, meaning the conference receives a raise to keep per-school money the same in the case of expansion. All of that was enticing enough for Colorado, whose announcement dropped the Pac 12 to nine members in 2024.

But this time, there are no Big 12 schools to pick off.

“George Kliavkoff is doing as good a job as he can do, and he works his ass off and works tirelessly for the members of the Pac-12,” Colorado athletic director Rick George said. “ ... but this decision wasn’t about that.

It was about this, and that’s the Big 12 Conference and what’s best for CU and CU athletics and our student-athletes, and that’s what we made this decision based on.”

The Pac 12’s tone changed instantly. No longer was it satisfied with where it stood, nor did it think it was better of without a school like Texas Tech or Kansas State.

“We are focused on concluding

our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth,” a Pac 12 statement said after the Colorado announcement. “Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12.”

Too little, too late? Maybe. The Pac 12, even in a worst-case scenario, will likely still exist on some level. And sure, Colorado isn’t Oregon. But that door is open wider than ever. Who else could join the Buffs? To this point, the Pac 12 has played its cards wrong, and its unwillingness to adapt has put in an uncomfortable situation and allowed Yormark and the Big 12 to rise from the ashes.

All of this could have been avoided as recently as two years ago.

The Pac 12 traded its leverage in conference stability for pride, and now it’s the conference looking for an escape route while the Big 12 looks on.

And it might not find it. sports.ed@ocolly.com

O’Colly

Monday, July 31, 2023 Page 3

sports Baylor...

Continued from 1 “I think for me to kind of come to grips with, ‘Hey, this is what needs to happen for the betterment of the team,’ as opposed to just looking at what’s best for that one particular player on your team.”

The Bears heavily used the portal to refill the offensive line, where it lost four of five starters. They brought in brothers Clark and Campbell Barrington, along with Arkansas transfer Ketron Jackson Jr. Baylor tackle Gavin Byers is the lone returner to the offensive line, moving from right tackle outside to the guard position.

On defense, Baylor allowed opponents less than 350 yards of offense and 18 points per game in 2021, but that jumped to 26.8 points in 2022.

So, Aranda is bringing back a piece of that 2021 defense.

Matt Powledge was the safeties and special teams coach at Baylor in 2021 before taking the co-defensive coordinator spot at Oregon last year. Now, Powledge is back as the Bears’ defensive coordinator this season.

Powledge will have experience on the defensive front with TJ Frankling and Gabe Hall, who combined for 22 starts last season, and Jerrell Boykins Jr., who led Hutchinson College to the NJCAA title game in 2022. In total, Baylor added four defensive transfers who project as starters.

Aranda is optimistic the changes and adaptations he and his staff have made can get the Bears back to the team they were two years ago.

“For us to be at our best when it matters most, I think you look at two years ago, you know the game that was played here (Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium) was a good example,” Aranda said. “When things got hard, we were pretty good. Last year, when things got hard, we disappeared.”

Baylor had reasons for optimism last year when they returned quarterback Blake Shapen and others after a Big 12 title, but instead they finished 6-7. sports.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo

Page 4 Monday, July 31, 2023

O’Colly

sports

Molly Jolliff Datin Fix won the gold medal against Iowa’s Austin DeSanto at the Poland Open on Sunday.

Daton Fix wins gold at Poland Open, Dustin Plott takes third

Braden Bush Sports Editor Daton Fix owns another freestyle gold medal, and he did it against a

familiar foe.

Fix represented the U.S. at the Ziolkowski, Pytlasinski, Poland Open in Warsaw, Poland, this weekend, and Fix took on Iowa’s Austin DeSanto in the 61 kg finals on Sunday. The two have faced off three times in college and once on the national stage, including the Final X True Third wrestle-off in in June, and Fix had won each bout.

Fix took out Ramaz Turmanidze and Georgi Vangelov to advance to the all-U.S. finals but started with an

early 1-0 deficit to DeSanto. Later, after a gutwrench, Fix took a 4-1 lead and never gave it up on the way to a 6-3 victory, earning the gold medal and pushing his record to 5-0 against the All-American Hawkeye.

Another Cowboy, Dustin Plott, traveled to Poland and wrestled in the 79 kg bracket. Plott cruised through the bracket until a run-in with Mihail Georgiev, who defeated Plott 3-2 and sent him to the bronze medal match.

There, Plott scored a technical fall

against neutral athlete Iman Mahdavi, 10-0.

Plott is already an U23 World Team member after winning the freestyle national championship earlier this summer.

Brayden Thompson, an incoming OSU freshman and the No. 2 170-pound recruit in the 2023 class, also competed but went 0-2 in the 86 kg field. He, like Plott, had success earlier this summer, finishing runner-up at the U20 world team trials. sports.ed@ocolly.com

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O’Colly

Monday, July 31, 2023 Page 5

News PNAS publishes the research of three OSU faculty members

Luisa Clausen Editor-in-Chief Three OSU faculty members achieve a milestone.

Drs. Michael Reichert, Matt Bolek and Elizabeth McCullah had their work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

The three worked together on the article “Parasite effects on receivers in animal communication: Hidden impacts on behavior, ecology and evolution,” which was included in the July 18 edition of the publication.

PNAS is a peer-reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences that publishes scientists’ research worldwide.

Each year, PNAS receives more than 17,000 submissions and reaches a global audience.

Reichert said this journal has a broad read and people from different disciplines read the editions. Because of the broad reach, Reichert said their ideas will reach a wide audience inspired by those ideas to do new studies to help answer some of the questions they posed.

The article is part of a special edition on animal communication and encourages the focus on an area that is constantly overlooked.

McCullagh said most studies on animal communication focus on the signaler or the animal that is producing the communication signal- such as song, call or display- with very little focus generally on factors that change an animal’s ability to receive signal.

“In this context, we explore how parasites can change the reception of signaling information through infection of sensory organs,

Courtesy of OSU Integrative biology professors (from left) Drs. Michael Reichert, Elizabeth McCullagh and Matt Bolek

the brain or other physiological mechanisms that ultimately change the signal,” McCullagh said. “This alteration has broad implications and evolutionary consequences for both parasites and those they inhabit.”

Reichert, Bolek and McCullah had different interests in biological sciences, but when they met at OSU, the three started to consider their interests as a whole.

Bolek said that collabora-

tion between a parasitologist, neuroscientist and behavioral ecologist is uncommon and he hopes their unusual collaboration can serve as an example when scientists from different ares share knowledge, noval ideas and hypotheses can result.

“The benefits of our collaboration stem from combining our individual research areas, resulting in the development of novel and diverse ideas

and hypotheses to help us un“It’s been very stimulatderstand the biological world,” ing to me to think about comBolek said. munication in a different way, Reichert said their article and that only happens because focused on the importance of I have collaborations with using techniques and approach- some very passionate scientists es from different fields in biol- who have skills and perspecogy to study a phenomenon that tives that complement mine,” was not appreciated before. The Reichert said group foresees future multiLearn more about PNAS disciplinary approaches to and read open-access research answering biological questions articles on the PNAS website. because animal communication news.ed@ocolly.com research is advancing,

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O’Colly

News

Courtesy of OSU Agriculture HOP works to implement multiple proven public health strategies. The first is food and nutrition security.

Nutrition...

safe and accessible physical activity — connecting transportation networks to everyday destinations. Lastly, early care and education (ECE) settings — imContinued from 1 proving nutrition and physical activity.

Hildebrand said Oklahoma is unique in that strong partnerships exist HOP works to implement multiple between the proven public health strategies. The OSU Cooperative Extension, first is food and nutrition security — Oklahoma State Department of Health, promoting food service and nutrition Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowguidelines, expanding fruit and vegment Trust Healthy Living Program and etable voucher incentives and produce Cherokee Tribal Nation. prescription programs. The second is “There is mutual and proven

capacity in using policy, systems and environmental (PSE) approaches to decrease obesity and health disparities,” Hildebrand said. “Collaborative efforts have been successful in improving nutrition standards, establishing food systems and increasing miles of activity-friendly routes and places for safe physical activity. We look forward to continuing these partnerships and the positive impacts we can make together during the next five years.”

The new award from CDC HOP builds on success from 2018-2023 in

Adair and Muskogee counties. The OSU team worked with Cooperative Extension and state and community partners to implement public health strategies, including significant increases in healthy food distribution capacities for local food pantries, revitalization plans for local parks, safer walking and biking routes to local schools and more. HOP’s collaborative work was recognized by 15 state, regional and national awards and featured in several CDC showcases. news.ed@ocolly.com

O’Colly

Monday, July 31, 2023 Page 7

News Trump’s PAC to report legal expenses exceeding $40 million Mario Parker Bloomberg News Donald Trump’s political action committee spent $40.2 million on legal costs in the first half of 2023 to defend the former president, his advisers and others, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The political group, Save America, is set to disclose the figure in a filing on Monday, said the people, who asked not to be identified before the information is released.

The figure is substantial enough that the PAC has requested a refund on a $60 million contribution it made to another group supporting Trump, and signals a potential money crisis for the campaign, the New York Times reported late Saturday.

The disclosure is set to come as Trump, who’s leading polls for the 2024 Republican nomination, braces for yet another indictment, this time in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe into the aftermath of the 2020 election and the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

He’s already been indicted in a federal case over his handling of classified documents and in New York state court where he faces charges over alleged hush money payments to an adult film star.

Trump was hit Thursday with new obstruction charges in the criminal case over classified documents, including allegations that he and two employees tried to delete surveillance footage at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose standing in GOP primary polls has been dropping, criticized the spending. Communications director Andrew Romeo said the legal expenses wouldn’t help Republicans retake the White House.

“Trump has spent over $60 million on 2 things: falsely attacking DeSantis and paying his own legal fees, not a cent on defeating Biden,” Romeo posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Trump isn’t turning down anyone ensnared in his legal troubles seeking help, particularly those who can’t afford the expense, people close Courtesy of Tribune to him said.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump enters Erie Insurance Arena for a political rally while campaigning for the GOP nomination in the 2024 election on July 29, 2023, in Erie, Pennsylvania. news.ed@ocolly.com

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Page 8 Monday, July 31, 2023

O’Colly

Lifestyle Reflecting on Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Emi Norton Staff Reporter Speaking up and breaking down the barriers that oppression and world culture builds between ethnic minorities, and the right to a healthy state of mind.

The month of July was named Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in 2008 by the House of Representatives. Campbell’s bountiful efforts to create safe spaces where people of color could find equitable support for mental health care allowed for the unheard to be heard and the untreated to be treated.

Advocates that stood alongside Campbell sponsored the month of awareness in July with two goals in mind: improve access to mental health treatment and services and promote awareness of mental illness, and secondly, to honor Campbell and enhance public Courtesy of Dmitry Volochek awareness of mental illness in and around underserved comAs the years go on, access to information that leads minority groups to resources that have the power to assist with mental health and illness is slowly increasing but has a long way to go. munities.

Students part of ethnic white supremacy culture and things out.” uals from similar backgrounds that has made it more difficult minorities at Oklahoma State patriarchal systems prevented In a culture that has little as Lazo-Salmeron and Marquez to cope with the stress of life.

University today talk about me from speaking up about access to information and rehas forced them to explore dif“As much as I love adtheir battles with mental illness vocating for myself and othmy mental health. I felt like I sources about mental health and ferent strategies that allow them and how they overcome barrihad to internalize everything illness, like many others, Mar- to take initiative of their mental ers, it gets draining to do that, ers that continue to stem from to be seen as perfect, strong or quez felt like her feelings were health and heal on their own especially in predominantly the dark side of world culture. complete.” not understood as a minority in terms. white areas such as OSU,” As a result of admirable effort In addition to LazoAmerica.

“Our identities and Lazo-Salmeron said. “I have an from Campbell, individuals like established support system in Salmeron, members of minority “Being a minority in backgrounds provided us with first year Ph.D. student, Wilson my hometown in Maryland, and groups across the OSU campus America and dealing with my strength and resilience,” LazoLazo-Salmeron, are taking op- have found some new ones here from all different backgrounds mental health, one of the bigSalmeron said. “If you are not portunities to share their jourhave experienced the same gest obstacles that I’ve had to in a position right now to access which have been helpful. Nevneys with mental illness and overcome has been my parents information, I suggest trying ertheless, microaggressions and emotional and social oppresseek out supportive resources. sion, finding it difficult to speak not hearing me out,” Marquez to find a community you can biases still take a toll on my “I have learned from my said. “My grandma, who I love feel safe in. It can be very hard, mental health, but I have better up about their mental health. therapy experiences to cope Senior marketing and manage- very much, has always been but having people you feel safe strategies to care for myself and foster a better relationment major, Emmily Marquez, there for me, taken care of me around can provide hope and during these times.” ship with my mental health,” shares her experience as a and stood by my side. At the security. If that isn’t possible at Studies show that racial Lazo-Salmeron said. “I am still and sexual minority groups young girl growing up in a his- same time, I was missing that this time, I think finding a safe learning and growing from my show increased levels of anxipanic household as she strugparental connection since a activity that you love can be renew experiences. Mental health ety, depression, suicidal tengled with her mental health. bunch of my peers had those warding. It won’t fix everything is super important and I hope “Mental health is now connections with their famibut it can be meaningful to dencies, post-traumatice stress to advocate for more services, very important to me,” Marquez lies.” breathe, reflect and be present disorder and the list goes on. education and training for said. “Growing up, I wasn’t sure As the years go on, acwith that activity.”

These results have reportedly people.”

For information on OSU’s been linked, but not limited to, if it was because in my culture cess to information that leads As a native of El Salvatherapy and healings were not minority groups to resources mental health resources, visit immigration status, economic dor, a small country in Central conditions, education levels and an option. I am currently in that have the power to assist https://wellness.okstate.edu/ America, Lazo-Salmeron’s heri- access to public health benefits. therapy and it has started to with mental health and illness student-wellness/resources.html tage as well as being a member is slowly increasing but has a “I did not want to be seen help me see some things that of the LGBTQ+ community has as less than or weak,” Lazoweren’t clear before, but I’m long way to go. Coping with the inherently put him in a position Salmeron said. “Additionally, still in the process and working stigma that hovers over individ- entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

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Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes Today’s Birthday (07/31/23). Career victories come naturally this year. Making domestic changes and upgrades this summer inspires an autumn flurry of communications and networking. Winter brings exciting professional opportunities and creative projects, before springtime beckons exploration, investigation and discovery. You’re becoming an influencer in your field.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — New professional doors or markets appear to be opening. Grab an opportunity for a fun and lucrative project. Advance to realize your plans.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 9 — Explore new cultures, flavors and philosophies. Discover opportunities or treasure hiding underneath a change. Monitor news and conditions. Find creative solutions in your investigations.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Energize efforts contributing to joint accounts. Study money and review resources. Share the load to advance. Collaborate with your partner for common gain.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Ally forces. Together you can get farther, faster and with more fun. Romantic connections develop naturally. Share a mutual attraction. Share your insights and ideas.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Physical action gets results. Get support from friends. Build to fulfill a long-term dream. Envision beautiful results. Get out in nature and move your body.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Give in to creative impulses for delightful results. A playful attitude can lead to unexpected solutions. Practice your arts, hobbies and passions. Connect and share.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Nurture yourself and family with home comforts and diversions. Beautify your spaces. Fill with delicious flavors and fragrances. Relax together and enjoy the connection.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — You’re especially brilliant and creative. Write and sketch your ideas. Articulate your vision to take it to the next level.

Network and collaborate with talented friends.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Keep up the good work. Lucrative opportunities are worth pursuing. Quick action can net an extra prize. Long-lasting gain is possible. Stash the surplus.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — Pursue personal passions. Your confidence is contagious. Savor your favorite activities, views and people. Use your energy wisely to contribute to growth. Nurture yourself.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Peaceful privacy suits your mood and leads to productivity. Enjoy your secret sanctuary. Strategize and prepare for what’s ahead. Complete one phase and begin another.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Keep developing team strategies. Connection with friends feeds your spirit. Don’t take anyone for granted. Discuss shared dreams, possibilities and options. Have fun together.

Monday, July 31, 2023 Page 9

FOR RELEASE JULY 31, 2023

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Matriarch of the Three Bears 5 Grocery shopper’s aid 9 Private supply 14 “Right away” letters 15 Mideast leader 16 Catchall option on a survey 17 At a __ for words 18 Regarding 19 With 4-Down, small dog from Tibet 20 Bank customer, e.g.

23 24 horas 24 Disco __ of “The Simpsons” 25 Has lunch on a blanket, say 28 Colorful and fuzzy street art 31 More expansive 32 Southeast Asian language 33 Mani-__: spa treatments 35 “For sure” 36 Innovative concept 40 Cat coat 43 Calf-length skirts 44 Raspberry shade 47 “The way things are ... ” 49 Big-time letdown 53 Shares a tweet on Instagram, say 55 Pull the plug on 56 Ode title words 57 “I’ll tell you the rest another time,” and what can be said about the starts of 20-, 28-, 36-, and 49-Across 60 Vietnam’s capital 62 Comfort 63 Shape of many a car logo 64 Houston MLB player 65 Squeezes (out) 66 How-to presentation 67 Cereal eater’s utensil 68 Hissed “Hey!” 69 Etch or sketch

Level 1

7/31/23

By Jolie L’Heureux & Alexander Liebeskind

DOWN 1 Affliction 2 Preferring to be alone 3 Cosmetic applied with a wand 4 See 19-Across 5 Makeshift shelter 6 “Haven’t the foggiest” 7 Lightsaber wielders who are enemies of the Jedi 8 Scout unit selling cookies 9 Unsolved crime 10 Home of the Acropolis and the Parthenon 11 Donation recipient 12 Father and son 13 Time studied in history class 21 PC connection port 22 Really steamed 26 Average grade 27 Graduating gp.

29 Persona __ grata 30 Represent inaccurately 34 Hands out 37 Something left out

2

3

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

38 Photogenic expanse 39 “Woof!”

40 Few and __ between 41 Function 42 Verbally attack 45 Dine at a friend’s 46 Elementary school shoebox project 48 “My Neighbor __”: Studio Ghibli film

7/31/23

50 Consume 51 Insured investments: Abbr.

52 “Stay out of trouble” 54 Dream state 58 Thousand __: Ventura County city 59 Sondheim’s “Sweeney __” 60 Gives birth to 61 Egyptian snake

4

7/31/23

Solution to Saturday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

© 2023 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.