Ray

@George Why? That's what botanists call them.

@Dave K. I admire your certainty.

@Andrzej It's golfing jargon. The club used when hitting the ball out of a sand trap is called a wedge.

@Nick A March 14, aka 3/14, is π day, for the irrational number 3.1415... .

@Bill in Yokohama I have an image of a 60s actress, maybe Carol Channing, in a gold lame dress. I think your dictionary does have it as a noun with an accent. "lamé : a brocaded clothing fabric made from any of various fibers combined with tinsel filling threads"

@Bill in Yokohama Lulu: one that is remarkable or wonderful

@Dougie It's an abbreviation for Independent Grocers Association which according to its website is the largest chain of independent grocers in the world, and has locations in the US, Canada, Australia, China, and Poland.

@Nat it' 2 words, "an a."

@Vaer I don't believe that is correct. You have to do them all before the end of the day of publication, but you can complete, for example, Monday's puzzle on Sunday night, and then complete Sunday's.

@nk Lulu is an adjective meaning something that is extreme. "Did you see Kate's dress on the red carpet? It was a lulu. For a minute I thought she was an astronaut."

@SBS I assume that you also did Sunday to Thursday puzzles the first 22 weeks of 2026, but not in 2016. As any clues and answers first appear in easier, more approachable, forms Monday through Thursday, that weakens your conclusion.

@Emmy Aries is the ram, Taurus is the bull.