Jared

Lost several minutes in the bottom right because I had DONNY instead of DARKO. I don’t like the use of “rite” in an answer if you aren’t clueing it with something signifying you’re using slang or online speak.

You sure the trump EPA is measuring AQI in 2025?

A “fella” is MAC? You know you can just have clues that work, right?

Great puzzle but I feel like it should have counted as a solve for keeping the rebus with ONCE in the squares. I get that the point is to “cut” the once out, but it’s not like the across words worked without the rebus. Seems like either/or should have worked for the app to count it as a solve.

This has got to be my fastest/best Friday ever, less than half my average time and without a single clue or lookup. (Usually I need help past Wednesday.) There will probably be a lot of complaints that this was too easy, but sometimes maybe that’s what we need.

If anyone says they got “oboe sonata” without looking it up or ample help from crosses, they’re lying

I had STONE AgES crossing with MINgES which I thought kinda worked somehow!

“Still Dre” was a 1999 rap hit, from the album 2001. How did you come up with 2022?

Toughest Thursday I’ve had in a while, not because of the theme just because of the clues!

CHOCULA and BROEY were actually two of the gimmes for me. Southwest corner has me flummoxed though.