Occasions to Use Pepper

a.k.a. 26(a) in Friday's puzzle.......



Riots.


Hah!

Thank goodness Friday was back to its usual 15-year-old girl self: difficult but charming. Last week, it was same 15-year-old girl strung out on meth: very difficult and not at all charming.

More funny clues in one Friday puzzle than I've seen in a while. Maybe it was atoning for its bad behavior last week.

Another really funny one was 43(d) Types a little to the left

Pinkos.

There was one sign of the Apocolypse, to use Sports Illustrated's quote heading.

The NYT actually used 'sext' in a puzzle. As in 56(d) send explicite messages by phone, or something similar.

Really?! I thought you were better than that, Will Shortz!

Saturday's puzzle is usually a bit of a bully. The bully must have had its nap this week, though, because it was almost pleasant.

Not as funny as Friday's, but still occasional smiles:

45(d) Not the most stimulating work

McJob

and 47(d) Has a list

Tilts.
Heh.

Carry on.