Another brief puzzle! I think there was a series of short ones toward the end of August(?) that kinda bothered me, but this I think it’s weird that right after there’s an article about the Spelling Bee that they publish a series of lame ones. Is it because they think the short ones are attractive to newer audiences? Because I do not agree. I think there’s a happy medium between impossible and interminable. Lull people into a false sense of fun and then get them with the long one that I personally like and the short ones that I detest.

And now for yesterday’s missed words.

ANDIRON: I guess it’s also known as a fireplace log grate. ANDIRON is a way less descriptive name. Don’t worry, the etymology is even weirder:
“fire-dog, one of the pair of metallic stands used to support wood burned on an open hearth,” c. 1300, from Old French andier “andiron,” which is of unknown origin, perhaps from Gaulish *andero- “a young bull” (source also of Welsh anner “heifer”), which would make sense if they once had bull’s heads cast onto them. Altered by influence of Middle English iren (see iron (n.)).
ANON: I keep missing this one. I don’t know why. It’s so easy.
APIARIAN: I’ll let GOB handle this one.

INROAD: Meh.
NAAN: My bad. Still, what happened to HORCHATA?
NAIAD: A Greek mythology water nymph. I think I’ve missed this one before, too.
NONPAID: Like a quarter of America right now, AMIRITE?!
PARADOR: I can’t even with this one. It’s a hotel in Spain and owned and administered by the Spanish government. But, again, no HORCHATA, no TORTA.
PARADROP: I don’t fault myself for missing this one.
RAPINI: A Mediterranean turnip.
RIPARIAN: Relating to or on the banks of a river. Cool.

Final score: 24 words for 81 points.
Genius minimum: 71
First word: JUROR