Hello from Day 23 of the current California COVID constant curfew. And happy second night of Chanukah!

Yesterday I didn’t shoot for Queen Bee, and it’s reflected in my misses! Today I didn’t shoot for Queen Bee, either, and I don’t feel bad about that.

Looking at the misses, they weren’t obvious. I missed HALVAH but got HALVA. I missed PUPAE but got PUPA. I missed HELLUVA because I didn’t think to think of that word.

Meatier misses

APPELLEE: The respondent in a case brought to a higher court. Good for me to separate this so I can think about it more. And for it to be in the news all the time and I still missed it. But that’s OK.
UPHEAVE: literary Heave or lift up (something, especially part of the earth’s surface). What would we do without definitions that start with the literary qualification?
UVEA: The pigmented layer of the eye, lying beneath the sclera and cornea, and comprising the iris, choroid, and ciliary body.
UVEAL: Adjective of the above.
UVULA: A fleshy extension at the back of the soft palate which hangs above the throat.
UVULAE: Many of the above. Because people says uvulae instead of uvulas? OK, bro.
VULVAL: The female external genitals. I don’t know how they get away with such content in a family newspaper!

Today’s summary

Final score: 20 words for 74 points.
Genius minimum: 67 points.
First word: VOLATILITY
Pangram: VOLATILITY

UPDATE

Final score: 21 words for 79 points.
Genius minimum: 67 points.
First word: VOLATILITY
Pangram: VOLATILITY
New word: ATILT

UPDATE 2

Final score: 22 words for 84 points.
New word: AVAIL

I’ll stop looking at it now.

Enjoy your weekend!