NYT Crossword Puzzle 8-31-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

I pulled out 2D Grassy South American plain: LLANO because that’s a word that I had missed time after time in the NYT Spelling Bee. Finally I learned it and find it almost routinely. Solving this clue was super easy for me, and I’m very proud of that.

This puzzle was another of those bad-pun theme ones. I use the term pun loosely because puns can work both ways. These really couldn’t.

18A Good snack for a pilot?: WINGNUTS. Wingnuts are a terrible snack for anyone. I mean I get that nus can be on a plane, and wins are on a plane, but wingnuts are not food.

Wingnuts: Choking hazard at all ages. (MSCDirect)

24A Good snack for a gangster?: TOUGHCOOKIES. Tough cookies may be a great snack for a teething child. I mean if frozen minibagels are good for teething children, tough cookies should be fine. But for a gangster? Lame.
39A Good snack for a flea market dealer?: BARGAININGCHIPS. We all know about bargaining at flea markets, but if they’re going with flea market, why not make a flea joke? And if they’re not going to make a flea joke, why not just opt for used car lot? And bargaining chips aren’t meant for eating! Then you can’t use them!
51A Good snack for an arsonist?: FIRECRACKERS. Also not food! Hot Tamales would have been way better because it would have made sense.

The official slogan is GET FIRED UP!

Or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

It’s like they had arsonists in mind!

Firecrackers are not food.

62A Good snack for an optometrist?: EYECANDY. Shame on you, Eric Bornstein. Let’s get Eric Baird in there instead.

Finished this one in 8:02.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday8:083:499:278:2772
Tuesday8:025:2213:2110:1815
Wednesday7:3817:1811:3412
Thursday12:1228:5726:2012
Friday16:2333:5028:1812
Saturday27:4334:2234:4912
Sunday15:1154:5844:301

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