another stumper! this one plays a little trickier than the last one imo - while 45 test-solved as too easy and i had to toughen it up, this one test-solved too hard and i had to ease it up! i hope to keep making stumpers every so often, since cluing them is really really fun and feels like stretching a very distinct muscle.
big thanks to frisco and members of the lil avcx stumper-solving crew (faren, norah, and terry) for test solving. they are true heroes who volunteered to solve the worst version of a hard puzzle and their sacrifices will not be forgotten 🫡