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Rather mysterious intro.

June puzzle:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-WQdeO9wXEHakV3a2JaejE5VEk/view?usp=sharing

May solution:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-WQdeO9wXEHd2dDQzBTWmlKVmc/view?usp=sharing

For best results, please download, open, then print.

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Previous puzzles & threads can be found here:

2017: http://tinyurl.com/je5vkm8

2016: http://tinyurl.com/h2zduy4

2015: http://tinyurl.com/oynnjsx

2014: http://tinyurl.com/o6g6w4u

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No indication of which clues to be altered or in what way......maybe life's too short this month.
Thank you syzygy, whether or not I even attempt this one.

Thanks, syzzie. Most gratifying.

Thanks, Syzygy, an ingenious puzzle.

I'm not sure of 29d - Joe kind of needs to win a fight with an upset (4)

I have KONA, which seems to be related to coffee or a wind in Hawaii,
from knock out + AN reversed, or it could be the first letters of 'kind of needs' + A ?

Yes, mattrom. I took it as KO (knockout) with AN upset. Joe is American slang for coffee.

Thanks, Aristo.

There's a weird feature in the clue, probably inadvertent. Serendipity ?
All it would need is an indicator to boost it into the stratosphere.

Joe kind of needs to win a fight with an upset (4)

Perhaps ...
to win = take first place
... as indicator of first letters? Has that ever been used?
If that was the intent, it's brilliant !!

Yes, it's striking that the four letters appear that way. I had also wondered if KO was texting shorthand for kind of. It would indeed be remarkable if there were two completely different ways to parse it.

She hot?

OMG, KO.

Thanks for the info re 'Joe', Aristo. I hadn't heard that one, even with our inundation of US culture in movies, etc.