What a fun grid! Very cleanly executed, and I love the feeling of using the circled letters to fill in that last circle without even looking at the clues that run through it; it makes me feel much cleverer than I am!
Congratulations, you’ve won the July midi contest! Get into touch with me via Discord/email to let me know your choice of theme for next month’s contest
Blue Jays, Raptors, or Maple Leafs on a scoreboard
11A
Phenom pugilist
12A
Farm female
13A
Fitting
14A
Restaurant etiquette, in some places
16A
Cocktail "Mai ___"
17A
Taxi alternative
18A
Specific pattern you can find both in space and by connecting the circles on the grid
21A
Wild guess
22A
"Art ____" Popular 20s aesthetic
25A
Another name for the brightest part of 18A18ASpecific pattern you can find both in space and by connecting the circles on the grid[---------] (its more common name can be found by unscrambling the circled letters)
29A
Opera star
30A
Draft choice
31A
Moves upward
34A
Nice way to deny
35A
Famous KPOP group
36A
Instinctive
37A
"Life of Pi" director Lee
38A
Hebrew judge
39A
Salty sauce
40A
Comprehend
Down
1D
Position
2D
Andy Warhol genre
3D
Skilled practitioner
4D
Actress O'Neal or actor Channing
5D
Cover story
6D
Mature
7D
Oahu ornament
8D
Possess
9D
Implore
15D
Pokes
19D
Dwelling
20D
Eye liners
23D
Mobster Al
24D
Fruit that surprisingly came first
26D
Calls
27D
Mulder & Scully, White & Pinkman are examples of one