This crossword was made for a materials science department newsletter, and the content may reflect that. However, it is definitely enjoyable and solvable by a general audience.
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Product of stable diffusion, midjourney, or DALL-E
11A
Most drunk beverage in the world, and a great way of reducing your heavy metals intake (Shindel, et al. Nature. 2023)
12A
They can be iron or collapsed
13A
Make sure you do this for your fall classes
15A
With 20 across, a material so elusive that it has never been experimentally confirmed
16A
There is no ____ Chicago
20A
See 15 across
22A
Tyrion Lannister demanded one "by combat" (This clue brought to you by House of the Dragon, available on HBO Max, now streaming blockbuster movies, epic originals, and addictive series. Plans start at $9.99/month.)
25A
It supports your balls
26A
The best Windows
27A
___ be missing her posthumous Pulitzer prize winning, eye-opening journalism from the late 1800s if not for ___ B. Wells. (?)
28A
Saruman employed birds as these (This clue is sponsored by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, streaming now on Amazon Prime. A student membership is only $59/year, and you can get the first 6 months free!)
29A
Your clock setting, most likely
Verticali
1D
Execrated
2D
MSG, for instance
3D
Singer on Yellow Submarine
4D
Take the blue one, and you'll believe in 15/20 across forever, idling for the rest of your days trying to find some signal of non-baryonic nonsense in an ever dwindling phase space. Take the red one, and you'll learn of Modified Newtonian Dynamics.
5D
______ of Protection (you wear it around your neck)
6D
-sexual or -slabyrinth
7D
You can cook one on the sidewalk in California right now
8D
High ___ is better than low ___
14D
Words of agreement, down under
17D
A Light in the ____ (This clue sponsored by the estate of Shel Silverstein.)