| SUBSTANDARD | This word means inferior (11) |
| SEMI | Which prefix means "inferior" or "half"? (4) |
| TEMPO | This word means in Italian "rate of speed," in reference to music. The Italian, in turn, is derived from a Latin word meaning "time." The first known use is c. 1724. |
| APISH | This word means stupid (5) |
| SPONGE | This word means to cadge (6) |
| DOZE | This word means fall into a light sleep (4) |
| ANNOY | This word means irritate or bother (5) |
| AUDIBLE | Scientific synonym: This word means "can be heard" (or the Amazon-owned company that sells books you can listen to) |
| PICOSECOND | Using the metric prefix for "trillionth," this word means "one 60-trillionth of a minute" |
| SIMBA | Protagonist of the 1994 film The Lion King, and the son of Mufasa. This word means 'lion' in Swahili. |
| NULLANDVOID | "Invalid" equivalent whose first word means "amounting to nothing" and whose third word means "big, empty space": 3 wds. |
| ISEEHOWITIS | Annoyed comment whose second word means "observe" and whose third word is a question akin to "in what way?": 5 wds. |
| HATETOSEEIT | "Would much rather that hadn't happened" equivalent whose first word is the opposite of "love" and whose third word means "observe": 4 wds. |
| IGOTYOUBABE | Song title whose second word means "received" and whose last word is similar to "sweetie": 4 wds. |
| LETTHEMCOOK | Phrase whose second word is the counterpart of "us" and whose third word means "prepare food": 3 wds. |
| HANGGLIDING | Sport whose first word is a verb similar to "drape" and whose second word means "proceeding smoothly": 2 wds. |
| FOUNDFAMILY | Term for a close set of friends whose first word is an antonym for "lost" and whose second word means "kin": 2 wds. |
| SEEYOUTHERE | "Plans confirmed!" equivalent whose first word means "observe visually": 3 wds. |
| MINDREADING | Superpower whose second word means "enjoying a book": 2 wds. |
| CYCLICPOETS | Early Greek authors whose first word means "related to circles": 2 wds. (Theme answer: The circled letters represent a "Star Wars" droid.) |
