Puzzles & Games Dept.

Scratch an itchin’ for a backroom hitchin’: five letters.

“Didn’t need to know that, thanks!”: three letters.

Hall of nineties TV with a characteristic fist pump: seven letters.

Cigar-smoking, beer-guzzling witch of comics: ten letters.

Lenù’s brilliant friend in Ferrante’s “My Brilliant Friend”: four letters.

Affectionate greetings in the coronavirus age: nine letters.

Newbery Medal winner for “The Graveyard Book”: ten letters.

Writer of “Norwegian Wood” and “1Q84”: fourteen letters.

Introducing a third weekly puzzle—and three new constructors.

Lady who was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta: four letters.