150. Sounds Funny to Me

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Hello hello! After all the ups and downs this season, it's nice that the Cubs are still playing relevant baseball in September. We'd play the Padres if the season ended today in a wild card matchup at Wrigley. Wish us luck!

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1. Puzzle #149 answer: 2025

Correct entries: 55 - that's a Level 3.5/4 indeed!

Shortest explanation: Take the nine entries with perfect squares 1 to 81. Square root these numbers, and index the entries' letters (so first letter from the clue with a "1," second letter from the clue with a "4," and so forth). You'll spell out FORTY-FIVE, which is not a number less than 100, so per the title, square that to get 2025, our current year and the apropos answer to the meta!

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2. This was meant to be the last puzzle of the Summer of Solves, but I do have a bonus one next week before we go every other week until winter. This one is a Level 1 (really).

Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful!

Mikey G

The answer to the meta is a common 2-word, 10-letter phrase.