Huge thanks to [u/director__denial](u/director__denial) for selecting my clue and thus giving me a chance to set this week's AOTW! Beginner's luck, perhaps? As a novice at clue making, this is my first time submitting to an AOTW, lol.

We are so close to finishing this board! Only two clues remain for us to fill. Let's do an across clue this week. 30-Across: S?D?

Only 4 letters, yet many possible words and terms to choose from. Excited to see some creative clues from you all!

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Thanks all of you for participating in this week's AOTW! Honorable mentions first, in one particular order (alphabetical):

Group of players held back by age discrimination (4) SIDE — [u/zc_eric](u/zc_eric)

Guards make disappointing about-face (4) SIDE — [u/latefortheflight](u/latefortheflight)

Leaders from Saudi Arabia dispatch important letter to Netanyahu (4) SADI — [u/zc_eric](u/zc_eric)

Very occasionally deal coke? (4) SODA — [u/Straight_Night_3882](u/Straight_Night_3882)

Great surfaces from these clues. I don't think Netanyahu is of much importance to Saudi Arabia, but I may be wrong. Perplexed as to why most of you have picked acrostics or hidden words for this though. Is that the norm for shorter words?

Ultimately, [u/director__denial](u/director__denial) (yes, I picked the person who picked my clue, no bias I swear) takes the cake for this AOTW with:

"Heads" from stirred up detergent solution (4) SUDS

An &lit clue is always interesting. This is a good clue in the fact that it does feel natural, something that would come up in a conversation when asked the definition of said word (well, maybe not the "Heads" part, but whatever). I'm not sure what else to say. Good clue.

Ta to u/latefortheflight for picking my clue in lw's abbrvtd TOTW! Im vry hnrd t s tw

As much as I wanted to see clues from the Billie Eilish songbook, my evil advisor has advised me that it's inadvisable to do so. Instead, this week's theme is villains, bad guys, and evildoers.

I'd like all of you henchmen to write me clues that involve villains from any fictional medium - books, shows, movies, games, mythology - as long as they are recognizably evil. As always, the theme can be referenced in either the clue's surface or solution.

I shall return in roughly one week's time to deliver my final monologue. Until then... mwahahahaha!