Today's puzzle is an X-sums! A genre which was seemingly invented out of a necessity for an X genre in an alphabet-themed puzzle contest, this was due to be posted during alphabet week, but it was decided that having X-sums in the sudoku and puzzle channels would be a little too silly. Good thing Eric came to the rescue with a great alternative.

Rules: Place a number from 1 to N into each cell so that each row and column contains every number from that range with no repeats, where N is the side length of the grid. A clue outside the grid indicates the sum of the first X numbers in the corresponding row or column from the direction of the clue, where X is the first number in that row or column from the direction of the clue. (So basically X-sums Sudoku without boxes).

Alternatively, see this GAS post for a more detailed explanation: Discord message

Example (Penpa+): https://tinyurl.com/2gm7an3t

Acquire a Speedy Sloth 🦥 by solving the puzzle in 3:30 or less!
Obtain a Quick Crab 🦀 by solving the puzzle in 7:15 or less!
And all solvers who complete the puzzle will be rewarded with an Xtraordinary Xingu Scale-backed Antbird 🐦

Puzzle (Penpa+): https://tinyurl.com/2plvz2dw

Today's (of course first, and only) puzzle is a SUPERSIZED Look-air!

Rules: Shade some cells such that all connected regions of shaded cells form perfect squares. Two squares of the same size may not have a direct view of one another (i.e. have a straight line of unshaded cells in between them) but may be in the same row or column. A number in the grid represents the number of shaded cells that share at least one edge with it (including itself).

Example (Puzz.link, adapted from the puzz.link rules page): https://tinyurl.com/39mbpsxa

Important hint: 2 clues cannot be shaded! This is because if a 2 were shaded, either the shaded cell forms a 1x1 square (in which case the 2 clue is a 1), or it forms a 2x2 square or lager (in which case the 2 clue is 3 or greater)

The first appearance of this genre in GAPP, way back in the day, can be found here: https://discord.com/channels/709370620642852885/911691996366786600/911696224346849330

Acquire a Speedy Sloth 🦥 by solving the puzzle in 5:30 or less!
Obtain a Quick Crab 🦀 by solving the puzzle in 12:30 or less!
And all solvers who complete the puzzle will be rewarded with a Large Little Lorikeet 🐦

Puzzle (Puzz.link): https://tinyurl.com/46se66sz