Puzzle 1

To soak up liquid, sponge or towel

Competitor who enters a game to cheat

__ Planet, world's largest travel guide

Aka polar wool, insulating synthetic fabric

Formerly in Prussia, gained independence after WWI

Common pet lizard with a long tail

Scooping constellation, can be big or small

Canine loves snacks as much as his scruffy friend

Allies, in their native American language

They make socks or stockings posher

To sell goods in small amounts

Russia annexed this Ukranian peninsula in 2014

Spanish version of a soap opera

Puducherry, once Pondicherry, part of __ India

A large public procession of a festive nature

In conclusion

Steep face of rocks and soil

Violent encounter between military forces

Road Runner chaser often seen falling off cliffs