Crossword puzzle clue "state with a pandhandle abbr"

State with a pandhandle: Abbr.

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin

Only U.S. state in which the name of the state and its capital share no letters: Abbr.

Article of tropical apparel ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares

Unlikely state of a state?

Secretariat's mother, for one ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares

State made up of two state postal abbreviations

Emergency worker ... whose start is a state nickname for the state indicated by the circled squares