This puzzle is a reverse, deconstructed crossword, where the clues are crossword answers and the grid fill are cryptic clues using our word bank. Common break-in points include two-word double-definitions (e.g. HACKNEY BEARING for “carriage”) and anagrams or reversals, like ORGASM/GROMAS or DECAF/FACED. While cryptic indicators are often ambiguous, their crossings can help us logically place words: for example, MANUFACTURING is used as an anagrind for EASEL, but semantically as part of COMPANY MANUFACTURING AUDIO for BOSE.
Note that in a few places, apostrophes are implicitly used to alter the meaning of the cryptics (as suggested by the flavor). For example, DRUNKEN ALES is used to anagram the letters “ALES”, but going down, ALE’S STEALING FROM… implies that the letters ALE are surrounding COV.
The completed grid is shown below:
1 CHICKEN | 2 INVERTEBRATE | 3 AVERAGE | OOGENESIS | 4 DNA | 5 RATING | 6 SYSTEM | 7 ENCOUNTERED | 8 IN | 9 FREELOADING | 10 BATTERY | 11 BROADCAST | 12 AFTER | 13 BACHELOR'S | 14 ROCK |
15 ANCESTOR | IS | FLIPPED | 16 PLETHORA | BLEND | AFTER | FAVOR | 17 DECAF | A | COMPOSED | FABRICATED | APPEARANCE | 18 ONE | RUN | EARLIER |
19 PIONEERING | SLAIN | RAPPERS | YEAR | CONJUNCTION | 20 SMALL | ENDS | FROM | SENT | ASCII | CARBON | 21 COPY | 22 HUNDRED | GROSS | LOW-KEY |
23 PSYCHOLOGIST | ARTFULLY | SOMEWHAT | HAS | 24 BEGINNING | 25 ECO-FRIENDLY | TEA | 26 BEHIND | LI | ART | SECONDS | THAT'S | HAYWIRE | BUDGET | AIRLINE |
27 DRUNKEN | 28 ALE'S | 29 RIGHT | BEAM | 30 UNWAVERING | ORGANIZATION | 31 ROCKY | 32 WORDY | NOISY | 33 PIANO | 34 OPPOSITE | FEDERER | LEFT | 35 EUROPEAN | COMUNE |
36 FELLOW | STEALING | HEART | 37 ODDLY | TART | SPLITTING | ACTOR | 38 HALF | PURELY | 39 GRIT | ODD | 40 LANGUAGE | 41 AFFLICTED | VESSELS | ENDORSEMENT |
42 REPRODUCES | FROM | FORGETS | LACKING | INNER | 43 EASTERN | 44 ENEMIES | OF | 45 JEDI | FORCE | THIS | 46 JON'S | POLE | PARTED | INTRODUCES |
47 WIVES | RECOVER | ENERGY | PASTA | INGREDIENTS | 48 TERM | FOR | VERBAL | SKIRMISHES | 49 PARTY | LEADERS' | ARGUMENT | SCARES | WITH | RETIE |
50 SILLY | HEART | 51 SONG | BY | VOCALIST | GAGA | 52 OXSKIN | COMPANY | CONCEALED | EARL | WOMAN | INSIDE | 53 WRESTLES | NAVIES' | 54 END |
55 SHORE | OPENING | WRITER | SHEBANG | 56 TENANT | FOR | EASEL | MANUFACTURING | STORAGE | BACKEND | 57 EVENLY | 58 TIE | SADLY | IN | PIECES |
59 HACKNEY | 60 BEARING | FOR | 61 DIGIT | ON | FOOT'S | SUPPORT | AUDIO | DEVICE | 62 FINALLY | 63 INTERPRET | EXTENSION | HIDES | 64 ALLEGED | STATEMENT |
65 FANTASTIC | BEAST | CONCERTO | ASSESSING | AIR | ALTERNATIVE | TIPS | 66 RUINING | OF | TREETOP | PARROT | FOR | UPSET | STRIFE | : THE |
67 AMPERE | CHOPPED | FINALLY | HEIGHT | SULLIVAN | 68 SATURATED | 69 ABANDON | ORGASM | 70 PEEL | AFTER | FOR | EXAMPLE | 71 INSPIRATION | PARTLY | VERMIN |
72 NEO'S | ORIGINAL | 73 PARKING | ASTROMETRY | EDGED | E.G. | NEWTON'S | 74 SURVEYING'S | STRANGE | MAPS | NEW | 75 SLING | 76 CHEW | SOUND | NO |
77 STUPID | BEAUTIES | MISS | DIRECTION | OF | HEAVY | LIFT | TOOLS | 78 RELATIVE | OF | GEESE | REGURGITATE | CUD | OF | KING |
The remaining four blanks correspond exactly to the four question marks in the word bank. We can solve these final cryptic clues to find the missing words and our answer, COPY, RIGHT, TERM, EXTENSION, or COPY→TERMEXTENSION with the round gimmick.
| Answers | Cryptic Clue | Explanation | Extract |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROGER | COPY THAT’S FEDERER | double def | COPY |
| TINY | SMALL ENDS FROM SENT ASCII CARBON COPY | ends of _T _I _N _Y | |
| MORAL | RIGHT HEART LOSES ENERGY | MORALE - E | RIGHT |
| LASER | DRUNKEN ALE'S RIGHT BEAM | ana(ALES)+R | |
| PHRASE | TERM FOR VERBAL SKIRMISHES | hom(FRAYS) | TERM |
| METER | EASTERN TERM GAGA FOR FOOT'S ALTERNATIVE | ana(E + TERM) | |
| PRETEXT | INTERPRET EXTENSION HIDES ALLEGED STATEMENT | _PRET EXT_ | EXTENSION |
| ZIP | TIE EXTENSION FOR EXAMPLE | double def |
Here is a list of explanations for the cryptic clues.
| Across | Answer | Clue | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SPINELESS | CHICKEN INVERTEBRATE | double def |
| 3 | GENES | AVERAGE OOGENESIS DNA | middle letters of ooGENESis |
| 5 | ELO | RATING SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED IN FREELOADING | freELOading |
| 10 | BASALT | BATTERY BROADCAST AFTER BACHELOR'S ROCK | B+hom(ASSAULT) |
| 15 | MA | ANCESTOR IS FLIPPED | rev(AM) |
| 16 | PROFUSION | PLETHORA BLEND AFTER FLAVOR | PRO+FUSION |
| 17 | FACADE | DECAF A COMPOSED FABRICATED APPEARANCE | ana(DECAF A) |
| 18 | AGO | ONE RUN EARLIER | A+GO |
| 19 | SYZYGY | PIONEERING SLAIN RAPPERS YEAR CONJUNCTION | S_ + YZ YG (two rappers) + Y |
| 20 | TINY | SMALL ENDS FROM SENT ASCII CARBON COPY | last letters of _T _I _N _Y |
| 22 | COVERT | HUNDRED GROSS LOW-KEY | C+OVERT |
| 23 | START | PSYCHOLOGIST ARTFULLY SOMEWHAT HAS BEGINNING | _ST ART_ |
| 25 | GREEN | ECO-FRIENDLY TEA | double def |
| 26 | JETSTAR | BEHIND LI ART SECONDS THAT'S HAYWIRE BUDGET AIRLINE | JET (Li) + ana(ART+S) |
| 27 | LASER | DRUNKEN ALES' RIGHT BEAM | ana(ALES+R) |
| 30 | FIRM | UNWAVERING ORGANIZATION | double def |
| 31 | ROWDY | ROCKY WORDY NOISY | ana(WORDY) |
| 33 | FORTE | PIANO OPPOSITE FEDERER LEFT EUROPEAN COMUNE | F_ + ORTE (comune in Italy) |
| 36 | ATTRACTOR | FELLOW STEALING HEART ODDLY TART SPLITTING ACTOR | ana(TART) in ACTOR |
| 38 | PURGI | HALF PURELY GRIT ODD LANGUAGE | PUR + G_I_ |
| 41 | AD | AFFLICTED VESSELS ENDORSEMENT | A_D |
| 42 | FORGES | REPRODUCES FROM FORGETS LACKING INNER EASTERN | FORGETS - _T_ |
| 44 | SITH | ENEMIES OF JEDI FORCE THIS | ana(THIS) |
| 46 | SNOWS | JON'S POLE PARTED INTRODUCES | N (pole) in SOWS |
| 47 | WHEATS | WIVES RECOVER ENERGY PASTA INGREDIENTS | W(HEAT)S |
| 48 | PHRASE | TERM FOR VERBAL SKIRMISHES | hom(FRAYS) |
| 49 | SECRETARIES | PARTY LEADERS' ARGUMENT SCARES WITH RETIE | ana(SCARES+RETIE) |
| 50 | STUPID LOVE | SILLY HEART SONG BY VOCALIST GAGA | STUPID+LOVE |
| 52 | COWHIDE | OXSKIN COMPANY CONCEALED EARL WOMAN INSIDE | CO(W)+HID+E |
| 53 | VIES | WRESTLES NAVIES' END | _VIES |
| 55 | SHACK | SHORE OPENING WRITER SHEBANG | S_ + HACK |
| 56 | LEASEE | TENANT FOR EASEL MANUFACTURING STORAGE BACKEND | ana(EASEL) + _E |
| 57 | STEADILY | EVENLY TIE SADLY IN PIECES | ana(TIE SADLY) |
| 59 | CARRIAGE | HACKNEY BEARING | double def |
| 61 | TOE | DIGIT ON FOOT'S SUPPORT AUDIO DEVICE FINALLY | _T _O _E |
| 63 | PRETEXT | INTERPRET EXTENSION HIDES ALLEGED STATEMENT | _PRET EXT_ |
| 65 | OGRE | FANTASTIC BEAST CONCERTO ASSESSING AIR ALTERNATIVE TIPS | _O _G _R _E |
| 66 | FOREST FIRE | RUINING OF TREETOP PARROT FOR UPSET STRIFE | hom(FOR) + ana(STRIFE) |
| 67 | PERMEATED | AMPERE CHOPPED FINALLY HEIGHT SULLIVAN SATURATED | ana(AMPERE) + _T + ED |
| 69 | FOREGO | ABANDON ORGASM PEEL AFTER FOR EXAMPLE | FOR + EG + O_ |
| 71 | RAT | INSPIRATION PARTLY VERMIN | _RAT_ |
| 72 | NEW | NEO'S ORIGINAL | double def |
| 73 | PASTRY | PARKING ASTROMETRY EDGED E.G. NEWTONS | P + AS_TRY (Fig Newtons are a type of pastry) |
| 74 | SAMPLINGS | SURVEYINGS STRANGE MAPS NEW SLING | ana(MAPS) + ana(SLING) |
| 76 | GNAW | CHEW SOUND NO | hom(NAH) |
| 77 | DUMBBELLS | STUPID BEAUTIES MISS DIRECTION OF HEAVY LIFT TOOLS | DUMB + BELLES - E |
| 78 | DUCK | RELATIVE OF GEESE REGURGITATE CUD OF KING | rev(CUD) + K |
| Down | Answer | Clue | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JUNGLEFOWL | CHICKEN ANCESTOR PIONEERING PSYCHOLOGIST DRUNKEN FELLOW | JUNG + ana(FELLOW) |
| 2 | SNAIL | INVERTEBRATE IS SLAIN ARTFULLY | ana(SLAIN) |
| 3 | PAR | AVERAGE FLIPPED RAPPERS SOMEWHAT | rev(RAP_) |
| 4 | AND | DNA BLEND CONJUNCTION | ana(DNA) |
| 5 | SEPARATING | RATING AFTER SMALL ECO-FRIENDLY ORGANIZATION SPLITTING | S + EPA + RATING |
| 6 | MR. T | SYSTEM FAVOR ENDS TEA ROCKY ACTOR | _M _R + T |
| 7 | FACED | ENCOUNTERED DECAF FROM BEHIND | rev(DECAF) |
| 8 | INNOCENTLY | IN A SENT LI NOISY PURELY | hom(IN A SENT LI) |
| 9 | PARASITIC | FREELOADING COMPOSED ASCII ART PIANO | ana(ASCII ART + P) |
| 10 | AA | BATTERY FABRICATED CARBON SECONDS | second letters of _A_ _A_ |
| 11 | AIR | BROADCAST APPEARANCE | double def |
| 12 | CHILLS | AFTER ONE HUNDRED HAYWIRE LEFT AFFLICTED POLE SCARES | C + H_ + ILL + S (pole) |
| 13 | BARGAIN | BACHELOR'S RUN GROSS BUDGET | BA + R + GAIN |
| 14 | RELACE | ROCK EARLIER LOW-KEY AIRLINE COMUNE ENDORSEMENT INTRODUCES RETIE | R_ E_ L_ A_ C_ E_ |
| 16 | RAY | PLETHORA YEAR HAS BEAM | _RA Y_ |
| 21 | ROGER | COPY THAT'S FEDERER | double def (copy that as in roger that) |
| 24 | TINA TURNER | BEGINNING UNWAVERING TART INNER INGREDIENTS VOCALIST | ana(U_ + TART INNER) |
| 28 | ALCOVE | ALE'S STEALING FROM RECOVER HEART OPENING | ALE around _COV_ |
| 29 | MORAL | RIGHT HEART FORGETS ENERGY | MORALE - E |
| 32 | VERBOSE | WORDY HALF OF VERBAL COMPANY MANUFACTURING AUDIO | VER_ + BOSE |
| 34 | OTHER | OPPOSITE ODD THIS LEADERS WOMAN | O_ T_ + HER |
| 35 | FLY | EUROPEAN VESSELS PARTED WITH NAVIES IN | FLYBOATS - BOATS |
| 37 | AT | ODDLY LACKING PASTA BY SHEBANG | _A_T_, symbol near #! symbols |
| 39 | GRAVEL | GRIT FORCE PARTY EARL BACKEND | G (force) + RAVE + _L |
| 40 | JARGON | LANGUAGE JON'S ARGUMENT INSIDE | ARG in JON |
| 42 | MATES | REPRODUCES WIVES | double def |
| 43 | METER | EASTERN TERM GAGA FOR FOOT'S ALTERNATIVE | ana(E + TERM) |
| 44 | FOES | ENEMIES FOR OXSKIN EASEL SUPPORT TIPS | F_ O_ E_ S_ |
| 45 | DISK | JEDI SKIRMISHES CONCEALED STORAGE DEVICE | _DI SK_ |
| 50 | HORSE | SILLY SHORE HACKNEY | ana(SHORE) |
| 51 | GLASS | SONG WRITER FOR CONCERTO FINALLY PARKING MISS | _G + LASS (Philip Glass) |
| 53 | RESTLESS | WRESTLES SADLY HIDES UPSET | _RESTLES S_ |
| 54 | TENNO | END PIECES STATEMENT: "THE VERMIN NO KING" | _T _E _N + NO |
| 56 | BORDERED | TENANT ON AIR SULLIVAN EDGED | hom(BOARDER) + ED |
| 57 | NENE | EVENLY INTERPRET PARROT FOR NEW GEESE | _N_E_P_E (P->N) |
| 58 | ZIP | TIE EXTENSION FOR EXAMPLE | double def (.zip) |
| 60 | EAST | BEARING BEAST CHOPPED ORIGINAL BEAUTIES | BEAST - B |
| 61 | ALTITUDE | DIGIT ASSESSING HEIGHT ASTROMETRY DIRECTION | double def |
| 62 | AT LAST | FINALLY TREETOP AFTER MAPS | ATLAS + T_ |
| 64 | LEGAL | ALLEGED STRIFE PARTLY SOUND | ana(ALLEG_) |
| 65 | A-ONE | FANTASTIC AMPERE NEO'S STUPID | A + ana(NEO) |
| 66 | GROMAS | RUINING ORGASM SURVEYING'S TOOLS | ana(ORGASM) |
| 68 | FAT | SATURATED E.G. HEAVY | double def |
| 69 | LEAVEN | ABANDON NEWTON'S LIFT | LEAVE + N |
| 70 | SKIN | PEEL STRANGE RELATIVE | S + KIN |
| 71 | MUSE | INSPIRATION CHEW CUD | double def (to chew the cud = to ponder) |
| 75 | THROW UP | SLING REGURGITATE | double def |