Words to the Wise

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Crossword Grid
The grid above is not connected to the clues below. If you want to try one of my complete puzzles, you’ll find this grid, and the clues to it, and a link to the answers, here.

For many years I’ve been a fan of crossword puzzles, and occasionally I’ll stumble across a clue that is devilishly clever. I keep scribbling them down, and today, for a change of pace, I’m going to inflict them on you. They aren’t the notorious British-style ‘cryptic’ crossworld clues, but they’re deliberately ambiguous, and witty. So here they are. An underscore indicates a letter, and to make it a bit fairer I’ve entered some letters, including the first one, for each clue. Answers tomorrow.

1. One whose business is taking off:   S  _  _  I  _  _  E  _

2. Six-pointer, perhaps:   S  _  A  _    (hint: it’s not “star”)

3. Row between houses:  F  _  _  _

4. Master of double-take:  N  _  _  _

5. Gives religiously:  T  _  _  _  E  S

6. Oxford pad:  I  _  _  _  _  E

7. Buck topper:  A  _  _  _  E  _

8. Ticker tape letters:  E  _  _

9. Joined the mob, maybe:  R  _  _  _  E  D

10. Title from which “admiral” comes:  E  _  _  _

11. They may be bookmarked:  U  _  _  _

12. Jobs output:  M  _  _

13. Leaning to the right:  I  _  A  _  _  _

14. Jazz scores:  B  _  _  _  E  _  S

15. Grab some chow:  D  _  _  _  A  _

16. Bygone numbers:  E  _  _  _  R  S

17. Remote location:  D  _  _

18. Purposely try to lose:  D  _  _  _

19. Contracted group:  Y  _  _  _

20. Ocean liners:  C  _  _  _  _  S

21. It’s never left at sea:  S  _  _  R  _  _  _  R  _

22. Professor plum:  T  _  _  _  _  E

23. Place to see a camel:  I  _  _  R  _  _  _

24. It has six holes:  P  _  _  _  _  A  _  _  E

25. Uncommon delivery:  T  _  I  _  _  E  _  _

26. It’s used with some frequency:  H  _  _  R  _  _  I  _

27. Ring duo:  T  _  _  T  _  A  _

28. Star followers:  M  _  _  _

(Acknowledgements: Quite a few of these come from classic NYT puzzle constructors David Kahn, Bob Tausig, Bob Klahn and Pat Berry.)

OK, just to get you started, the answer to #1 is “stripper”.

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