Here is the filled-in crossword grid:
Answers and explanations (red for Ryan’s clues; the rest are Grant’s):
3: PIE (OPIE-O); PEA (Please Eat Any); ERA (thERApy); YAW (YAWN-N)
4: EWER (scREWEd); MESA (SAME anag.)
5: SNAFU (SNAF [FANS rev.]+U); OOZED (OOZ [ZOO rev.]+ED); UMAMI (UM+AM I); ALIAS (AL[I]AS); PRIOR (“PRYOR”); REALM (REAL+M); PIZZA (“PETE’S A”); MACAW (MAC+AW); HELIX (“HE LICKS”); VISIT (VI+SIT); JACKS (double def.); WEIRD (W+EIRD [DRIED-D rev.])
6: SCHOOL (double def.); JIGSAW (EOJIGSAW [WAS+G.I. JOE rev.]-EO)
7. SALTINE (SAL[TIN]E); LUMBAGO (PLUMBAGO-P); FIXTURE (FRUIT EX anag.); AWKWARD (A+WK.+WARD); JOYRIDE (J[OY]R.+I’D+E); TIDBITS (ThIs DeBrIs TeSt); TAVERNS (SERVANT anag.); CROQUET (C+ROQUEFORT-FOR); ATTEMPT (PET MATT anag.); CALYPSO (C[ALYPS] [PLAYS anag.]O)
9: TOMBSTONE (TOM[B]’S+TONE); CAFETERIA (CAF[ETE]RIA [AFRICA anag.]; IMPROMPTU (IMP+ROMP+TU); MULTITASK (MU[LTITA] [TILT A anag.]SK)
10: SOMERSAULT (S[OMER+SAUL]T.); CAPITALISM (CAP+I+TALISMAN-AN)
The shaded letters spell FALEY GRINDS ROTTEN SPONGE CAKES; the final answer is LADYFINGERS (FALEY GRINDS anag.).
23 valid entries were received. (This unusually high number compared to previous contests seems at least in part due to a link on a crossword forum.) The randomly-selected first-place winner of my board game Mammalath (with the Mammalath Plus expansion) and a $10 gift card for Grandmaster Puzzles is Nate Cardin! The randomly-selected second-place winner of a $10 gift card for Grandmaster Puzzles is Antoine Hinge! Congratulations!
Stay tuned on December 25 for a timely puzzle!
