Wordy Wednesday 492: Touchword 25

WORDY WEDNESDAY #490
PENT WORDS 98 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Cole Kendall **
James Haddad **
Joe Bernard **
Karen Spencer **
Michael Lebowitz **
Stephen Potter *
Tyler Hinman **
John Bulten **
Kevin Orfield **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #491
CRYPTICROSTIC 17 (hint)

As of this writing, 13 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #492
TOUCHWORD 25
(click here for a PDF version)

In a crossword, words cross each other; in this puzzle, they merely touch. More specifically, all answers read across, and every letter shares an edge with at least one identical letter either immediately above or immediately below. The top and bottom rows are considered adjacent.

Arrange the letters in the shaded spaces to form the final answer, an 8-letter word.

1 Dish for serving soup, perhaps / “I wasn’t born ____!”

2 Filmed audition: 2 wds. / Zeal

3 Medieval copyist / A shade of blue / Fur trader John Jacob ____

4 Garment for an Indian woman / ____ the Clock (game show) / Smash Mouth song featured in Shrek: 2 wds.

5 Oceanic / Ring-shaped coral reef / At a distance

6 Dimwit / Lightweight water vessel / Saltwater ____

7 Rabat resident / Scare stiff

8 1968 hit for Steppenwolf: 3 wds.

9 Zodiac archer / Assistant

10 Canonized person / Mathematical donuts / Functional

11 Deluges / Multiplication ____

12 Least common / Jazz trumpeter Louis

13 Smoke detector: 2 wds. / Loose Malay garment

14 Pertaining to financial matters / Scent / One attending a party alone

15 A region of Italy / A city in Italy / Item for stiffening a shirt collar

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 13-letter, 2-word answer for "Adam Sandler’s costar in 50 First Dates (2004)"?
* A Framelinks!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!