Wordy Wednesday 501: Touchword 26

WORDY WEDNESDAY #498
HEX PATHFINDER 32 (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 **
James Haddad **
Joe Bernard **
Karen Spencer **
Michael Lebowitz **
Stephen Potter **
Tyler Hinman **
Kevin Orfield **
Patrick Jordan **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #499
ANAWORDSEARCH 4 (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 **
Karen Spencer **
Michael Lebowitz **
Stephen Potter **
Tyler Hinman **
Kevin Orfield **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #500
PENT WORDS 100 (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 #501
TOUCHWORD 26
(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 Jonah, for one / Group of cattle / Hard fat surrounding the kidneys in beef
2 Cliché  / Recipient of a gift / Question
3 Underwater projectile / ____ for Speed (2014 film) / Spheres
4 The human trunk / Judges’ garments / Day of Pillow Talk (1959)
5 Associate / “Honesty is the ____ policy” / Part of the eye
6 Terminator: The Sarah ____ Chronicles / Kiss and ____ / Weary
7 “You ____ Me Round” (Dead or Alive hit) / Shakespearean character who killed Desdemona / Grass
8 2022 horror movie in which three friends get locked in a spooky costume store: 2 wds.
9 Feed / Pollen, for example
10 “Meat” and “potatoes”, for two / ____ Dunk (manga series about basketball) / A union of two companies
11 Advise / Gun store purchase / Equal
12 Scorch / Rarely / Word following “soap” or “space”
13 Stock purchase unit / Change decorations / Konami game in which Bill and Lance fight the terrorist organization Red Falcon
14 Genuine / Vessel for serving wine
15 Recipe amount, perhaps / Erstwhile anesthetic / Fall bloomer

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 15-letter, 3-word answer for "1997 science fiction movie starring Gary Oldman as the evil Zorg"?

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