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Puzzle #45– February 2005   "Surface Tension"

Instructions: Guess the words defined by the cryptic clues (words vary in length from three to eight letters and include four proper names), then enter them in the grid one after another in the same order as their clues, starting in the upper left corner. Across words that don't end at the right margin continue on the next line below; down words that don't end at the bottom margin continue in the next column to the right. Six across and five down words won't fit in the grid unless one of their letters is removed. Those eleven letters, taken in order, spell a word related to five mystery entries. As ever, I am indebted to Kevin Wald for help with the clues. (If you are having trouble printing these puzzles, you can download an Adobe Acrobat version of the puzzle and grid). [Want to see some hints?]

Across

  1. In a dream, stirred a briny liquid
  2. Spanish for rope or line that's curved
  3. Theme of this puzzle: Surface Tension
  4. I recalled a title for a rainbow
  5. Put out of excellent school
  6. Teddy has letters and locks
  7. Mystery entry
  8. Don't start to talk in climax
  9. Beginning of slow rise as decoy
  10. Ran into unclad male lead, for instance
  11. Ancient order has late retreat
  12. Mystery entry
  13. Color of Chinese city
  14. Mystery entry
  15. Went around carrying a tropical plant
  16. Provide food service including small cruet
  17. Chained wild animal
  18. Left money in den
  19. Sawbones grabs head of tuna fish
  20. Replicate bit of light in photoreceptor
  21. Smash and burn about a thousand
  22. The author's subject
  23. Platform position captivates large number

Down

  1. Mystery entry
  2. Island knockout leads to bad mood
  3. Headless newborns with start of rare disease
  4. Pour liquid from crude canteen
  5. Eros sexually embracing Diana
  6. Medicine begins in repair of blood
  7. Reportedly cool country
  8. Plant to contend with nitrogen
  9. Roman preservative found in Thessaly
  10. Coats for golfer holding title
  11. Relation of animal and cowgirl
  12. French sailor holds line for fish
  13. A lot of luck gets bird in lake
  14. Mother holds note up as a point of reference
  15. Runs off energy in feed
  16. Confined in open territory
  17. Furtive group hides note
  18. Extra meal, but with only one pint
  19. Too bad about hydrogen having substance
  20. Mutual confusion in this French pile
  21. Mystery entry
  22. All but one from Paris engaged in actual retaliation
  23. Ring put together with a note in folded paper

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