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Puzzle #57– February 2006  "No Problem "

Instructions: Guess the words defined by the cryptic clues (words vary in length from three to eight letters and include three proper names and two foreign words), then enter them in the grid one after another in the same order as their clues, starting in the corner marked by the dot.• Across words that don't end at the right continue on the next line; down words that don't end at the bottom continue in the next column. Six across words and six down words won't fit in the grid unless one of their letters is removed. Those twelve letters, taken in order, spell a four-word phrase related to the unclued mystery word that appears in the five squares at the top of the correctly completed grid. 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

    Mystery entry
  1. Youngster with college degree produces metallic element
  2. Of the outer part that's lactic or creamed
  3. Lamentable way to mention reversal
  4. Alive but not well before ingesting new amino acid
  5. Dutch town made over
  6. Part of this drug's oxygen content is converted to energy
  7. Horse with three feet pointing back
  8. Dance and slyly look around
  9. Help in class is timely
  10. Nothing nice ending in river
  11. Agreement about shirt and hat
  12. Topic in mathematics
  13. Alternative chemical form is more volatile
  14. Normal expression of approval for password
  15. Move cord in place
  16. Goods that involve much conflict
  17. Traitor trapped in cerium container
  18. Bad in play-back
  19. Genius Democrat running
  20. Conveyance quickly gets protective cover
  21. Grunt of disgust suppressed by one who goes out with a girl child
  22. Rapid ruler takes Christ for master

Down

     
  1. Company brews this Parisian mix
  2. Pain grips long suffering animal
  3. Lengthen stone heave
  4. Filcher of contraband items
  5. Answer before teacher starts to fold
  6. Archival clerk has start of tendon strain
  7. Dramatist was back around the end of March
  8. Upright judge leaves pitch out for caulker finally
  9. Start to clean pistol for adulterer
  10. Strong desire for potted caviare
  11. Current producer of "Monday Madness"
  12. Mature note about turning irrational
  13. Like someone stamping a document in another font
  14. Ending of loose fiber
  15. Forbidding eastern soot
  16. Core of alien situation
  17. Skilled at short division
  18. Dump radical in brook for his initial audacity
  19. River for a festive outing
  20. Push on, ending all twaddle
  21. Produce turned up by Sus scrofa in France
  22. Makeup that's more expensive in Spain
  23. Rent us a room for loving

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