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Hints for Puzzle #90– November 2008  "Getting on your nerves"

Instructions: Parentheses around a clue mean that a letter must be omitted from the answer word before it will fit in the grid. Numbers in parentheses indicate lengths of answer words, and an asterisk * indicates a capitalized word.

Across

  1. Spruce: Darwin's conifer (5)
  2. Glass section of vessel with matte finish (4)
  3. (Change nomenclature to include any organism's complement of DNA) (6)
  4. Mostly hot pepper, e.g., found in shelter (7)
  5. Turned to ice, hitting zero after start of February (5)
  6. (Maybe dad's conspicuous when making time run) (6)
  7. (Secure or insecure means) (8)
  8. Force energy out of grain in the gut (8)
  9. (Train running with no allotment) (6)
  10. A vehicle can fit inside it backwards (4)
  11. *Mystery entry (5, 1, 5)
  12. Run in shift for new thrill (6)
  13. Escape through steel opening (5)
  14. *The netherworld's troubled shade (5)
  15. (Small payment went essentially for sweet cake) (7)
  16. Current energy decree originally passed easily (4)
  17. One who fails has nothing and is freer (6)
  18. *Wine making town's entourage is fantastic (4)
  19. Fool beginning to charge into sand pile (5)
  20. Remnants of a stew recycled (5)
  21. (Negligent about girl) (6)
  22. (Secure strip encircling city) (5)

Down

  1. (Sing rude tune for pirate) (7)
  2. Colt's start speed is unaffected (6)
  3. Low note, hard money (6)
  4. Did break date with cheerleader (5)
  5. *Jewish prophet of period encompassing Zion's origin (4)
  6. *Crazy Gershwin drinks the last of the wine (7)
  7. Get bullied out of fixing the decor (8)
  8. (Animal dealer is heartless) (4)
  9. (O writer stirred gin to get a start) (7)
  10. Subsidence of liquid originally found in pit (5)
  11. *Tell about very old region of Europe (5)
  12. *(A note is trashed by one of Russia's western neighbors) (7)
  13. Cost includes new title (6)
  14. (Sounded poison alarm) (6)
  15. Last of wooden blocks is proudly put into place (7)
  16. Southeastern Celt worked with pick (6)
  17. Coax sweetheart wearing flimsy lace (6)
  18. New age rejects taking risk (5)
  19. (Irritate former spouse with separate arrangement) (10)
  20. (Filter, improved by engineering, is productive) (7)
  21. *Give up 100 in coin for new car (4)

© Copyright 2008. John de Cuevas. All rights reserved.