Universal Crossword December 17, 2022
Author: by Matt Forest
Across
Dance with destiny | TEMPTFATE |
Carried on, as a campaign | WAGED |
Music genre whose performers have big ‘dos | HAIRMETAL |
Without a plus-one | ALONE |
Workers with many “STAT” requests | ERDOCTORS |
Arduous efforts | SLOGS |
___-Air (ritzy L.A. neighborhood) | BEL |
One who calls strikes at home | UMP |
Draw aimlessly | DOODLE |
CO and NO, chemically | OXIDES |
Top of an Office window? | MENUBAR |
Less in harm’s way | SAFER |
Seaside structure in Santa Monica | PIER |
Something to pitch at camp | TENT |
Below-the-belt campaign stratagem | SMEARTACTIC |
NFL six-pointers | TDS |
Skip a grade, e.g. | LEAPAHEAD |
Like some meds at CVS | OTC |
Common purchase before popping the question | DIAMONDRING |
“Animal” in one’s throat | FROG |
Looped in via email | CCED |
Bit of gossip | RUMOR |
Came up short | FELLSHY |
Invalidate | NEGATE |
Frozen Italian desserts | GELATI |
A couple | TWO |
Not straight, perhaps | GAY |
“All kidding ___ …” | ASIDE |
Get lunch, say | GRABABITE |
Type of ray in the ocean | MANTA |
Holiday wreath decorations | PINECONES |
___ salts | EPSOM |
Way to check if milk is spoiled | SMELLTEST |
Down
Subject of staff chatter | THEBOSS |
Drum inspection? | EAREXAM |
Stage for an age-related crisis | MIDLIFE |
Paid athlete | PRO |
SHO subsidiary for cinephiles | TMC |
What a womb contains | FETUS |
Tiniest amount of titanium | ATOM |
Infield cover during a rain delay | TARP |
Above-ground railways, briefly | ELS |
Hadn’t been switched off | WASON |
At full throttle | ALLOUT |
Solid gamble | GOODBET |
Neighbor of Scotland | ENGLAND |
Abandons | DESERTS |
Reply to “Merci” | DERIEN |
“I accept your offer!” | DEAL |
Flubbed | ERRED |
Word after “scientific” or “Socratic” | METHOD |
Vatican tenure | PAPACY |
Meaning of the first word in “veni, vidi, vici” | ICAME |
Martial art also known as shadowboxing | TAICHI |
Group of military officers | CADRE |
Controlled substance | DRUG |
Bad showing for an athlete | OFFGAME |
Raw material for maple syrup | TREESAP |
Tom ___ (gin c*cktail) | COLLINS |
“Just think of the possibilities!” | IMAGINE |
Writes, as music | NOTATES |
Most overcast, in London | GREYEST |
“Happily!” | GLADTO |
Type of engine on an old locomotive | STEAM |
___ Peace Prize | NOBEL |
Cut a little | TRIM |
Opposite of wax | WANE |
Nav. device | GPS |
Knee part, briefly | ACL |
Search engine spider, e.g. | BOT |