PUZZLE #544
PENT WORDS 21
This puzzle type was suggested by Patron Grant Fikes. Normally, you can suggest a puzzle type of your own choice over on my Patreon page, but both slots are still full, so you might have to resort to PayPal if you still want to make a request of your own.
For this puzzle, you must divide the grid into pentominoes (they’re sorta like Tetris pieces, except they’re areas made up of five squares each) and put a letter in each cell. The rows, reading from left to right, will contain the words hinted at by the ACROSS clues. The letters in the pentominoes, reading left to right beginning with the top row, will form the words hinted at by the PENTOMINOES clues; these clues are presented in no particular order. (In the example above, the rows spell out CHINS, PARTY, and ANKLE, and the pentominoes spell out the words CHINA, STYLE, and PRANK.) Use the across answers to figure out where the pentominoes go.
Once you're done, combine the two unclued pentominoes to get this week's FINAL ANSWER: a two-word phrase
ACROSS (Two answers per row)
1) Wasp's attacks
SpongeBob's crustaceous cheapskate of a boss, for one
2) Blue raspberry, for one
Easternmost country on the Arabian Peninsula
3) "I _____ the need... the need for speed!" (quote from Top Gun)
Henchman with a razor-sharp bowler hat who is playable in GoldenEye 007
4) Italian scooter brand that will turn 80 in 2026
City where the South Korean girl group Blackpink was formed
5) Solitary soul
Synonym for "zest" or "zip" that also starts with the same letter
6) Ancient Egyptian symbol that resembles a "T" with a loop on top
Native American tribe of Geronimo
7) Surliest member of the Seven Dwarfs
One-third of a hat trick in hockey
8) Sweet's partner, in a certain sauce
Sing like an ovenbird
9) "Papa Loves _____" (Perry Como tune also sung by Nat "King" Cole)
Like a faucet that refuses to stop dripping
10) Rash reactions, literally
With "out", barely obtained a win
PENTOMINOES (Five letters per answer)
• HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
• THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
• Actress Gaynor who appeared in South Pacific (1958)
• New South _____ (Australian state with the Sydney Opera House)
• Video game bear who shares his name with a bluegrass instrument
• Bit of gossip
• Event with a bull riding contest
• Word that rhymes with "Chevy" in Don McLean's "American Pie"
• Bowling lane
• Basic taste with a Japanese name
• Orange that looks like it has a belly button
• My Big Fat _____ Wedding 3 (2023 movie sequel)
• Puts up a painting or poster, perhaps
• Shout from Oscar the Grouch whenever he doesn't want company
• Mess up, as a wrestling move
• Tortilla chip to dip in cheese
• Protuberance
• Many _____ returns
• Member of a WNBA team based in Los Angeles
• Starched, say
Once you believe you've figured out the FINAL ANSWER, send it to either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com (though I'm more likely to check the second one) and I'll put your name on a solvers list once I post the answers in about two weeks. You can also use those email addresses to give me some comments and feedback (or even ask for a hint, though you'll be marked as having used one if you do so) or send me the answer to last week's puzzle, if you haven't already figured it out. If you have a printer and want to solve this puzzle on paper, just head below the break for a link to a .PDF version which you can print out!