ANSWERS: Insiders 5

Before we get to the list of everyone who solved "Insiders 5" from about two weeks ago, I just wanted to give a shout-out to one of my former solvers (and primary author of one of my earliest puzzles, "Which-Way Words"), Paolo Pasco, for sweeping the Jeopardy Tournament of Champions Finals last week! Congratulations on that feat, and good luck with Jeopardy Masters in a few months!

• Cindy Heisler
• Grant Fikes
• Cathy Bowen
• Marie desJardins
• Dave C
• Joe Bernard
• Pavel Curtis
• Kevin Orfield
• Okieboy2008
• Michael Lebowitz
• Sam Levitin
• Chris Kochmanski
• Derek Allen
• Patrick Jordan
• Steve Gunter
• Wendy Walker
• Mom [Hints Used]
• Eli Zarconi
• KeoFam

Now that the solvers list is out of the way, head below the break for the answers!

PUZZLE #580: Insiders 5

PUZZLE #580

INSIDERS 5

Before we get to my latest puzzle, I have some news I wanted to share! You see, Diary of a Crossword Fiend's ORCA Awards for the best crosswords of 2025 are coming up, and at least one of my puzzles got nominated in the "Best Variety Crossword" category! Not only that, Crossword Fiend has also crafted a puzzle pack featuring most of this year's nominees (the proceeds of which will go to a suicide prevention nonprofit), and my nominated puzzle(s) managed to get included! Donors who purchase this pack will not only gain access to plenty of other puzzles and support a good cause in the process, but also get early access to the final ORCAs ballot, which won't get posted publicly until February 3rd. You can find more details regarding the ORCA Awards Puzzle Pack (as well as how to get it for yourself) at https://crosswordfiend.com/14th-orca-award-puzzle-pack/. Now then, with all that info out of the way, here are the directions to this week's puzzle:

Each row in this puzzle consists of two answers, clued in the order in which they appear. Going across both of these answers is a third word, known as an "Inner Word". For example, if a row's two answers were JETSAM and PLEA, then the Inner Word for that string of letters would be SAMPLE (like so: JETSAMPLEA). The Inner Words are listed in no particular order, and shading them or crossing them out in each row is highly recommended.

Once everything's been filled in, all of the letters not used in the Inner Words, when read left to right and row by row, will spell out a clue to the FINAL ANSWER: a two-word title

ROWS

1) Dilapidated dwelling

    _____-Pot (trademarked slow cooker brand)

2) Superlative suffix for "rich" and "poor"

    "Rich" is this to "poor", grammatically speaking

3) Shape of Subaru's starry logo

    Military units that you control in the Total War series of strategy computer games

4) Pollute or poison, as water

    Less polite

5) Stand-up comedienne Rudner

    The _____ of the Shrew (play that 10 Things I Hate About You is loosely based on)

6) The two smallest of ten fingers

    Letter after sigma

7) Wooden boards for a carpenter's construction project

    Answering machine’s beep, e.g.

8) "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" duo

    "There's No Business Like Show Business" singer Ethel who also acted in a film of the same name

INNER WORDS

• Blatantly ignore a "No Trespassing" sign, maybe

• Darkest, like a graphic novel illustration that's mostly black

• Foucault's Pendulum author whose last name "Eco" is usually an answer in a crossword

• Japanese floor mat

• Kindergartener's shoe fastener that was inspired by plant burs

• Please _____ Don't Hurt 'Em (diamond-certified album with "U Can't Touch This")

• WALL-E director Andrew

• Word following "false" or "burglar"

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!

ANSWERS: Insiders 4

It's been almost two weeks since "Insiders 4" was posted on this blog, and a whopping twenty-three people have solved it since then! See for yourself:

• Grant Fikes
• Cindy Heisler
• Cathy Bowen
• Marie desJardins
• Pavel Curtis
• Joe Bernard
• Kevin Orfield
• Michael Lebowitz
• Mike Armstrong
• Derek Allen
• Mom
• KeoFam
• Sam Levitin
• Chris Kochmanski
• Wendy Walker
• Tamara Brenner
• Patrick Jordan
• Lynn Sweeney
• Josie Giles
• SquishmallowsUnited
• Craig Leach
• Steve Gunter
• Stasi Gustafson

Now head below the break for the answers!

PUZZLE #530: Insiders 4

PUZZLE #530

INSIDERS 4

One of the clues in this puzzle contains a word or phrase suggested by Patron M. Sean Molley. Support me on Patreon at $15 or more per month to suggest one word or phrase for me to put into a puzzle every month!

Each row in this puzzle consists of two answers, clued in the order in which they appear. Going across both of these answers is a third word, known as an "Inner Word". For example, if a row's two answers were JETSAM and PLEA, then the Inner Word for that string of letters would be SAMPLE (like so: JETSAMPLEA). The Inner Words are listed in no particular order, and shading them or crossing them out in each row is highly recommended.

Once everything's been filled in, all of the letters not used in the Inner Words, when read left to right and row by row, will spell out a clue to the FINAL ANSWER: the names of two fictional characters

ROWS

1) Post-_____ examination (autopsy)

    Defendant's reply of "not guilty", say

2) Nay's rhyming opposite

    Ladies "in distress" that need saving, in an ancient cliché

3) Herr's wife

    Vegetable (or is it fruit?) that's the basis of Campbell's first soup flavor

4) Long hand on an analog clock's face

    David Lee who was the original lead singer of Van Halen

5) Evoke, as a response or memory

    Iron oxide

6) Norse god/Marvel superhero with a weekday named after him

    Living _____ (1990s sitcom with Queen Latifah)

7) The Shawshank Redemption actor Freeman

    Pastry bag squeezer

8) Eyelash enhancer

    Guess a price on The Price Is Right, preferably without going over

INNER WORDS

• Beetle seen in hieroglyphs

• Early 20th century restaurant where food is served through coin-operated doors

• Fruits such as lemons and limes, but not lychees

• Goofing (around), like an equine?

• Indiana Jones and the _____ of Doom (blockbuster film from 1984)

• Nirvana album released roughly two years after Nevermind: 2 wds.

• The "O" in "OLED" (which is used in some 4K televisions)

• Watership Down author Richard

Once you think you know what the FINAL ANSWER is, 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!

ANSWERS: Insiders 3

It's been almost two weeks since "Insiders 3" was posted on this blog, and a whopping nineteen people have solved it since then, as you can see in the following list:

• Grant Fikes
• Cindy Heisler
• Joe Bernard
• Pavel Curtis
• Kevin Orfield
• Mike Armstrong
• Sam Levitin
• Chris Kochmanski
• Josie Giles
• Tower
• Wendy Walker
• Michael Lebowitz
• Patrick Jordan
• Mom
• Tamara Brenner
• Lynn Sweeney
• KeoFam
• Bart Gold
• Steve Gunter

Now head below the break for the answers as well as a solver's comment!

PUZZLE #485: Insiders 3

PUZZLE #485

INSIDERS 3

Happy April 1st, everyone! Sadly, I don't have any sort of prank or wacky word puzzle variant (such as "Anacrossword 3" from five years ago) to offer this year, but the FINAL ANSWER to this puzzle is April Fools'-adjacent! Read on for more details on that!

Each row in this puzzle consists of two answers, clued in the order in which they appear. Going across both of these answers is a third word, known as an "Inner Word". For example, if a row's two answers were JETSAM and PLEA, then the Inner Word for that string of letters would be SAMPLE (like so: JETSAMPLEA). The Inner Words are listed in no particular order, and shading them or crossing them out in each row is highly recommended.

Once everything's been filled in, all of the letters not used in the Inner Words, when read left to right and row by row, will spell out a clue to the FINAL ANSWER: the name of a classic April Fools' Day prank

ROWS

1) Image uploaded to Instagram

    Parka-wearing South Park character who has died over 100 times

2) Shine like a nursery rhyme star

    Heavy metal singer Zombie who directed 2007's Halloween remake

3) Approach aggressively

    "With the bow", to a violinist (anagram of ORCA)

4) Innocent until _____ guilty

    Like the top of an éclair

5) Prefix for "brow" or "corn"

    Amass, like video games or postage stamps

6) Resident of a country formerly known as Siam

    Rubber _____ (adhesive known as "cow gum" in Britain)

7) Airship that Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Award is shaped like

    Provide funding for a foundation

8) Any possible perpetrator in Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game

    Weightlifting unit

INNER WORDS

• Coin once used to play arcade games at Chuck E. Cheese's

• Former The View panelist and current MSNBC commentator Wallace

• Henry who played The Fonz on Happy Days

• Italy's "City of Canals"

• James Bond film where Christoph Waltz first plays Blofeld

• Loom on the horizon

• Old-timey deliverers of blocks to be used in old-timey fridges

• Someone sharing top billing

Once you think you know what the FINAL ANSWER is, 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!

ANSWERS: Insiders 2

It's been about two weeks since "Insiders 2" was posted on this blog, so now's the time for me to list the names of everyone who solved it since then:

• Grant Fikes
• Cindy Heisler
• Chris Kochmanski
• Joe Bernard
• Pavel Curtis
• Michael Lebowitz
• Kevin Orfield
• Mike Armstrong
• Wendy Walker
• Sam Levitin
• Tyler Hinman
• Patrick Jordan
• KeoFam
• Tamara Brenner
• Mom
• Lynn Sweeney
• Steve Gunter

Now head below the break for the answers!

PUZZLE #432: Insiders 2

PUZZLE #432

INSIDERS 2

Each row in this puzzle consists of two answers, clued in the order in which they appear. Going across both of these answers is a third word, known as an "Inner Word". For example, if a row's two answers were JETSAM and PLEA, then the Inner Word for that string of letters would be SAMPLE (like so: JETSAMPLEA). The Inner Words are listed in no particular order, and shading them or crossing them out in each row is highly recommended.

Once everything's been filled in, all of the letters not used in the Inner Words, when read left to right and row by row, will spell out a clue to the FINAL ANSWER: a two-word title

ROWS

1) Pungent like kimchi or wasabi

    '90s computer-themed kids' game show named after a mouse sound

2) _____ Island Immigration Museum (New York tourist attraction)

    Past, present, or future, in grammar class

3) "Childlike" monarch of Fantasia in The Neverending Story

    Tokyo, back in the 1700s

4) Watching wildlife

    Procter & Gamble's laundry detergent in a red bottle

5) Paper that absorbs ink from a quill

    If _____ Give a Mouse a Cookie (children's picture book)

6) Someone who checks a wine's flavor

    Like an arm that's been slept on for too long

7) "O Canada", for Canada

    Ancient Egyptian symbol that means "life"

8) Reflected sound that the Grinch argues with in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

    Fight the temptation

INNER WORDS

• Aloe Blacc song that hit the top ten on Billboard in 2014: 2 wds.

• Breastbone

• Cleaning the floors, cleaning the toilet, cleaning the litter box, etc.

• Flattened flowers in a book

• Hair metal band that did "Headed for a Heartbreak"

• Mega Millions, for one

• Regularly recurring

• Takes heed, or hears

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!

ANSWERS: Insiders

It's been nearly two weeks since my 400th puzzle, "Insiders", was posted on this blog. Plenty of people have solved it since then, and they're all listed below:

• Grant Fikes
• Cindy Heisler
• Chris Kochmanski
• Joe Bernard
• Pavel Curtis
• Kevin Orfield
• Tyler Hinman
• Mike Armstrong
• Wendy Walker
• Mom
• Michael Lebowitz
  
• Sam Levitin
• KeoFam
• Patrick Jordan
• Lynn Sweeney

Now head below the break for the answers!

PUZZLE #400: Insiders

PUZZLE #400

INSIDERS

It's my 400th puzzle, everyone! And to celebrate that milestone, I'm gonna debut a puzzle format that's brand new to this blog! It's strongly based off of the "Rowed Signs" puzzles from the short-lived magazine Will Shortz's Wordplay, so if you've never had a chance to do those puzzles before (either in Wordplay or through reprints in books like Super Wordplay Crosswords), here are the directions on how to solve 'em:

Each row in this puzzle consists of two answers, clued in the order in which they appear. Going across both of these answers is a third word, known as an "Inner Word". For example, if a row's two answers were GRINS and IDEAS, then the Inner Word for that string of letters would be INSIDE (like so: GRINSIDEAS). The Inner Words are listed in no particular order, and shading them or crossing them out in each row is highly recommended.

Once everything's been filled in, all of the letters not used in the Inner Words, when read left to right and row by row, will spell out a clue to the FINAL ANSWER: the name of a fictional character

ROWS

1) "Break On _____ (To the Other Side)" (song by the Doors)

    More common name for "sodium hydroxide"

2) Airplane's airborne trip

    Brockovich who was portrayed by Julia Roberts in a 2000 movie

3) French phrase between "chicken" and "king": 2 wds.

    Park pavilions that are often octagonal

4) Non-lethal phaser setting on Star Trek

    Sucks the energy out of

5) Out-of-nowhere victory

    A hint of color

6) Cliché dog name (besides "Fido" and "Spot")

    _____ 1⁄2 (manga about a boy who changes his biological sex when soaked with water) (anagram of "AN ARM")

7) More dangerous

    Go "Boo-hoo!"

8) Crow or Tom Servo from Mystery Science Theater 3000, e.g.

    Strategic board game that the "eight queens puzzle" is based off of

INNER WORDS

• Approximately

• Flame source held by a concertgoer

• Messes up, as a wrestling move

• Sped past the end of

• Staring with strong focus (HINT: it doesn’t end in “-ING”)

• Toyota truck named after a frigid environment

• _____ up to fail (creating a no-win situation)

• Winter athletes playable in the arcade game Alpine Racer 2

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!