Word Puzzle 172

Word Puzzle 172 – Solution with Explanation 

Theme: None 

Clues:  

1. Pair of states welcoming the operation “promised land” (6) 

Utopia, UT and IA (pair of states), welcoming (container), Op (operation), promised land 

(def) 

2. Number specifically in conclusive universal set for the scholar (11) 

Cognoscente, no (number), sc (specifically), in (insertion), cogent (conclusive), e (universal 

set), scholar (def) 

3. Dull, short story in low-key setting (9) 

Quiescent, dull (def), short (delete last letter in), scene (story), in ... setting (insertion), quiet 

(low-key) 

4. Simple talk (5) 

Utter (DD) 

5. Minstrel in amusement park seeking inspiration? (4) 

Muse, minstrel (def), in (hidden), rest is fodder. 

6. Type of fossil fuel and a computer key associated with an Asian club (8) 

  Coalesce, coal (type of fossil fuel), esc (computer key), associated with (juxta), E (Asian), 

  club (def) 

7. Epstein haters from the Three Stooges movie (5,5,2,1,4) 

Three pests in a mess, implicit meta, Epstein haters (target), rest is def, one way to get the 

  target is via, “three pests in a” anagram (mess) 

8. Vision to deliver alternative niche (10) 

  Providence, vision (def), provide (deliver), alternative (select alternate letters in) niche. 

9. Turned creepy say (6) 

  Veered, turned (def), weird (creepy), say (homophone) 

10. Repel the rebellion (6) 

   Revolt, DD. 

11. Sarcastic gamer’s hedgehog blocking a road (8) 

   Sardonic, sarcastic (def), sonic (gamer’s hedgehog as from sonic the hedgehog game), 

   blocking (container), a (a), rd (road) 

12. Mad doter’s hang-up? It’s ironic (5-7) 

   Sharp-tongued, mad (anagram of) “doter’s hang-up", ironic (def) 

13. Sophisticated in style, his turban exuded royal aura (6) 

   Urbane, sophisticated (def), in (hidden), rest is fodder. 

14. Sudden failure led to the test of mothball? (3,6,5,3) 

   The bottom falls out, implicit meta (x leads to y), sudden failure (def), “test of mothball” 

   (target), one way to get the target is via, “the bottom falls” anagram (out) 

15. Kitten consumed the ingredient for cheese (9) 

   Camembert, cat (kitten), consumed (container), member (ingredient), cheese (def) 

16. Geometry papers can be difficult (10) 

   Formidable, form (geometry), id (papers), able (can), difficult (def) 

17. Best or worst, art lingers through history, though it seems somewhat surprising (9) 

   Startling, somewhat (hidden), surprising (def), rest is fodder.  

18. Health and happiness (7) 

   Fitness, DD. 

19. Long running reality tv show with international versions for Ohio, Tuscany, Yukon? 

   (2,3,5,3,3,5) 

      So, you think you can dance? Implicit meta, long running ... versions (def), rest is target, 

   one way to get the target is via, “so, you think you can” anagram (dance) 

20. Joy of crazy life associated with the metropolis (8) 

   Felicity, joy (def), crazy (anagram of) life, associated with (juxta), city (metropolis) 

21. Eccentric ABBA agent Ms. Rein was a cheapie (7-8) 

      Bargain-Basement, eccentric (anagram of) “ABBA agent Ms. Rein”, cheapie (def)