False Alarm? Not This Time! solution
by Kegler
CHICKEN LITTLE (22 Across) is generally considered an alarmist, but in this case “THE SKY” really is falling;
six Down entries each lose one of those letters to the bottom row.
Across
| 1 | AL(UM)NA (ALAN anag) |
| 5 | MEAT PIE ("MEET PI" hom) |
| 12 | CAS(CAD)E |
| 13 | RAN + T |
| 14 | O + BEY |
| 16 | MAN(T)IC |
| 17 | R + ARE |
| 19 | VINE (hidden) |
| 20 | BETA (BEAT anag) |
| 21 | ERICA (I CARE anag) |
| 22 | CHICKEN LITTLE |
| 25 | P(AGE)D |
| 29 | ROOT (2 defs) |
| 30 | ALAE (1st letters) |
| 31 | SEllER |
| 32 | T(E)ASER |
| 33 | I'M + RE |
| 34 | T(E)AR |
| 35 | SNOW PEA (WEAPONS anag) |
| 36 | ESTATES (TEA SET'S anag) |
| 37 | conSTRICT |
|
Down
| 1 | ACORN (NARCO anag) |
| 2 | pUSHERS |
| 3 | NA(I)VE |
| 4 | AD + MIRE |
| 5 | MEANINGLESS ("LEANING MESS" spoonerism) |
| 6 | ERNE ("EARN" hom) |
| 7 | AN + TRA (ART rev) |
| 8 | TRI(BUT)ES |
| 9 | P(ACK)E + R |
| 10 | INS + TALLER |
| 11 | E + THANE |
| 15 | BA(THRO)BES (THOR anag) |
| 18 | ET(C)ET + ERA (TETE rev) |
| 22 | C(nUTs)RATE |
| 23 | LEA + RNS |
| 24 | GO + TAT |
| 25 | P(LANE)T |
| 26 | DESPOT (2 defs, pun) |
| 27 | TEMP + I |
| 28 | TR(EAT)Y (TEA anag) |
| 30 | A + SHE |
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