1. Clue phrase: "what once took days now takes minutes"
Anticipation: "speed up"
Answer: accelerate
2. Clue word: "meddling"
Anticipation (second blank): "meddle" (to interfere in others' business)
Eliminate: (A), (B), (E)
Now, work on the first blank: "pastimes" has no match anywhere in the sentence, but "to have the best of intentions" is a common phrase, so (D) fits perfectly!
Answer: intentions...interfere in
3. Clue words: "scholar," "scrutinize"
Anticipation (first blank): "scrutinize" (to look over carefully)
Eliminate: (B), (D), (E) [renounce (to give something up) is boxword 316!]
Anticipation (second blank): "scholarliness"
Eliminate: (C)
Answer: verify (confirm)...accuracy
4. Clue phrase: "later achieved success"
Anticipation: "predicted"
Answer: foreshadowed
5. Clue word: "optimistically"
Anticipation (first blank): "optimistic" [boxword 349!]
Eliminate: (A) (disingenuous = phony), (C) [cryptic (mysterious) is boxword 161!], (E) (foreboding = warning)
Anticipation (second blank): "improve"
Eliminate: (A), (B)
Answer: sanguine (optimistic, cheerful)...improve
6. Clue words: "master," "restraint"
Anticipation (second blank): "restraint" (holding back)
Eliminate: (A) (pizzazz = flashiness), (C) (digression = going off topic), (D) (explication = explanation), (E)
Answer: reveal...understatement (holding back)
7. Clue words: "unlike," "emotional"
Anticipation (second blank): "emotional"
Eliminate: (A) [decorous (proper) is boxword 357, so indecorous means improper], (C) [aesthetic (having to do with beauty) is boxword 328], (D) (staid = restrained)
Anticipation (first blank): "not emotional"
Eliminate: (A) (unseemly = improper), (C), (D) (intemperate = unrestrained), (E)
Answer: cerebral (mental)...visceral (emotional)
8. Clue words: "although," "carping"
Anticipation (first blank): "carping" (complaining)
Eliminate: (A) (solicitous = worried), (B) [altruistic (caring for others) is boxword 87!], (C) [dispassionate (calm, unemotional) is boxword 216!], (D) [munificent (generous) is boxword 2!]
Anticipation (second blank): "not carping"
Eliminate: (B) [contentious (arguing) is boxword 52!], (C) (callous = emotionally cold, unfeeling), (D) [rancor (hatred) is boxword 208!]
Answer: disparaging [boxword 135!]...charitableness
Anticipation: "speed up"
Answer: accelerate
2. Clue word: "meddling"
Anticipation (second blank): "meddle" (to interfere in others' business)
Eliminate: (A), (B), (E)
Now, work on the first blank: "pastimes" has no match anywhere in the sentence, but "to have the best of intentions" is a common phrase, so (D) fits perfectly!
Answer: intentions...interfere in
3. Clue words: "scholar," "scrutinize"
Anticipation (first blank): "scrutinize" (to look over carefully)
Eliminate: (B), (D), (E) [renounce (to give something up) is boxword 316!]
Anticipation (second blank): "scholarliness"
Eliminate: (C)
Answer: verify (confirm)...accuracy
4. Clue phrase: "later achieved success"
Anticipation: "predicted"
Answer: foreshadowed
5. Clue word: "optimistically"
Anticipation (first blank): "optimistic" [boxword 349!]
Eliminate: (A) (disingenuous = phony), (C) [cryptic (mysterious) is boxword 161!], (E) (foreboding = warning)
Anticipation (second blank): "improve"
Eliminate: (A), (B)
Answer: sanguine (optimistic, cheerful)...improve
6. Clue words: "master," "restraint"
Anticipation (second blank): "restraint" (holding back)
Eliminate: (A) (pizzazz = flashiness), (C) (digression = going off topic), (D) (explication = explanation), (E)
Answer: reveal...understatement (holding back)
7. Clue words: "unlike," "emotional"
Anticipation (second blank): "emotional"
Eliminate: (A) [decorous (proper) is boxword 357, so indecorous means improper], (C) [aesthetic (having to do with beauty) is boxword 328], (D) (staid = restrained)
Anticipation (first blank): "not emotional"
Eliminate: (A) (unseemly = improper), (C), (D) (intemperate = unrestrained), (E)
Answer: cerebral (mental)...visceral (emotional)
8. Clue words: "although," "carping"
Anticipation (first blank): "carping" (complaining)
Eliminate: (A) (solicitous = worried), (B) [altruistic (caring for others) is boxword 87!], (C) [dispassionate (calm, unemotional) is boxword 216!], (D) [munificent (generous) is boxword 2!]
Anticipation (second blank): "not carping"
Eliminate: (B) [contentious (arguing) is boxword 52!], (C) (callous = emotionally cold, unfeeling), (D) [rancor (hatred) is boxword 208!]
Answer: disparaging [boxword 135!]...charitableness
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