R Puzzle: Shop

concept by Matthew Wulf, grid by Francis Heaney

Hints:

  1. Many of the answers have a common trait.
  2. You will need to transform some answers to get them into the grid.
  3. [If they still can't get it, maybe answer any question with "OK", "I see" or something like that slowly and deliberately several times. Other than that I'm not sure how to hint for this--thoughts?]

Answer:

A good number of the answers should be entered into the grid as sequences of letters (and a few numbers) that are read aloud to get the actual word (e.g., CD = seedy).

The answers are:

ACROSS
  1. Verbal
  2. disbar
  3. noters
  4. October
  5. XS (excess)
  6. LMN8 (eliminate)
  7. AG (Agee)
  8. at
  9. KC (Casey)
  10. PNO (piano)
  11. GO (Geo)
  12. EZ (easy)
  13. LE (Ellie)
  14. MT (empty)
  15. DD (Dee Dee)
  16. DVS (devious)
  17. IR (ire)
  18. TO (tio)
  19. LS (Ellis)
  20. IO (I owe)
  21. UN (Ewan)
  22. 4N (foreign)
  23. SA (essay)
  24. BDI (beady eye)
  25. CNMNE (sea anemone)
  26. UC (you see)
  27. ON (Owen)
  28. KN (cayenne)
  29. base
 DOWN
  1. VNSNV (Venus Envy)
  2. Eo
  3. RT (arty)
  4. Belgian
  5. armor
  6. LSN (Ellison)
  7. doges
  8. IC (icy)
  9. stamina
  10. bottoms
  11. AB (Abie)
  12. RE (Ari)
  13. RKDN (Arcadian)
  14. XPDNC (expediency)
  15. 8E (eighty)
  16. all in
  17. CD (seedy)
  18. OS
  19. ZT (ziti)
  20. OB (Obie)
  21. UE (U-ie)
  22. 4U (for you)
  23. SO (Esso)
  24. DK (decay)
  25. CB (Seabee)
  26. NE (any)

The completed grid is:

The image of the completed grid spells out FND. Pronouncing the letters as above produces the answer: EFFENDI.