(JENNIFER) ACKERMAN, THE GENIUS OF BIRDS — Many birds open nuts... and eggs... . The vampire finch of the Galapagos... breaks... the large eggs of boobies by bracing its beak on the ground and booting the egg with both feet to crack it against rocks or roll it over a cliff.
| A. | Chemist's name attached to a law and a constant | AVOGADRO |
| B. | Swimming pool scent | CHLORINE |
| C. | Restrained; held in reserve (2 wds.) | KEPTBACK |
| D. | White denizen of the Everglades | EGRET |
| E. | Warning not to be taken lightly (2 wds.) | REDFLAG |
| F. | Dance popular at the court of King Louis XIV | MINUET |
| G. | Monastery V.I.P. | ABBOT |
| H. | Quick and sure, deft | NIMBLE |
| I. | Mexican state bordering Guatemala | TABASCO |
| J. | Balneotherapy site (2 wds.) | HOTSPRING |
| K. | Do the opposite of gloat (2 wds.) | EATCROW |
| L. | Sugar found in dairy products | GALACTOSE |
| M. | Bring on board; lock horns with | ENGAGE |
| N. | 1978 anthology of Stephen King stories (2 wds.) | NIGHTSHIFT |
| O. | Gambler of sorts, what an angel might be | INVESTOR |
| P. | Clear out, free up, restore access to | UNBLOCK |
| Q. | Reasoning that sounds plausible but is flawed | SOPHISTRY |
| R. | Where banks may be found to provide shelter | OFFSHORE |
| S. | Wares on the move | FREIGHT |
| T. | Playful exchange of pleasantries | BADINAGE |
| U. | Author of "The Wild Duck" | IBSEN |
| V. | Informer, snitch | RATFINK |
| W. | Request usually frowned upon by French chefs (2 wds.) | DOGGYBAG |
| X. | Cool, calm, quiet | SOOTHE |