
theme explanation

- read
DUMPLING24AOne of my favorite things in the world to eat (or when parsed differently, how we ended up with the wacky answers to the starred clues)
[--------] as "dump ling," removing "ling" from the base phrases: ink(ling) of hope =
INKOFHOPE34A*Promising tattoo?
[---------] , pipe coup(ling) =
PIPECOUP49A*Overflow overthrow?
[--------] , dang(ling) modifier =
DANGMODIFIER4D*"Doggone descriptor!"
[------------] , finger(ling) potato =
FINGERPOTATO23D*ID the guilty spud in a lineup?
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