It actually makes perfect sense as a PINATA, the party animal you hit with a stick until delicious candy rains upon you. The clue history for this entry reads like a notepad on a very corny standup comedian’s bedside table. This isn’t a groundbreaking gimmick, as Mr. Fagliano freely admits in his notes, but it’s very fun. So, let’s look at 35A, “Convert a morgue worker into a spy?” If you know a common and crossword-friendly term for “morgue worker” then you’re in — to convert one is to TURN THE CORONER. As far as the clue goes, you definitely would not want to embark on a multipart academic endeavor with at PROJECT RUNAWAY.

Source: New York Times September 15, 2018 22:04 UTC