Grid: 10 minutes; meta: acquired a nudge 

Mike Shenk’s Wall Street Journal contest crossword, “Shifty Schemers” — Conrad’s writeup.

This week we’re in search of a four-letter phrase. I acquired caught on this one. I noticed this doomed rabbit gap:

• 22a BERM: Earthen embankment
• 23d PITS: Peach elements
• 28d RHINO: Horned herbivore
• 34a LEDGE: Pigeon perch
• 40d ACE: Superb service
• 45a WEEPS: Displays despondency
• 51a ASS: Balky beast
• 60a PRISONER: Pen pal?
• 63a NEWT: Small salamander

WSJ Contest – 11.11.22 – resolution

They all had two-word clues that began with the identical letter (similar to the title). That couldn’t be a coincidence, proper? Well, it was. A good friend nudged me out of that rabbit gap and into the appropriate one: the clues have been necessary, however not these clues. There have been 4 clues containing the phrases “for example:”

• [Pamphleteer, for example]: WRITER
• [Cartoonist, for example]: ARTIST
• [Baseman, for example]: PLAYER
• [Trial judge, for example]: JURIST

Those entries are adjoining to longer entries that match while you shift one letter:

• (P)TOMAINE -> TOMPAINE
• BIKE(L)ANE -> BILKEANE
• RO(A)DCREW -> RODCAREW
• LACEI(N)TO -> LANCEITO

The shifted letters spell PLAN, our contest resolution. This meta is solely gorgeous. My hat’s off to Mike. Readers: let me know what you thought.