NY Times Crossword
June 24, 1997
Stephanie Spadaccini (#1-4)

The answers to the clues below are stressonyms - words that change pronunciation and meaning when the syllabication and/or stress is changed. For example, CONTRACT can be pronounced CON tract - meaning an agreement, or conTRACT - meaning to get smaller.

1.Teensy-weensy piece of beef
2. Ride an engine-powered bike
3. "My gold dress isn't back form the cleaners yet."
4. What stand-up comics do to keep their material shiny
5. A short piece of writing on a particular subject and to try

Answers:

1. Minute steak
2. Moped around
3. Lame excuse
4. Polish jokes 
5. Essay

Note from JA: POLISH is distinctive as a stressonym in that its spelling (capital letter) has to be changed.