| Prized people | 13 |
| Little angels | 13 |
| Letter openers | 14 |
| Hons | 4 |
| Little darlings | 15 |
| Grandkids, to grandma | 21 |
| Charming children | 17 |
| Sweet little darlings | 21 |
| Sir and John | 12 |
| Precious people | 15 |
| Pet ones | 8 |
| Love objects | 12 |
| Lovable sorts | 13 |
| Kind souls | 10 |
| Honey pies | 10 |
| Grandkids, to grandparents | 26 |
| Darling people | 14 |
| Abby and John | 13 |
| Formal letter opener | 20 |
| Letter start | 12 |
| Formal introduction? | 20 |
| Formal opening | 14 |
| Letter opener, sometimes | 24 |
| Opener of sorts | 15 |
| Letter salutation | 17 |
| Vanishing salutation | 20 |
| Letter opener, of a sort | 24 |
| Letter opener, maybe | 20 |
| It may follow a name and address | 32 |
| Generic letter opener | 21 |
| Generic greeting | 16 |
| Formal introduction | 19 |
| Companion of "Yours truly" | 36 |
| Cat Power debut | 15 |
| Business-letter opening | 23 |
| Quaint introduction | 19 |
| Opening line | 12 |
| Fusty greeting | 14 |
| Formal letter starter | 21 |
| Common opening | 14 |
| A letter opener | 15 |
| "To whom it may concern" alternative | 46 |
| Scarcity | 8 |
| Shortage | 8 |
| Paucity | 7 |
| Scarce supply | 13 |
| Insufficiency | 13 |
| Severe shortage | 15 |
| Real scarcity | 13 |
| Inadequate supply | 17 |
| Great lack | 10 |
| Severe lack | 11 |
| Serious lack | 12 |
| Scarcity; famine | 16 |
| Opposite of a surplus | 21 |
| Lack (of) | 9 |
| Famine | 6 |
| Lacks | 5 |
| Scarcities | 10 |
| Famines | 7 |
| Shortages | 9 |
| Loved by | 8 |
| Cherished by | 12 |
| Highly esteemed by | 18 |
| Adored by | 9 |
| "For ___ me as light and life": Burns | 47 |
| "... near and ___ my heart" | 37 |
| The end | 7 |
| One of the Four Horsemen | 24 |
| Finis | 5 |
| ___ Valley, Calif. | 18 |
| Departure | 9 |
| Life partner? | 13 |
| One of Franklin's certainties | 33 |
| One of Franklin's two certainties | 37 |
| This and taxes are certain | 26 |
| Quietus | 7 |
| One of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse | 42 |
| Fate of Miller's salesman | 29 |
| Companion of taxes | 18 |
| Passing | 7 |
| "___ of a Salesman" | 29 |
| Tarot card | 10 |
| One of life's certainties | 29 |
| Kind of blow | 12 |
| Donne's "__ Be Not Proud" | 39 |
| Donne subject | 13 |
| Browne's ''cure of all diseases'' | 53 |
| ___ by chocolate (calorie-heavy dessert) | 40 |
| Word in several Agatha Christie titles | 38 |
| Word in many whodunit titles | 28 |
| Word in many Agatha Christie titles | 35 |
| What the Grim Reaper represents | 31 |
| Thomas Mann's ____ in Venice | 35 |
| Theroux's "endless night" | 39 |
| Taxes' partner | 18 |
| Riel's sentence | 19 |
| Rider on a pale horse | 21 |
| Necrophobiac's fear | 23 |
| Metallica "___ Magnetic" | 34 |