| Firm |
| Tough |
| Solid |
| Rigid |
| Stern |
| Rocky |
| Stony |
| Tricky |
| Thorny |
| Knotty |
| Flinty |
| Vexing |
| Compact |
| Arduous |
| Adamant |
| Obdurate |
| Puzzling |
| Exacting |
| Not easy |
| Rocklike |
| Unfeeling |
| Difficult |
| Herculean |
| Demanding |
| Merciless |
| ___ stiff |
| ___ labor |
| Steely __ |
| Copy type |
| Rock-like |
| Steellike |
| Fatiguing |
| No picnic |
| Fermented. |
| Forcefully |
| Unyielding |
| Like steel |
| Not simple |
| Adamantine |
| Unrelenting |
| Troublesome |
| Challenging |
| Not liquidy |
| Not squishy |
| Granitelike |
| Impenetrable |
| A____ lesson |
| ___ as nails |
| Not a breeze |
| Brainbusting |
| Fast partner |
| Like a rock? |
| Mind-boggling |
| ___ as a rock |
| Kind of sauce |
| Like diamonds |
| Like corundum |
| Not like pie? |
| Times or tack |
| Type of cider |
| Unsentimental |
| Brain busting |
| Firmly formed |
| Fast companion |
| Tough to learn |
| Bad, like luck |
| Like a diamond |
| Tough to solve |
| Like some heads |
| Like #4 pencils |
| Like some facts |
| Like some candy |
| Far from flabby |
| Like some cider |
| Partner of fast |
| Very challenging |
| ___ as a diamond |
| A __ Day's Night |
| Like boozy cider |
| Like the puzzle? |
| Not a no-brainer |
| Opposite of easy |
| Unlike a picnic? |
| Like some ciders |
| Opposite of soft |
| No piece of cake |
| Tough __ to crack |
| Like some puzzles |
| Not easily solved |
| Like dried cement |
| Toothbrush rating |
| Nearly unsolvable |
| Difficult — firm |
| Like walnut shells |
| Not quickly solved |
| Posing a challenge |
| Strongly alcoholic |
| Tough to figure out |
| Like verified facts |
| Tough — laborious |
| Hardly a no-brainer |
| No walk in the park |
| Dickens's "___ Times |
| Like some crosswords |
| Like this crossword? |
| Mohs scale adjective |
| Verifiable, as facts |
| ___ Copy," TV program |
| Eddie Vedder "___ Sun |
| Kind of cash or times |
| Kind of sauce or luck |
| Kind of rock or candy |
| Darlene of tennis fame |
| Like Papa Bear's chair |
| Word with tack or line |
| Type of candy or cider |
| Not a walk in the park |
| High on the Mohs scale |
| Part 3 of today's quote |
| Causing head-scratching |
| Like a Friday crossword |
| Subjected to induration |
| Word with cash or candy |
| Word with copy or candy |
| Lead-in to hat or headed |
| Word before cash or copy |
| Word with labor or candy |
| Like a tough nut to crack |
| Vermont poet, Walter ___. |
| Word before candy or copy |
| Like some facts and stuff |
| Like a Saturday crossword |
| Beatles' "A ___ Day's Night |
| Definitely not child's play |
| Hurry _____(Skip's command) |
| Like a rock and many a roll |
| Like most themeless puzzles |
| Like some copies and courts |
| Ready to get down, in a way |
| Like some water or lemonade |
| ___ Candy," T. Williams book |
| Kiss "(You Make Me) Rock ___ |
| Like Hannah's heart, in song |
| Like this crossword, to some |
| How you may find this puzzle |
| ___ Ridden (1958 Epsom winner) |
| ___ of hearing (partially deaf) |
| Somewhat high on the Mohs' scale |
| A ___ Day's Night" (Beatles song) |
| Caught between a rock and a ___ place |
| 2009 #8 Rihanna single featuring Jeezy |
| ___ candy (Jolly Rancher or LifeSavers) |
| You might give this to someone you don't like |
| ___ hat (construction worker's head protection) |
| Word that can precede the first word of the six longest puzzle answers |