Shakedown

a cryptic puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Solution
Puzzle grid
The word TRANSPOSE, if shaken down—that is, anagrammed repeatedly with one letter deleted at each step-may form the following sequence: TRANSPOSE, PROTEANS, SEAPORT, ORATES, ASTER, SEAT, TEA, AT, A. This puzzle's unclued entries form a similar sequence of words shaken down from 11 letters to one. The 11-letter word may be thought to identify the steps. Entries in all include five proper nouns.

Across

  • 7.
    Fuss with a coif (ADO)
  • 10.
    Structural change in Tacoma (ANATOMIC)
  • 11.
    Walker Percy's first race novel (PACER)
  • 12.
    Puzzling nature captivates American playwright (BEWILDERING)
  • 14.
    Ill humor about British book (BIBLE)
  • 16.
    A lot of water was first made leakproof (SEALED)
  • 17.
    Vireo's tail breaks eggs (OVOIDS)
  • 19.
    Upon reflection, prophet possesses the same cures (REMEDIES)
  • 20.
    Leader of Congress interrupts real peace (TRUCE)
  • 24.
    A swelling among the demagogues (EDEMA)
  • 26.
    A pound gained after diet: that won't kill you (NONFATAL)
  • 27.
    "Lumpy" ran loud dances (NODULAR)
  • 29.
    Somebody running off with part of steel operation (ELOPER)
  • 30.
    Insect ingests nitrogen for a time (MONTH)
  • 32.
    Left a stud unfinished in porch (LANAI)
  • 33.
    Sweet drinks containing insubstantial eggs? (NOTHINGS)
  • 34.
    Almost fix soda fountain (SPA)
  • 35.
    Car engine's running rules? (REGNANCIES)

Down

  • 1.
    European car's choking sound heard (SAAB)
  • 2.
    Composer going after ultimate greens (ENDIVES)
  • 3.
    Study Spanish article in a binder (ATELIER)
  • 4.
    Operator calling in neglect of duty (OMISSION)
  • 5.
    Heartless firearm makes you upset (RILE)
  • 6.
    A fur's covering Eastern monkeys (APELETS)
  • 7.
    Provider of a trip for a Spanish hero (ACID)
  • 8.
    Study end of Great Depression (DENT)
  • 9.
    "It's a part of the body that's small or large," Leno cracked (ORGANELLE)
  • 13.
    Spike, after film rating's back (REAR)
  • 15.
    Crime group upset, and plot miserably failed (BOMBED)
  • 18.
    Brown University involved in second New Testament article (SUNTAN)
  • 21.
    Clinton's beginning a story about alternative energy source (CALORIE)
  • 22.
    Soon, one among hundreds will be orthodox (CANONIC)
  • 23.
    Name involved in most of water power (WATTAGE)
  • 25.
    What's similar to a horse shoe (MULE)
  • 28.
    Blow accomplices up (SLAP)
  • 29.
    Colony member at first exhausted when climbing mountain (ETNA)
  • 31.
    Unfavorably review the guy's debut of Showboat (HISS)