Stuck Together Solution

by Andrew Esten

First, fill in the crossword. Each box in the grid has one, two, or three letters in it.

{ "data-text-replacements": { "a" : "QUI", "b" : "NE", "c" : "TR", "d" : "ON", "e" : "POO", "f": "CO", "g": "LL", "h": "AR", "i": "AI", "j": "AR", "k": "RE", "l": "ARS", "m": "MIS", "n": "GUI", "o": "DA", "p": "NC", "q": "CHE", "r": "SO", "s": "LOA", "t": "TAR", "u": "AR", "v": "SS", "w": "TO", "x": "RY", "y": "SO", "z": "DS", "{": "MAN", "}": "SON", "[": "AGE", "]": "NTO", ":": "RAN", ";": "GE", "<": "ON", ">": "OFF", "?": "GES", "!": "TA", "1": "TE", "2": "UN", "3": "PE", "4": "RU", "5": "HE", "6": "LL", "7": "ALL", "8": "TH", "9": "SIN", "0": "LE", "~": "AD", "`": "IES", "A": "AN", "B": "VIL", "C": "OU", "D": "TRA", "F": "GE", "J": "CHA", "K": "OS", "N": "ONS", "O": "LA", "P": "GHT", "Q": "GI", "V": "NG", "X": "ER", "Y": "AL", "Z": "IN", "&": "FO", "*": "ANT", "(": "ES", ")": "ONE", "^": "TON"} }
Across
  1. Horse-related - EQUINE
  2. Fictional video game where you ride on Light Cycles - TRON
  3. Place to play water polo or Marco Polo - POOL
  4. Leash attachment site - COLLAR
  5. Obsolete chatting service (abbr.) - AIM
  6. In ___ (having debts) - ARREARS
  7. It may cause someone to go the wrong way - MISGUIDANCE
  8. She's known as "The Goddess of Pop" - CHER
  9. *Sci-fi spin-off where Donald Glover plays Lando Calrissian (5 wds) - SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
  10. Lays down the lawn - SODS
  11. Rocker Marylin ___ - MANSON
  12. Punk band named for a deadly herbicide (2 wds) - AGENT ORANGE
  13. Words on a light switch (2 wds) - ON OFF
  14. Develop in the womb - GESTATE
  15. Not yet damaged, like in a video game - UNHIT
  16. Country Paddington Bear is originally from - PERU
  17. Destination for an idiomatic handbasket - HELL
  18. *Repeated Beyonce lyric followed by "Now put your hands up" (4 wds) - ALL THE SINGLE LADIES
  19. Item used by a blacksmith or Wile E. Coyote - ANVIL
  20. Burst of shock and anger - OUTRAGE
  21. Pandemonium - CHAOS
  22. Violent continuous attack - ONSLAUGHT
  23. Canada Dry or Schweppes product (2 wds) - GINGER ALE
  24. Facts - INFO
  25. Puts in come chips to play - ANTES
  26. 2,000 pounds (2 wds) - ONE TON
Down
  1. Green prefix for "friendly" - ECO
  2. Feathery writing implement - QUILL
  3. Narrowly avoided collision (2 wds) - NEAR MISS
  4. Caboose or sleeper, e.g. (2 wds) - TRAIN CAR
  5. Speaking to the ideas of the party, like a politician (2 wds) - ON MESSAGE
  6. Not as wealthy - POORER
  7. Ulrich of Metallica - LARS
  8. Places to pratice with a bow (2 wds) - ARCHERY RANGES
  9. Elvis song with the lyric "I thought my pickin' would set them on fire" (2 wds) - GUITAR MAN
  10. "___'s Creek" (classic teen drama) - DAWSON
  11. "Leaving already?" (2 wds) - SO SOON
  12. An absolute blast, like doing laundry? (3 wds) - LOADS OF FUN
  13. Western character first portrayed by Chief Thundercloud - TONTO
  14. Make progress in the corporate world (2 wds) - GET AHEAD
  15. Boob tubes, to Brits - TELLIES
  16. Corridor - HALL
  17. "___ you'd never ask!" (2 wds) - I THOUGHT
  18. Prefix simlar to quad- - TETRA
  19. Square ___ in a round hole - PEG
  20. They're made to close loopholes in competitions (2 wds) - RULE CHANGES
  21. Char slightly - SINGE
  22. One who is defeated - LOSER
  23. Unknown identities online, for short - ANONS
  24. Scar, Jafar, or Gaston, e.g. - VILLAIN
  25. Vehicle for ETs - UGO
  26. Paul Bunyan-esque - GIANT
  27. *"Home ___" - ALONE
  28. British school, or type of 8-Across - ETON

Each of the starred entries reference a synonym for "by itself" (SOLO, SINGLE, ALONE). Reading the single letters in the grid gives the answer ELMER'S WHITE GLUE.