1997 Clues:

Walking my dog, bit by bit, taking the fifth up down where it flowed through it. Our backs to the great saline abyss with the aged major’s itty bitty crevices. Looked yon, Voila; there it is!

Hints:                            [What they meant]

Hint 1 - The tag is the dog’s, but the dog is a red herring.

[Tag is a dog’s tag; reference to walking dog is not important]

Hint 2 - You won’t really find an abyss of saline. It’s its synonym’s homonym you must glean.

[syn. = gulf; hom. = golf]

Hint 3 - Words 25 + 26 + 27 + 28 = what #?

[“the aged major’s itty” = the age of majority = 18]

Hint 4 - A River Runs Through It? Quoth Poe’s Crow, “Nevermore.”

[“The Raven” = Ravine Road]

Hint 5 - How many bits [2 bits = 25¢]

Hint 6 - A fifth of the bits [25¢ ÷ 5 = a nickel; Nichols Road]

Hint 7 - on the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [tag was on a sign]

Hint 8 - Answer to Hint 3 = the germane dumb directory page #.

[see page 18 of non-talking directory (Ameritech)]

Hint 9 - Initiate the spheroidal projectile exchange, Great Artist.

[Service, Master]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What clues meant:

Walking my dog, bit by bit (2 bits = 25¢), taking the fifth (÷ 5 = 5¢ = Nichols Road) up down where it flowed through it (Ravine). Our backs to the great saline abyss with the aged major’s itty (“age of majority = 18) bitty crevices (holes). Looked yon, Voila; there it is!

Tag was on Service Master sign at Nichols and Ravine, near Grand Prairie Golf Course.