If you're this, you might be AWOL, mistaken or a few steps away from first
Off-base
There's a kitchen honcho in the name of this classic salad with egg, cheese & meat
Chef Salad
Proverbially, a nice person without a lot of social grace is one of these "in the rough"
Diamond
A group in this country started printing fake zero-rupee notes to give out when an official asks for a bribe
India
In the States this agency, the DMV for short, administers the test
Department of Motor Vehicles
This hyphenated 4-word phrase describes something that starts & ends & starts & ends, like some relationships
On-and-off-again
Composed of several types of young greens, mesclun is AKA this seasonal mix
Spring Mix
A pale yellow, like certain "waves of grain"
Amber
It's a plant bud united with another growing plant, or the use of your political office to make money
Graft
This alliterative method to get your car alongside the curb just might be on the test
Parallel Parking
The Soho Playhouse on Vandam Street or the Actors Temple Theatre on West 47th, for example
Off-broadway
A Caprese salad is made with tomatoes, basil, olive oil & thick slices of this cheese
Mozzarella
The "New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy" says Ireland has this nickname because of its "lush, green countryside"
The Emerald Isle
Thanks to Boss Tweed, an 1870s courthouse in this city cost almost twice as much as the U.S. spent to buy Alaska
New York City
To take the test, you'll need this proof of financial responsibility in case anything goes wrong
Insurance
The prayers & griping of college football fans were rewarded with this at the end of the 2014 season
Playoff
The name of this dressing comes from an archipelago in the St. Lawrence River
Thousand Island
It's the longest title you'll never forget--"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by" her
Sapphire
A bribe can be paid upfront; if an official helps me first & I pay him later, it's this 8-letter word
Kickback
Mirrors aren't enough--look over your shoulder to check these areas before changing lanes
Blind Spots
9-letter word for zealously authoritative
Officious
Mizuna is an Asian variety of these peppery greens with a condiment in their name
Mustard Greens
Janis Joplin's nickname
Pearl
In 1982 Ronald Reagan said to do this 3-word marshy phrase "when you're up to your armpits in alligators"
Drain The Swamp
Failing to give this 3-word clearance to pedestrians can be an automatic failure
Right of Way