Each of the answers can be preceded by a word rhyming with DEAD to form a word or phrase:
| Puzzle | Answer | Word/Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Dead Herring | ROGERS | FRED ROGERS |
| Deadbugs | PENCIL | LEAD PENCIL |
| Deaddy Bear | CRUMBS | BREAD CRUMBS |
| Hammerdead Shark | EAGLE | SPREAD EAGLE |
| Puredead Horse | MILL | TREADMILL |
These then pair up with the ambiguous clues at the bottom. Indexing into the word or phrase with the given numbers yields the following:
| Clue | Word/Phrase | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| Stretched (9, 3) | SPREADEAGLE | GR |
| Exercise (7, 6) | TREADMILL | IM |
| Mister (2, 8) | FRED ROGERS | RE |
| Implement (3, 5) | LEAD PENCIL | AP |
| Navigation (3, 7) | BREADCRUMBS | ER |
The answer is therefore GRIM REAPER.