I have the words grit, ingrained, meteoric parody, prevail, and sleuth left

The old custom of celebrating the Fourth of July with a fireworks display still ___ in many towns
meteoric

prevails

The grime on the mechanics hand was so deeply ____ that even a thorough scrubbing couldn't entirely remove it

ingrained?

In the late 19th century Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created one of the most famous ____ in literature Sherlock Holmes
sleuth?

Yes! The last two are correct.

Even though so many people were criticizing and ridiculing him he had the ___ to continue doing what he felt was right

parody

Her ability to ___ the words and gestures of prominent Americans make her an excellent comic impressionist
meteoric?

Neither of the last two is right.

To find the missing word in the sentence, you can analyze the context and choose the word that best fits. In this case, the sentence talks about celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks, indicating a longstanding tradition. Given that information, the word "meteoric" seems out of place as it means something that happens quickly or suddenly.

Now, let's go through the remaining options:

1. Grit - Grit refers to courage, perseverance, or determination, but it doesn't make sense in the context of a fireworks display on the Fourth of July.
2. Ingrained - Ingrained means deeply rooted or firmly established, which aligns with the idea of a longstanding tradition. This seems like a potential match.
3. Parody - Parody refers to an imitation or a comedic representation, which doesn't fit the context of celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks.
4. Prevail - Prevail means to triumph or succeed, but it doesn't connect directly with the idea of a fireworks display.
5. Sleuth - Sleuth means a detective or an investigator, which is unrelated to the context.

Based on the analysis, the word that best fits the sentence is "ingrained," as it aligns with the idea of a longstanding tradition.