I feel like I am the bearer of bad news, but here is what I have found, my fellow authors:

Although it is tempting to substitute descriptive words in place of the word “said”, seasoned writers are now telling us not to use them in our attributions. 

They say it pulls the reader’s attention away from the dialogue. Also, using them tells the reader how the character feels, rather than by showing them with actions. 

Also, help your reader out by using the same attributions for each character throughout. For example,  avoid using “policeman”, “captain”, “officer”, “Tony” all as attributions for the same character within the same scene because these changes only serve to confuse readers.

Many authors advise that “smiled, frowned, laughed, grinned, and smirked”  should not be used as attributions—EVER—because they describe expressions, not speech. 

Finally, in two-person conversations, where lines alternate, only tag a line occasionally—IF the conversation is very long. Readers realize that people speak back and forth.

RULE: Clarify without overshadowing your dialogue.