The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Answers to the April Puzzler, “THEME AND VARIATIONS”

Theme Words are Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. Nina’s Variations are nickel and sodium, corresponding to its component parts Ni and Na; Pinta’s Variations are inapt and paint, anagrams; Santa Maria’s Variations are Claus and Callas, names associated with Santa and Maria. Across. 1. SUP(POSE)S 10. OP(ERA)TE (poet anag.) 12. TIN-E 13. DOSE (homophone of dos) 15. (c)ORACLES 17. L(IKE)D 19. C-IGARETTE (anag. +c) 21. MATCH (double def.) 25. AB-ALONE 26. SCARS (anag.) 28. R(EM)OVE 35. SP(ART)AN 36. HORDE (anag.) 37. R-ICE 38. ELAN (hidden) 39. A-RID 40. READMITTANCE (anag.) Down. 2. (co)UPON 3. P(R)EP 4. STODGINESS (anag.) 5. ST(A)IR 7. IN-LET 8. NEE-D 9. ABSC-(m)ESS(y) (scab anag.) 11. ANTI (hidden) 17. L-ACE 18. B-ABE 20. TAR-TAR-I-C 22. CLOUDED (anag.) 24. L-(AN(TERN 25. ARCHER (pun) 27. CI-RCA (car anag.) 29. SPRAT (tarps rev.) 31. AN-ODE 33. LOVE (pun) 34. SEEM (homophone of seam)

MISPRINTS

(Acknowledgments to Ximenes of The Observer)

Half of the Across clues (nine) and half of the Down clues (also nine) contain a misprint of just one letter, always in the definition of the answer. The answers to these clues are to be entered in the diagram correctly spelled. All other clues are normal—but their answers are to be entered in the diagram with one misprinted letter each. Misprinted letters never occur in unchecked squares (squares contained in only one answer). Whenever two words cross, the letter in their mutual square will be the correct one for at least one of the words.

Answers include two proper nouns. Punctuation in the clues may be used deceptively.

ACROSS

Fats Waller cuts loose—we let out a roar (10)

Salt maybe is sailor? (6)

Small town operator of amateur radio station gets permit (6)

Revel in argot(4)

Woman of old makes joke in song (7)

Rests or passes out (7)

Smoking jacket? (6)

Tattletale in withholding nothing—for shame (6)

Please tell when clothing fits poorly (7)

A poet is playing drums (7)

25. Anchor in crashing makes a kind of hole (6)

27. Knock that woman over this way

(6)

29. Flowers droop in the center (7)

31. Big store has rent trouble (7)

32. Engage in boxing and return sharp blows (4)

33. What you’re paid in advance (6)

34. Looted while rioting—a pity (6)

35. Someone talking may deliver pedantries (10)

DOWN

1. Unites intimately having bastard procreations (12)

2. Common fish round about (6)

3. Loving squeeze embraces Dizzy Dean (9)

4. Trap for wild goat (4)

Makes a note in Sterne novel (6) Slip from dress in Kismet (7) Confederate dam put up in color (5)

In a sense we detect fragrance from peony (4)

A tennis tutor developed a case of sneering (12)

Price of game getting upped to a possibly dangerous count (4) Confuse me with Spanish gent (9) School masters—they run on and on (7)

All but the first of pages in Middlemarch (4)

Sprouts in pots (6)

Royal English feast (6)

Indian goat may circle East (5) Pound note with change (4)

Space for the drawing up of anchor (4)

Note: The instructions above are the special instructions for this month’s puzzle. It is

assumed that you know how to decipher clues. For a complete introduction to clue-solving, write to The

Atlantic Reprint Department, enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 99.