The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

SQUARE WHEELS

(Acknowledgments to Caudillo of Crossword)

The first letter of each clue answer goes in the appropriately numbered space, with the rest of the letters proceeding clockwise or counterclockwise to trace the perimeter of a square. The first letters are not necessarily in the corners of squares. Answers include five proper nouns. Punctuation may be used deceptively.

1. Game: entering right one in spinning square (8)

2. Most worthless stories will get edited without resistance (8)

3. Habitual drinkers do not admit life’s dissipated (8)

4. Clear a barn sheltering a horse (4)

5. What golfers create on fairways and fishermen create in pubs? (4)

6. Children’s exercises in addition (4)

7. Carp is a sea creature (4)

8. Weed killer made of water in part (8)

9. Compact hat with plume at the front (4)

10. Pop gets belt halfway caught in fan (4,4)

11. Mom will be next to enter a wild Nile crocodile (3-5)

12. Unprotected egg by swan (4)

13. Make an examination on Rose— note defective hormone (12)

14. Go film an exotic tropical bird (8)

15. Something drivers enjoy is to whip into reverse (4)

16. One who traveled for sport (4)

17. Escape arrow (4)

18. Crooked inclination (4)

19. Name for any limited period (4)

20. Ranee’s turban slyly hidden (12)

21. A sorry person has some true regrets (4)

22. Lamp swinging from tree (4)

23. Revolutionaries creating stirs in countries (16)

24. You need a tiller to ride on the waves in the sound (4)

25. Beantown? (4)

26. A nose for money (4)

27. Lou is in plays about lady that’s fancy (8)

28. Wears clothing (8)

29. Hobo is in lot, drunk—he certainly has his ups and downs (12)

30. “Madge,” I said, “these are a bunch of wise guys” (4)

31. Meat is put in loaf for cookout (8)

32. Since St. Louis is polluted, I’m for becoming a hermit (12)

33. Delightful French resort (4)

34. Run on a wild horse (4)

35. Jack and Mab repaired part of a door (4)

36. Comedian getting 50% off issue (4)

37. Father is back, and largely embarrassed (4)

38. Tune in a TV actress made up to disguise a lack of beauty (16)

39. Red water (4)

40. Most lions eat sloppily—they’re annoying (12)

41. Hub of a wheel found in North Avenue (4)

42. Sins sure can provide some light moments! (8)

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 107.

Answers to the September Puzzler, “ALPHABETICAL DELETION”

Deleted letters appear next to rows and above columns from which they are missing.

Across. 1. MISS-IVES 8. EVICT (anag.) 12. SO-MNOLE-SCENT (lemon anag.) 13. SH-OUT 14. SPEC(IOU)S 16. SEE-D(a)Y 18. E(G)YPT (anag. + g) 19. MODERNIZE (anag.) 20. FRIEZE (homophone) 21. D(E-CREE)D 23. RAC(ECAR)S (race in scar rev.) 25. J0N(QUIL[1])S 27., T(H)ROUGH 29. EG(ESTIN)G (nest, I anag.) 30. YO(KIN)G(a) 31. KEEP(ERIN)-G 33. LUAUS (hidden) 35. TAINT (anag.) 38. HIGHSPEED (anag.) 39. H-OAR-Y 40. PEDA(G-OG)ICAL (G + go rev. in aid place anag.) 41. DOTTY (pun) 42. TEN(NY)SON (anag. + NY) Down. 1. MOSES (hidden peripherally) 2. S(NOWDR)OP (drown anag.) 3. S(LOT)S 4. FILTER (homophone) 5. WE(EKE)ND 6. TEMP(T)ER 7. INEF-FABLE (fine anag.) 9. INKING 10. COOPERATING (anag.) 11. T(ASTI)EST 15. F(ORETH)OUGHT (other anag.) 17. DI(SQUI[d])ET 18. XER-XES (rev.) 22. FEN-UG-REEK 24. STY-L-I-ZED 25. LOONS (double def.) 26. INTIMACY (anag.) 28. W(HERE)AS 29. EPI-TO-ME (pie anag.) 32. BENIG-N (anag. + n) 34. U-PSET (anag. + u) 36. T(OX)IN 37. KYLIN (hidden)