The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

DEBARMENT

Eleven clue answers will not fit into the diagram until subjected to IA; this should appeal to 40A solvers. Answers include three uncommon words (11A, 20A, 36A), one variant spelling (7D), and one proper noun. Punctuation may be used deceptively.

ACROSS

1. (See directions)

10. Let down, looked gloomy (7)

11. New NASA expedition’s beginning with Saturn’s loops (5)

12. Spilled lye has fish showing distress (7)

14. America’s heartless that way (4)

17. Discontent tuners readjusting (6)

18. After fifty, apprentices may become paid workers (7)

19. Liberated Europe has no love for soup (5)

20. Pinky wiggling about is short and thick (6)

22. U.A.R, arms much improved, hastily (11) (hyphenated)

23. Large rocks look brilliant (5)

25. Sweeten the pot containing last of gruel on right half of rack (6)

27. Remarked about piece of pie, “tasty” (5)

29. Splitting documents, brief German on Air Force’s first outfit (7) (two words)

33. Stand in front of the bolt (6)

36. Heraldic border is whorled on the inside (4)

37. Flipper’s arranged a cruise (7)

38. Slashes housing costs (5)

39. Leftover spruce after the fourth of January (7)

40. (See directions)

DOWN

1. Convert Presley to punk (9)

2. Sound made by red deer (4)

3. Bird made out with bird on Noah’s

boat(10)

4. Female clasping Frenchman’s the

beauty of Paris (5)

5. Ask private to recruit (8)

6. River has its start in brownish

lake (4)

7. Commit nut—stir crazy (7)

8. Sodium has a function in sickness

(6)

9. With teary eyes rehashed the end

of better days gone by (10)

13. Random hugs show insincere

emotionalism (4)

15. Row behind has more precipitant

(7)

16. Curious, I pulled up outside (5)

19. Harshly criticize small grammar school, hurting feelings (5)

20. Sticks around for the voice compositions (10)

21. Shocked at Eve, in innocence (7) 23. Fish should have wet part of building (6)

24. Animals in forest wandering or lost (4)

26. Justify part of journey—it takes one crew member (10)

28. Plunderer makes girl plea pathetically (8)

30. Youngster on surreal art: “Not meaningful” (9)

31. Restricted, like drinks for dieters (5)

32. Giving up in favor of ascendant as ruler (9)

34. Heading off the shortest way to Boston from San Francisco (4) 35. Piercing wail (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 92.

Answers to the February Puzzler,

“TV GUIDE”

Across answers are given in the order of their appearance in the TV listing.

Across. 1. P-RAISER 2. T-REES (seer rev.) 3. CH-IMPS 4. CAPERS (anag.) 5. SPRIT-E (anag. + e) 6. TEAL (anag.) 7. IOTA (hidden) 8. APER-CU(t) 9. LEAR-N 10. LOT-TO(o) 11. REMOVED (anag.) 12. LEE-WARD 13. SEWN (anag.) 14. PRETOR (anag.) 15. B-RAY 16. ST-RAP 17. COPPERS (double def.) 18. P(AR)LAYS 19. HOOD-OO 20. DAMSELS (anag.) Down. 1. STEL(L)AR (anag. + l) 2. TEP-EES (rev.) 3. RACE (double def.) 4. PL(I)ANT 5. CO(MRA)DE (arm rev.) 6. POSER (double def.) 7. POSSE’S-S 8. ROWS (double def.) 9. SONAR (hidden) 10. EX-TENT 11. ARMPI-T (anag. + t) 12. T(OEN)AIL (one anag.) 13. ADDRESS (double def.) 14. STORE(Y)S 15. C(L)ARET (anag. + l) 16. STELAE (anag.) 17. C-RISP (anag. + c) 18. R(I)AT-A (a tar rev.) 19. COP-A 20. SURE (anag.)