The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

PATCHWORK

This puzzle diagram is a thing of Threads (across answers a-s) and Patches (areas numbered 1-20). Solvers must determine the starting point for entry of the Threads, which proceed in the given sequence (a-s), left to right, moving down the diagram. A word exiting the diagram at the lower right will continue in the upper left-hand corner. Each Patch’s letters are to be entered in mixed order; these letters should help solvers determine where the sequential Threads belong. Answers include three proper nouns. Punctuation may be used deceptively.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 108.

THREADS

a. Execute crazy quilt idea

b. Twerp wearing old waistcoat

c. Touching beach boy?

d. Nun keeping in evil

e. Mathematical function described by spinning tail of car

f. With skimpy garb, behold short length covering considerable amount

g. Land on silvery metal in copper coin

h. A profit besides

i. A phosphorus source is plainly visible

j. Foolish sheep going back after a plant

k. Upset with a haberdasher’s request?

l. Shake with whirling dervish after introduction

m. Work keeps sports official in clover

n.Feller clasped by college girl used persuasion

o. Modified racer (turbo device under the hood)

p. Editor returned Study in Advertisement with No Exit (hyphenated)

q. God fills request for abundance

r. Brawler rashly gives the bird

s. Croc loose in low country

PATCHES

1. Seeking inconclusively for painkiller (7)

2. Put an end to adolescent snack bar (7)

3. Doctors’ vigor is remarkable (7)

4. Sparely scattered garnish (7)

5. Standard place contains a sponge (8)

6. Break stringed instrument, consumed (7)

7. Pop singer taking ill in horror story (7)

8. Formulated statement of beliefs about a comet’s tail (7)

9. Directed not to vanish while circling globe (7)

10. Hot rod careening into bovine is recognized (8)

11. Republican entering tavern with Swedish opera singer is hardly able to see (8)

12. Wine concocted by Irish freedom fighters (7)

13. Clergyman owns a nuclear device (7)

14. Magician’s struggle with handcuff mechanism (7)

15. Five and ten ransacked—stop outside (7)

16. Scrap from plane is in great supply (8)

17. Uncharacteristic of regressive rule (7)

18. Hide in the past with California clothing (7)

19. In Attic or in Theban city of old (7)

20. Settle in booth (7)

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.

Answers to the September Puzzler, “ACROSS AND DOWN”

The ten unclued Acrosses can combine with DOWN (the unclued Down) to make compound words.

Across. 1. D(RAFT)EE 10. O-AS-IS 11. TEMPLE (double def.) 12. LIPASE (anag.) 13. NO(V)ELS 14. BE-ER (pun) 17. REACT (anag.) 18. STUCCO (homophone) 20. C-ASTRO 24. MUSCA (anag.) 26. RO(A)D 28. ERN (homophone) 29. CA-NINE 30. SA(TIN)Y Down. 2. RAG-OUT 3. AS(CENT)S 4. FI-LLIP (rev.) 5. ESPARTO (hidden) 6. TEST-A-TOR 7. UP-SET 8. CLUER (anag.) 9. HENROOST (anag.) 11. TAM-E 15. REC(TR)ESS (rt rev.) 16. PURSLANE (anag.) 18. SLAV-ISH (pun) 19, CAL(U)-MET 21. WO(O)ERS (anag. + o) 22. MEN-IAL (lai[d] rev.) 23. TO-RAH 24. MAN-TA(n) 25. CO-NY 27. (S)TAKE