The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

AT THE RACES

There are six numbered race entrants, each using three clue answers to go around the course from START to FINISH. Each entrant starts in its correspondingly numbered lane, but at each radial line two (and only two) adjacent entrants swap lanes. Racers’ lane positions along the way may be determined with the help of the six-letter words a-q, which are entered radially from inside to outside lanes. The finishing order of the racers (from inside lane to outside) also spells out the winner of this cryptic race. Answers include four proper nouns; all other words may be found in Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.

The answers to last month’s Puzzler appear on page 95.

ENTRANTS

#1 The one owned by Charles is a skeleton (7) One set for patron (5) Constituent bit of most coal (6)

#2 Get old article about eastern sea (6) Hot out of excitement, quaver (5) Back last pony, not first (7)

#3 Problem in Derby detains attendant (6) Try, in English, “over and out” (8) Talk into chamber in the ear (4)

#4 Pick out celery’s heart the wrong way (5) Mother turned legendary murderer psychotic (6) Boob tube carries a live broadcast in Middle Eastern city (7) (two words)

#5 Arctic explorer bottles excellent wines (5) Lie level (5) Moving van reads “Stoops” (8)

#6 Start off sampler with flower (5) Gets over gout, changing ways (8) Top-velocity circuit brings cheer (5)

RADIAL WORDS

a. Movie producer nearly arrived on time

b. Sun god rejected earth, wouldn’t you say?

c. A fellow’s representatives

d. Withdraw from southeast, and transfer

Discussed flight goggles

Cretan king adopts royal children

Crafty pharaoh splitting sea anew

Embalming stuff to treat skin returned by Reagan

i. Bergman is in Network

j. Drink containing red, green, and yellow sock

k. Alcove needs remodeling to be contemporary

l. 55 taken in time—small number

m. Kid about empty room in speech

n. Raised around Los Angeles, honked

o. Raced with the result that 1000 demanded money

P. Modifying word of victory in a short Kentucky race

q. Grip aluminum in clamp

Note: The instructions above are for this month’s puzzle only. It is assumed that you know how to decipher clues. Fora complete introduction to clue-solving, send an addressed, stamped envelope to The Atlantic Puzzler‚ 8 Arlington Street‚ Boston, Mass. 02116.

Answers to the December Puzzles

“SEGMENTS”

1.C-AVE 2. QUE(AS-I)ER 3. PO(U)T 4.PAWN(s)EE(s) 5. TU(NI)C (rev.) 6. ASEPTIC (anag.) 7. SERAIS (anag.) 8. DUE-NNA (Ann rev.) 9. LAUGH-TON (pun) 10. H(EARS)E 11. F(R)AT 12. A(BY)SS 13. NO(V)EL. 14. S(M)OCKS 15. DIALER (rev.) 16. DE(C)R-EES (see red rev.) 17. LIMN (homophone) 18. A-XES (sex rev.) 19. DESTINED (anag.) 20. PLATTE(r) 21. APRO-N 22. BLAH (odd letters) 23. STEELS (rev.) 24. JO(CO)SE (Joe’s anag.) 25. NEU(ter) R-ON 26. JA-PAN 27. DI-S(M).AYS 28. C ASHIER 29. SUMMARY (homophone) 30. JUNK-IEST (I set anag.) 31. F-ETOR (rev.) 32. ERA-TO 33.J([y]ULE)PS 34.OCTANE (anag.) 35. (g)AL LEYS 36. FEBRILE (anag.) 37. TENURES (anag.) 38. J-ANGLES 39. LIGHTER (double def.) 40. BRA(Hf[i]M)S(s)

ACROSTIC NO. 29

“It was a shock for me quite late in life to discover that Jean Cocteau and Jacques Cousteau were not even related. Meaning . . . was unstable and could not survive the slightest reshuffling of letters. One gust of wind and Santa became Satan.”

—Lorrie Moore, Anagrams: A Novel