The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

HIDDEN FACES

(Acknowledgments to Ad of The Listener)

The diagram shows cubes in rows of six, their top faces numbered 1-36, their four side faces unfolded to view, and their bottom faces unseen. Each cube has one letter on each face; these six letters can be arranged to form a word (Cube Word). Overlapping side faces share a letter. Clues are also given for four 6-letter Edge Words (ab, c—e, etc.) and six 6-letter Top Face Words (1-6, 7-12, etc.). Letters on the 36 unseen bottom faces, taken in order, spell out a quote from Ben Jonson. Answers include five proper nouns and an uncommon word at 17.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appeals on page 117.

CUBE WORDS

1. Neglect to make crossed letter

2. A nouveau riche comic-strip character

3. Riches left in blanket

4. In space, reused desert plant

5. Small enough specimen

6. National Leaguer caught in street with nymphomaniac

7. In ways, love is a poignant feeling

8. Unglamorous cook hugs ref

9. Croups of stars party by gym

10. Last word about copper’s keenness

11. Myth of the foot?

12. Green money captivates a lummox

13. Astute little mammal died

14. Toupee with a medium conical construction

15. A tiger savagely spat

16. Marketers pursuing first of macadamia nuts

17. Clever “L.A. Alive” no more returns

18. State question in a note

19. “Big Red" plays cards

20. Charts sentence in German high school

21. Games shortstop has left

22. Odd article swallowed by one of five babies

23. Edited mutual punctuation

24. Serving of food possessing a taste

25. Blockage of record before musical get-together

26. Clumsy operator with a probe

27.Hair, after 100 times

28. Mineral zone with carbon-filled metal

29. Detective embraced by trollop— it’s a sticky situation

30. Annual rye lay out

31. Scamp is in for a scalping

32. Argue about 50 stairs

33. Sort out Kansas birds

34. King Arthur’s first animal collections: they buzz

35. Declares fault’s outside of ocean

36. Presented issue about river valley’s origin

EDGE WORDS

a—b. Plays with words centrally located in cubes’ sides

c—e. Stacks of papers read aloud in French city

d—f. Likes Altered States

g—h. Gambled, and is $1,000 in red

TOP FACE WORDS

1—6. Upper body dance in the Lone Star State

7—12. Garb rudely X-ed out

13—18. Red Stick—chief of Arapaho nation

19—24. Resident of the Pyrenees said to lie in the sun

25—30. Bird eats prune and old lemon?

31—36. Audibly gnaws pick

NOTE: The instructions above are for this month’s puzzle only. It is assumed that you know how to decipher clues. For a complete introduction to due-solving, send an addressed, stamped envelope to The Atlantic Puzzler, 745 Boylston Street. Boston, Mass. 02116.

Answers to the February Puzzler

“HEART-TO-HEART”

Across. 7. T(R)EA-SURE; CON’S-TRUE 9. A-C-(b)RID(e); D(R)OLL ll.M(0)SAIC (anag. + o); GRISL-Y (anag. + y) 12.COO-LIE; S(TEE)LY 13. STEP (rev.); NO(v)EL 14. THAI (homoph.); POM)P 16. AWNIN(G)S (anag.+g); DAH-LIAS (rev.) 17. MAN-GO; R-OVKR 18.C-LEVER; POTAS-H (anag, +h) 19.GAVE-L; MEDEA (hidden) Down. 1. C(HER)UB; GROOMS (double def.) 2. WELL (double def.); ECRU (hidden) 3. DEVA-STATE (Ed rev.); VALI(DATE)S(e) 4. PUR(CHASE)R; V(A-LENT)INE 5. IR-I’S; LAOS (anag.) 6.1-ONES-CO; VESTIGE (hidden) 8. WOO-F; PLEA (hidden) 10. ROOT (double def.); DAL-I (rev.) 15. LEFT (anag.); PRO-M 17.MAD(A)-M; W-AVER