The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

TRAPDOORS

Solvers, beware! This puzzle’s diagram contains some “trapdoors,” unmarked squares at the intersection of two answers. When an answer lands on a trapdoor, it will “fall” from that square and reemerge from a different trapdoor on the next letter, going either across or down. For example, if ANSWER hit a trapdoor on its third letter, it would be entered as ANS, and WER would emerge from a trapdoor elsewhere in the diagram; every trapdoor is both an exit and an entryway. Because of the trapdoors, some answers may not fit their apparent locations in the diagram; hence the lengths are not given. By marking all the trapdoors, solvers can highlight an appropriate term reading from left to right and top to bottom. Answers include six proper words.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appeals on page 168.

ACROSS

1. Regressive boor owns country homes

6. Scum in back of sled with polar explorer

10. Invoice ultimately features balances

12. Bar headwear outside for naught

13. Roman god Dutch painter draws up

14. Garland assumes victory for leader of a tribe

15. Archer rejected some of nonpareils

16. Bush pronounced rocket “drag”

17. Solicit painting by South

23. Some type of list CIA circulated

24. Count accepts girl as a queen

26. Dividing drink, saint shows fairness

28. I was in charge of a country

29. Minnesotan woman’s behind the Republicans

31. Stick to first of saddle horses

32. Forecasts wrong hoops score

33. Goaded and pelted with food

34. Take a chance admitting dope dog

DOWN

1. Holds party for liberals around the seventh of November

2. Enclosure among dishes with hot seasonings for breads?

3. Prince with cipher ring

4. Loser steals oranges, peeled (hyphenated)

5. Advocate of central planning working at it aboard transoceanic jet

6. Before Cheers, lower antennas

7. Flying around, let Ray land

8. Cutting organ in rat

9. Spring’s beginning with a chill for part of Italy

11. Discussing fence around state

18. Element 5l’s reversed symbol

19. Killer whale following pack back to island

20. Latin fellow’s fear

21. Baloney sandwiches left with three members

22. For audience, cloak shelf above a fireplace

25.Iodine swallowed by fat Scottish aristocrat

27. Tackle corrosion with confidence

30.Occupy a chair after expert toast

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 clue-solving, send an addressed, stamped envelope to The Atlantic Puzzler, 745 Boylston Street, Boston, Mass. 02116.

Answers to the October Puzzler

“ZIP CODE”

The zip code spells Never-Never Land.

Across. 1. M(O)RS-E 6. S(ACHE)M 10. ENER(VAT)E (Renee anag.) 11. AL-GA 12.CER(VANT)ES 13. AR(TWO-R)KS 15.LEV(IT)Y 16. FRYER (homophone) 18.GRlN(GO)S 20.S(HE)AVES 23. BAT-ON 25.SEUR-AT (rues rev.) 26. FLA(TWA)RE 27. S(KIND-IVE)S 28. NICE (double def. ) 29. R(EVERT)ED 30. T-HORNS 31. D(u)RESS Down. 1. MEDALS (homophone) 2. ENTRE(CH)AT 3. REST-ORE 4. EVEN-TS 5.TARRY (double def.) 6.S(TOKER)S 7. CANTON’S 8. HO(T)LY 9. MASER (hidden) 14. GENDARMES (anag.) 17. MA(R)INER 18. GO(ALI)ES 19. GA(ROT)TE 21. VETOED (hidden) 22. S(TEN)OS 23.BE(SO)T 24. T-RICE 25.SA(V-V)Y