The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

LITERAL INTERPRETATION

Solvers will find that eleven of this puzzle’s clue answers will not fit into the diagram unless they are treated literally. Five clue answers are capitalized.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 101.

ACROSS

1.Rock in recording disheartened? (5)

4. Fat-skinned swine left on a vessel (8)

9. Bracelet’s back with diamonds again?(5)

IT. Bob blended red and purple and blue (5)

12. After Five-O, Orson’s somewhat lacking in character? (9)

13. Bear right at the rear whirlpool (5)

15.Liberate judge for the second

time? (6)

18. Shorebird taken in by a tardy substitute (9)

19. In this pan is hashed tongue (7) 22. Makes stupid low-grade coverings

for domes (5)

24. Receivers of images trainee developed (7)

26.Mailer returned to southern, fiery state (7)

30. Spreads love in “Cheers” (5)

32. Plateau quakes—L.A.’s gone, devoured (5) (two words)

34. Was still facing left, holding medium headwear (4)

35. Speed forces sign to be adopted by Mass Transit Authority (7)

36. End of item I ran wrong on the page(10)

37. Kennedy has advance court divided (9)

DOWN

1. Police collaring cross Egyptians (5)

2. Chuck keeps place empty, halfdressed? (7)

3. Get nude after starting exercise 5)

4. Slowpoke turned around near Africans (7)

5. Show about butchered bovine (6)

6. Little bird fouled towel (5)

7. Wind playing around the French plane’s wing part (7)

8.Ruby holds stanza back (8)

10. The sound of someone damning a computer light (6)

14. Opinion expressed about one tune overturned (9)

16. Insane Democrat near the rear (4)

17. Monsieur, sad to say, catches quiet dogs (9)

19. Outside London art gallery, staff turned (7)

20. Ex-ump I’d badly confused (7) (two words)

21. Made outside of British gun swell (7)

23. Count takes in a track race (5)

25. Fabulous birds held up by alien guide (6)

27. Afternoon is over, idiot (4)

28. Former First Lady—one in 1966 musical (5)

29. Money judgment’s sound (5)

31. Rocky seas for a potential letter carrier (4)

33. Apartments’ soft spots (4)

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

Answers to the July Puzzler

“RELAY RACE”

Runners. 1 .a. VPKRiOl b. DO(LIN[E])G C. UGAN-DA (agun anag.) d. GRAI)K A (gray day homophone) 2.a. sKR-T)K I b. (s)AD-DAMS c. AG(HND)A d. tanz)AN(EMHA (me rev.) 4.a. MHI,1.0 (anag.) b. OR-NATE (neat anag.) e. NIA(C-I)N (Nina anag.) d. OVK(R)DO (dove anag.) 4.a. LMPIN)G (gum anag.) h. HKAR)T-H c. Godnxst-nN d. NA-MATH 5.a. KRSVI-Z (anag. + Z) b. UKiKTDK (let anag.) c. v\-’n RK (true anag.) d. XKRO (I)N’

(bronze anag. - b) 6.a. STR)KAM b. DHiDMOS c. MIN(CK)D d. KI. DKR-S Down. A, l.F.AU’EfrpD IF IN-GITK (homophone) (1. E(R)ASEl) D. ME(D)AKS E. MEN-DKR (red rev.) F. AR-CAR-O (i RAT-IN-A 1 1. T(RL’M)AN