The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Fast Thinking

Sixteen clue answers are too long to fit into the diagram. By heeding the unclued phrase at 19 Across, solvers can make sense of this mess. Answers include seven proper nouns.

See page 159 for Puzzler contest details. The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 152.

Across

1. Suggest writing about waterway of Italy (7)

5. Bounced off, stung (7)

8. Managed horse, having to pull back (9)

9. “Free matinee!" Cap burst (10)

10. Through engaging our pitcher, e.g. (6)

11. Fool with Mom’s hoard (5)

12. Catholic almost praised man’s name (6)

14. I sing “California” in shower, creating a ruckus (11) (two words)

16. Reconciled, wearing cosmetics? (6) (two words)

17. Gets thinner recorders (6)

22. Produces tool carried aboard ship (6)

25. A gym permitted a little monkey (6)

27. Wilder, consuming one bottled spirit (5)

28. Outspoken clairvoyant’s net income (6)

30. Susan Morrison the author, American historian (9)

31. Ignore monkeys around area (6)

32. Calls about more regressive chemicals (10)

33. Expanding second-rate farm, in westernmost Georgia (9)

34. Business degree described by jargon that’s full of excitement (8) (hyphenated)

35. Entertainer laughs at filmdom’s Harper (7)

Down

1. Arizona Indian has Dad on run (6)

2. Porter & I contrived a comic character (7)

3. Parisian’s father collects burning volcanic glass (7)

4. Fluid half-dose, with liquor (5)

5. Paparazzi arrived right before preacher’s last word (9)

6. Astraddle maturer ass (6)

7. Engineer despaired, maintaining A&P vanished (11)

11. Modifies spots around apartment (6)

12. Where some Arabs ride might make Mecca balk (9)

13. Vehicle running over one Italian composer (6)

15. Holds study group about piano (6)

17. Those who draw looms (6)

18. Gold cat, a 2,000-pound robot (9)

19. Strangely tetrasporic life form of the Jurassic (11)

20. Alarm about frigate’s last cargo (7)

21. Rival tossed pen on top (8)

23. Rocky pile on Greek peak (6)

24. Asks about popular creatures (6)

20. Approximately under piece of tree trunk (5)

28. Marginally puzzling type of sleigh (4)

29. Traces very excited jailbirds (8)

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 long envelope to The Atlantic Puzzler. 745 Boylslon Street, Boston, Mass. 02116.

ANSWERS TO THE OCTOBER PUZZLER

“Haunted House”

Letters in the six boxes spell SHADES: sable, titian, gold, ocher, umber, rose. Across. 1. C(ARE-S-S)ABLE 5. LEGENDS (pun) 10. AM-I-GO 11. NO-EL 12. RO(O)T 13. RO-CO-CO 14. REV(IS)-ED 16. ELAN-D 17. N-OODLES 20. ALL-IE-R 21. VAL(I)SE 25. ARTLESS (pun) 27. PINTA (anag.) 29. CA(TNA)PS (ant rev.) 32. TOMBAC (anag.) 33. DIETITIANS (anag.) 34. O-LEO 35. MELBA (anag.) 36. PER SE-US 37. GOLDURNED (anag.) Down. 1. CARREL (homophone) 2. AL(O)E 3. E(A-TIN)G 4. SMOOCHERS (anag.) 5. LICENSE (anag.) 6. GO(O)GOL 7. E-N(C)UMBERED 8. DECREED 9. S(L)OW 15. VAULT (double def.) 18. LIAN-A (nail rev.) 19. CAR(I)OLE 20. AS-SAILS 22. SE(t)-SAME 23. PINDAR (hidden) 24. MASSED (homophone) 26. LO-BOS (sob rev.) 28. S(TO)P 30. TA-BU (at rev.) 31. PET-EROSE