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The September Puzzler

The Puzzler

Whodunit
Previous Puzzlers:
  • "Highlights"
    September, 2000
  • "Partners"
    August, 2000
  • "Triangles"
    July, 2000
  • "Cryptic Tennis"
    June, 2000
  • "Cutting the Cards"
    May, 2000
  • "Message in a Bottle"
    April, 2000
  • "Bright Prospects"
    March, 2000
  • "Your Turn"
    February, 2000
  • "A River Runs Through It"
    January, 2000
  • "Windup"
    December, 1999
  • "Downsizing"
    November, 1999
  • "Cycles"
    October, 1999
  • "Shakedown"
    September, 1999
  • "At the Movies"
    August, 1999
  • "Family Reunion"
    July, 1999
  • "Mismatches"
    June, 1999
  • "Lawbreakers"
    May, 1999
  • "Mystery Box"
    April, 1999
  • "Hide and Seek"
    March, 1999
  • "Central Square"
    February, 1999
  • "Cross-Training"
    January, 1999
  • "Criss-Crossing"
    December, 1998
  • "Back in the Labyrinth"
    November, 1998
  • "Rite of Passage"
    October, 1998
  • "Service With a Smile"
    September, 1998
  • "In Common"
    August, 1998
  • "Nine-Hole Course"
    July, 1998
  • "Guidelines"
    June, 1998
  • "Picnic"
    May, 1998
  • "Three-Ring Circus"
    April, 1998
  • "Marching Orders"
    March, 1998
  • "Step by Step"
    February, 1998
  • "Celebrating the First"
    January, 1998
  • "Cryptacrostic"
    December, 1997
  • "Chessboard"
    November, 1997
  • "Haunted House"
    October, 1997
  • "Double-Crossers"
    September, 1997
  • "Scoreboard"
    August, 1997
  • "Celebrating the Fourth"
    July, 1997
    		• Somebody has taken something from 17 answers in this puzzle's diagram. The two unclued Across entries identify the crime and the unclued Down entry identifies the perpetrator. Answer lengths are also missing. Answers include nine capitalized words, one of them an acronym; 28 Across is a bit archaic, and 36 Across is rare although made of common parts.

    The instructions above are for this month's puzzle only. See a complete introduction to clue-solving.

    See the solution to last month's Puzzler.

    Clues

    Across
    1. Herb is jazz combo member providing great intensity
    6. Desert heat returns in mountain
    9. Be second in departure from the stage
    10. Iconoclastic, the man leads wild rodeo in Texas
    11. Chart having a variable that can be assessed
    12. Luxurious spot by an advertising union
    14. Tragic figure in plot made dim
    15. A ding-a-ling with no delay
    16. Born and died in poverty
    18. FBI guys dividing gold treasury's first increase
    20. Young lady I put in spot with an African leader's name
    21. Father qualified made-up story
    24. Farm animal gripped by doctor gave a cry
    25. Told of former president's education
    28. Delaware's body of water shows low ebb?
    30. Announced plant yield
    31. Fat boy's eating restricted
    32. Share drink with bit of rum in it
    34. A thorny item sprang into being
    35. To dine after a pair of days makes sense (two words)
    36. Warrior princess adopts Arabian love of things foreign
    37. Follows Gwyneth's lead in hairstyles
    38. Rocket circles left of the sun
    39. Cordelia awfully cross with painter

    Down
    1. Church employees making love a whole lot
    2. One times one: a length of a line in geometry
    3. Name for a woman equals name for a man
    4. Grass around acres where cows might be set free
    5. Tail of the T. Rex whacked me last
    6. Alcoholic drink excellent for a Union general
    7. Cook while standing in garbage
    8. Verbally, couple settles up for rugs
    13. New article: "In the Role of Grandmothers"
    17. Energy nuts exert in Devonshire city
    19. Government agent keeps law bent
    21. Obsession oddly rendered Dixie deaf (two words)
    22. Flowers with cheerful appearances around a treasure site
    23. English city is #1, according to The Listener
    25. Interpret illiterate signature in English money
    26. It detects sulfur ingested by Spanish gent
    27. Get rid of #11, and hurry back (hyphenated)
    28. Doctor John, about to be too enthusiastic
    29. Use a sharp stick to get small fruit
    33. French writer with two embraces?

    Copyright © 2000 by The Atlantic Monthly Company. All rights reserved.
     The Atlantic Monthly; October 2000; The Puzzler - 00.10; Volume 286, No. 4; page 139.