The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

TRANSMUTATION

Across lights (i.e., words in the diagram) are mutations of the Across clue answers. Answers include five proper nouns and a slightly unfamiliar word (34A); the Across lights include one two-word phrase, one proper noun, and an alternate spelling at 28. Punctuation in the clues may be used deceptively.

ACROSS

1. Angered at stray dog (9) (two words)

10. Graze in some undergrowth (5)

11. Rolling Stone is in, man—it’s freaky (7)

13. Flavor-wise (4)

15. King left out of Duke’s payments (4)

16. Requirement for oral work—dough (4)

17. Tracks going back through pasture (4)

18. Embarrassed about well-advanced kin (7)

19. Chickens emitting egg roils (7)

21. Spoils of War? (4)

23. Move with stealth and quiet after snake (5)

25. Damage in a seaside promenade (6)

27. Setback after 5-0 decisions (5)

28. Rings from cigars (7)

30. Secretary briefly settled debts, returning underwear (7)

31. Old wives’ tales’ contents (5)

34. King in space; put differently, space ruler? (6)

38. Jack and member of the family make an excursion (5)

39. Hero is relaxed with audience (4)

40. Places for putting vegetables (6)

41. Misrepresents positions (4)

42. Say name and place (4)

43. Cryptic writings don’t begin to be poetry (4)

44. Bird held in one side of Sing Sing for theft (8)

DOWN

1. Another star ruler (4)

2. Old war chief has medicines brought up (4)

3. Blow with zip and zest (5)

4. Able-bodied seamen get ruder when drunk, then sillier (8)

5. Creature that grazes in grass coming up (4)

6. Native men dice bananas (7)

7. Confounded, upset victim of hydrophobia (6)

8. Songwriter protected by umbrella (4)

9.Feel up laborers (5)

11. Growl from stray followed by hesitation (6)

12. Part, with a sign of sorrow (4)

14. Visitors have theory about time (6)

19. Prosaist’s content with garden variety (4)

20. Rudely silly “Pop!” (8)

22. Person consumed by a couple of esurient sea creatures (8)

24. I struggled with rising vegetation (5)

26. Run ad to rent circular building (7)

29.. . . saying “Notice,” period (5)

32. Sign on right: “Entering Only in Reverse” (5)

33. Capture young lady with love (5)

34. Drink is said to give you hair, after a fashion (4)

35. Too genial soul, at heart (4)

36. Tear off price (4)

37. Rev takes a swig on the way up (4)

38. Flying jets is fun (4)

Note: The instructions above are the special instructions for this month’s puzzle. It is assumed that you know how to decipher clues. For a complete introduction to clue-solving, write to The Atlantic Reprint Department, enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 99.

Answers to the December Puzzler,

“STARLIGHTS’

“Little star, how I wonder what you are”

1. SEN(S)ILE 2. P-ARTNER (anag. + p) 3. INSTANT (anag.) 4. JO(URN)EY 5. ANNUL-A-R 6. TUB(U)LAR (anag. + u) 7. ENTRUST (anag.) 8. RE(LIA)NT (ail rev.) 9. S-TILTED 10. BLE(SS)ED 11. RE(N)NETS (anag. + n) 12. T(RIB)UNE 13. DUB-IOU’S 14. MUSTERS (anag.) 15. WRESTLE (anag.) 16. JET SETS 17. ACTRESS (anag.) 18. VI-TRIO-L 19. B(LO)USES 20. DIVERS-E 21. REVERE’S 22. LA SCALA (anag.) 23. F-ACTION 24. REC(O)ILS (sheer rev. + o) 25. DIE-SELS (less anag.) 26. RE-VISES 27. DEAREST (anag.) 28. NARW-HAL (warn anag.) 29. B-A-LANCE 30. SCON(C)ES 31. OCELOTS (anag.) 32. G-LOSSES 33. BEST-OWS 34. S-HOOTER 35 KINDEST (anag.) 36. MITOSIS (anag.) 37. M(INN)OWS