The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

TRAFFIC JAM

The rows and columns of the diagram represent city streets (one-way or two-way), with the arrows regulating traffic. Answers to clues a through jj, entered in the diagram sequentially, trace a tour through the city, starting in the upper left-hand corner and ending in the square just below it. Except for the last one, each clue answer ends at a Stoplight (i.e., in a numbered square), and the next answer begins in the same square. Each Stoplight has its letter provided by one of the clues A through F; these letters are a crucial guide to constructing the tour. Numbers in the Stoplight squares are unrelated to the tour’s progression.

Words never run through Stoplights, they only start and stop on them, and each Stoplight is encountered only once in the tour. Unnumbered squares are crossed either once or twice, but nevei’ more. A word may take any number of right-angle turns, but traffic signs (arrows) must be obeyed. Answers include a British term (aa) not found in Webster’s and a possibly unfamiliar word at jJ.

Punctuation may be used deceptively.

STOPLIGHTS

A. Yellow in lights is symbolic (5) (13,17,5,33,9)

B. Most like a stoplight for respite outside an endless whirlpool (7) (28,2,22,15,6,26,31)

C. Lady’s skimpy garb and curves prompt horns (5) (16,32,3,8,19)

D. Battered auto at stoplight with hook on the front (7) (11,34,23,21,29,1 8,7)

E. Fuel pump’s last convulsive breath (4) (30,35,10,20)

F. Race against time—set out (7) (4,1,14,25,27,12,24)

THE TOUR

a. In need of provisions, auto enters south metropolitan area (8)

b. Swerves from free-ways (4)

c. Elevated vehicle at green (7)

d. Man to creature in UFO: “Right lane, stranger” (9)

e. Proceed right sickly, running into a relative of King Kong (7)

f. Flat tire—decelerate, keeping in gear (7)

g. Get agitated from dirt bus splashed (7)

h. Drove a bus frantically around fifty streets (10)

i. Priest lurching about in Gremlin (6)

j. Taking left in tangled-up cities provokes (7)

k. Speed-mad, worried about time, rushed headlong en masse (9)

1.Routed another way! (6)

m. Rambler gets right through (5)

n. Old piece of wreckage makes about 99 around right angle (5)

o. Center has total divider (6)

p. Went on wheels in places where rides are extremely bumpy! (6)

q. Broad Street not in use (5)

r. Catch most of party going the wrong way (4)

s. Shown on a sign: “Train Depots’" (6)

t. Some hide from dizzy dame taking right (5)

u. Come to a turbulent river (6)

v. Return of The Thing in Hub is causing a sensation (6)

w. Copper, next to a car that’s overturned: “Love and liquor” (7)

x. Rotten tomato lands on Nash’s front seat (7)

y. Draw blood in convertible to even account (9)

z. Dash through square, clattering (5) aa. Police are nuts foi hot drink

containers (3,4)

bb. Make rest break after black goo gets inside car mechanism (7) cc. Networks make it a cruel snarl (8) dd. Prayers for shortened streets (4) ee. Take us back to lodge—it’s safest (6) ff. Submerged in Datsun amidst tidal wave (7)

gg. Nightmare in children’s primary school bus (7)

hh. Terribly sick after street jams (6) ii. Views countryside’s beginning, overwhelmed by liberated sense (6) jj. Dollars for those involved in collisions (8)

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 109.

Answers

to the

September

Puzzler,

“WRONG

NUMBER”

The place in the diagram where the answer belongs is given after the solution note.

Across. 1. SALO-N (anag. + n); 23D. 5. NESTLES (anag. without in)', 31A. 10. SEAL (double def.; pun); 8D. 11. MONU(MEN)T (mount anag.); 2D. 12. PROPRIETY (anag. + i); 7D. 14. AMENDS (anag.); 15A. 15. AU-STI-N (its anag.); 24A. 16. A-MISS; 1A. 18. OPERATES (anag.); 29A. 21. P-RE(PAR)ED; 11A. 23. CERES (homophone); 16A. 24. A-L(C)OVE; 25A. 25. T(RIP)LE (let anag.); 14A. 28. TORN(A-D)0ES (anag. + a and d); 14D. 29. SPRU(C)ING (anag. + c); 18A. 30. SP-ED; 4D. 31. ST(R)ANGE (anag. + r); 3D. 32. ED(G)ES (anag. + g); 9D. Down. 1. CUSPATE (anag.); 19D. 2. ENG(I-R)DLE (anag. + i and r); 17D. 3. GUNWALE (anag.); 20D. 4. LOPE (anag.); 26D. 5. MEMORANDA (anag.); 28A. 6. REVE(A)L; 22D. 7. TENT(ACLE)S (lace anag.); 13D. 8. GO-AT; 10A. 9. STA-T(h)E); 23A. 13. lN-CRE(A[rm]S)ED; 12A. 14. TRANSPIRE (anag.); 5D. 17. ENTE(R-IN)G (Genet anag.); 21A. 19. A-GIT(AT)E (I get anag.); ID. 20. TRAIP(S)E (anag. + a); 5A. 22. APERCU (hidden); 6D. 23. T-EPEE; 32A. 26. (v)ER)ST; 27D. 27. T-I-L-L (rev.); 30A.

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