The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

BACKFIELD IN MOTION

Answers to clues are fullbacks (entered entirely in reverse), halfbacks (first or second half entered in reverse), or quarterbacks (one-fourth entered in reverse). For example, the word GOALPOST should be entered TSOPLAOG if it is a fullback; LAOGPOST or GOALTSOP if it is a halfback; and OGALPOST,

GOLAPOST, GOALOPST, or GOALPOTS if it is a quarterback. There are I8 halfbacks, 9 fullbacks, and 9 quarterbacks. Two answers are proper nouns (one of them a trademark). Punctuation may be used deceptively.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 88.

ACROSS

1.Running back moving if I set signals

(8)

7. Jet, Colt, and others tossed out with a jerk (4)

11. Scrambled left over slippery surface

(6)

12. Get beaten in Buffalo, severely (4)

13. Chiefs’ second half changed score, with great revelry (8)

14. Team member has to work at penetrating to become a Redskin? (12)

15. Atlanta’s center moved nimbly around #5 and gained ground (8)

17. Sound of a Ram making contact (4)

19.Just over a yard outside end of Miami field (6)

22. Men lay clobbered viciously (6)

23. Packer’s product of disorganized team (4)

24. Inform a Lion, “Moving is sensible”

(8)

25. Trouble—Rice TD possibly out of

bounds? (12)

29. Best built for running, break outside—gain ground (8)

30. Back catches with arm (4)

31. Receivers streak off (6)

32. Tots notice Bradshaw’s middle (4)

33. Brutal action put cheer into Coach Lombardi (8)

DOWN

1. Cardinal coaches holding back crowd (4)

2. Broadcast shows ball-holder grabbing pants (8)

3. At home, Giants invading Saints’ sections (12)

4. Pad uniform (4)

5. Rocky piles caused by protector changing direction at the last (6)

6. Pass-receiver gets in proposal for rule-breaker (8)

7. Someone on the sidelines floating

passes around mid-zone—look closely (12)

8. Jar Chicago’s end thoroughly from behind (4)

9. With great cheer, Simpson comes up with lousy, no-good yard (8)

10.Loudly disapprove touchdown with point kicked (6)

15. Delighted, put Raider out after one gets away (8)

16. Mocking Viking almost caught by desperate dives (8)

18. Up 10-0, intercepted by young lady coming out wearing head protection (8)

20. What a Buccaneer does at times about Steeler goals (6)

21. A tackle’s first to wear out uniform

(6)

26. Former collegian guard converted after leaving university (4)

27. Prepare the field and a place for receipts (4)

28. One college All-Star team in the Astrodome (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 due-solving, write to The Atlantic Reprint Department, enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Answers to the December Puzzler, “ACROSTIC”

Translation of one verse from “O Tannenbaum”

1. THIEVE (anag.) 2. RUSH (double def.) 3. A-VERSION 4. NI-MROD (rev.) 5. SHIFTLESS (pun) 6. LIFE-TIME 7. AN(ARCH)Y 8. TH(RON)E 9. IRON-Y 10. OF-FISH (pun) 11. NYLON (hidden) 12. OR(A)-TORY 13. FLAG-RANT 14. ORDER (double def.) 15. NUTHATCHES 16. E-PIG-RAM 17. VEE-RING 18. EIGHTY (anag.) 19. RUTH (double def.) 20. SUP-PORTER 21. EDGE (double def.) 22. F0R(WAR)D 23. REAR-REST (pun) 24. O-B-SERVANT 25. MU-TINY 26. OVERSEES (homophone) 27. TH(RIFT)Y 28. AMPLIFY (anag.) 29. NA(V)Y 30. NEWT-ON 31. ENTREE (hidden) 32. NOODLES (double def.) 33. B(UTTER)ED 34. A-GREE(MEN)T 35. UR-GENT (pun) 36. MUSH-ROOM (pun)