The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

X MARKS THE SPOT

This puzzle’s diagram has no numbers and bars. To help you locate your clue answers, we have generously indicated each spot where an X should occur in a diagram entry. The Across words are not clued in their order of entry; nor are the Downs. But we have generously listed each set of clues in the alphabetical order of its answers. In the completed diagram (symmetrical so that when turned upside down its bars would look the same) you’ll find we’ve also included an appropriate term spanning the center. Answers include seven proper nouns; 5 Down is not in Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 128.

ACROSS

1. Vocalizing a violin part’s appropriate (5)

2. Worried man freed of one thousand and ten debts (7)

3. Boats covering one small American river (8)

4. Hook me into type of Wall Street slander (7)

5. Magic spell is able to travel (7)

6. What’s needed by the sick priest (4)

7. Woman in a tragedy chosen by Royal Academy (7)

8. Involved dateline in a new way (8)

9. Left chopper parked in wetland full of plant fibers? (6)

10. Spearhead embassy’s first diplomatic blunder (5)

11. Congress and others rejected paint items (7)

12. Where to see mariachis come out around eleven (6)

13. Fisherman finally lands molluskshell products (6)

14. Recess with a lack of approval? (4)

15. River snake’s grating noises (5)

16. First appearance of railroad train split calm (7)

17. Place to sit down twice during auction (6)

18. Frolic around each spot by the shore (7)

19. Sox duet changed clothes (7)

20. Gas not at all unknown to the West (5)

DOWN

1. Conquistador eating from parts of brains (8)

2. Guard fed up with football lineman (6)

3. Use hypnotism upon the first appearance of an actor (8)

4. Gaelic poem with no sign of peace (4)

5. Doctor sent a lab vessels for heating liquids (5)

6. Error by a court’s demands (6)

7. Hunting dog discovered biting bovine hard (8)

8. Release non-masculine perfume liquid (6) (two words)

9. Star group happy about Los Angeles Times (6)

10. In salad of greens, notice pineapples (8)

11. Sheraton houses Olympic biggie (4)

12. Lists influence 500 divorcees (7)

13. Weaker French translation of “The Sea” (5)

14. Releases eggs with less plastic packaging (6)

15. Red streetcar carrying sestet up (7)

16. Jaw about everything before nine in the morning (7)

17. Link among Kleenex users (5)

18. Sister pens old part of speech (4)

19. Dad and Mom adopting the Spanish name for a girl (6)

20. Woman in Cuba and not in The Deep (6)

21. Cut of meat containing red line (6)

22. Current bound to be heard (4)

23. To make one’s mark in poison (5)

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

Answers to the April Puzzler

“GETTING AROUND”

Shaded letters provide compass points. Unshaded letters spell ORIENTEERING. Rings. A. 1. M(A-RV)EL 2. RECAST (anag.) 3. W-A-BASH 4. TWO-BIT (homoph. of tube it) B. 1. C(HUNK)Y 2. CO(SM)OS 3. SACRA-L (anag. + l) 4. BOG-OT-A (to rev.) C. 1. GLOATS (anag.) 2. A(PHI)DS 3. SLEIGH (homoph.) 4. JUNK-ET Triplets. a. 1. MAN-GLE (leg anag.) 2. A-UK-LET 3. RAY(ON)S b. 1. WAR-SAW 2. AN(A)-LOG 3. BA(LEE)N (eel rev.) C. 1. ALBINO (anag.) 2. S(HOG)UN 3. HIGHER (homoph.) d. 1. ASSIS(t)-I 2. S(HAD)-OW 3. TUCSON (anag.) e. 1. TRO(J)A.N (anag. + j) 2. W-A-TUSI (suit anag.) 3. O-RANGE f. 1. VACATE (anag.) 2. E(MOT)ES (rev.) 3. L(ASS)IE g. 1. BUC-KLE (rev.) 2. IN-HERE 3. TEUTON (anag.) h. 1. RO(M)ANS 2. ELOPER (hidden) 3. C(AS)HEW