The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

CHAIN REACTION

Eleven of this puzzle’s answers are too long for their places in the diagram. These answers can be arranged in an unbroken chain such that the last letter of the first word is the same as the first letter of the second word, and so forth (e.g., CAT-TOP-PIN-NEW). The chain’s components can be entered in the diagram once their first and last letters (in the example given, C-T-P-N-W) have been removed to the blanks under the diagram. If written in the order in which they occur in the chain, these letters will identify the chain reactor. Clue answers include five proper nouns.

See page 134 for Puzzler contest details. The solution to last month ‘s Puzzler appears on page 132.

ACROSS

1. Promise hot water

5. Rough night described by shaken nun

9. European city father finally hosts piano player

10. Dancer embracing victory celebrant

12. Fake gold found in two thirds of our molars, shockingly

13. Call operator and request a little chicken?

14. Mustang’s rebuilt motor in bucket

17. Never-attempted diet run amok

18. Guide old lady into road ahead

22. Around beginning of Lent, give

out cash or opulence

24.Ceiling over chicken

28. Truck painter’s medium—graffiti, perhaps

29. Unopened, bound copy

30. In Juggernaut, Europeans see film’s creator

31. Teacher in Siam, after laughter, offers word of praise

32. Place in Japan has trouble with a British writer

33. Outside lodge, start climb

34. Insect let loose in competition

DOWN

1. Seized by police department, clothing is searched

2. Hungarian actor learning about movie rating

3. One M&M in the mouth is not kosher

4. Leadership positions for North Carolina politician

5. Dance about wearing spinning hula hoops, making a commotion

6. Sweetheart returned feeling stung in a sickening way

7. Going back, stir around #9 potion

8. Street in poor condition made an outdoor home

11. Jug shared by nine werewolves

15. Psychedelic singer holding soldier back in opera (two words)

16. Exemption from Solidarity for children?

19. Rolling die, gets extremely tense

20. Chairman gets outside help for idiots

21. Platter bearing one pastry

23. Many papers hurt by

announcement in new edition

25. Remove seeds from a kind of bread

26. Measure gold in cell the wrong way

27. Frequent wild luaus

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

Answers to the May Puzzler

“CONNECT THE DOTS”

Dotted letters spell SAYERS. BARKER, LAMOUR, HAMILL. 1. ODIST (anag.) 2. SOONER STATE (homophone of Sioux nursed eight) 2. SKINHKAII (anag.) 3. AN(TONY)M (man anag.) 4. DRUNK I HE 5. ARIXVIS 6. TAN is (anag.) 7. PI PUPM.ATT KR 7. SP-ATTKRS (treats anag.) 8. NATAS-HA (rev.) 8. \KAR-MKD 9. BORE (double def.) 9. HKRNAN COR I KS (anag.) 10. RlEKKIING 11. KKAR-NKD 11. RE-MAR(R)Y 12. RENTER 13. BAI.NA (slab rev.) 14. MIST-RA-L 15. H-ARM 15. G{ARM)ENT 16. STOOK-IK (loot’s rev.) 16. ARIZONA (anag. - G) 17. RU(BE)N 17. askxK-A)L (axles anag.) 18. T(R)OT 18. APPREHENSION (anag.) 19. HUR-LED 20. MARS-H 21. SPEARMAN (anag.) 22. SENIOR (homophone of seen you’re) 23. LE(ANT)O 24, CAME.-I.OT 24. LI-L-Y