The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

Puzzler’s Gift

Answers to this puzzle’s clues are to be wrapped around the three visible faces of the gift box in the order in which they are given in their rows or columns. As usual, heavy bars mark the beginnings and ends of words; some entries will span two faces. Every entry that crosses a shaded ribbon square contributes one of its letters to that square; it may be any letter except the one that would normally cross it. For example, if ANSWER crossed a ribbon on the third letter, the entry might read NSAWER, ASNWER, ANWSER, ANESWR, or ANRSWE. (Note that no shuffling occurs apart from the ribbonoccupying letter’s being displaced.) The letter in the square where one ribbon crosses the other is left for solvers to deduce. When completely filled, the ribbons will offer a gift suggestion for puzzlers. Answers include four proper nouns and rather uncommon words starting columns 16 and 18.

See page 133 for Puzzler contest details. The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 126.

Clues

1. Stuck tag on outside of present (7) Sources of crude gossip initiated by wedding attendants (7)

2. Except for the capital, Northwestern state covers Indian territory (6) Keen musical ability requires extremes of guidance (5 )

3. One among twelve nuts creating a minor disturbance (7) In Italy, you checked into hotel by two of seven sharp (7)

4. Doctor comes back with a German medicine (7) Dressed in white, Ellington introduced a band (7)

5. Cover over chicken (5) Trained lens on admiral (6)

6. Furious about it, so smashed skull bone(7) Capsule shattered mirrors (7)

7. Hammer having head of brass is a symbol of mourning (7) Home ec study includes temperature for cooking (7)

8. On the rebound, some medicine provided stimulant (6) Lack of interest in side-splitting, farcical funnies? (5)

9. Missing the beginning of class, burn many tarts (7) Properties close to being acquired by some Italian aristocrats (7)

10. Reptilian counter? (5) Southwestern town slaughtered a cow (4) Come to talk in church, forgetting Genesis (5)

11. Small cat adopting English actor (7) Upset N.E. college playwright (7)

12. Turning about, become dead duck (5) Bad omens involving large fruit (6)

13. Classifies stars so randomly (7) Menaces those who curse mildly? (7)

14. Returned a raincoat at a very unrainy South American place (7) A gumshoe one engages has trouble with words (7)

15. Disorder stemming from fresh avocados(5) Exist outside of rogue’s gallery (6)

16. Right Excellent cardinal circles screen in church (7) Bride is altering golf scores (7)

17. Yields one-half less in monthly payments (7) In total self-absorption, run at a brisk pace (7)

18. Stock exchange is in possession of land (6) Two tenors conveying little snippet of song? (5)

19. Enlarge princess’s shoe size? (7) Makes friendly remarks at first, surrounded by 501 missiles (7)

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 NOVEMBER PUZZLER

“Fast Thinking”

The unclued phrase is TAKE OUT FOOD. Across. 1. PRO(PO)SE 5. BUNCOED (anag.) 8. STE(WARD)ED (draw rev.) 9. EMANCIPATE (anag.) 10. P(OUR)ER 11. A(MA)SS 12. C-LAUDE (d) 14. RA(I-SING-CA)IN 16. MADE UP (double def.) 17. TAPERS (double def.) 22. S(PAWN)S 25. A PE-LET 27. GEN(I)E 28. PROFIT (homophone) 30. SUE-TONIUS 31. REGION (anag.) 32. PH(EROM)ONES (more rev.) 33. B-RANCH-IN-G 34. SLA(MBA)NG 35. HOS-TESS Down. 1. PAPA-GO 2. PIERROT (anag.) 3. PER(LIT)E 4. SERUM 5. CAME-R-AMEN 6. ON-AGER 7. DIS(A P)PEARED (despaired anag.) 11. AD(APT)S 12. CAMELBACK (anag.) 13. BUS-ON-I 15. CLAS(P)S 17. TOWERS (double def.) 18. AU-TOM-A-TON 19. TRICERATOPS (anag.) 20. FR(E)IGHT 21. OPPONENT (anag.) 23. PELION (anag.) 24. BE(IN)GS 26. T-OR SO 28. PU(zzli)NG 29. SO-UP-CONS