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Private Boxes

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

The May Puzzler

The eight shaded boxes in the diagram should at first be completely ignored and skipped over by the solver. But when the diagram is complete, the contents of each box will enable new words to be made Across and Down. All eight boxes have the same contents, and one of the new-made words hints at the personage whose boxes these are. (To confirm your guess, rearrange squares 5, 7, 9, 11, 18, 27, and 32.) Answers to clues include an alternate spelling at 21 Down and five capitalized words.

The instructions above are for this month's puzzle only. See a complete introduction to clue-solving.

See the solution to last month's Puzzler.


Across


1. The ability to make things exist in an old-fashioned way (3)
4. Signaled hit on a drug lair from the rear (7)
10. Republican dressed in cuckoo-like material (6)
12. Something to name a girl whose mug is turned? (3)
13. When on corsairs, pronounces "Ho, ho, ho"? (9)
15. "Bugs" and "Our Gang" followed by "Crimes" (7)
16. Green and red, as tomatoes and beef (5)
17. Kind of arch that's old and grand (4)
18. Harmful lyrics to a jingle? (7)
24. Land in Act I, or a revamping (7)
25. After back rub, left for Ives (4)
26. Green Acres serial's contents (5)
27. Baby food—not healthy with a bump on the tongue (7)
30. Condenser of electric current in peak player (9)
31. "Blue Moo" (3)
32. First of Stuarts in monarchy quit (6)
33. With seniors, they work on joints (7)
34. He has nothing to weed in the
garden (3)


Down


1. Mixture for a Gaul's bad leg (7)
2. Upset about race's start, committed a blunder (7)
3. In ancient times, almost the husband of a countess (4)
5. More times before evening-hour hospital drama (7)
6. Given a sort of bump or rub, from the sound of it (5)
7. Managed to get through opening in overturned sofa (9)
8. Sign me up on #2 NASA craft (6)
9. Insult the god of the lower world (3)
11. Slow transportation when on Sunday (3)
14. English town's hot rod game at a pub (9)
19. Buyer and seller of stray parcels (7)
20. Dull, like a mountain lake? (7)
21. Military barracks with a screen busted (7)
22. Black-owned university that may be taken to court (6)
23. Come in second with speed about 50 (5)
27. Kitty's foot in puppy's face—isn't that cute? (3)
28. Second one back for some desserts (4)
29. Old coat got returned (3)

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