Skip Navigation

Alien Invasion

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

puzzler grid

Apparently this puzzle has sustained an invasion of aliens—at least 11 of them. Infiltrating our diagram, they've made some cryptic rings whose pattern is identified by letters inside those rings, reading clockwise. Before flying off to who knows where, the visitors left us a parting word (the unclued central entry in the diagram) that may also be considered an example of such rings. Final diagram entries include 11 capitalized words.

Last month's Puzzler solution is on page 134.


ACROSS

1. Glove material for one hundred alien's relatives (8)

6. Non-adults leading by one in gym (5)

10. Foreign auto commercial I set outside university (4)

11. Cheapskate's pinching cent for orchard laborers (7)

12. Live down by wet hole (5)

13. California's importing red jam ingredients? (4)

14. Opens up waterfront property around 1 (8)

19. Something fruity worn by Liberal philanthropist (6)

20. Theatrical award, mostly for style (3)

21. Where a driver may go in Ella's own convertible (4,4)

25. Film clip, after the first person who complains (6)

26. Drunk a dark port (5)

28. Rogues and cons taking in chief of police (6)

31. Funny about curve of outer space (6)

33. Howl interrupted by Rex's asinine sound (4)

34. Form of payment announced for store (5)

35. Vocal ruling is coming down (7)

36. Formerly held in detention center (4)

37. Awfully stern for a Dadaist (5)

38. Medical student heard one after another (6)


DOWN

1. Average Dadaist's complaints (5)

2. Hearing of a duel I arranged (6)

3. Discovery about Egypt's earliest demon (5)

4. Organ noticed outside of place (6)

5. Better after eliminating the first writer of sweet words? (4)

6. Quiet parade finally in step (5)

7. French painter's tour I'll reset (7)

8. Tune with a strong beat? (3,4)

9. Shrink goes topless in German city (5)

15. Last longer than a certain Latin speaker's stout? (7)

16. Education on small city trains and autos (6)

17. Pile of snow contains large empty space (5)

18. Flip undresses for rest in bed (5)

19. Railroad in Missouri is for an early U.S. statesman (6)

22. One dictating new E.R. creed (7)

23. Appeared right, like spy equipment (7)

24. Watson's partner, a pain in the neck (5)

26. Lady carrying silver is hurt (6)

27. Each fighter pilot eats some dessert (6)

28. Brit's weapon shot bears (5)

29. Real-estate map contains one fold (5)

30. Scenery in Oregon after December (5)

32. Norse god's love: thunder (4)

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, 77 North Washington Street, Boston, Mass. 02114.

Presented by

More at The Atlantic

Why Israel Might Believe Attacking Iran Is Worthwhile Why Israeli Leaders Might Believe Attacking Iran Is Worth the Effort
Was Facebook Inevitable? Was Facebook Inevitable?
The Global Dangers of Syria's Looming Civil War The Dangers of Syria's Looming Civil War
Anne Rice, 'Secret World of Arrietty': The Week Ahead in Pop Culture The Week in Pop Culture
Government Employs 1 in 6 U.S. Workers—Where Are They? Government Employs 1 in 6 U.S. Workers—Where Are They?

Join the Discussion

After you comment, click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be asked to log in or register.
blog comments powered by Disqus
Special Report
The Civil War National Portrait Gallery The Civil War
President Obama reflects on what Lincoln means to him and to America, in an introduction to our special issue. Read more ›

The Biggest Story in Photos

Athens in Flames

Feb 13, 2012

On Newsstands Now

Subscribe and SAVE 59%
10 issues JUST $2.45/COPY

The Atlantic Monthly

James Fallows on Obama's first term, Raymond Bonner on the death penalty, Christopher Hitchens on G.K. Chesterton, and more

Browse back issues of The Atlantic that have appeared on the Web. From September 1995 to the present, the archive is essentially complete, with the exception of a few articles, the online rights to which are held exclusively by the authors.

See All Back Issues: September 1995
To The Present »

Premium Archive

For a small fee you can now access more than a century of Atlantic Monthly articles in our online archive. The archive includes articles from 1857 to the present.

Prices » | Login for Saved Items » | Help »

Sort by:
Dates:
From: 
To: 
Author:  (optional)
Title:  (optional)

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)