"Lost and Found"
The unclued diagonal entry is METAL DETECTOR. "Lost" items are the symbols for various metals, and "found" items are the names of those metals. Across. 1. ma(i)l + let 3. rip + snor(t)ing 10. up(bea[k])t (put anag.) 11. faulkner (anag.) 13. idea (hidden) 14. to + ss 15. w(e)ary 17. con(t)e 18. anti + gua (Aug rev.) 19. d(i) + d 21. loom (double def.) 22. b + leep (peel rev.) 24. evil (rev.) 27. pr + one 28. b(l)an + c 31. s + a + rum 33. r + ancor (acorn anag.) 35. septuplets (anag.) 36. crowe (homophone) 37. en(d)result (ten rules anag.) 38. con(i)fer Down. 2. eaten (homophone) 3. run(t) 4. p(ass)e 5. o(utsi)de (suit anag.) 6. cur + lew 7. in + cans 8. (u)nearthing 9. gr + oz + ny 12. neoteric (anag.) 16. s(now + lad)en 20. sleazier (anag.) 23. la + undries 25. mar + a(u)d 26. tun + a 29. b(ant)u 30. int(r)o 31. sase (anag.) 32. mule (double def.) 34. tot (double def.)
This article available online at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/10/puzzler-solution/4259/
