The Atlantic Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon
Saved Stories

EIGHTS

Each clue yields an eight-letter answer to be entered into the diagram so as to trace a normal (vertical) figure eight. A word may proceed in any direction from its starting point in the appropriately numbered square, crossing itself at the fifth letter (which is, therefore, the same as the first). The diagram’s eight unchecked corner squares contain, in no special order, the letters AN OCTAVE. Answers include one proper noun and a possibly unfamiliar word at 30.

The solution to last month’s Puzzler appears on page 149.

1. Add to layer containing an octave

2. Gnarled pear tree provokes witty words

3. Check balance before fall

4. Bush shows what riled brass

5. Document Dad’s physical activity

6. Gets word about the shrubs

7. Let elves rent flat, ultimately

8. Memo circulated about five and ten changing course

9. Trumpeter wearing cravats from the big band era

10. One pair gets into coins and stamps

11. Fence with no opening surrounds hole in hill

12. Lowly cop taking judges’ garb back

13. Droll and quirky apartment owner

14. Herd had a new mule

15. Dinner companion seems upset about cloth on the table

16. Mountain dwellers, I wager, must wear shades

17. Pagan holds the heart of the bird (2 words)

18. Insect finally caught by a more clever aardvark

19. Chief of Police takes copters off search

20. Again, emphasize musical notes interrupting pauses

21. One cat goes after end of small rope

22. North African inhabitant’s first catching one disease

23. Facing west, fortune teller holds ceremony for pensioners

24. Cryptic clue’s about bee and 99 cells

25. Crowd noise surrounds head of distance expert in running event (2 words)

26. Alluded to woodwind covering up loud blunder

27. Athlete, getting bad press, does well

28. One-time oil conglomerate hosts president for coffee

29. Progressive regarding past

30. Western women or men describing anger for crop pest

31. Playing evil role is more pleasant

32. Freshly laid blacktop requires delay, we hear

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, write to The Atlantic Reprint Department, 8 Arlington Street, Boston, Mass. 02116, enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Answers to the October Puzzler, “DIARY OF A MADMAN”

Across answers are given in the order in which they were clued in the diary.

Across. CANDL(EM)AS (me rev. in scandal anag.); DI-SPUTE-D (I’d rev. + upset anag. + d); C(O-C)A; MAR-R(I)ED; PIMP (hidden); FAST (double def.); SPAR-RED; PARAD(IS)E; FEARSOME (anag.); A-LEE; POSED (anag.); C-APR-I; RASPY (anag.); CA(t)CH-A-LOT; A-FRI-CAN; S(C)ORE; ELBA (rev.); MAN-HAT-TAN; EM(I)NENT (anag. + i); EASE (hidden) Down. 1. SP(A)RES (anag. + a) 2. CAT-ALP-A 3. ORB-S 4. RAM-PART 5. M(INN-I)E 6. A-SHY 7. RATE (double def.) 8. ER(A)SE 9. DINED (rev.) 10. D(AYDRE)AM (ready anag.) 11. STATIC (anag.) 12. S(PORT) CAR 13. A-SCENT 14. PIC-AS-SO 15. MA(CRAM)E 16. FOR-MAT 17. NAILED (anag.) 18. CACHE (homophone) 19. AL-ARM 20. EDEN (hidden) 21. KEEN (double def.) 22. PROS (double def.)