The Puzzler

By Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon
Saved Stories

GO-BETWEENS

Each Across clue in this puzzle provides the definitions for two different words or phrases of the same length. (Enumerations for two-word phrases or hyphenated words will show only the total number of letters.) These two clue answers in each case differ by only two letters. A third word, or go-between, which differs from each of the two clue answers by a single letter, is to be entered in the diagram. For example, the Across clue “Purchased chewy candy (6)” would yield the answers BOUGHT and NOUGAT; the go-between word NOUGHT would be entered in the diagram. Down clues are normal. Across clue answers include four proper nouns. Diagram entries include four proper nouns.

The answers to last month’s Puzzler appear on page 108.

ACROSS

1.Go-between hymn (6)

5.Blues guitarist with skimpy swimwear (6)

10.Army food hands (8)

13. Horse on the run and pig in the mud? (8)

14. Banish happy expression (5)

15. Most recent kind of leather (6)

16. Brought out of a swoon with hot spices (7)

18.Curse talk (5)

21. Meals for horses and L.A. ballplayers (7)

22. Traps wasps (7)

25. Planted in a block (5)

27.Something whittled getting bent out of shape (7)

30. Venomous prayer (6)

32. Different voice (5)

33. Watercourse made a 180° turn (8)

34. Leave a steed with a nobleman (8)

35. Most positive woodland (6)

36. Kids’ feelings (6)

DOWN

1. High-rise hauler? (5)

2. In case of Latin dancer’s opening, Evita returned (6)

3. Back half of hospital is filled with one ethnic group (8)

4. Left out, agitated Mondale complained (6)

6. Archipelago is large and small (7)

7. Ravel is anything but listenable (4)

8. Limped exhaustedly around block (6)

9. Rights wrong sizes (6)

11. Mentioned travel to world capital (4)

12. Peg covers rip in a stocking up for job security (6)

17.Bother to point out acceptance (8)

19. Doctor rode up and fell down (6)

20. Warren Beatty movie about uphill fight uses different language (7)

22. Surprisingly sprucy country (6)

23. Thief in endless, drunk reverie (6)

24. Most secure South American celebration (6)

26. Acid tester fired total up (6)

28. None changed bright sign (4)

29. Rising at last, whip up hot cereal (5)

31. Very dry in Chinese region (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 envelope to The Atlantic Puzzler, 8 Arlington Street, Boston, Mass. 02116.

Answers to the September Puzzles

“SPOONERISMS”

Across. 1. BIRD WATCHERS (anag.) 9. CIAO 10. FRAU(D)’S 12. M(ON-D)AY 13. ANITA (hidden) 14. BI(GO)TS 15. FOSTER (anag.) 16.A-RSENAL (a + anag.) 20. T(A-PRO)OM 21.P(E)A SO-UP 25. A-L-LEG-R-O 26. A-STROS (sorts rev.) 28. HARLOW (anag.) 29. TOO-TS 30. CU(T O)FF 31. WRITES (anag.) 32. SHOP 33. BUSTER KEATON (anag.) Down. l.WOMB-AT 2.STING(RA)Y 3. DA-DOES 4. NO-TEBO-OK (to be anag.) 5. FL-YTRAP (party rev.) 6. SUN HAT (anag.) 7. EDIT (rev.) 8. SCARA A-B 11. STEAMY (anag.) 17. A-P(PL)AUSE 18. LONG SUIT (anag.) 19. SEA COW (anag.) 20. RO(A)STER 21. STATIC (anag.) 22. TAR P-IT 23. BERTHA (anag.) 24. FO-EMAN (rev.) 25.TORS (hidden)