m_topn picture
Atlantic Monthly Sidebar

Return to this issue's Table of Contents.

A U G U S T   1 9 9 9

The June Puzzler
by Cox and Rathvon


At the Movies
Previous Puzzlers:

  • "Family Reunion"
    July, 1999
  • "Mismatches"
    June, 1999
  • "Lawbreakers"
    May, 1999
  • "Mystery Box"
    April, 1999
  • "Hide and Seek"
    March, 1999
  • "Central Square"
    February, 1999
  • "Cross-Training"
    January, 1999
  • "Criss-Crossing"
    December, 1998
  • "Back in the Labyrinth"
    November, 1998
  • "Rite of Passage"
    October, 1998
  • "Service With a Smile"
    September, 1998
  • "In Common"
    August, 1998
  • "Nine-Hole Course"
    July, 1998
  • "Guidelines"
    June, 1998
  • "Picnic"
    May, 1998
  • "Three-Ring Circus"
    April, 1998
  • "Marching Orders"
    March, 1998
  • "Step by Step"
    February, 1998
  • "Celebrating the First"
    January, 1998
  • "Cryptacrostic"
    December, 1997
  • "Chessboard"
    November, 1997
  • "Haunted House"
    October, 1997
  • "Double-Crossers"
    September, 1997
  • "Scoreboard"
    August, 1997
  • "Celebrating the Fourth"
    July, 1997
  • "Fortune Cookies"
    June, 1997
  • "Slide Show"
    May, 1997

    		•  HERE at the Cryptic Cinema we pride ourselves on finding and reviewing little-known films. Below is a selection from our extensive files. Solvers will discover that these movie reviews actually make up the 38 clues to this month's puzzle. They are strung together randomly, except that the 18 Across clues occur first, followed by the 20 Down clues. The locations of the words in the grid are to be deduced. Answers include two proper nouns.

    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.

    Clues
    Dances With Sheep: A lawyer's Western eroticism has more serious nature, in a strange sense; average.

    The End of Time: Meteors flying, actors venting melodramatically while repeatedly in awe; ultimately idiotic spectacle.

    Spy in the Middle: CIA operative catches a thief (Pacino) dressed in bovine clothing.

    Heavy Breathing: A Highlander's item of attire excites some virile studs; the comeback of Bridges in pictures brought to an end.

    Crime Boss: Empty vessel bears cryptic clue, making police officer crack it.

    A Man's Endurance: Caught in avalanche, Alda gets dehydrated, eating pear.

    Torn Curtains: Couple of rascals at college in screwball comedy.

    Rule of the People: Where barflies gather, Selleck has a favorable part in speech for law and order after the first unruly crowd incident; with offensive language (rated R).

    I, Lunatic: Arriving comparatively late, Streep goes nuts about Norse writer (Wayne, miscast); royal bore, silent through the first half.

    Valachi's Back: Criminal element rest up in sheds, get guns during Prohibition for booze supplier, set fires around a road to create false rumors, get killed while keeping vast stretches in disorder; Italian director of violent films in finale.

    Oneirophobia: State of profound torpor starts to concern old monk; apparitions are like places unfolded in Poe novel; with Beatty, MacGraw.

    The Wings of Earthmen: Creature from another planet grows monstrous and must eat deformed body in space, swallowing one in flight; stylistically dark Japanese drama.

    Heart of Fire: Buddy film with fortune-teller and Met oddly working together.

    Copyright © 1999 by The Atlantic Monthly Company. All rights reserved.
    The Atlantic Monthly; August 1999; The Puzzler - 99.08; Volume 284, No. 2; page 95.