PUZZLING

This puzzle is constructed by classic British crossword rules. It differs from its American counterpart in that more than one-sixth of the squares are black (one-sixth black is the standard maximum in an American crossword). This creates a diagram in which some of the letters in the answers are uncrossed, appearing in only one word with no cross-checking evidence available. Thus the puzzle can’t be solved without actually deciphering every clue.

Instructions:

Each clue indicates the answer in more than one way. In addition to straightforward definitions, clues also contain puns, anagrams, plays on words, and embedded spellings (“How it zeroes in distinguishes a cannon”).

Another common form of the British clue is the constructed word. Suppose the word being defined is PRESIDENT. One way to build this word would be ID within PRESENT. The clue definition might read “American leader may show his primitive psyche in modern times,” or perhaps “Top official requires identification within any gift.” All kinds of abbreviations are acceptable elements (i.e., T.V., e.g., i.d., a.c, d.c, etc., p.d.q.) as long as they are in current usage. Some of these constructions contain clues to single letters in the answer and come from various sources: N, S, E, or W might be indicated in the clue by their respective compass directions; M, D, C, L, X, or V as in Roman numerals could be indicated in the clue by their respective numerical figures; A = high grade, one, article, etc.; 0 = nothing, zero, love (as in tennis), ring, etc.; P, F = soft, loud (as in the musical symbols ); I = me, myself, one, ego, etc. Parts of words may also be used (“dol” could be clued as “half a dollar”).

The one paramount rule is that the clue sentence, with a little repunctuation, will tell exactly how the answer is constructed, with all letters accounted for.

Send the completed puzzle with name and address to Puzzling, D The Magazine of Dallas, 2902 Carlisle, Dallas 75204. All correct solutions will be held for one week at which time a drawing will be held to determine the winners. First winner will receive a $25 cash prize. Runner-up will receive a free one year subscription to D. Winners and completed puzzle will appear in the February issue.