PUZZLING Bathroom Brainchild

Sometimes the best puzzle patterns of all are lying there right at your feet. Hence the title. Ways to tile flat surfaces (tessellations, to a mathematician) make up one of the prettiest little backwaters in geometry. Now that I’ve located a wonderful article on the subject (Nov ’77 Mathematics Magazine), you can look for more elegant pictures in the months to come.

And as for months past, I have to congratulate those who solved the puzzles at all, in spite of screwy directions (May) and transposed lines (June). From here on, the only direction is up.



Instructions:

Each clue indicates the answer in more than one way. In addition to straightforward definitions, clues may also contain puns, plays on words’, anagrams (“The ability to lead people in confusion is a charm” – CHARISMA), or embedded spellings (“How it zeroes in distinguishes a cannon”). Another common type of clue is word construction, where the answer is built of component parts. Example: “American leader required identification in gift” (PRESIDENT = I.D. inside PRESENT).

All abbreviations are acceptable as long as they are in current usage (e.g., TV, p.d.q., etc.). Isolated letters may be indicated in a variety of ways – as compass points, Roman numerals, grades or scores (A, F, “zero” = O, “love” as in tennis = O), musical notations (P, F for soft or loud respectively). Parts of words may be used (IVE or just V might be indicated by “MidwIVEs”).

The one paramount rule is that the clue sentence, with a little repunctua-tion, will tell exactly how to get the answe

The three-letter word clues are arranged so that the answers are in alphabetical order. Once found, these answers can be made into a double word square, like RAT EGO DEN

Note that another square is also possible, with RED running across the top, so the layout of the words is not unique. Whichever 3×3 square turns out to be correct will be entered into the octagonal shapes in the diagram.

The four-letter words are also arranged alphabetically and can also be made into a double word square. Whichever 4×4 square is the right choice will go in the diamond-shaped pieces.

To resolve all the ambiguities, we have the five-tetter words. Their numbering corresponds to the spaces they are to fill. Each octagon’s letters (in no particular order) will occupy the appropriately numbered octagon and the four diamonds thai adjoin it.

Hint: Answers include a name, a title, and a foreign though familiar word.

Send the completed puzzle (or reasonable facsimile) to Puzzling, D Magazine. 1925 San Jacinto, Dallas, Texas 75201. All correct solutions will be held for one week after receipt of the first entry, at which time a drawing will take place 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 August issue.

Clues:

Three-letter words:

“Yes,” said I.

Finally the goat filled up with the horsefeed.

Either twin’s got no place to sit back.

Every ex-teetotaler hides some whiske.

Where seal’s head pops out, it’s the ocean.

f) Eat out and drink.

Four-letter words:

a) Measure of land takes care all around.

Musical group gets big hand at beginning and end.

Actor captain catches killer whale.

Lady hogs seeds.

Spied heartlessly and went quickly.

Night creatures go back with knife.

Receding hair line has catch.

Loser of war never displays caution.

Five-letter words:

It’s too risky to hold back a big book.

End of narrow weapon.

Trades around insects.

Scar at hairline carries little weight.

Cash’s accompaniment and what they do to a tune.

Sexual victim in Gay Paree. Backed up taxi at French store.

Big bird fits right in with wicker.

Crusader hid within a deranged mob.



Solution to June Puzzling

All winter long we’ve expanded unmeasured.

In fats and desserts we’ve indulged and been pleasured.

But the moment of truth causes knots in our paunches.

Oh, great flabby thighs! Oh, oversize haunches!

Will you move the young gods to catcalls and hoots At our first ghastly outings in our bathing suits?

Winner

Susan Kennedy

Dallas

Runner-Up

F. G. Stoddard

Bonham

Drawn from 47 entries.