THE PUZZLE Interfaith Geometry

The religious one-worlder message here is that the same underlying elements can form a Christian cross or a Star of David. It’s all in how you put it together.



Instructions

There are seven building blocks. Each block has a corresponding clue, the answer to which is to be written into it. The letters will be entered clockwise, one letter at each angle, beginning with the angle where the clue is numbered.

One bit of assistance is that the blocks are arranged so that The clue answers will be in alphabetical order. The next job is to assemble the lettered pieces into the Latin cross and the six-pointed star, with no internal gaps, of course. You may have to turn some pieces so that they point in a different direction, but none of the shapes will need to be lifted up and flipped over. When you have finished the assembly, you will be able to read appropriate words, beginning with the asterisk and going clockwise around the points (the “outy” angles only) of the two final figures. These words and (not too) rough, freehand drawings of the assembled figures, with the pieces lettered, make up the solution.

Each clue points to the answer in more than one way. In addition to straightforward definitions, clues may also contain puns, plays on words, anagrams, or embedded spellings (e.g., “HOW IT ZERoes in distinguishes a cannon”). Sometimes the answer may he constructed out of component parts (e.g., “American leader requires identification in gift”: I.D. inside PRESENT is PRESIDENT, the answer). The one paramount rule is that the clue sentence, with a little repunctuation. will tell exactly how to get the answer.

Send the completed puzzle (or reasonable facsimile) by May 10 to Interfaith Geometry, D Magazine, 1700 Commerce St., 18th floor, Dallas, TX 75201. Include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. The first correct solution in a random drawing will receive a white polo shirt embroidered with the D logo. A runner-up will receive a 12-month gift subscription to D Magazine, Winners and the completed puzzle will appear in the July issue. Log on to www.dmagazine.com each Monday for new helpful hints.