How to Do a Real Puzzle Or What’s a Four-letter Word for “East Indian Betel Nut” and Who Cares? By

There are crossword puzzles and cross- London Times and one is an American according to Ximenes, the current Dean word puzzles. The kind familiar to most adaptation of a puzzle from The Listener, of British puzzles: New Yorkers is a mechanical test of tire- a weekly publication of the BBC. For 1. . These are indicated by lessly esoteric knowledge: “Brazilian pot- crossword fans who, out of fright, have some word or phrase such as “bad,” “torn,” ter’s wheel,” “East Indian betel nut” and never attempted solving cryptic clues and “confused,” “erratically,” “naughty,” the like are typical definitions, sending for those who have, but with limited suc- etc., words which imply that a mixture of you either to Webster’s New International cess, this article will serve as an initiation letters is to take place. The is of or to sleep. The other kind, prevalent in ceremony, with some ground rules. the word or words actually printed, not Great Britain but inexplicably nonexistent In a British puzzle, definitions are called of synonyms. E.g., in “Wed a silly ad- in the apart from The Na- “clues.” This is not a pedantic distinction. mirer (7),” “silly” is the operative word. tion and an occasional Sunday edition of Each clue, in actuality, is in two parts—a A “silly” treatment of the letters in “ad- , is a test of wits. definition (i.e., a synonym) and an ellip- mirer” would lead to MARRIED, which This kind of puzzle offers cryptic clues tical indication of the answer. In a scrupu- is defined by “wed.” Simple? Yes. Tricky? instead of bald definitions, and the plea- lously written clue these two parts are Yes. Fair? Yes. Try this one: “American sures involved in solving it are the deeply separate and distinct but blended in such confused by wide-screen movie (8).” (So- satisfactory ones of following and match- a way as to cause maximum confusion. lutions to these examples are at the end ing a devious mind (that of the puzzle’s (The clues in the London Times, inciden- of the article). And don’t forget, an ana- author) rather than the transitory ones of tally, are not always scrupulous.) Theo- gram can be of more than one word. Like an encyclopedic memory. retically, therefore, this kind of clue is “A snit is the most foolish basis for dis- To call the composer of a crossword an easier than the usual straightforward defi- agreement (10).” author may seem to be dignifying a gnat, nition because you get two indications of 2. Multiple meanings. This form of clue but clues in a “British” crossword have the answer for the price of one. But a combines two or more definitions (and not many characteristics of a literary man- good clue is a deceptive clue and may always the primary or most obvious defi- ner: cleverness, humor, even a pseudo- fool you. nitions) of the answer in a misleading aphoristic grace. In the best puzzles, styles The problem for the solver is that the way. E.g., “Fight enclosure in the theater of clue-writing are distinctive, revealing words in a clue may, if taken literally, (3)” may look baffling but is simply two special pockets of interest and small man- mean something quite different from their meanings of a single word strung together nerisms, as in any prose style. The clues apparent meaning. Here’s a clue, for ex- to make a peculiar set of associations. The of the author who calls himself “Ximenes” ample: “Stares at torn pages (5).” (Num- answer, as you’ve guessed, is BOX. In this in the London Sunday Observer are, to bers in parentheses following a clue are a type of clue, watch out for words that the eye of a puzzle fan, as different from conventional notation in British puzzles look like one part of speech but turn out those in, say, The Manchester Guardian as and indicate the number of letters in the to be another. “Deliver from bar (4)” Wilde is from Maugham. But a “Bantu answer, saving you the bother of counting leads to SAVE in two senses: “deliver hartebeest” remains a “Bantu hartebeest” squares in the diagram.) “Stares at torn from” and “bar” (as a preposition mean- whether it’s in The New York Times or pages” may suggest at first glance some ing “except”). The Daily News. obscure term in bibliophilia, but what 3. Reversals. These clues lead to words Railway coaches, undergrounds, lunch the phrase really means is “A word mean- which, when read backwards, form other counters and offices in England hum with ing ‘stares at’ whose letters are those of words. Indications like “reflex,” “looking the self-satisfied chuckles of solvers who ‘pages’ out of their normal order.” In back,” “from East to West” (in the case suddenly get the point of a clue after however veiled a way, that is literally what of Across words), and “upwards,” “doing having stared at it for several baffled it says. “Stares at” is a synonym for a headstand,” “rising” (in the case of minutes. Bafflement, not information, is GAPES; “torn,” in this context, means Down words), are what you should be on the keystone of a British puzzle. A good “separated with violence so that the parts the alert for. E.g., “Emphasized trifles—in clue can give you all the pleasures of are out of their normal order.” So there a roundabout way (8).” Here there is being duped that a mystery story can. It are two separate and distinct references a small extra deception in that “trifles” has surface innocence, surprise, the reve- to GAPES, one a definition and one an doesn’t refer to trivia but to desserts, lation of a concealed meaning, and the elliptical description of the way the word which, when looked at “in a roundabout catharsis of solution. Solving a British is formed. Your problem is merely to way” are STRESSED, which means “em- puzzle is far more rewarding than dredg- punctuate the clue in an odd way: “Stares phasized.” Two or more words may be ing up arcane trivia and is not annoyingly at torn ‘pages’.” reversed, too, of course. As in “Push difficult once you’ve been initiated into Mental repunctuation is the essence of through the District Attorney—otherwise the methods of solution. It’s a matter of solving cryptic clues. Punctuation in ordi- he lies back (8).” Get it? Well, first try to mental exercise, not academic clerk-work, nary writing is a guide telling the reader decide which is the definition part of the and all it takes is inexhaustible patience, where and how long to pause. But the clue. Still don’t get it? Look at the answer limitless time and a warped mind. clue-writer, instead of trying to make the at the end of the column. On the following pages are two puzzles true meaning clear, is trying to hide it. 4. Charades. These lead to words which of this sort. One is a reprint from the There are seven basic kinds of clues, fall into convenient complete parts.

Originally printed in New York Magazine, April 8, 1968 1 Here’s an example from Ximenes: “Re- “Ethyl alcohol is one way to kill a fish if ways look for the possible literal meaning mains precisely how he is (5).” You prob- you listen closely (6).” Ethyl alcohol is of a clue. ably wouldn’t think of “remains” as a noun SPIRIT (yes, “spirits” can be singular)— Well, if you’ve slogged through the un- in this context, but that’s the definition. listen to it closely. dergrowth of all this logodaedaly (a word And the answer is ASHES. “How he is” 7. Hidden. These clues are both the worth going to the dictionary for) and are becomes “As he’s”—the whole word is a easiest to solve and the most deceptive. still unruffled, it should give you a start phrase in itself. Here’s another: “One in They involve burying the answer in the (pun meaning both “beginning” and “un- flames made a landing (4).” “One” = a, “in letters of the clue—either within a word pleasant surprise”). In the Listener-type flames” = lit, “made a landing”= ALIT. or as a bridge between words. In point puzzles which will appear on these pages, Here’s one: “Sinister purpose of an auc- of fact the answer stares you so innocently the solving of clues is only part of the tion? (10).” (Question marks and excla- in the face that you often don’t see it. task. Each of the puzzles has a gimmick mation points at the ends of clues usually Watch out for indications like “seen of some sort which is fully explained in indicate some form of pun or outrageous in,” “within,” “containing,” “found in,” the Instructions accompanying the dia- misuse of meaning). “some of.” E.g., “This girl appears in gram. Be prepared for odd shapes, sizes 5. Container and contents. This type of black at every party (4).” Can you see and problems. Sometimes, for example, clue resembles the Charades type in hav- KATE there staring out of “black at the words you enter into the diagram (or ing wholes and parts, but the parts are every”? Or “Beg for a piece of an apple “lights,” as the British call them) are not outside and inside instead of side by side. a day (5).” Which piece? The core—that the same as the answers to the clues. The Words in the clue like “in,” “around,” is, the core of “apple a day,” which is light may be a word associated with the “holding,” and “embraces” are signs of PLEAD. answer (e.g., the answer may be ABER- Containers. E.g., “Crooner takes clarinet Those are the basic types of cryptic CROMBIE but the light may be FITCH) inside—good manners (8).” What crooner? clues in their simplest forms, but you will or it may be the answer in code or the Bing, of course. A clarinet is a what? A encounter many which are combinations answer with all vowels omitted or what- reed. Let BING take a REED “inside” of two or more types: clues, for example, ever the composer of the puzzle has in and you get BREEDING. Good manners. which contain anagrams and reversals mind to torture you with. Most often, Both Containers and their Contents within the container, like “Return to look however, the light and the answer are one often employ symbols and abbreviations, around the dilapidated tavern for tires and the same, and always there are In- as in fact do all sorts of clues. But only (9).” This is a characteristically complex structions if some device is involved, so well-known symbols and abbreviations clue. In attacking it, you should first off don’t worry. Not this week, anyway. are used and, in the Americanized puzzles suspect the word “return” and connect it The puzzles will employ as few East on these pages, only those known to the with “to look.” “To look” is to see, so Indian betel nuts as possible and they will American reader. There are dozens which “return” it: EES. “Around” suggests that hopefully be more challenging and re- pop up continually. When you see North, EES is “around” another word: E ...... warding than those which do. The re- East, West or South or “point” (meaning ES. What word? A “dilapidated tavern,” wards, by the way, will be material as compass-point) in a clue, think of N, E, of course—and your now-warped mind well as intellectual: each week copies of W, or S. For “nothing” or “no” or “love” should tell you that “dilapidated” indi- Chambers 20th Century Dictionary (pub- (as in a tennis score), think of O. For cates an anagram. There are six letters lished by Hawthorn Books, Inc. and “about,” keep in mind “re” (meaning missing still in the answer and “tavern” available at bookstores at $5.50) will be “concerning”) or “c” (abbreviation for has six letters, so your hunch is confirmed. awarded to the senders of the first three “circa”). “Note” often refers to notes of EntreavES? Check the dictionary to see correct solutions opened (we will open the scale—“do,” “re,” “mi,” etc. “One” if it’s an obscure word for rubber wheels submissions not in order of receipt but all may mean “a,” “an,” or “I.” Other Ro- (“tires”). No—I told you there would be at once on the day of deadline—some man numerals, too: V, X, L, C, D and M very few obscure words. Ah—EnervatES! contestants would otherwise suffer from might be indicated by their arabic equiva- “Tires” as a verb, meaning “weakens.” living in outlying postal districts, such as lents. “Steamship” for SS, “saint” or One more complex example should suf- The Bronx). If no solutions are received, “street” for ST, “glamor” for IT or SA fice before you plunge in or throw your the prizes will be held over, accumulating (abbreviation of Sex Appeal), “accept- pencil down in disgust. “The Last of the as in a sanitation strike, and the offices of able” or “high-class” for U (as opposed Mohicans is my composition paper (6).” New York will eventually open a gift shop. to non-U), “first-rate” for AI (A1), “soft” Looks like a needless piece of informa- Send completed diagram with name or “loud” for P or F (musical dynamics)— tion instead of a clue, but take it apart. and address to Puzzle Editor, New York these are a few of the devices to watch for. Literally. Suppose that the answer, the Magazine, 207 East 32nd Street, New Unusual abbreviations will always be word itself, is speaking. Then you could York, New York 10016. Entries must be hinted at by “briefly” or “in short.” repunctuate the sentence something like received by Wednesday, April l4, at “General, in short” could indicate GEN this: “The, last of the Mohicans, is—my which time they will be opened. as part of a word. composition; paper.” The first part is If you haven’t ripped these pages up by Here are some Container clues that use what composes “me”: i.e., THE, S (last now, clip them out and keep them as a these devices: “When Peg holds a note, of the Mohicans in the sense of the last guide for future weeks. And as for “Bantu it comes out clear (5).” Look for a word letter of “the Mohicans”), IS. THESIS. hartebeest,” I say it’s “lebbek”—and I meaning “peg” that holds a word meaning And what does it mean? Paper (in the say the hell with it. “note” that will make a word meaning sense of a doctorate or term paper). Note Answers to clues unsolved in the text “clear.” How about “High priest seen in two further devices used in this clue: first, above: the morning in Los Angeles (4)”? that “I” or some other form of the first 1. Anagrams: CINERAMA 6. Puns. Some clues deal with hom- person may refer to the word itself. “I (American) onyms—words of different meaning which run,” for example, might be the definition ANTITHESIS have the same sound. Indications of them part of a clue to MILER or RIVER or (A snit is the . . .) usually consist of phrases like “we hear” even POLITICIAN. Second, part-words 3. Reversals: RAILROAD and “sounds like,” as in “We hear the are often trickily spliced into a clue. Just (D.A. / or / liar) new musical is German (4).” The new as “The Last of the Mohicans” indicated 4. Charades: FORBIDDING musical is “Hair” and we hear it as HERR S, so a “tailless bird” might be BIR, “half 5. Containers: PLAIN (p-la-in) (German as a noun). Two-word puns are a sixpence” might be ENCE or SIXP, and LAMA (L.-A.M.-A.) even lower and more frequent, as in a “beheaded King” might be ING. Al-

2 Originally printed in New York Magazine, April 8, 1968 New York Magazine Puzzle By Stephen Sondheim

Clues

ACROSS 26 Heavy wig they 42 All ten ruined 30 (5) and 12 to dance (7) Sark, set in mo- 1 Theme-word A messed up (7) with anger (6) Ac. (3) 12 The last letter is tion (7) (8). Variations: 13 27 Uproot the house 43 To carve with 2 Concerning the in French relish 26 Half this is an (4) and 36 (4) plant at the sta- hesitation is district income (4) idiot—all this is 11 Entertain and tion? (5) more dainty (5) (7) 15 Lean out of a quite the reverse wind again? (6) 29 This Unit is still 45 Purge from the 3 Oh, gosh, the gas-lantern (5) (3) 14 “Foremen Do” part of the Re- East—so be it, moulding’s like 19 Members of the 32 Dance from “The —poem in Old sistance (3) from the East (5) an S (4) ruling class use Spanish Hour” English (7) 31 Theme-word C 46 Theme-word D 4 Water propeller rash logic, being (4) 18 Is it unnecessary (9). Variations: (8). Variations: sounds like the spoiled (9) 33 Hesitation in to want fewer 31 Dn. (5) and 16 (5) and 5 (3) alternative (3) 20 Left the role in French-born mu- things? (8) 17 (4) 47 What goes from 6 Drinks all around the middle of the sician’s note (5) 19 The straight pre- 34 State housing the center to the might cause song Act (8) 35 Concerning part fix bit—ha! (5) South American edge in the Strad (4) 21 Laborer with of a permanent 21 What’s gone by Men’s Club (3) I use (6) 7 Negative printed nothing in prison wave (5) sounds like it 37 Hydrogen weap- 48 Considers an af- in brown-orange (4) 38 Does she stick on went by (4) on can cause in- front almost all (3) 22 This is a prison one note in “La 22 “Tramp, tramp, jury . . . (4) the gifts (7) 8 One with a lot of term. This is an- Boheme”? (4) tramp”—a catch- 39 . . . or about the gossip (3) other. (8) 40 Successor to phrase (6) opposite (5) 9 Is unable to talk 23 Write for some- “The Sound of 24 Theme-word B 41 Take back the DOWN hypocritically (4) one else with Music” (4) (6). Variations: bet—I may ex- 1 Theme-word E 10 Carol is to sing spirit (5) 44 Heavy French 28 (5) and 8 Ac. (4) plode (4) (5). Variations: just as Morris is 25 Ice gliders from fashion (3)

Instructions. The heavy bars in the diagram indicate 1 234 5 6789 10 the beginnings and ends of words, just as black squares do in the usual crossword puzzle. The num- 11 12 13 bers in parentheses at the end of each clue denote the number of letters in the “light” (the answer to be 14 15 16 17 filled in). In this puzzle, fifteen of the lights have no written 18 19 clues: there are five Theme-words, , , , , and , which form a familiar group with something in 20 21 22 23 common. Each Theme-word has its own pair of “variations” with a certain relationship to it. The re- 24 25 26 lationship is somewhat different in each case. E.g., if Theme-word  were , its variations 27 28 29 might be  and ; and if Theme-word  were , its variations might, be  and  (pep = vim, per = through). 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Ignore punctuation, which is designed to confuse.

37 38 39 40 41

42 43 44

45 46

47 48

Originally printed in New York Magazine, April 8, 1968 3 BROOKLYNNACES Solution to April 8 Puzzle REGALEZOONAVY OVERSEEGRANTN Theme-words: Five boroughs of New York NEEDLESSORTHO Variations: Brooklyn Navy Yard; Queens, kings, aces; Manhattan, manna, that (anagrams); XNDPASTSLOGAN Richmond, Lee, Grant (Civil War); Bronx, cheer, zoo (associated phrases) QUEENSWE I GHTY Across: Down: DEPOTK I NGSOHM 11. re-gale 2. re-venue CMANHATTANSAY 14. O.(verse)E. 3. O,gee HARMOTHERETNA 18. need less 4. or ENT I REENCUTER 19. ort-ho 6. song (anag.) ENEMAR I CHMOND 21. passed 7. hidden RAD I USRESENTS 22. slog-an 8. an-a 26. wig they (anag.) 9. pun 27. de-pot (pun) 12. Z-est 34. S.A.-Y(MCA) 15. hidden 37. H.-arm 19. rash logic (anag.) 39. o(the)r 20. de(part)ed 41. ante (rev.) 21. pe(O)n 42. ten(anag.)-ire 23. 2 meanings 43. cut-er 25. Sark set (anag.) 45. E.-amen (rev.) 32. pun 47. hidden 33. ne(um)e 48. (p)resents 35. hidden 38. mi,mi 40. air 44. 2 meanings

4 Originally printed in New York Magazine, April 8, 1968