By Tom Toce
I’m always trying to come up with a novel variety cryptic format. It’s not easy. “Chutes and Ladders” from two issues ago may have taken it all out of me for a while. So I’m returning to a format I used a few years ago.
The hop entries go around the circle sequentially, starting in block 1. The skip entries also start at 1, but use only the odd-numbered blocks. The jump entries start at 1 and use every third block. Block 1 is used six times, as the first letter of the three starting words and as the last letter of the three ending words. Word lengths are provided, but the order is left for the solver. (There are hints for those who need them.) As an additional guide, and to orient the filled-in diagram, a few letters have been provided as an anchor.
There are three and a half proper nouns (one is part of a double definition). Everything else is playable in Scrabble, including one obsolete word. Ignore punctuation, which is intended to deceive.
Thanks to Jerry Miccolis for test-solving and editorial suggestions.
Hop clues
- Error-free, Chloe’s confused over nothing at university (6)
- French composer satiates even though no piece is repeated (5)
- Earthy concoctions may be quite filling (6)
- United Nation’s touch, strangely lacking manners (7)
- Who designed the miniskirt? An actuary, maybe? (5)
- Dull delivery person starting to tackle employment (6)
- Gore’s crazy for Shrek and Princess Fiona (5)
- In the first place, who controls Flood? (5)
- Art’s pieces sometimes reread by followers of Haile Selassie (6)
- Dole’s calling for game birds (4)
- Enchanted by New England chant (6)
Skip clues
- Eton’s upset by one? Who would write that down? (5)
- Estates with too much food (4)
- Who’s out of line? Grant? (4)
- Say a second person weaves a onesie (4)
- Disturbing snore from the Valkyries (5)
- Adds more than one brat (4)
- Abrasive material found outside embattled microdistillery (5)
Jump clues
- Undulating kind of headache around the first of October—and ugh (7)
- Towel off a little birdie (5)
- I need help getting rid of a little bit of odor at the private dining area (4)
- Downright articulate (5)
HINTS
Order of hop clues: a-4th, b-1st, c-6th, d-2nd, e-7th, f-3rd, g-9th, h-5th, i-11th, j-10th, k-8th
Order of skip clues: a-1st, b-7th, c-3rd, d-5th, e-6th, f-2nd, g-4th
Order of jump clues: a-1st, b-2nd, c-4th, d-3rd
TOM TOCE is an FCAS and a seasonal director at KMPG. He is a member of the Jeopardy Hall of Fame. Solutions may be emailed to ttoce@nyc.rr.com. In order to make the solver list, you should send him your solutions by June 1, 2025.
Solution to Previous Issue’s Puzzle—Does This Sound OK?
ACROSS
1. OPIUM PIPE (OPMPIPE)—“I mop up pie” anag.
5. STEPS UP—(PET inside PUSS) full rev.
9. TRADE—“Tattererd” reverse letter bank
10. SPECIAL EFFECTS (SPECIALFX)—“ET’s cliff escape” anag.
11. ICY STARE (ICSTARE)—“scary tie” anag.
12. TURF TOE—RUT rev. + (pi)T(ch) inside FOE
13. TEMPEST—TEMP + EST
16. NEWS AGENCY—“Yes, Gwen can” anag.
18. EYE—“I” rebus
19. DEVIOUS PLAN (DVSPLAN)—“unpaved soil” anag.
21. RIPOSTE—RIP + (p)OSTE(r)
23. VEHICLE—H inside VE(ntr)ICLE [delete NTR]
24. TOOTH DECAY (TOOTHDK)—“hot date coy” anag.
26. EMPTY PROMISE (MTPROMISE)—“I’m Mr. Poe’s type” anag.
27. ATRIA—A(us)TRIA [delete US]
28. SINCERE—S(overign) + I(raq) + N(egotiate) + C(urrency) + E(xchange) + R(ate) + E(ntente)
29. ARCH ENEMY (ARCHNME)—“cheery man” anag.
DOWN
1. OUTFITTED—OUT + FIT + TED
2. MEANS—AMENS –> MEANS
3. ITERATE—I(TE)RATE
4. ENSUE—ENSU(r)E [delete R]
5. SWEETENER—[(TEE + W) inside RENE’S] full rev.
6. EXIT ROW—EX + IT + ROW [WOR(ker) rev.]
7. SPLOTCHES—S(u)P(p)L(y) O(f) T(h)C (t)H(i)E(f) S(o)
8. PIXIE—PIX + I.E.
14. MISSHAPEN—MISS + HAP(p)EN(s) [delete P & S]
15. TENDERIZE—“tender-ize” pun
17. CHECKMATE—“Check, mate” pun
20. LACTOSE—“. . . lilac to season”
22. PROSAIC—“PROS SAY ICK” homo.
23. VAMPS—AMP inside VS
24. THETA—THE + TA
25. HERON—(t)HERON [delete T]
The name of the technique employed in the puzzle is “grammagram” or “gramogram”. More information can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramogram.
Solvers: Steve Alpert, Dean Apps, Jack Brauner, Lois Cappellano, Laura Cremerius, Jared Dashoff, Todd Dashoff, Christopher Dickens, Jason Helbraun, David Handelman, Pete Hepokoski, Catharine Hornby and Bruce Harvey, Max Jackson, Ruth Johnson, Paul Kolell, Mike Kosciuk, Ken Kudrack, Ben Lynch, Michael Manos, Jon Michelson, Jim Muza, David and Corinne Promislow, Ram Raman, Jay Ripps, Bob and Shannon Schriver, Bill Scott, Andrew Shewan, Sally Smith, Zig Swistunowicz, T.O.C.E (Josh DenHartog and Sam Donohoe), James and Betsy Uzzell, and Bonnie Veenschoten.