Puzzle Answers - Four-Play - Harper’s Magazine May 2016 (SPOILER ALERT!)
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| Rainbow Barf. |
Across
1. (See instructions) (6,5) = HENRIK IBSEN
Author of 10-Down, 11-Down, and 38-Across
10. Keyboard key used in telex transmission that can be sent (8) =TEXTABLE
Keyboard key [TAB] in anagram of [TELEX]
12. Underworld gal making adjustment to teach English (6) = HECATE
anagram ([TEACH] + [E])nglish
13. Got sick, having been served a meal at the counter? (6) = BARFED
served a meal [FED] + counter [BAR]
15. Time being what it is: name long ago (5) = NONCE
[N]ame + long ago [ONCE]
16. I’m in the habit, or I’m in with half, please (6) = WIMPLE
[IM] + [W]ith + [PLE]
17. Article removed from imperial menace (7) = IMPERIL
[IMPERIAL] - [A]rticle
19. Where some Frenchmen locate tailored inseam (6) = AMIENS
anagram [INSEAM]
20. Camper taken in by male elements in the company of superheroes (6) = MARVEL
anagram (camper [RV] + [MALE])
21. One who deserves to be left out! (4) = LOUT
[L]eft + [OUT]
22. Misdirections behind some stock (3,6) = BUM STEERS
behind [BUM] + stock [STEERS]
23. Giving positions around piano dishonors arrangement (10) = DONORSHIPS
anagram ([DISHONORS] + [P]iano)
26. That man needs a place, like for showing great range (9) HIMALAYAS
that man [HIM] + [A] + place [LAY] + like [AS]
28. It’s not quite hip to sing like a bird (3) = COOL
hip [COO]l
29. Partially enunciate hooks in the body (4) = UNCI
en[UNCI]ate
30. What is a flowering of youth? That ____! (3) = ZIT
“that’s it” sounds like “that’[Z IT]”
31. List of university fellows given precedence (4) = MENU
fellows [MEN] + [U]niversity
32. Half of dance requires a final character: a little Bono (4) = CHAZ
dance [CHA] cha + final character [Z]
33. Ruffian in retrospect is mostly innocent (4) = NAIF
reverse ruf[FIAN]
34. Moore and Craig, e.g., in ties (5) = BONDS
actors who played James [BONDS]
35. Toy bird (4) = KITE
both toy and bird are synonyms of [KITE]
36. On we spoke—oh, it’s so boring! (5) = ENNUI
“on we” sounds like [ENNUI]
37. Oddly I schemed for a cold drink (4) = ICEE
[I] s[C]e[E]m[E]d
38. (See instructions) (5,6) = HEDDA GABLER
Down
1. Scoundrel with a revolver—don’t get me started! (4) = HEEL
I'm not sure about the annotation here…leave a comment if you've got the correct word play on this one.
2. Run out of a church to call your old girlfriend? (13) = EXCOMMUNICATE
old girlfriend [EX] + call [COMMUNICATE]
3. Hit over the head by a kid’s toy? That’s foolish (13) = RATTLEBRAINED
hit over the head [BRAINED] + kid’s toy [RATTLE]
4. One live cross horny North African (4) = IBEX
one [I] + live [BE] + cross [X]
5. Milk’s an odd choice for white lovers (7) = KLANISM
anagram ([MILKS] + [AN])
6. Mind if I left some chaff (4) = BRAN
mind [BRAIN] - if [I] left
7. Re-crosses out origin of bad spelling (9) = SORCERESS
anagram ([RE CROSSES]])
8. English FCC fees never obscure high spirits (13) = EFFERVESCENCE
anagram ([E]nglish + [FCC] + [FEES] + [NEVER])
9. “Born to Die” Republican leaves more wanting (7) = NEEDIER
born [NEE] + [DIE] + [R]
10. (See instructions) (3,4,4) = THE WILD DUCK
11. (See instructions) (1,5,5) = A DOLL’S HOUSE
14. Seen as typical Beat poet, I’m writing one last letter at the end (10) = EPITOMIZED
anagram ([POET] + [IM]) + letter at the end [ZED]
18. Two Irishmen make the sound of soft footsteps (3-3) = PAT-PAT
Irishman [PAT] + Irishman [PAT]
24. Humiliation in college almost has pizzazz (6) = HAZING
[HA]s + pizzazz [ZING]ß
25. Something exciting can also be downer (6) = WONDER
anagram [DOWNER]
27. Lanai decorated for a swinger’s need, possibly (5) = LIANA
anagram [LANAI]
34. Napkin put up or down, doesn’t matter (3) = BIB
word is a palindrome
