Conventional Wisdom
A Cryptic Crossword by Harth
A conventional cryptic crossword and an unconventional cryptogram. Half of the crossword answers, plus one other word, will help solve the coded message. This puzzle is slightly adapted from a competition held at the 150th Convention of the National Puzzlers' League, which was held in July 1989 in Cleveland. 45 minutes were allotted to solve both parts of the puzzle. The winner, Hudu, finished in 17 minutes.
The Cryptic
Clues
Across | |
1. |
England’s leader enters regressive United Kingdom, in plan for Constitution (6) |
5. |
Around the seventh of December, frost all over the trees (6) |
10. |
Former saint embraces princess -- he makes things happen (9) |
11. |
Most, of course, arranged to remove dirt (5) |
12. |
In outward appearances, see absurd peril where wood burns (10) |
13. |
Honest man died lying (4) |
15. |
Deceived government agent after miserable flub (7) |
18. |
Wounded Zambian, missing start of massacre, gives war cry (6) |
20. |
Chase exactly like this (3) |
22. |
In class, a disturbingly cruel man (6) |
24. |
Post Office gets small amounts of money for certain animals (7) |
27. |
Crumpled sack is a kind of container (4) |
28. |
Firm British politician on nest: "Poor tweeters!" (e.g.) (10) |
32. |
I bail out with an excuse (5) |
33. |
Attack misses children like Heidi (9, non-MW two-word phrase) |
34. |
Warp space-time exposure (6) |
35. |
Use symbols to get at tone! (6) |
Down | |
2. |
L.A. paper reprinted “What to Wear” (7) |
3. |
To arrive, they follow this on some crates (5, two words) |
4. |
Vegetable stews, paté s got cooked (8) |
5. |
Under pressure from rack, end oddly (6) |
6. |
Certain grains, it’s said, react to yeast (4) |
7. |
Initially starstruck, Hollywood okays Warner Bros' immoderate zeal for the entertainment industry (7, two words) |
8. |
Gargle after swallowing part of book (4) |
9. |
Used car is means of transportation around Delaware (7, hyphenated) |
14. |
Call for lights out when disagreement comes up (4) |
16. |
As is: difficult to insert in a glove. With slight modification: fits (4) |
17. |
Heads of departments in profound depression (3) |
19. |
If stirred up, a cola is unlikely to mix well (7) |
21. |
To get beef loin, camp out (8) |
23. |
Woman follows Sid Vicious into fire (7) |
25. |
Raiment is disheveled in tower (7) |
26. |
Make time to overlook (6) |
29. |
Thing that spins when it’s dark (5) |
30. |
Window frame with slice left out (4) |
31. |
Six perched on half of seat — it makes a tight squeeze (4) |
We have more information on solving cryptic crosswords in the Guide to the Enigma.
The Cryptogram
"MINNAPPAPP MINSSTI 'MINNFI DOMNFIMISSCIALCO MINCIAL EDCIALIEDSTDAPP CIALPE COSTDINIET" — FISDCSTFIECTSTDEST. MISSSTDE FICIALAPPESTE: TCIALE COCIALEST NITCIALECODMINNCIALI CIALI I.ECT.APP., FISTST MINSST DIFIDOMSTE ECTDETST.
Note: If you really don't know what a cryptogram is, you can get some idea from the Guide to the Enigma topic about cryptograms but, as has been said, this is not a plain and conventional cryptogram (but that doesn't make it too hard, either).
There are some additional hints here.
The Solution
We have the Solution here.
