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Special Puzzle – November 2005  "Encryption" by Arthur Schless

Instructions: Guess the words defined by the cryptic clues (words vary in length from three to nine letters and include three proper names and one variant spelling), then enter them in the grid one after another in the same order as their clues, starting in the upper left corner. Across words that don't end at the right margin continue on the next line, and down words that don't end at the bottom margin continue in the next column. Eleven across words won't fit in the grid unless one of their letters is removed. Those eleven letters, taken in order, spell a word related to the mystery entry, which is given in code. Use the eleven dropped letters to understand how to decode the mystery entry from the diagram below:

ABCDEFGHIJKLM | NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

(If you are having trouble printing these puzzles, you can download an Adobe Acrobat version of the puzzle and grid).

Across

  1. Mystery entry
  2. Elimination is certain after a time
  3. Assembly has leading democrat replace nephew
  4. Cable car of iron in unending electric disturbance
  5. Strike violently, initially carrying whip
  6. Alas, nose is disturbed in sensitive periods
  7. Note: Tess, upset, adjusts watch
  8. The Spanish taking on a foreign country
  9. Normal sounding net
  10. Make another proposal for runaway bride
  11. A religious group in southeastern Connecticut
  12. Doc has lock's opening combination
  13. Reportedly colored and expired
  14. Claw made of metal only
  15. Harvard University fellow is starting term as a classical scholar
  16. Prime Minister captured by some Irishmen
  17. Behold fine watch
  18. Part of ten-act show plays on stage
  19. Quietly stand for trophy
  20. Cat, e.g., turned back about two times
  21. For fear of exile's timidity
  22. Iridescent substance in northern lot
  23. Laborers decapitating hatchling birds

Down

  1. Catch woman down under
  2. Prince expected about a thousand
  3. One radical leader took a break and got taken in
  4. France thanks a British colony
  5. Sappho in Elba's wilderness
  6. Mostly dry southeastern spring
  7. Reject a claim at start of exercise
  8. Old users evenly get chronic infection
  9. Person with habit found in bad dictionary
  10. Two mathematical symbols are a piece of cake
  11. Perch on twisted torso
  12. Directs cattle
  13. Turbulent Mae's sin resulting in stitches from crotch to leg bottom
  14. Leather monetary unit
  15. Throw the French knight
  16. Place meadow-plucked flower in public square
  17. Exemplar of silence or noise
  18. Lease torn up
  19. Rant about small lake
  20. Take part though strangely silent
  21. Blood conduit in part saves self
  22. Multitudes of headless phantoms