Cryptographic Clue Cleaving

by Craig Kasper

ANSWER: SECTIONAL SOFA

 
 

The left halves of clues have been given with the letters A through M encoded with numbers from 1 to 13, and the letters N through Z represented by question marks.

The right halves of clues have been given with the letters N through Z encoded with numbers from 14 to 26, and the letters A through M represented by question marks.

Decrypted, the clue halves are:

LEFT HALVES OF CLUES
  1. BACK
  2. D(O)MAI(N) (N)AME
  3. BA(N)D (W)HICH
  4. FAMED INDE(X)
  5. ABB(R).
  6. C(O)MM(ON) AILME(NT)
  7. EC(ONO)MIC
  8. KEE(PS)
  9. BA(R) (OR) (T)HER(R)MAL
  10. BEHA(R) (O)F
  11. JE(NN)I(N)G(S) (O)F
  12. (P)ACIFIC
  13. CABLE
 RIGHT HALVES OF CLUES
  1. QU(I)Z S(H)OWS
  2. PRE(EFI)X
  3. ST(A)T(I)ST(IC)
  4. (F)OR (A) (LA)WY(E)R
  5. S(A)NG "PROU(D) (MA)RY"
  6. (F)OR ON(E)'S OWN
  7. ON (A) (C)RU(I)S(E) S(HI)P
  8. (I)N W(I)NT(E)R
  9. N(E)TWOR(K)
  10. (F)OR S(H)ORT
  11. (C)O(A)ST T(E)R(MI)NUS
  12. TV'S "T(HE) V(IE)W"
  13. SU(FFI)X

Ordering the clues for each half by their ciphertext numbering allows the halves to match up into complete clues. These yield three letter answers in which the first and last letters correspond to the plaintext lettering of the halves. So, for example, E plus Q gives "Abbr for a lawyer" which clues ESQ.) The clues and their answers in this order are:

  • E + Q: ABBR. FOR A LAWYER = ESQ
  • K + N: JENNINGS OF QUIZ SHOWS = KEN
  • C + R: BAND WHICH SANG "PROUD MARY" = CCR
  • M + V: CABLE NETWORK = MTV
  • B + Z: DOMAIN NAME SUFFIX = BIZ
  • J + Y: BEHAR OF TV'S "THE VIEW" = JOY
  • G + P: ECONOMIC STATISTIC = GNP
  • H + S: KEEPS FOR ONE'S OWN = HAS
  • F + U: COMMON AILMENT IN WINTER = FLU
  • I + O: BAR OR THERMAL PREFIX = ISO
  • D + W: FAMED INDEX FOR SHORT = DOW
  • A + T: BACK ON A CRUISE SHIP = AFT
  • L + X: PACIFIC COAST TERMINUS = LAX

Reading down the central letters spells the answer SECTIONAL SOFA.

Upon completing this puzzle, the following set of cards is revealed on the round page: