The Scrambler
by Asher Walkover
Answer: CORTES
Each clue has been scrambled up, and needs to be unscrambled before it can be read and solved. In every case the solution has the same number of letters as the number of words in the clue. This allows the solution-words to be rescrambled in the same order that the original clue was scrambled. The new words produced by the scrambling process will be synonyms of one of the words in the clue. Extract the corresponding letter from the clue's solution.
For example, the clue "Competing friends groups of together" should unscramble to "Groups of friends competing together", which solves to TEAMS. The original ordering of this clue was "4th word, 3rd word, 1st word, 2nd word, 5th word". Apply this same "4 3 1 2 5" ordering to the letters of TEAMS to get MATES. The word MATES is a synonym of the word FRIENDS in the original clue. FRIENDS was the third word in the unscrambled clue, so extract the third letter of the unscrambled solution TEAMS, to get an A. (Equivalently, FRIENDS was the second word in the scrambled clue, so extract the 2nd letter of the scrambled solution MATES, still an A.)
| look for these symbols at McDonalds | ARCHES | SEARCH | look | A |
| cyclonic weather system that's much wilder than a squall | HURRICANE | RAUNCHIER | wilder | C |
| absence of all warm feeling towards | HATRED | DEARTH | absence | H |
| groups of friends competing together | TEAMS | MATES | friends | A |
| one who is a supporter of the crown | ROYALIST | SOLITARY | one | R |
| unplanned route travelled to avoid construction | DETOUR | TOURED | travelled | T |
| like a judge on the highest court | SUPREME | PRESUME | judge | P |
| an Everest or K2 ascent might count among his proudest accomplishments | MOUNTAINEER | ENUMERATION | count | I |
| place where you might hear neighs | STABLE | BLEATS | neighs | E |
| take oppressive action to not permit speech | SILENCE | LICENSE | permit | C |
| someone whose job is to apply coats | PAINTER | PERTAIN | apply | E |
| animal reputed to show affinity for Slytherins | SERPENT | PRESENT | show | P |
| amusement park sideshow workers, as a group | CARNIES | ARSENIC | as | I |
| puts through one's blank (trials) | PACES | SPACE | blank | E |
| economic penalty on a country that has transgressed | SANCTION | CONTAINS | has | O |
| fierce burst of solar radiation | FLARE | FERAL | fierce | F |
| boxing seats for those wanting the best view | RINGSIDE | DESIRING | wanting | S |
| tolkien fans know it's "middle" | EARTH | HEART | "middle" | H |
| planar shape that's needed to construct a tetrahedron | TRIANGLE | INTEGRAL | needed | A |
| crews of swashbucklers who terrorize the seas | PIRATES | PARTIES | crews | P |
| drill instructor who might antagonize the new recruits | SERGEANT | ESTRANGE | antagonize | E |
Extracting a letter from each clue gives a new clue, A CHART PIECE PIE OF SHAPE. Repeat the same process that's been used so far. Unscramble this to make a clue, SHAPE OF A PIE CHART PIECE, solve it to get SECTOR, and rescramble SECTOR according to the way its clue was scrambled to produce the final answer, CORTES.