Solution to Disorder

We're presented with a lot of trigrams. The first step is to rearrange each row of trigrams into a clue:

		Clue	Answer	Notes
ABS DEA DUR EMA FIF HIS ING ISM KON MAR NOF RSH RSO SPA TYO URD YEA	DUR ING HIS SPA NOF FIF TYO RSO YEA RSH EMA DEA MAR KON ABS URD ISM	During his span of fifty or so years, he made a mark on absurdism.	CAMUS
ADI BRE DEW DIS EAN EDW ITH ITH ITI JAM LDE MAL NAS PAR PRE SMA VIC	ITI SMA DEW ITH BRE ADI NAS MAL LDE VIC EAN DIS PRE PAR EDW ITH JAM	It is made with bread in a small device and is prepared with jam.	TOAST
AFT AIN ANN ANO ASO DID EHE EIN ERA ERH EWR GAC LMO NEU ONA OTE RES RUM SAD SEV SIN TUR UCH UKR VER	AFT ERH EWR OTE ANO VER TUR EIN UKR AIN EHE DID SEV ERA LMO RES UCH ASO NEU SIN GAC ANN ONA SAD RUM	After he wrote an overture in Ukraine he did several more such as one using a cannon as a drum.	TCHAIKOVSKY	The Storm 1812 Overture
AFT ALI ARG ATH CAT DER EDR EFI EPA ERT GOI HEL HIS HOL ICC IRS NGR RET SUN	AFT ERT HEL ARG EFI RET HIS CAT HOL ICC ATH EDR ALI SUN DER GOI NGR EPA IRS	After the large fire, this catholic cathedral is undergoing repairs.	NOTRE DAME
AGE CAL DIN EDO ENG EOP ESP FAL FRE GHT ING LEO LSO MFI PIC RKM RTS SDA THI TUR USI	THI SDA RKM USI CAL PIC TUR ESP EOP LEO FAL LSO RTS ENG AGE DIN FRE EDO MFI GHT ING	This dark musical pictures people of all sorts engaged in freedom fighting.	LES MISERABLES
AIN ANG ANK BET BLA BUL CKA EDP ELA ERC ETB EWR HGA HIS HON LIS MBL NDR ONG ONT RUP TED TED WHE WIT	ONT HIS BLA CKA NDR EDP AIN TED WHE ELA BUL LIS HGA MBL ERC ANG ETB ANK RUP TED WIT HON EWR ONG BET	On this black and red painted wheel, a bullish gambler can get bankrupted with one wrong bet.	ROULETTE
ALA CEI COU DET ERE ESI HIS ION LAT LLP NAP NSI NTR OPU POP SID SMA THA THE YWI	THE POP ERE SID ESI NAP ALA CEI NSI DET HIS COU NTR YWI THA SMA LLP OPU LAT ION	The pope resides in a palace inside this country with a small population.	VATICAN CITY
ALI AME ANI BER ECO FES GHC HEA HEC HIC HTH IMF IST NOM OMM OUG SHI SIL STM TET THI TOW UNI WRO YBR	THI SHI GHC ALI BER ECO NOM IST WRO TET HEC OMM UNI STM ANI FES TOW HIC HEA SIL YBR OUG HTH IMF AME	This high caliber economist wrote the Communist Manifesto which easily brought him fame.	KARL MARX
ALL ANO DST FOU GIN GTO HAT ISF ITS NAP ONG ORI ORS PIN RLA THE TYS UNF VEL YBY	ITS ANO VEL TYS ONG ORI GIN ALL YBY THE FOU RLA DST HAT ISF UNF ORS NAP PIN GTO	It's a novelty song originally by the Four Lads that is fun for snapping to.	ISTANBUL NOT CONSTANTINOPLE
AMM APR BLI CLY DED EDI ERM FUN ING MIL NMA OGR OTH OWM SPU STA THI TIO YFA YOR YSH	THI SPU BLI CLY FUN DED STA TIO NMA YSH OWM YFA MIL YOR OTH ERM EDI APR OGR AMM ING	This publicly funded station may show My Family or other media programming.	BBC
AMO EDI ENT ICK INV LAY NHI SMO SSK STF ULL USP WAS YOR	YOR ICK SSK ULL WAS INV ENT EDI NHI SMO STF AMO USP LAY	Yorick's skull was invented in his most famous play.	SHAKESPEARE	Alas, poor Yorick!
ANA AND COH DEW ERA FBO INC ING ITH LAL LUD NDO OLS ONA OZE RUM SEV SKI SMA STR THI UTI	ANA STR ONA UTI SMA DEW ITH SEV ERA LAL COH OLS INC LUD ING THI SKI NDO FBO OZE AND RUM	An astronaut is made with several alcohols, including this kind of booze and rum.	VODKA
ANA ASA BEL DER DOF EDT ELL ENA EXP HEL HEW HIP HOL IDE INS INT LEA LIC OSA OSE THE VYS	HEW ASA BEL LIC OSE LEA DER EXP ELL EDT OSA INT HEL ENA INS IDE THE HOL DOF ANA VYS HIP	He was a bellicose leader expelled to Saint Helena inside the hold of a navy ship.	NAPOLEON
AND AST BUL CON DSO FIT ICS INB MEO NGM NNI NTI OCL OSA OUS OYE SDE SFA STR STU UMI YZA	INB YZA NTI UMI CON OCL AST SDE STR OYE DSO MEO FIT SFA BUL OUS AND STU NNI NGM OSA ICS	In Byzantium, iconoclasts destroyed some of its fabulous and stunning mosaics.	HAGIA SOPHIA
AND COM DER EBE EDA EDI FOR GUY HER ING KBE LEA LIV NEW NPA OFT RIS RMY WHO YOR	GUY WHO LIV EDI NPA RIS AND NEW YOR KBE FOR EBE COM ING LEA DER OFT HER EDA RMY	Guy who lived in Paris and New York before becoming leader of the Red Army	TROTSKY
ANK ANY ARM ERA FOF GEN HAL HEO IES INM LET LFI LRE LSR MBO OON PRE RHA SAM SEN SSY THE THI TSA WHI	HAL FOF THI SSY MBO LRE PRE SEN TSA GEN ERA LSR ANK INM ANY ARM IES WHI LET HEO THE RHA LFI SAM OON	Half of this symbol represents a general's rank in many armies, while the other half is a moon.	STAR AND CRESCENT
ANK ARI ARM BUL CHI CRA EIN FRE GHT ING KOF NCH NDN OTT OUT SAB SFI SNO STO THE THE THI TSA VAD VEL WHI YIN	THE FRE NCH ARM YIN VAD EIN THI SNO VEL THE BUL KOF WHI CHI SAB OUT ARI STO CRA TSA NDN OTT ANK SFI GHT ING	The French army invade in this novel, the bulk of which is about aristocrats, and not tanks fighting.	WAR AND PEACE
ANK ASE ATE BUL CAL DWI ETI HER HEW HIS LEO LFR MMU NIC OMP OPE SES STO THA THE XCO XTH	HEW ASE XCO MMU NIC ATE DWI THA BUL LFR OMP OPE LEO XTH ANK STO HIS HER ETI CAL THE SES	He was excommunicated with a bull from Pope Leo X thanks to his heretical theses.	MARTIN LUTHER	Papal bull
ARE CIR CLE DUP ERS ETH HBO HEL HIC HOL INA INW IRD LEN MBC MIL NIU NTH TEI ULD YSI	HOL YSI TEI NTH ETH IRD MIL LEN NIU MBC INW HIC HBO ULD ERS ARE HEL DUP INA CIR CLE	Holy site in the third millennium BC in which boulders are held up in a circle	STONEHENGE
ARF CIO CIR CUL DOV ENT ERE ESA HIS KET MAN OMA OOD OOD OOD POW RAN RES SPA TAU TUS USW YAG	MAN YAG OOD RES TAU RAN TUS ESA SPA CIO USW OOD POW ERE DOV ENT OMA KET HIS CIR CUL ARF OOD	Many a good restaurant uses a spacious wood-powered oven to make this circular food.	PIZZA
ARL ART AYE DAY EEK ETO HEW ICU ION LAR LEB NAP OFB OFT OUN RAT TYS YCE	AYE ARL YCE LEB RAT ION OFB OUN TYS ETO NAP ART ICU LAR DAY OFT HEW EEK	A yearly celebration of bounty set on a particular day of the week	THANKSGIVING
ARL ATH BUL DAT EFO EHE FIV HAD ISE KSB MAN MPO ORS OUS REH RTE RUM SAY SCO SER STA THI WOR YDE YFA	RUM ORS SAY THI SCO MPO SER STA RTE DAT FIV EHE HAD MAN YFA BUL OUS WOR KSB EFO REH ISE ARL YDE ATH	Rumors say this composer started at five; he had many fabulous works before his early death.	MOZART
ASA BEG BER BUT ENL ENT ERB ESA HAT HEH INC INS ITS LUD NUM NYT OFS OUD PHO SIL SYM UDD	HEH ASA SYM PHO NYT HAT BEG INS SIL ENT BUT INC LUD ESA NUM BER OFS UDD ENL OUD ERB ITS	He has a symphony that begins silent but includes a number of sudden louder bits.	HAYDN	“Surprise” Symphony
ASA CHA DAH DIU HES HEW HHI IGH INE ING INT INT IST MAN MAR OEA PEL RNE SPA STA TIS TUS TWH WIT YME	HEW ASA MAN YME DIU MAR TIS TWH OEA RNE DAH IGH STA TUS WIT HHI SPA INT ING INT HES IST INE CHA PEL	He was a many-medium artist who earned a high status with his painting in the Sistine Chapel.	MICHAELANGELO
ASE BUN DAR DEN DIN EDB EDC ESE EST FAS HEL JOY ODS OVE RED SAM TAN TFO	FAS TFO ODS TAN DAR DEN JOY EDB EST HEL DIN ASE SAM ESE EDC OVE RED BUN	Fast food standard enjoyed best held in a sesame seed covered bun	HAMBURGER
ASG ATO BUL DFI LET LMS MAN MIN OVE RAN RED RFI RNO SER SIN TER THE THE VED WHO	THE MAN WHO SER VED ASG OVE RNO RAN DFI RED BUL LET SIN THE TER MIN ATO RFI LMS	The man who served as governor and fired bullets in the Terminator films	ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
ATT DEA DIA DZO EAT EDT EIN ENB END IAN ISC LEF NBE NIN OBE REA ROA SCA STR TER TUN TUR WES YTH	DEA DZO ROA STR IAN SCA NBE LEF TUN ATT END EDT OBE EAT ENB YTH ISC REA TUR EIN WES TER NIN DIA	Dead Zoroastrians can be left unattended to be eaten by this creature in western India	VULTURE
AYO DTH ELA FWO HIS MAN NTA ORK PRU RIE RLD RNE RTW SBU STD TWO WAR YOF	MAN YOF HIS PRU RIE NTA RTW ORK SBU RNE DTH ELA STD AYO FWO RLD WAR TWO	Many of his prurient artworks burned the last day of World War Two.	KLIMT
BER CAN CHA ESA HAT HON ILO KED MUN NDF NDM NGA NUM OFA PPL RTT SDE SEA SIL SSE THI UNC USI YBA YOU	YOU CAN MUN CHA NDM UNC HON THI SDE SSE RTT HAT SEA SIL YBA KED USI NGA NUM BER OFA PPL ESA NDF ILO	You can munch and munch on this dessert that's easily baked using a number of apples and filo.	STRUDEL
BER DAM DOC EFI EPR ESE EVE FMI GHT GUR HES HKI IDT INE NAD NDE NED NTE SIG SIL SVA WAR YOZ YZV	EVE NAD WAR FMI GHT BER EPR ESE NTE DAM IDT HES EFI GUR INE SVA SIL YZV YOZ DOC HKI NDE SIG NED	Even a dwarf might be represented amid these figurines Vasily Zvyozdochkin designed.	MATRYOSHKA DOLLS
BIG BUI EWA EWH ICH LTH MOV NEL NEM PIR STO TER TER TUN UGE WES	BIG WES TER NEM PIR EWH ICH BUI LTH UGE TUN NEL STO MOV EWA TER	Big western empire which built huge tunnels to move water	ROMAN EMPIRE
CAT CEN CUM DIN ENT HED HEL HET HIR ISB NTH OFT RAL SAL SDO TEE THI TUR URY YIS	THI SDO CUM ENT OFT HET HIR TEE NTH CEN TUR YIS HEL DIN SAL ISB URY CAT HED RAL	This document of the thirteenth century is held in Salisbury Cathedral.	MAGNA CARTA
COO ESA HOL IKE ISS KHA KIE NAC NDI NOT REE SAK STH STH UNL	UNL IKE COO KIE STH ISS NAC KHA STH REE HOL ESA NDI SAK NOT	Unlike cookies, this snack has three holes and is a knot.	PRETZELS
CTI GHT HEM LYI LYO MIL OMT ONB OTE RTL SEL SEL SFA SPA THI TUS UAL UPR UTI VES YFR YMI	THI SFA MIL YMI GHT SEL LYO UPR OTE CTI ONB UTI TUS UAL LYI SPA RTL YFR OMT HEM SEL VES	This family might sell you “protection” but it usually is partly from themselves.	MAFIA

Once we've solved enough of the clues, we may notice that many of them are related to countries. In fact, each answer can be associated with one of seven European countries: Austria, England, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Turkey.

	Answer	Country	Explanation
ASA BEG...	HAYDN	Austria
ASG ATO...	ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER	Austria
ARL ATH...	MOZART	Austria
AYO DTH...	KLIMT	Austria
BER CAN...	STRUDEL	Austria
CAT CEN...	MAGNA CARTA	England
AMM APR...	BBC	England
ARE CIR...	STONEHENGE	England
AMO EDI...	SHAKESPEARE	England
AFT ALI...	NOTRE DAME	France
AGE CAL...	LES MISERABLES	France
ADI BRE...	TOAST	France	French toast
ANA ASA...	NAPOLEON	France
ABS DEA...	CAMUS	France
COO ESA...	PRETZELS	Germany
ASE BUN...	HAMBURGER	Germany
ANK ASE...	MARTIN LUTHER	Germany
ALI AME...	KARL MARX	Germany
BIG BUI...	ROMAN EMPIRE	Italy
ASA CHA...	MICHAELANGELO	Italy
CTI GHT...	MAFIA	Italy
ARF CIO...	PIZZA	Italy
ALA CEI...	VATICAN CITY	Italy
BER DAM...	MATRYOSHKA DOLLS	Russia
AFT AIN...	TCHAIKOVSKY	Russia
ANA AND...	VODKA	Russia
AIN ANG...	ROULETTE	Russia	Russian roulette
ANK ARI...	WAR AND PEACE	Russia
AND COM...	TROTSKY	Russia
AND AST...	HAGIA SOPHIA	Turkey
ALL ANO...	ISTANBUL NOT CONSTANTINOPLE	Turkey
ARL ART...	THANKSGIVING	Turkey	Thanksgiving turkey
ATT DEA...	VULTURE	Turkey	Turkey vulture
ANK ANY...	STAR AND CRESCENT	Turkey

Googling these seven countries yields various results on strategy websites, forums and wikis for the board game Diplomacy. Reading a little bit about Diplomacy, we might learn that there are 34 supply centers, corresponding to our 34 clues, and that each territory in a Diplomacy game is represented by a three-letter code; both of these help us be sure that Diplomacy is the next step.

Knowing that each territory in Diplomacy is represented by a three-letter code, we now look for those three-letter codes among the trigrams we were given. We find that each clue has two or three of them.

At this point it behooves us to learn more about the rules of Diplomacy. In Diplomacy, each turn culminates with all of the seven players writing down their orders, usually abbreviated using the three-letter codes, for each of their units. Another explanation of orders can be found here; in short, each order either moves a unit from one territory to another, keeps a unit in the same place, or it interacts with another order that is one of the first two types. The title, combined with the two to three relevant trigrams in each clue, suggests that orders are relevant. Using the proper order of the clue, we can make a consistent set of orders from the trigrams in each clue. The country associated with the answer from the clue is assumed to have given the order.

	Country	Diplomacy territories	Order
ASA BEG...	Austria	SIL BER	A sil → ber
ASG ATO...	Austria	SER BUL	A ser → bul
ARL ATH...	Austria	RUM SER BUL	A rum Supports A ser → bul
AYO DTH...	Austria	PRU WAR	A pru → war
BER CAN...	Austria	MUN SIL BER	A mun Supports A sil → ber
CAT CEN...	England	NTH HEL	F nth → hel
AMM APR...	England	CLY YOR EDI	F cly Supports yor → edi
ARE CIR...	England	HOL NTH HEL	F hol Supports F nth → hel
AMO EDI...	England	YOR EDI	A yor → edi
AFT ALI...	France	HEL HOL	F hel → hol
AGE CAL...	France	PIC ENG	F pic → eng
ADI BRE...	France	BRE PAR	A bre → par
ANA ASA...	France	BEL HEL HOL	A bel Supports F hel → hol
ABS DEA...	France	SPA MAR	A spa → mar
COO ESA...	Germany	KIL HOL	F kie → hol
ASE BUN...	Germany	DEN HEL	F den → hel
ANK ASE...	Germany	BUL ANK	A bul → ank
ALI AME...	Germany	BER SIL	A ber → sil
BIG BUI...	Italy	WES TUN	F wes → tun
ASA CHA...	Italy	MAR TUS SPA	A mar Supports A tus → spa
CTI GHT...	Italy	LYO TUS SPA	F lyo Convoys A tus → spa
ARF CIO...	Italy	TUS SPA	A tus → spa
ALA CEI...	Italy	NAP ION	F nap → ion
BER DAM...	Russia	WAR BER SIL	A war Supports A ber → sil
AFT AIN...	Russia	UKR SEV RUM	A ukr Supports A sev → rum
ANA AND...	Russia	SEV RUM	A sev → rum
AIN ANG...	Russia	BLA BUL ANK	F bla Convoys A bul → ank
ANK ARI...	Russia	ARM BUL ANK	A arm Supports A bul → ank
AND COM...	Russia	EDI YOR	F edi → yor
AND AST...	Turkey	CON BUL	A con → bul
ALL ANO...	Turkey	TYS NAP	F tys → nap
ARL ART...	Turkey	ION TYS NAP	F ion Supports F tys → nap
ATT DEA...	Turkey	TUN WES	F tun → wes
ANK ANY...	Turkey	ANK ARM	A ank → arm

These orders are enough to reconstruct most of the state of the game; there are 34 orders, so we know exactly how many units each country has because there can never be more units than supply centers on the board. We can construct the outcome of the turn represented by these orders, either by manually arranging units on a Diplomacy board, or by using one of several tools (Backstabbr, use Sandbox Mode, jDip).

Playing out these orders, we can see which ones succeeded and which ones failed.

Of particular interest to us are the seven places where one country has taken a territory from another. All of them are different, and all of them are supply centers.

Noticing that there are seven displacements, we look closer and notice that each country has displaced one other, and they make a cycle:

	Destination country	Successful order	Territory taken
Germany	Turkey	A bul → ank	Ankara
Turkey	Italy	F tys → nap	Naples
Italy	France	A tus → spa	Spain
France	England	F hel → hol	Holland
England	Russia	F yor → edi	Edinburgh
Russia	Austria	A sev → rum	Rumania
Austria	Germany	A sil → ber	Berlin

Reading the blanks at the bottom of the puzzle in combination with the first letters of the territories used in this cycle, we get:

And, indeed, the answer to the puzzle is HERB.