Alloy of Words

by Ivan Wang and Olga Vinogradova

Answer:
JUPITER

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As hinted in the flavortext, we are presented with a something different crossword, a non-standard type where most answers are nonsense words or phrases. We can start by filling in some regular straight clues and use those to find the crossings.

The overall theme of the crossword is hinted by a number of clues. The flavor of “magnets” (which push or pull), as well as the clues 1A (COMPOUNDER), 24A (HONOR), 77A (METALMINDS), 2D (ONES MIST), 31D (TWINBORN), and 36D (ALLOY) come from Brandon Sanderson’s written universe, specifically the Mistborn series. (19A provides an extra confirmation, as Sanderson’s birthplace is NEBRASKA.)

In this universe, users are able to burn alloys for special abilities. Specifically, compounders are users who can utilize both Allomancy and Feruchemy by burning the same alloy.

Looking at some of the remaining clues, we should notice extra words relating to one of each Allomantic ability. For example, “Tows” in 15A suggests Iron’s ability to “pull on nearby metals”, while “pushing” in 10A suggests Steel’s ability to “push on nearby metals.” Once we remove these extra words, the clue is readable as a straight crossword clue.

The last step requires the use of Feruchemy. Each alloy helps store an attribute; for example, iron stores physical weight or “MASS”. This suggests that each of the extra clues contains a rebus square in the crossword. In this square is a word related to the attribute stored by that alloy.

Clue (Allomancy in bold)Allomantic AbilityAlloyFeruchemy StoresWord StoredAnswer
Tows in a groupPulls on Nearby MetalsIronPhysical WeightMASSEN MASSE
Something for pushing metal aliensPushes on Nearby MetalsSteelPhysical SpeedPACESPACESHIP
Practice hearing for sharpened playersIncreases SensesTinSensesHEARSREHEARSAL
Quick flashing endurance that seems to stop motionIncreases Physical AbilitiesPewterPhysical StrengthBEEFSTROBE EFFECT
Enchanted riotEnflames (riots) EmotionsZincMental SpeedWITBEWITCHED
Where one might go to witness others acting numbDampens (soothes) EmotionsBrassWarmthHEATTHEATER
Mass that's hiding cellular or plasmodial pulsesHide Allomantic PulsesCopperMemoriesMEMOSLIME MOLD
Attraction that is hearing round pulses at a fairCan Hear Allomantic PulsesBronzeWakefulnessROUSECAROUSEL
Having removed another's courage reservesWipes Allomantic Reserves of TargetChromiumFortuneLUCKPLUCKY
Name of a leader of class H increasing someone's flotilla burnEnhances Allomantic Burn of TargetNicrosilInvestitureSHARDHMS HARDY
Yellow blue fish internally removed from tropical seasWipes Internal Allomantic ReservesAluminumIdentitySELFDAMSELFISH
Helical personal enhancement toyEnhances Current Metal BurnedDuraluminConnectionLINKSLINKY
This edge sometimes recedes with slowed down ageSlows Down TimeCadmiumBreathAIRHAIRLINE
Fast device to measure forward attractionSpeeds Up TimeBendalloyEnergyVIMGRAVIMETER
Retrospectively bearing hairsReveals Your Past SelfGoldHealthLIFEPILIFEROUS
Reluctant prescienceReveals Your FutureElectrumDeterminationWILLUNWILLING

Reading the crossings for these rebuses in row-major order, we get the final cluephrase, ROMAN DEITY FOR TIN, which is our answer, the god JUPITER.

1
C
2
O
3
M
4
P
O
5
U
6
N
7
D
8
E
9
R
10
S
11
PACE
R
12
S
H
13
I
14
P
15
E
N
MASS
O
E
16
W
R
U
N
G
17
E
M
LINK
O
T
18
A
X
I
19
N
E
B
R
A
S
K
A
20
D
I
Y
D
R
A
M
A
LIFE
21
T
S
A
R
S
22
U
N
WILL
N
I
N
23
G
24
H
O
N
O
R
25
H
M
SHARD
D
Y
T
26
S
A
G
E
27
A
R
28
D
E
BEEF
I
N
O
29
A
I
30
R
J
E
31
T
32
A
E
R
I
A
33
L
F
34
U
G
U
35
P
S
I
R
36
A
W
R
37
L
38
A
T
I
VIM
N
E
Y
E
S
39
P
LUCK
T
Y
40
S
L
I
MEMO
Y
41
L
D
42
R
E
G
C
A
R
43
T
44
Y
45
E
A
U
L
N
A
46
D
O
I
T
I
T
47
C
48
S
I
49
D
A
D
S
O
B
O
L
50
S
51
B
E
WIT
F
52
C
H
E
D
53
A
S
H
Y
Y
O
N
54
N
I
E
55
R
56
O
S
T
R
A
57
M
T
58
T
E
59
A
60
R
E
HEAR
O
S
61
A
62
L
A
63
C
64
A
ROUSE
R
L
65
T
SELF
E
A
M
S
66
N
67
A
T
U
R
E
68
S
A
G
A
69
S
70
I
D
L
E
I
71
O
T
A
72
N
A
V
I
C
A
T
S
73
S
E
E
N
A
D
O
74
G
I
B
E
S
75
T
HEAT
I
E
R
76
H
AIR
N
L
I
N
E
77
M
E
T
A
L
M
I
N
D
S

Authors' Notes

Mistborn is an amazing story and you should all read it. There is always another secret.