AscentBack to round

Mosaics

by Andrew He, Bryan Lee, Katie Dunn, and Kevin Sun

Answer:
TAIFUN

View StatsBack to Puzzle

We are given links to 6 small collaborative crossword puzzles, as well as a final password-protected puzzle.

Upon opening a small crossword, we are given one of two anonymous animal identities (e.g. Lame Clam, Grim Dog, etc). As we solve, we notice that each anonymous animal can only type a subset of the 26 letters of the alphabet. For example, anyone logged in as Lame Clam can only type letters from the set AHMLSU. This restriction means we must work with our teammates (or at least in separate browsers) to collaborate and fill in each grid. We notice that there are some letters that cannot be typed by either animal, and the grids cannot ever be completed. Taking these untypeable letters in each grid gives the intermediate cluephrase PW IS NAME BACKWARDS (Appendix 1).

Two key insights are needed to proceed:

  • The flavortext describes the players as "monsters", and also mentions scarlet and violet, the names of the most recent Pokémon games. The anonymous animals also hint at Pokémon.
  • Some of the clues refer to things that are “local” (e.g. “The Neues is a local one” = MUSEUM), and we find that the location they are all themed around is Germany.

It turns out that these anonymous animals are not random, but the etymology of German Pokémon names, translated to English. For example, Lahmus (Slowbro in English) comes from lahm and Muschel, which translates to Lame Clam. The letters each animal can type are the letters that show up in their name (since Pokémon canonically can only say their names).

Using the letter banks and English translations, we can get the list of the 12 Pokémon used. Entering any of their German names backwards unlocks the final grid. (While one is sufficient to unlock, each password unveils only the letters in the crossword clue list that exist in the Pokémon’s name, and allows you to type only those letters.)

We notice the final criss-cross contains fairly long words, and that there are about twice as many clues as there are entries. After solving the crossword clues, we can observe that each side of the answers is sorted by German alphabetical order, which helps to disambiguate the harder clues. Following the compound word theme from the Pokémon names, we must first assemble the starts and ends into common German compound words, which are clued by their constituents (e.g. Glüh (glow) + Birne (pear) = Glühbirne (lightbulb)). Various listicles, or using an online dictionary that allows for searching by partial words such as https://dict.leo.org/, can help us match up the starts and ends. (See Appendix 2.)

Once we have assembled some of the words, we can fill the grid in with the German compound words. Note that letters with umlauts count as a single German letter when entered into the grid. As the grid is filled out, we can notice that the number of criss-cross entries is the same as the number of starts and ends if we include the single uncrossing entry at the bottom. Since there are 12 blanks in this entry, we can find after placing the other 12 letter words that it contains Wind (wind) + Schatten (shadow) = Windschatten (slipstream).

There is also an icon of a Pokéball next to the last entry, implying that we should look for a Pokémon. In the German version of the game, the Windschatten Pokémon is Elfun, which is the German equivalent of Whimsicott.

Finally, we can also read off the circled letters, which spell ZWEITES STAMMWORT (SECHS). This is German for “second root word” or “second stem word”, with “six” being the enumeration. The name Elfun comes from Elf + Taifun, so we should submit its second root word, TAIFUN.

Authors' Notes

Special thanks to the open-source collaborative crossword site Down for a Cross for letting us use a modified version of their website for this puzzle. The Pokémon as anonymous animals idea in particular references the randomly generated names on Down for a Cross.

Appendix 1: Small Grids

Grid (untypeable in green)AcrossDownAnonymous AnimalGerman PokémonEnglish Pokémon
A
S
H
M
N
N
A
U
T
S
P
A
R
S
E
W
A
I
T
E
D
E
L
L
U
R
E
S
U
M
E
  1. Physics of a pendulum (abbr.)
SHM
  1. Cosmo or Astro suffix
NAUT
  1. Few and far between
SPARSE
  1. Lingered
WAITED
  1. Building wing
ELL
  1. Continue
RESUME
  1. What you seek
ANSWER
  1. Some mollusks
SNAILS
  1. Comedian Kevin
HART
  1. The Neues is a local one
MUSEUM
  1. Boy's name
TED
  1. Descriptor for a certain ale
PALE
Grim DogHundusterHoundour
Lame ClamLahmusSlowbro
R
U
L
E
E
L
L
F
L
I
C
K
S
L
I
N
E
E
A
C
E
R
M
E
R
  1. Principle
RULE
  1. Local cookbook abbr.
EL
  1. Movies, informally
FLICKS
  1. Course of action
LINE
  1. Hardware brand
ACER
  1. Debussy's La ＿
MER
  1. Name that means "Army counsel" in an old local language
REINER
  1. Canker sore
ULCER
  1. Conditional statement keyword
ELSE
  1. Hoodwink
FLAM
  1. Small parasites
LICE
Puny CricketMicrickNymble
Culinary PigletFerkuliLechonk
O
F
R
A
S
I
M
O
V
K
E
N
O
B
I
R
A
S
S
Z
I
O
N
O
F
A
I
R
  1. Foundation author
ASIMOV
  1. Star Wars character famous for greeting
KENOBI
  1. Donkey
ASS
  1. Utah National Park
ZION
  1. SEAL component
AIR
  1. Local national tree
OAK
  1. It can be pectoral or dorsal
FIN
  1. Steals
ROBS
  1. Sans follower
SERIF
  1. 2016 musical film
MOANA
  1. Part of a helmet
VISOR
Raging MonkeyRasaffPrimeape
Novice CrowKranovizCorvisquire
E
F
F
E
T
E
R
T
A
N
E
P
O
R
T
C
O
I
N
E
R
T
K
E
M
E
Z
Z
E
  1. Lacking in vigor and vitality
EFFETE
  1. Button on a calculator
TAN
  1. Harbor
PORT
  1. One who makes marks, perhaps?
COINER
  1. Platter containing pita
MEZZE
  1. Build
ERECT
  1. With blue, a shade of green
ETON
  1. Button on a scale
TARE
  1. Main course
ENTREE
  1. Weapon that's also a fish
PIKE
Sniffling BruinPetzniefCubchoo
Normal DolphinNormifinFinizen
G
W
E
E
J
O
U
L
E
O
B
L
O
N
G
K
I
N
G
E
E
A
E
R
E
E
B
O
K
  1. Small
WEE
  1. Unit of energy
JOULE
  1. Like an elongated rectangle
OBLONG
  1. Otto I or Wilhelm II, for example
KING
  1. Sportswear brand
REEBOK
  1. Famous desert
GOBI
  1. Acronym commonly used in mathematical proofs
WLOG
  1. Poetic contraction
EEN
  1. Card in a deck
JOKER
  1. Arm bones
ULNAE
  1. Nerd
GEEK
Buoyant ErmineBojelinFloatzel
Gooey ToadGlibunkelCroagunk
C
O
C
A
M
O
O
U
A
L
A
D
C
A
L
L
L
A
L
A
S
K
A
W
B
O
O
M
  1. Cash crop whose cultivation is illegal in some parts of the world
COCA
  1. Cow utterance
MOO
  1. Boy
LAD
  1. Summon
CALL
  1. Largest US State
ALASKA
  1. Explosion sound
BOOM
  1. Work (with), (abbr.)
COLLAB
  1. Partially digested food
CUD
  1. Neotropical bird
MACAW
  1. Too
ALSO
  1. Pacino's nickname
AL
  1. On the ＿ (fleeing)
LAM
  1. Hit hard
KO
Deaf CamelCamaubNumel
Colossal WhaleKolowalCetitan

Appendix 2: Final Grid

Note: English translations are only given for reference and are not used in the solve path.

StartEndCompound word
ClueGermanEnglishClueGermanEnglishGermanEnglish
Upper limbArmarmFlat, thin strip or loop of materialBandbandArmbandbracelet
Windows to the soulAugeneyesQuick lookBlickglanceAugenblickinstant
Opposite of inausoutChinese, Hindi or EnglishSprachelanguageAussprachepronunciation
Genealogy structureBaumtreeWinter fabricWollewoolBaumwollecotton
Structure with roof and walls, such as a house, factory or schoolBaubuildingWord in a Harry Potter titleSteinstoneBausteinbuilding block
Tie up or a tough spotbindenbindStroke or dashStrichlineBindestrichhyphen
Bodily fluid that carries oxygenBlutblood＿-iron skilletGusscastBlutergussbruise
Written correspondenceBriefletterSatchel or pouchTaschebagBrieftaschewallet
Food made from flour, water and yeastBrotbreadCylindrical metal containerDosecanBrotdoselunchbox
Thing a bird laysEieggColor associated with surrender and peaceWeißwhiteEiweißprotein
Dirt, terra firmaErdeearthFruit on a bushBeereberryErdbeerestrawberry
Biology or EnglishFachsubjectMale humanMannmanFachmannexpert
Succumb to gravityfallenfallApple, banana or mangoObstfruitFallobstwindfall
Distant; out of the wayfernremoteProphet or observerSeherseerFernsehertelevision
Containers of beer on a wall, according to a songFlaschenbottlesOne of past, present, or future in a famous carolGeistghostFlaschengeistgenie in a bottle
Scheduled journey through airFlugflightHow ＿ WorksZeugstuffFlugzeugairplane
Honking birdsGänsegeeseSmall blossomBlümchenflowerGänseblümchendaisy
Firefly featureGlühglowTree mentioned in Twelve Days of ChristmasBirnepearGlühbirnelightbulb
Part of body with five fingersHandhandWhere two parts of the skeleton fit togetherGelenkjointHandgelenkwrist
Elevated or loftyhochhighThe 4th dimensionZeittimeHochzeitwedding
What a plaintiff bringsKlagelawsuitAria or balladLiedsongKlagelieddirge
Brain's locationKopfheadDough is slang for thisGeldmoneyKopfgeldbounty
Not too warmkühlcoolFurniture used to store clothesSchrankwardrobeKühlschrankrefrigerator
Ice or Green suffixLandlandSmall rectangular piece of paper or plasticKartecard/chartLandkartemap
Weight to be carriedLastburdenAutomobileWagencarLastwagentruck
Human existenceLebenlifeCompetition on a trackLaufraceLebenslaufCV
Animals in a prideLöwenlionsGear partZahntoothLöwenzahndandelion
Female parentMuttermotherBirthday dessertKuchencakeMutterkuchenplacenta
Preposition used to mean "following"nachafterFurniture on which food is eatenTischtableNachtischdessert
Theft performed by forceRaubrobberyAn organism in the largest biological kingdomTieranimalRaubtierpredator
Substance sprinkled on pavements after a snowfallSalzsaltA fruit that can be sliced and placed on eyesGurkecucumberSalzgurkepickle
Sensation once thought to be detected by the sides of the tonguesauersourIt has four fundamental statesStoffmatter/substanceSauerstoffoxygen
Enjoyment, entertainmentSpaßfunYou meet yours at the end of your lifeMachermakerSpaßmacherjester
＿ of luckStreichstrokeFireplace fuelHolzwoodStreichholzmatchstick
It's kneadedTeigdoughItem made and soldWareproductTeigwarepasta
AwesometollgreatOne of the deadly sinsWutwrathTollwutrabies
Vibrations that travel through the air which can be heardTonsound/toneIt may be measured on a doorframeHöheheightTonhöhepitch
Down ＿unterunderSettled way of thinkingHaltungattitudeUnterhaltungentertainment
Biding one's timeWartenwaitingSlithering animalSchlangesnakeWarteschlangequeue
Moving airWindwindSundial "hand"SchattenshadowWindschattenslipstream
This clue has six of themWörterwordsWritten work consisting of pages sewn or glued togetherBuchbookWörterbuchdictionary
Figure or symbol that usually represents a numberZifferdigitSingle piece of paperBlattsheetZifferblattclock face
G
Ä
B
N
A
S
U
E
S
Z
I
F
F
E
R
B
L
A
T
T
L
L
E
A
Ü
I
S
F
A
C
H
M
A
N
N
T
C
H
W
F
H
N
A
S
P
A
ß
M
A
C
H
E
R
B
R
I
E
F
T
A
S
C
H
E
N
A
G
L
N
C
O
D
A
U
G
E
N
B
L
I
C
K
H
C
G
E
N
O
T
O
N
H
Ö
H
E
R
B
I
Z
L
S
S
F
L
A
S
C
H
E
N
G
E
I
S
T
T
E
C
I
N
O
A
U
S
S
P
R
A
C
H
E
T
K
O
P
F
G
E
L
D
N
F
S
B
E
R
D
B
E
E
R
E
W
I
M
H
A
L
Ö
W
E
N
Z
A
H
N
B
L
U
T
E
R
G
U
S
S
R
D
G
R
T
R
M
A
T
L
E
B
E
N
S
L
A
U
F
O
T
W
L
W
E
L
S
Ü
S
T
R
E
I
C
H
H
O
L
Z
A
R
A
T
H
D
R
L
G
A
R
M
B
A
N
D
R
A
U
B
T
I
E
R
O
K
T
O
L
L
W
U
T
T
U
D
I
I
S
U
E
E
R
E
C
K
C
R
E
C
I
K
Ü
H
L
S
C
H
R
A
N
K
H
N
H
G
E
C
R
L
E
E
I
W
E
I
ß
H
T
A
N
A
F
L
U
G
Z
E
U
G
R
A
E
E
U
N
T
E
R
H
A
L
T
U
N
G
G
I
E
E
D
W
I
N
D
S
C
H
A
T
T
E
N