This puzzle consists of a set of printer’s devilry clues as clued by the title. By solving the clues, we find a number of strange-looking words. Some googling will reveal that all of these are a single letter off from a real demon name, specifically the demons in the Ars Goetia.
Clue | Solved Clue | Missing String | Demon | Missing Letter |
---|---|---|---|---|
A chime ate maybe a buck or lion. | A chimera mate may be a buck or lion. | RAM | RAUM | U |
Asa Cheerleader is my favorite team. | As a cheerleader, I spur on my favorite team. | PURON | PURSON | S |
Created by a competitor of NK, nightfall's victim Tom: agog and gog. | Created by a competitor of DC, Arabian Knight falls victim to Magog and Gog. | DCARABIA | DECARABIA | E |
Theo tin the wood win D-section play sing. | The oboist in the woodwind section plays in G. | BOIS | BOTIS | T |
The "V" on my keyboard is attached to a bomb, so that makes it a letter. | The "V" on my keyboard is attached to a bomb, so that makes it a lethal paster. | HALPAS | HALPHAS | H |
The soldier, ser, sat a chute failed to deploy. | The soldier’s ersatz parachute failed to deploy. | ZPAR | ZEPAR | E |
The table top (L, à la L) and fan-like stop ain't Mödling's. | The tabletop La La Land fan likes to paint model Goslings. | ELGOS | ELIGOS | I |
The laborers formed a uni-run ethical work. | The laborers formed a union over unethical work. | ONOVE | RONOVE | R |
The magic Ian with just ice make sand. | The Magician with Justice makes a tarot hand. | ATAROTH | ASTAROTH | S |
Beware off lung's tool when you strike yo fan edible fruit. | Beware of flung stool when you strip a monkey of an edible fruit. | PAMON | PAIMON | I |
The Silver Line has ably take when Uber prices are high. | The Silver Line has a bus I only take when Uber prices are high. | USION | GUSION | G |
I really like jewelry, so I bring my peng with me wherever I go. | I really like jewelry, so I bring my pendant along with me wherever I go. | DANTALON | DANTALION | I |
My room, as I lyre, moves dust. | My roomba easily removes dust. | BAE | BAEL | L |
Unlike Tibet heads, Undar has black hair. | Unlike Tim, Alphabet head Sundar has black hair. | MALPHA | MALPHAS | S |
The missing letters in order spell out USE THEIR SIGILS, a clue to look at the Ars Goetia sigils. At this point we can use the remaining alpha-sorted descriptions in the second half of the puzzle. Each description clues a letter hidden within a sigil. By matching the descriptions to the sigils, we find the final cluephrase:
Demon | Sigil | Description | Extract |
---|---|---|---|
RAUM | Container surrounding the accordion | D | |
PURSON | Bottom half of the equipped tool's edge | E | |
DECARABIA | Partition surrounding the right-facing celestial body | V | |
BOTIS | Object knocked over below table with lamps | I | |
HALPHAS | The corner attachment extending from the circuit | L | |
ZEPAR | Right of the third downward funnel | E | |
ELIGOS | Tip of the snake-piercing weapon | D | |
RONOVE | Connections between inner valves of instrument | H | |
ASTAROTH | Upper half wedged between pillars supporting rings | A | |
PAIMON | Torsos of the central figures | M | |
GUSION | Leftmost dangler attached to chandelier | L | |
DANTALION | One of four hoverers around a cross | O | |
BAEL | Under the top, the animal's horn on the left | G | |
MALPHAS | Junction of slanted beams in an isolated environment | O |
Googling the DEVILED HAM LOGO brings up the logo of the William Underwood Company, which contains the answer UNDERWOOD.