Introduction:
Consider a simple crossword puzzle formed of four five-letter words, joined at the corners by their initial and final letters.

Given the following clues:

Across:
1. Colorado, Mississipi, or Missouri
3. Tooth _____

Down:
1. Inflexible
2. Anagram of "layer"

        ¹       ²
                 
                 
                 
        ³        

There are two independent solutions. Find both.

Solution 1
Across
1 RIVER
3 DECAY
Down
1 RIGID
2 RELAY

Solution 2
Across
1 STATE
3 FAIRY
Down
1 STIFF
2 EARLY

Solution 2.5
Across
1 STATE
3 DECAY
Down
1 SOLID
2 EARLY

There are 4 words that can be formed with the letters L,A,Y,E and R.  These are LAYER, EARLY, RELAY and LEARY.  Except for LAYER, which is the word to be anagrammed, the remaining words all end in the letter Y.  Only two words will create an accepted compound word that begins TOOTH and ends in Y, these are FAIRY and DECAY.  There are several five letter words for inflexible: SOLID, STIFF, RIGID, STERN, FIXED, TIGHT, TENSE.  Only SOLID, RIGID, FIXED and STIFF end with the F or D that is required for FAIRY and DECAY.  Colorado, Mississippi and Missouri are known as both states and rivers; and though each may be identified with a five letter word other than STATE or RIVER, only STATE and RIVER are shared between the three;  this limits the words for inflexible to SOLID, RIGID and STIFF.

Edited on July 21, 2006, 1:17 pm

Posted by Dej Mar on 2006-07-20 23:54:19