Latin squares are a relatively common puzzle form consisting of an n×n grid in which every row and column contains each of n symbols exactly once.
| A | N | O | I | E | ||
| T | O | S | A | I | ||
| I | A | |||||
| O | ||||||
| A | N | O | T | |||
| S |
For this puzzle, we have a 7×7 grid and the letters A, E, I, N, O, S, and T. In addition, both main diagonals of this puzzle contain each letter exactly once, and the darker shaded area contains the letters in TENSENESS.
Complete the puzzle and send your solutions to the editors of SpecGram by November 15th, 2016, and you could win some SpecGram merch.* The correct solution and winners, if any, will be announced in the December issue of Speculative Grammarian.
The solution to October’s Cryptolinguistic Puzzle is provided here, with additional explanations given below.
Despite the high degree of difficulty, all of the following puzzlemeisters completed the puzzle and will be receiving prizes:
J. L. Barnes • Adam Hesterberg • Geoffrey Hooker • Daniel Swanson
| I | M | P | L | I | C | A | T | U | R | E | G | R | I | M | M | |
| N | L | T | C | F | N | I | ||||||||||
| U | V | U | L | A | O | D | I | C | A | U | S | T | I | N | ||
| K | R | L | U | R | A | L | I | C | R | I | ||||||
| T | A | I | S | O | N | Y | E | A | I | M | ||||||
| I | L | L | O | C | U | T | I | O | N | M | A | N | N | A | ||
| T | P | Z | I | T | E | S | S | E | S | I | L | |||||
| U | R | E | L | I | C | H | I | N | D | I | ||||||
| T | R | A | C | E | D | Y | O | G | A | T | ||||||
| N | M | E | G | A | E | N | G | L | I | S | H | |||||
| A | R | G | U | M | E | N | T | E | V | I | A | |||||
| R | A | L | U | I | F | V | E | R | B | |||||||
| I | Q | V | O | I | C | E | U | I | ||||||||
| S | A | U | S | S | U | R | E | N | C | L | E | F | T | |||
| T | I | A | R | I | M | I | M | E | C | U | ||||||
| A | N | A | N | D | O | I | T | E | R | A | A | |||||
| R | Y | E | A | U | T | O | S | E | G | M | E | N | T | A | L |
Across: 1. IMP (L) (car)ICATURE; 5. G(RIM)M; 9.anagram of usual, (with S traded for V); 11.OD+ IC; 15. A PUN’S AT LIONS; 16. anagram of a curl I; 17. SON(or)(it)Y; 18. A.(I)M.; 20. ILL + anagram of I count.; 23. (Leh)MANN A(nd); 24. pala(TIZ)ation (backwards); 25. (acronym); 28. Stayed In Line; 29. whe(RE L.I. C)ommuters; 31. H(IND)I; 32. Tr. + ACE; 34. AGO + Y (backwards); 35. M(E.G.)A: 36. anagram of she + LING; 41. anagram of garment around U; 42. (It. for road); 43. v(ALUI)ng (Lat. aluī, Fr. à lui); 45. o(VERB)earing; 47. Very Old Inner-
Down: 1. IN(S)(UK)TITUT(E);2. P (piano = soft) L. (= large) + URAL; 3. ITALIC; 4. A/C + O + U.S. + TIC; 6. anagram of visit NE train; 7. MINI-L); 8. F (forte = loud) + ACE; 12. DRO(P) IT (Fr. for right); 13. I + ANO; 14. ph(ENYLC)arbinol (backwards); 19. IN+ I (Malay/WA)SHOE; 27. anagram of is NG (for No Good); 29. RAN+ G (pun for tolled); 30. L + EMMA; 33. Samiz(DAT I’VE) read; 36. (WH)EEL; 37. staffin(G NU)nberg’s; 39. O(SIR)IS; 40. pun : HA (laugh) + BITCH + YOU-E)QUINE ; 49.”An A’s” backwards (from Latin Olympics slogan: mens sana in corpore sano); 50. yo(UR DU)vet; 51. R(I.O.)T.; 54. pun for Miss; 55. (abbr. for magnetoencephalography); 56. lib(ERM)an.
* Note that SpecGram Anti-