by Stephen Sondheim from the New York Magazine
'I 40A(3) we're 39D(3) here,' said the Inspector. He was standing in the jungle-like 1D (12) of the 6D(9) of the late Sir Leonard Feisthill, 19A(4) while adviser to the Secret Service Department of 1 1D( 12) and setter of the weekly crosswords in its house organ, The Secret Service 3D(6). He was speaking to Lucius I. Feisthill, the deceased's nephew, Dr. Nathanael Parmenter, his medical adviser, and 37A(3) LaFollette, his secretary: 'Last week we had a 18A(3) that Sir Leonard was about to denounce someone close to him for selling state secrets to the 33D(5). His 35A(6) was to publish the traitor's name - in 21A(4), perhaps - as a warning to the betrayer to cease his nefarious activities. But it looks as if he was 13A(6) at his own game, for here he lies, 2D(4) in the back. I suggest we step into the study, where the victim's flight from the murderer began, to 40A(3) if his desk will 44A(5) us further clues.' None of the suspects dared 5D(4) the suggestion and they 39D(3) followed him, walking carefully around Sir Leonard's 1A(7).
The walls of the study were lined with books on classical antiquities, Sir Leonard's only reading 7D(6). (Hidden behind some of them was his famous collection of pornographic one-20D(7).) Among the 38A(6) furnishings (Sir Leonard was a devotee of the decorative 37D(4) and 25D(7) on nothing) was a large African desk, acquired in the 26A(5). On it were a glass of 30A(3), his well-thumbed copy of the 45A(7), his rusty typewriter, a thin 16A(7) of ferric 12A(5) all over it, and the crossword reprinted on this page, which was to be published the following week. The only other 8D(4) was an unfinished pencilled work-sheet of clues for it, as follows:
Gun Bogart might have used in 'Born to Say No'
Stare and see parts of the mosaic!
Alternative finish for a Biblical witch? Quite the reverse!
Call for help gets nothing for fair.
Plan in retrospect to help if you put on weight.
'A four-letter, five4etter, six-letter, seven-letter and an eight-letter word,' mur-mured the Inspector, no 29D(6) at puzzles himself. 'Odd... well, no 7D(6).' In the 42A(6) room, 39D(3) that could be heard was a ladylike 22D(4) from 37A(3) and the rasp of a 43A(5). The Inspector lit his pipe and suddenly turned. 'Miss LaFollette, Sir Leonard had a reputation for being quite a 41A(3). How well did you know him?'
'Quite well,' the 32D(5) replied. 'We first met 34A(3) years ago at one of those literary 36D(4). 1OD(6) summer it was, I remember, the trees all gold -'Her favorite color,' sneered Lucius, trying to 7A(5) her innocent tone.
'In your 23A(3), you 9D(8)!' she screamed - inaccurately, for Lucius was by no means stupid.
'15A(6) on,' the Inspector cautioned.
'37A(3) is right,' the Doctor put in with his characteristic Vermont 28A(5). 'I was treating 27D(6) for a ruptured 31A(4) at the time - he had chronic trouble with his back.'
'But not with his head,' mused the Inspector. 'Sir Leonard was a man who 4D(7) himself quickly to any situation and I'm convinced that somewhere in this puzzle is an indication of the murderer's identity, made perhaps even in his presence but too subtle for him to 40A(3) and therefore destroy.' He gave the puzzle and Clues a moment's study, then whistled softly in realization. 'Now I 40A(3),' he said, and promptly arrested one of the people in the room.
Whom did he arrest, and what was Sir Leonard's method of accusation?
This puzzle is reprinted as one of 85 puzzles in Chambers Crossword Manual by Don Manley