10.23.11 — Monster — the Acrostic



Illustration by Theodor von Holst from the frontispiece
of the 1831 edition of Frankenstein;
or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

ACROSTIC, Puzzle by Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon
Edited by Will Shortz

This Sunday’s acrostic draws a quotation from Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, a novel about a failed artificial life experiment that produced a monster.

Much like Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is a story we all think we know, but really don't. Very few films have consciously attempted to follow the novel too closely (which shouldn't detract from the excellent James Whale/Boris Karloff film, or its masterpiece-sequel, "The Bride of Frankenstein). Thus, everything popular culture "knows" about "Frankenstein" does not originate from literature, but from films. This is a shame, in a way, because the novel itself is, if not the progenitor, an early vessel of so many archetypes found science fiction and horror. ~ Ian Fowler, Penguin Classics

The quotation: HIS HAIR WAS OF A LUSTROUS BLACK…; HIS TEETH OF A PEARLY WHITENESS; BUT THESE LUXURIANCES ONLY FORMED A MORE HORRID CONTRAST WITH HIS WATERY EYES… THE DUN WHITE SOCKETS…, HIS SHRIVELED COMPLEXION, AND STRAIGHT BLACK LIPS.

The author’s name and the title of the work: MARY SHELLEY, FRANKENSTEIN

The defined words:

A. Chart-topping song of October 1962 (2 wds.), MONSTER MASH
B. Fourth-wall breaker, ASIDE
C. Scream, RIOT
D. Home of Mammoth Hot Springs, YELLOWSTONE
E. Constantly scolding, SHREWISH
F. Mad scientist’s stereotypical lab assistant, HUNCHBACK
G. With precious little left in the tank, EXHAUSTED
H. Like Prokofiev’s French Horn, LUPINE
I. Comics villain since 1940 (2 wds.), LEX LUTHOR
J. Emergency exit (2 wds.), ESCAPE HATCH
K. Time often embellished in retrospect, YESTERYEAR
L. Dueling weapon in “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”, FIDDLE
M. Nonsense, RUBBISH
N. Setting for loopy demonstrations (2 wds.), AIR SHOW
O. Billy known for a hard kind of bop?, NIGHTSTICK
P. 1931 portrayer of a made man, KARLOFF
Q. Catchers of some waves, EARDRUMS
R. Breathing holes, NOSTRILS
S. Picture-taking session, SHOOT
T. Reversible or reciprocal (hyph.), TWO-WAY
U. Sort of person who should know right from wrong, ETHICIST
V. Classic film line shouted twice by Gene Wilder in 1974 (2 wds) IT’S ALIVE
W. Potential pickup site, NAPE

The full paragraph of the quotation: How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! -- Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. ~ Chapter 5, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus

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Puzzle available on the internet at

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