INCOGNITO IV
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 2005
Stephen Sniderman

The answer words in this puzzle are disguised as two-word phrases (sometimes nonsensical). Change two letters per phrase - one in the first word and one in the second - and eliminate the space to reveal the answer word. For example, given the clue words AWL HARDNESS, the answer would be AWKWARDNESS, found by changing the L in the first word to K, and the H in the second word to W, and eliminating the space.

As a solving aid, the newly transformed letter of the second word of a phrase is the same letter you will need in the first word of the phrase that follows it. Using the example above, since the W was the changed letter in the second word, the letter you change in the first word of the following phrase will have to be replaced by W. Thus:

AWL HARDNESS......................AWKWARDNESS
SANDY ICE................................SANDWICH

The Y in SANDY has been replaced by W. By changing the E in ICE to H to get the answer word SANDWICH, you know the changed letter in the first word of the following phrase will have to be replaced by H.

The same rule applies to the last and first phrases of the puzzle. Thus, one of the letters in TRUCE (#26) will have to be replaced with a K. If you make all the right changes, you will use each letter of the alphabet once and only once.

1. AWL HARDNESS
2. SANDY ICE
3. AMPLE TAMING
4. SPIDER MIX
5. TO REPLACE
6. EACH INERT
7. HAUL OFF
8. ERA REMARK
9. MENU SCANT
10. TALKS MAP
11. WEIGH BOYHOOD
12. SHOE THREAD
13. YOU DUETS
14. EMU AMITY
15. PARADE PAL
16. RELIC INN
17. TAR REDOING
18. POE PLACE
19. CORN OIL
20. SON LECTURES
21. BUST IVY
22. ALUM MOVED
23. FOE GLOBE
24. PANDA LIVES
25. CHAR INK
26. OWES TRUCE

Answers:

1. AWKWARDNESS
2. SANDWICH
3. AMPHETAMINE
4. EPIDERMIS
5. SOMEPLACE
6. MACHINERY
7. HAYLOFT
8. TRADEMARK
9. MENDICANT
10. TALISMAN
11. NEIGHBORHOOD
12. SHORTBREAD
13. BOUQUETS
14. EQUALITY
15. PARALEGAL
16. RELIGION
17. TORPEDOING
18. POPULACE
19. COUNCIL
20. CONJECTURES
21. JUSTIFY
22. FLUMMOXED
23. FOXGLOVE
24. VANDALIZES
25. CZARINA
26. AWESTRUCK