CRYPTO CLUES CLXXXIX

GAMES/World of Puzzles

August, 2025

Patrick Berry (1-5)

GAMES Magazine

July, 1984

Merl Reagle (6-10)

 

1. Took lady's wrap the wrong way  

 

2.  Identify lunatic fringe 

 

3. Strange urge in me for sweet stuff 

 

4. Social blunder contributes to dwindling affection 

 

5. Unaccompanied flights back and forth (palindrome)

 

6. Grab a customer concealing a calculator 

 

7. Fixed tacos and roll

 

8. Preacher gets an evil reformed 

 

9. Grain sale upset certain Africans 

 

10. Snakes cried - that's bleak (snakes as a verb) 

 

HINTS: 

1: Homograph

2,3,7,8,9: Anagrams

4,6: Hidden words 

 

Answers:

 

1. STOLE

2. FINGER (fringe) [finger = identify]

3. MERINGUE (urge in me)  

4. GAFFE (dwindlinG AFFEction)

5. SOLOS

6. ABACUS (grAB A CUStomer)

7. COAST

8. EVANGELIST (gets an evil)

9. ALGERIANS (grain sale) 

10. WINDSWEPT (bleak) Snakes = WINDS (long I) cried = WEPT