PUZZLE POTLUCK 2
Solution - Office
ANSWER – SHELF
by Lindsey Shi

Each clue contains a word whose first letter has been removed. The removed letters in the 25 clues are unique and cover the full alphabet except for the letter S. The first number(s) in parentheses is the enumeration for the answer to the clue and the second number is an index for a letter in the answer.

[A]Liens may travel in oneS[P]ACESHIP
[B]Yes in French[A]DIEUS
[C]Rash star Don[C]HEADLE
[D]RiverCHAUFF[E]UR
Where you might find [E]dams!NE[T]HERLANDS
[F]Lying Down to ___RI[O]
First name of Nickelodeon [G]host[D]ANNY
[H]Air loss conditionALOPEC[I]A
Stone [I]mage[S]TATUE
[J]Ail[P]RISON
It’s located towards the middle of the [K]night BREASTP[L]ATE
[L]Adders’ associated animals?!SN[A]KES
Large [M]ass = strong ___GRAVIT[Y]
[N]Early blind jazzman Art[T]ATUM
[O]Mega measurement[R]ESISTANCE
1900 [P]residentMCK[I]NLEY
[Q]Tip materialCOTTO[N]
German equivalent of [R]Oman ruler[K]AISER
Religious [T]raining groundS[E]MINARY
[U]No publisherMA[T]TEL
Smith who owns [V]ice[S]HANE
Bundle of [W]heatSHEA[F]
[X]Box creatorM[I]CROSOFT
[Y]East, e.g.LEA[V]ENING AGENT
Country where [Z]Ayn was born[E]NGLAND

Ordering the answers by the removed letter in the clue and reading the indexed letters spells PACE TO DISPLAY TRINKETS FIVE. This is similarly a clue with a word whose first letter was removed. The only letter that hasn't been removed yet is S, so adding an S gives "[S]pace to display trinkets (5)", yielding the answer SHELF.

Author's Notes

  • One day, I was doing a crossword puzzle (probably) and I thought to myself “‘PRESIDENT’ and ‘RESIDENT’ are only one letter apart” and thus this puzzle was born. This was the first puzzle I wrote for the potluck (back in December 2017!) and it tested well from start to finish, largely remaining the same all this time.
  • The goal (as is always the goal) was for some of the clues to be immediately gettable so that the solvers learn the mechanic, which they can then apply to the more difficult clues. Or you could just solve half of them and spin the Wheel of Fortune to get the final clue phrase -- either way.
  • Some notes on clues:
  • DAMS/EDAMS and ADDERS/LADDERS were fun coincidences.
  • Did you all like the clue for BREASTPLATE? I thought it was cute but a little bit wrong -- which, to be fair, is how I enjoy most things in life.
  • In retrospect, the clues supporting the FIVE enumeration of the final clue phrase could have been clearer. Some teams, having the I and the E, arrived at NINE. Personally, I blame yeast.
  • Best Wrong Answers:
    Wrong AnswerSubmitted by:
    WORLD OF WARCRAFT
    Intelligence Check With Disadvantage
    Obtuse Beaver Zebra
    GITHUBTurbochooks
    SHOELACESGive us a Klewi

Stats

  • 212 solves
  • 317 incorrect guesses
  • Most common incorrect guess: CURIO (guessed 27 times)
  • First solve: Pluru in 40 minutes and 57 seconds
PUZZLE POTLUCK 2