Rasmus Rask Puzzle III
by Lila Rosa Grau
This is the third Rasmus Rask puzzle, devoted to the original Mr. Charming Scandinavian Linguist. The puzzle is similar to a crossword puzzle, in that there is a grid for filling in words and phrases, and clues for the ACROSS and DOWN directions. However, all the squares in a Rasmus Rask puzzle are filled with letters, and the answers to the clues may (but are not required to) overlap. Clues for a particular row or column are given together, in the order they appear in the grid. No indication of the amount of overlap between clues is given. Letters spelling out RASMUS RASK along the diagonal are given to provide a framework for filling in the answers.
Complete the puzzle and send your solutions to the editors of SpecGram by January 15th, 2012 and you could win a SpecGram magnet of your choice. The correct solution and winners, if any, will be announced in the upcoming February issue.
ACROSS
| 0 |
• | Of the tremulant liquids |
|
• | Enjoyable conversation, in Ireland |
| |
| 1 |
• | Bald, red-faced monkey |
|
• | Characterized by melody |
|
• | Translated variously as mar, mare, mari, maro, Meer, mer, meri, Mier, mor, môr, мора, more, moře, море, мо̑ре, and muir |
| |
| 2 |
• | Degree plan for the marriage-minded, unacademically-inclined young woman |
|
• | To move restlessly and aimlessly |
|
• | Slangy sleep |
|
• | US ID # |
| |
| 3 |
• | First word for Latin students |
|
• | Alternate name for Tumzabt |
|
• | @ |
| |
| 4 |
• | Muttered, murmured, mumbled, or muffled |
| |
| 5 |
• | The best kind of trill |
| |
| 6 |
• | Affirmatives |
|
• | Typological type of Ainu |
|
• | B5 aliens with musical, atonal speech sounds |
| |
| 7 |
• | To talk incessantly and mindlessly |
|
• | Freedom from stress, hardship, or pain |
| |
| 8 |
• | Superman’s elemental nemesis |
|
• | Button on a VCR |
|
• | Half of Michif |
|
• | Haplologic sleeping sickness vector |
| |
| 9 |
• | Long passionate speech |
|
• | Moose |
|
|
| 0 R |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
| 1 |
A |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
S |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
M |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
|
|
|
U |
|
|
|
|
|
| 5 |
|
|
|
|
S |
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
R |
|
|
|
| 7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
A |
|
|
| 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S |
|
| 9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K |
DOWN
| 0 |
• | Most common language of those named -escu and -aşcu |
|
• | The Egyptian key of life |
| |
| 1 |
• | Vowels probably sing in this |
|
• | River in Catalonia |
|
• | Sun god of Heliopolis |
| 2 |
• | Oll korrect, probably |
|
• | One who sings, perhaps too much |
| |
| 3 |
• | Smallest grammatical units to certain structuralists |
|
• | Campus military org. |
|
• | Home of the Governator |
| |
| 4 |
• | Active volcano in Costa Rica |
|
• | “Are Turkish and Amharic Related? Are They ___!” |
|
• | Ernest P. Worrell’s unlucky neighbor |
|
| 5 |
• | Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar |
|
• | Paternal genitive |
|
• | How your larynx feels after trying to learn !Xóõ |
|
• | The most common suit jacket size, by definition |
| |
| 6 |
• | Australian abbrev. for a local marsupial |
|
• | Kimono sashes |
|
• | Transliteration of श्री |
|
• | Asocio por lingve efika kaj sendiskriminacia |
| |
| 7 |
• | To make more snake-like in sound |
| |
| 8 |
• | Latin “that is” |
|
• | Volleys |
|
• | Ancestor of Portuguese and Finnish sign languages |
| |
| 9 |
• | A container for water, or a café |
|
• | “Born as” |
|
• | Common utterance upon seeing a mouse |
|
|
| |
B |
I |
C |
|
P |
E |
R |
T |
|
V |
E |
R |
E |
| B |
A |
J |
A |
|
E |
V |
E |
R |
|
I |
P |
O |
D |
| F |
R |
A |
M |
E |
S |
A |
P |
U |
|
C |
E |
D |
E |
| F |
I |
L |
E |
N |
E |
|
U |
M |
P |
T |
E |
E |
N |
| |
|
|
R |
A |
T |
|
T |
A |
R |
O |
|
|
|
| I |
T |
H |
A |
C |
A |
|
E |
N |
C |
R |
U |
S |
T |
| T |
O |
A |
S |
T |
S |
|
|
|
|
|
R |
T |
R |
| E |
R |
R |
|
|
|
|
|
H |
O |
A |
G |
I |
E |
| M |
A |
I |
R |
E |
A |
D |
|
O |
R |
N |
E |
R |
Y |
| |
|
|
E |
R |
L |
E |
|
U |
B |
C |
|
|
|
| J |
A |
P |
O |
N |
I |
C |
|
S |
I |
R |
E |
N |
S |
| O |
R |
A |
L |
|
C |
L |
A |
T |
T |
E |
R |
E |
D |
| E |
N |
I |
D |
|
I |
A |
G |
O |
|
N |
I |
T |
S |
| Y |
O |
D |
S |
|
A |
N |
O |
N |
|
E |
N |
S |
|
The solution to November’s “Yet Another Drop Quote” is the not-so-well-known quotation made semi-famous in the pages of SpecGram:
“WHAT IS YOUR LITTLE BROTHER CRYING ABOUT?”
“OH, ’IM—’E’S A REG’LAR COMP’TATIONAL LINGUIST, ’E IS.”
The following fine folks were chosen from among the correct answer to each received a fine SpecGram magnet:
• Kathleen Brady
• Cindy Almond
• Adam Bernard •
Honorable mentions go to the other solvers of the puzzle:
• Sean Roberts
• Adam Hesterberg
• Bryan Allen
• Owen Lorion •
Finally, we have the solution to December’s “First Names First” crossword at right.
 |
Even More Sprachgeist Guides for the Linguist on the Go!—Book Announcement from Panini Press |
 |
SpecGram Vol CLXIII, No 4 Contents |