Fed II Star - March 26, 2006

CRYPTOGRAMS
Saturday March 18
by Catspaws

For weeks I've been hearing about a lounge on Sumatra that is supposed to be the new 'in' spot for partying. I finally found this lounge after weeks of searching and trying to follow odd people who kept stumbling into walls. Exhausted, I leapt onto a table and ordered what turned out to be one of the best meals I've had in weeks.

With my stamina restored, I was ready for this week's game of Cryptograms, and was cleaning barbecue sauce from my paws when they arrived. Our warmup puzzle turned out to not be as easy as I thought it would be, but Fancy, Gilar, and Guido finally solved it.

COMMODITIES STARTING WITH "P"
L B C L O Z Z Y X N I
L B C N O S X I
L C T O B L Y K G I
L B C Q O I
L C Z D H O B I
L P Y B H Y K O R N S K Y Z I

In honor of the holiday the day before, the second puzzle dealt with said holiday. I would look to the last entry for the starting point. Fancy, Sondrae, Gilar finished this holiday puzzle.

THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH ST. PATRICK'S DAY
G Y P J E H X Q
I M C E M X Y P B T
U E M M T / K M M E
C H F / H A / U H I Z
N E M I P T Z
G F. / C P F E N X Q

Our third puzzle was a bit harder, and a bit tricky because the two four-letter entries started with the same letter, but finally Sondrae, Fancy, Gilar finished the puzzle.

PLANETS WHOSE NAMES SUGGEST THEY MIGHT BE DANGEROUS (DI SYSTEMS)
Q C J I D U C Z
J M D U
R Z P L X J Z U Q
P L D T H M
F Z J J D R X X U
J Z C T

Sumatra, like Magellan, has many places where a weary space traveler can pick up a fast meal. I would look to the fourth entry for a starting point. Fancy, Gilar, Guido finished this puzzle after some thought.

PLACES TO EAT ON SUMATRA
E J K K T / S M O Q P B / N Z J C H Q
B J E M O P M / A P M B B Q P U Q
O X Q / R U C H / Z Y / G Z P B U G M
G J B O Q P ' B / N M B O / B O M C K
B J E M O P M / G M C O Q Q C
G X Q V / H J Q I M P P M

Despite some nasty rumors I have heard, this kitty was not chasing leprechauns across Fed Space on St. Patrick's Day. The rumors, however, made me think what I would do if I did find a leprechaun - hence our final puzzle, which Fancy, Guido, Gilar finished.

THINGS TO DO WITH A LEPRECHAUN
R Q G M U / Q Z F
J Z L R Q / Q Z F
M W U G T / Q Z M / J Y W / Y D / H Y T O
J B W / Q Z F / Z L / G / R G H U
W Z R C T U / Q Z F
T G M M Y / Q Z F / N Z W Q / G / I Y J U

When the scores were totalled, Fancy finished first, Gilar second, and Sondrae third. Join me each Saturday at 4.00pm eastern for Cryptograms, and if you would like the answers to this week's puzzles, email me at catspaws_fed@sbcglobal.net.