Friday Foxer #166

This week’s handmade co-op puzzle won’t defox itself. If you’re a dab hand at quizzes, lateral thinking, and search engine sleuthing, why not help out.

The ‘cluster foxer’ is regarded by some as the most demanding form. Solving one involves identifying 25 pictures and five hidden themes. The enlargeable mosaic below consists of five interlocked picture clusters (some possible cluster arrangements are shown above) each with its own theme. Themes have nothing in common with each other. Don’t be surprised to find, for example, “Crocodiles”, “Tulip mania”, “Words beginning with “ter””, “1948” and “Fictional policemen” sharing a puzzle. A picture’s connection to a particular theme won’t always be literal. An image of the Brandenburg Gate is just as likely to be part of a “Bach” cluster as a “Berlin” one.

* * *

SOLUTIONS

Last week’s ‘33 Things Wot You Might Find in the Amazon Basin’ missing vowels foxer:

1. JKHG GNS – jake higgins
2. PDTMR N – pied tamarin (Phlebas)
3. RB BRBM – rubber boom (Phlebas)
4. CHN CHM CWCLYL CK – chuncho macaw clay lick (Phlebas, Nutfield)
5. MP LWHTL ND – maple white land (Nutfield)
6. LLGLLG GNG – illegal logging (Electric Dragon, Nutfield)
7. CRPR – curupira ()
8. NCNT CTDTRB – uncontacted tribe (Phlebas, Nutfield)
9. GNTT TR – giant otter (Nutfield)
10. HTZN – hoatzin (Colonel_K)
11. THTL LSTSTR CT RNS THM RC – the tallest structure in south america (Nutfield)

12. KMBRT L – kambo ritual (Nutfield)
13. CTRST – ecotourist (Colonel_K)
14. JN NFRLP ZN DCC B – jennifer lopez and ice cube (Nutfield)
15. RNG R – rio negro (Colonel_K)
16. S LVN – soul vine (Colonel_K)
17. CRN LCHRCH – coronel church (ylla)
18. RGRCSM NT – roger casement (Nutfield)
19. NDNRDC TN – indian reduction () or indian eradication (Phlebas)
20. FSTVPRR T – festive parrot (Nutfield)
21. FRDLND – fordlandia (Nutfield)
22. RPM – arapaima (Colonel_K)

23. PDRTX R – pedro teixeira (Phlebas)
24. MRCRYPLL TN – mercury pollution (ylla)
25. GTH NMPRR – agathina emperor (Nutfield)
26. L ST CT YFZ – lost city of z (Nutfield)
27. PRRC – pororoca () or pirarucu (Colonel_K)
28. NPL NCHGNN – napoleon chagnon (Nutfield)
29. BRMLD – bromeliad (ylla)
30. GLTHBR DTR – goliath birdeater (Nutfield)
31. PLML PLN TTN – palm oil plantation (Colonel_K, Nutfield)
32. DSTFR MT HBD LDPRS SN – dust from the bodele depression (Colonel_K)
33. T HBCDG RP – the abcd group ()

43 Comments

  15. Re: C1.
    I haven’t found the correct firearm, but it a multi-barrelled pistol (I’m thinking 4 (or more) but it might just be 2). It resembles a Howdah pistol made by Charles Lancaster – for personal defense when out hunting on elephant-back.

  22. The Train(1964) is based on the same true story as Monuments Men (E4), stars Burt LANCASTER (C1), and features characters called Christine (D1) and Colonel Franz von WALDHEIM (E1).
    Sadly C1 and E4 are too far apart to be in the same cluster.

    • Probable group: da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine

      Either D2 or D3, the other belongs with the HERMs
      E2. ERMINE Street Guard
      E3. Czartoryski Museum – current home
      E4. Monuments Men – recovered artwork in 1946
      D4. WALNUT – panel made from a single piece of this wood

      Subject is Cecilia Gallerani; not sure if that’s anything to do with the initial G in D3.

    • Artificial islands:
      B4. Spike Island, Widnes
      B5. Burj al Arab built upon one
      C5. Dejima – 17th century that served as a trading post for the Portuguese (has Roman been watching Shogun?)
      D5. Elliott Bay – Harbor Island was once the world’s largest artificial island
      E5. ???

  30. Summary:

    Artificial islands
    B4-B5-C5-D5-E5

    Disappearance of Lars Mittank
    A1-A2-A3-A4-A5

    Lady with an Ermine
    D2-E2-E3-E4-D4

    The Train (1964)
    B2-B1-C1-D1-E1

    Words starting with HERM
    C2-B3-C3-D3-C4

Leave a Reply