Think of this crossword as a Venn diagram consisting of two sets--one right side up, the other rotated 180 degrees. The shaded section in the middle represents the overlap of the two sets, with answers in this area working for both sets. How is this possible? All will become clear as you solve the puzzle. The puzzle also contains 12 clues related to articles that appeared in Scientific American in 2006--one for each month. Visuals from the referenced articles frame the grid. Find the answers at www.sciam.com/ontheweb and in next month's issue.
Click here for PDF containing puzzle clues
Click here for PDF containing blank puzzle
Click here for PDF containing puzzle solution
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism
Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.
When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.
Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber
