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Monthly I solve a magazine's word puzzle to enter a sweepstakes. The puzzles are by experienced puzzle constructors (over 30 years contributions to "The Atlantic," Games Magazine, New York Times, etc.) and as the magazine's theme is not puzzle-related the difficulty is usually 1- or 2-star out of three.
This month's word puzzle has a grid of white and black boxes, with columns of letters above to be arranged into the white boxes below. A black box represents a space between words. When solved correctly, the phrase in the grid is "Can you name the only US capital whose name consists of three separate words?"
My problem is I've thought of two. One solution has a three-letter word and two two-letter words; one has a three-letter word, a five-letter word, and a two-letter word. I've emailed and tweeted the magazine a few days ago, but it's not responding.
I know I'm just a "ferner", but which is the "only" US capital of the two possibilities I've found? I checked the Oxford Concise English Dictionary for all six words, and none of them is capitalized. I've asked two veteran puzzle solvers, both Americans with IQs above 150, and they couldn't tell me which one was the "only" US capital to consist of three separate words.
This month's word puzzle has a grid of white and black boxes, with columns of letters above to be arranged into the white boxes below. A black box represents a space between words. When solved correctly, the phrase in the grid is "Can you name the only US capital whose name consists of three separate words?"
My problem is I've thought of two. One solution has a three-letter word and two two-letter words; one has a three-letter word, a five-letter word, and a two-letter word. I've emailed and tweeted the magazine a few days ago, but it's not responding.
I know I'm just a "ferner", but which is the "only" US capital of the two possibilities I've found? I checked the Oxford Concise English Dictionary for all six words, and none of them is capitalized. I've asked two veteran puzzle solvers, both Americans with IQs above 150, and they couldn't tell me which one was the "only" US capital to consist of three separate words.
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