Strip Mind (solution)

by Patrick Blindauer

Puzzle is really a Mobius strip crossword whose theme contains instructions for forming the strip and extracting the answer.

The instructions say:

GLUEBOTHGRIDSBACKTOBACKANDTHENTAPEONEENDTOTHEOTHERWITH
AHALFTWISTTHENUSESCISSORSTOCUTONTHELINEBELOWTHISANSWER
NOWYOUHAVETWOLOOPSFINDTHEMATCHINGLETTERSINTHEMIDDLEROW
OFBOTHLOOPSNOTETHATTHESMALLEROFTHELOOPSWILLBEUSEDTWICE

Comparing the central row of the little loop and the big loop (which is twice as big) reveals 20 letters in common. These letters spell out the answer: CARDINAL JULES MAZARIN