Curiouser and Curiouser (solution)
by Michael Colao
You will probably first notice that the first letters of each of the clues are an acrostic containing the names of famous cats:
GARFIELDBAGPUSSFIGARO
Each of the answers is an anagram of one of the cats from the musical CATS, with one letter removed and one added. The musical is loosely based on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” and the other cat poems of T. S. Eliot, hence the title of the puzzle.
The added letters in order spell: TOSTAGEMOVESLIKELYNNE or “To Stage Moves Like Lynne”
Gillian Lynne won multiple awards for directing and choreographing CATS. The answer is CHOREOGRAPH.
| Clue Answer | Cat Name |
| Trailblaze | Grizabella |
| Sugar Soap | Asparagus |
| James I | Jemima |
| Mutates | Admetus |
| Bandoliered | Griddlebone |
| Billbugs | Sillabub |
| Prescutum | Rumpus Cat |
| Compactor | Coricopat |
| Emotional | Tantomile |
| Crevette | Et Cetera |
| Punkmaster | Munkustrap |
| Saloon | Alonzo |
| Calamity | Macavity |
| Arcadians | Cassandra |
| Tackler | Electra |
| Plate | Plato |
| Clatterbuck | Carbucketty |
| Voracity | Victoria |
| Gingerwort | Growltiger |
| Entered | Demeter |
| Police Van | Pouncival |