The puzzle provides a list of chemical reactions which add or remove a functional group from a molecule. The key to the solution is figuring out what functional group gets added or removed and then making the same change to the appropriate reactant word.
The descriptions of the reactions suggest that an extra element needs to be added in order to complete the change from the reactant to the product words. These additional elements from the periodic table are shown on the left and spell CALL IN AMBER BEER when read in the reaction order.
| Additional Element | Reactants | Reactions | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
C
|
ONIJapanese troll monster |
+HBrHydrobromination |
BRONCHIBranching lung structures |
Al
|
GOONHired mob thug |
-NODenytrosylation |
GOALUnit of scoring in soccer |
Li
|
EMOSad teenage phase |
+SNaHerz Reaction |
SEMOLINADurum wheat middlings |
N
|
PROCHOICEAbortion Stance |
-COOHDecarboxylation |
PRINCESon of a monarch |
Am
|
SCOOPServing of frozen dessert |
-OODexoxygenation |
SCAMPImpish rascal |
B
|
SPILLDisaster with a liquid |
+NOONitration |
SPOONBILLLong-legged bird akin to an ibis |
Er
|
CISMolecular structure with two R groups on the same plane relative to a molecular bond |
+HHHydrogenation |
CHERISHTo hold dear |
Be
|
MIRFirst modular space station |
+COCarbonylation |
MICROBETiny creature unseen with the naked eye |
Er
|
PINElong-needled conifer |
+OEpoxidation |
PIONEERExplorer or frontiersman, for example |