Excalibur (Solution)

by Charles Steinhardt

Each alphablock can be filled with five legendary weapons, four of which fall into some category and the fifth of which is an outlier:

• GANDIVA (not a sword), CALADBOLG, GALATINE, HRUNTING, KLADENETS
• SHARUR (not Norse), DAINSLEIF, GUNGNIR, HROTTI, MJOLNIR
• BALMUNG (fictional), COLADA, LOBERA, SZCZERBIEC, TAMING SARI
• MIMUNG (not Norse), ANGURVADAL, HOFUD, LAEVATEINN, SKOFNUNG
• NARSIL (not Elvish), ANGLACHEL, GLAMDRING, ORCRIST, STING
• DURENDAL (not a spear/stabbing weapon), ASCALON, BIDENT, GAE BULG, NIHONGO
• VAJRA (not Japanese), KONGO, KUSANAGI, OTEGINE, TONBOGIRI
• TRISHULA (not from George Martin), BRIGHTROAR, DARK SISTER, LONGCLAW, NEEDLE
• BALISARDA (not defensive), AEGIS, ANCILE, SVALINN, TARNHELM
• ANDURIL (fictional), CROCEA MORS, CURTANA, JOYEUSE, ZULFIQAR
• GAE BUIDE (not a sword), DYRNWYN, FRAGARACH, HAUTECLERE, RIDILL
• TIZONA (not from a video game), AKUJIKI, CRYSTALIS, KEYBLADE, MONADO
• KANAJANA (never owned by Arthur), CALEDFWLCH, CARNWENNAN, CLARENT, EXCALIBUR
• LEGBITER (real), CALLANDOR, EGEKING, SOUL REAVER, ZANGETSU

The outlier weapons are each associated with an owner or wielder:

• Arjuna
• Ninurta
• Siegfried
• Wudga
• Elendil
• Roland
• Indra
• Shiva
• Rogero
• Elrond
• Diarmuid ua Duibhne
• El Cid
• Erekose
• Magnus III

Their initials spell ANSWER IS REDEEM.