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Solution to Kroskuro

Author: Robbie Buckingham

In a standard crossword the grid square with the number N is the Nth square, reading left-to-right and top-to-bottom, that is the start of a word (either across, down, or both). In this variant, answer words of the same length and direction are numbered sequentially starting with 1, but are not placed in the grid in a particular order. Furthermore, the numbers that belong in the first square of each word are not given. However, the sum of these missing numbers is given kakuro-style at the start of each row or column that should have two or more missing numbers.

Completing the grid reveals the theme entries

OLD MATH BOOK
HEATER COILS
HONDA MODELS
RAIN AND WIND

Each of these clues the word ELEMENTS. To extract the answer, take each letter in the grid with an accompanying number such that the letter and number form a valid atomic symbol / atomic number pair. Reading these left-to-right and top-to-bottom yields

HOBO BOBO,

the name of a 1947 Merrie Melodies cartoon about an Indian elephant voiced by Mel Blanc who manages to come to the United States as a stowaway.