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by Jesse Gelles and Matt Gruskin
Answer: TURBOCHARGER
Problem: Halloween Town/​Thanksgiving Town

Solvers are presented with a dot matrix printed page with three “sections” of content:

  • A set of 12 Equation Analysis Test (EAT) clues, with partially numbered answer blanks
  • A word search grid
  • Some letters printed around the holes of the right perforated edge of the page

The EAT clues can be expanded and answered as follows:

Expanded Equation Analysis Test Clue Answer
4/6 = The White Stripes' Studio Album with this Titular Animal ELEPHANT
20/45 = Order of this United States President (Died in Office) GARFIELD
3/5 = Number of Super Smash Bros. Games including the Character based on this Animal HEDGEHOG
3/26 = this Word's Order in the International Civil Aviation Organization Alphabet CHARLIE
8/16 = Number of this Particle made up of Up, Down, and Down Quarks in Oxygen’s Nucleus NEUTRON
25/151 = this Pokemon's Pokedex Number in Pokemon Red or Blue PIKACHU
208/208 = Number of How I Met Your Mother Episodes in which Neil Patrick Harris was this Character BARNEY
15/150 = Episode Number in which this Character Robbed a Bank in Bob’s Burgers (as of Season Eight) MICKEY
6/7 = this Child of Arthur and Molly Weasley in Harry Potter RONALD
28/99 = Jersey Number of this Dallas Cowboy player Jones during the 2008–2012 Football Seasons FELIX
72/72 = Number of Steps Climbed by Sylvester Stallone in this Movie's Montage (at the Philadelphia Museum of Art) ROCKY
37/50 = Number of these Objects added to the American Flag since the Original Version by Betsy Ross STARS

Solvers may notice that the answers to the EAT clues are prominent parade balloons that have been featured in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and this may help to complete the list.

Extracting the letters filled into the numbered blanks associated with each clue, and reordering them by their numbers, spells the phrase HINTS ARE FLANKED BY XS. Examining the grid closely, solvers will discover some horizontal words bookended by X characters:

P A G F S T Q W H C K A A P T F M S A E U Q N M
F O U A U R I D Y I C C V X T E A R X P U S N Z
J N U P R L I E R V O R K B F R H B A F C I G P
J J S F A G Y Q P E S E J A Z P X E D G E X N R
V T F A H H G F Y V H Q J W W L G F E L G O G O
W J F Z C E M C B C P X T H E N X T K I B M J Z
N Z O V B A S R R N I G Q C K L Y V G X M E W V
H P P D T N T N A I A Y V I U H B V Y C M B T T
D L F N E Y N G V K F X M A K E X N S F H D Z Q
K Y M R D U F I O F F B P F W V B F Q F D Y O L
T U E A I C K H K L T S Q Z C K I V G E L K G G
Y L V B N O B Z U Z E Y V E M F K B J Z G L T L
K A Y K E Y Z N D R L D H Z O N S B O M V D Z C
E N O C Q F E C W G E O P K O N Y F R X F J Q H
H S B I L Z I P L Z P B F G Y W V J D I U O R P
Z F Q M A U L H S Q H A N T Y D C F E L C N G P
R S F C H A R P G M X D I A G O N A L X W V C K
U G A M A T P G S N K D T A S S B U F W W S N U
O D D I F S H I W T N V W E F G C C T W K P D Y
V E Z C U W S A S I Y U V U E L E P H G T C V V
S I F K E Y U L H T F A I E B A R N A I C V Z G
Q J I Z N K Y C Z E Z G O C K S H E N O P M J O
G R A H C Y N O R S N Q J D B Q B Y T I H V R H
I H K K R H D K Y Q W P H H N A H K O Q H L L F
L W T E C M P I U S Q F F E S A G R L V E B K T
I G A R F I P E R M G Q A S T C K E Y O M B G V
U L U N Y E G S Q T C Z R O O Y R W P E T R S T
M U N T W L A S L L G G P T N P G B H G H N D T
D F R F R D B K H N K F K W R O R E V T D J A B
I B A L D S E V E T A Y I R K L E S E N H S P A
T F N N F K A I D Q K E L D P X F O L D S X E T
A J O E O A T Q G D L B J G A R F I F I T J O R
B T R U S U G C E H O G A N Z I Q E T C Q S Y E
E A P T R O N D X A C R O S S X D L Q O F R T E
E P I S C U Z C A X H Q V Y J M R D B R P C K O
B T K V H P D Z T I K J M I V U C Z P A U Y R K
R S A C H U Z G U N M K H E D G E S G V U K C L
W G N E U T L P J A V E F T I W H R I R O C G D
A Y C A S R M G S X H O L E S X O R Q E M T R C
F R H P H O R O L O N K P S O H G L I R E S G C
G P I K A N D X M A K I N G X E C N N T E R F I
M S Z N C H R I C E F E A R O N A N G S T A A Z
N R A D H V M V O L L E B Y C L L U E K B P B D
O H T Z U C T X S T A T E X H P D G U T R I F A
N L L V E Z C H P P S Y Y F F Q D E B A L O H F
R R L L R Y T P Q Y K N K Q R W U B E H S O H D
R R H Y M M C A K I R O C G D C Z U S O Y I Z Q
G O B S T S L Q W X A B B R E V I A T I O N X E
O P R M C F I I C Q V I S I G R H Y U N L T H I
Z K E M Z Q N K E J S P R S A F N Y K R D Z P F
N D N O N C Z W L C S T A U M R M G U Z G N J Y
X L E T T E R S X M V V G T K Y M U H H O S Z M
D N E I N N N L R I E E R O R F T B S R U J Q U
Z M A M O V V L N L X T O U C H X S K Q D L Z I

These words spell the instruction TEAR EDGE THEN MAKE DIAGONAL FOLDS ACROSS HOLES MAKING STATE ABBREVIATION LETTERS TOUCH.

The edge strip looks like this, with state abbreviation letters (indicating where to fold) highlighted:

  K  
U   A   Alaska
  H  
  Y  
L   H
  C  
  X  
N   E   Nevada
  V  
  F  
A   S
  E  
  U  
X   I   Idaho
  D  
  F  
K   Y
  X  
  O  
Q   L   Florida
  F  
  B  
B   X
  W  
  S  
D   N   South Dakota
  A  
  F  
F   U
  M  
  O  
N   D
  Q  
  Q  
N   A
  B  
  S  
B   H   Hawaii
  I  
  A  
E   H
  R  
  K  
W   W
  E  
  M  
V   M
  K  
  S  
X   B
  B  
  W  
I   P   Wisconsin
  K  
  A  
O   W   Washington
  W  
  V  
X   G
  S  

When the solver folds it, they’ll produce a folded strip that looks like this:

Solvers can then use this strip as a “grille” (keeping the top of the strip in its original orientation) to scan the word search. They’ll find three ”alignments” of this grille that produce sensible text: the answers to their EAT clues will be found outlining two bends in the strip, and new instruction text can be read through the unfolded holes.

P A G F S T Q W H C K A A P T F M S A E U Q N M
F O U A U R I D Y I C C V X T E A R X P U S N Z
J N U P R L I E R V O R K B F R H B A F C I G P
J J S F A G Y Q P E S E J A Z P X E D G E X N R
V T F A H H G F Y V H Q J W W L G F E L G O G O
W J F Z C E M C B C P X T H E N X T K I B M J Z
N Z O V B A S R R N I G Q C K L Y V G X M E W V
H P P D T N T N A I A Y V I U H B V Y C M B T T
D L F N E Y N G V K F X M A K E X N S F H D Z Q
K Y M R D U F I O F F B P F W V B F Q F D Y O L
T U E A I C K H K L T S Q Z C K I V G E L K G G
Y L V B N O B Z U Z E Y V E M F K B J Z G L T L
K A Y K E Y Z N D R L D H Z O N S B O M V D Z C
E N O C Q F E C W G E O P K O N Y F R X F J Q H
H S B I L Z I P L Z P B F G Y W V J D I U O R P
Z F Q M A U L H S Q H A N T Y D C F E L C N G P
R S F C H A R P G M X D I A G O N A L X W V C K
U G A M A T P G S N K D T A S S B U F W W S N U
O D D I F S H I W T N V W E F G C C T W K P D Y
V E Z C U W S A S I Y U V U E L E P H G T C V V
S I F K E Y U L H T F A I E B A R N A I C V Z G
Q J I Z N K Y C Z E Z G O C K S H E N O P M J O
G R A H C Y N O R S N Q J D B Q B Y T I H V R H
I H K K R H D K Y Q W P H H N A H K O Q H L L F
L W T E C M P I U S Q F F E S A G R L V E B K T
I G A R F I P E R M G Q A S T C K E Y O M B G V
U L U N Y E G S Q T C Z R O O Y R W P E T R S T
M U N T W L A S L L G G P T N P G B H G H N D T
D F R F R D B K H N K F K W R O R E V T D J A B
I B A L D S E V E T A Y I R K L E S E N H S P A
T F N N F K A I D Q K E L D P X F O L D S X E T
A J O E O A T Q G D L B J G A R F I F I T J O R
B T R U S U G C E H O G A N Z I Q E T C Q S Y E
E A P T R O N D X A C R O S S X D L Q O F R T E
E P I S C U Z C A X H Q V Y J M R D B R P C K O
B T K V H P D Z T I K J M I V U C Z P A U Y R K
R S A C H U Z G U N M K H E D G E S G V U K C L
W G N E U T L P J A V E F T I W H R I R O C G D
A Y C A S R M G S X H O L E S X O R Q E M T R C
F R H P H O R O L O N K P S O H G L I R E S G C
G P I K A N D X M A K I N G X E C N N T E R F I
M S Z N C H R I C E F E A R O N A N G S T A A Z
N R A D H V M V O L L E B Y C L L U E K B P B D
O H T Z U C T X S T A T E X H P D G U T R I F A
N L L V E Z C H P P S Y Y F F Q D E B A L O H F
R R L L R Y T P Q Y K N K Q R W U B E H S O H D
R R H Y M M C A K I R O C G D C Z U S O Y I Z Q
G O B S T S L Q W X A B B R E V I A T I O N X E
O P R M C F I I C Q V I S I G R H Y U N L T H I
Z K E M Z Q N K E J S P R S A F N Y K R D Z P F
N D N O N C Z W L C S T A U M R M G U Z G N J Y
X L E T T E R S X M V V G T K Y M U H H O S Z M
D N E I N N N L R I E E R O R F T B S R U J Q U
Z M A M O V V L N L X T O U C H X S K Q D L Z I
ELEPHANT REFOLD SUCH THAT
GARFIELD PAIRS ARE CAESAR
HEDGEHOG SHIFT XV MINUS II

Solvers can now re-fold their strip into a new shape, such that letters that are 13 characters away from each other in the alphabet are touching. Applying this grille to the grid, they’ll find three more EAT clue answers (of length 7) and instruction words:

P A G F S T Q W H C K A A P T F M S A E U Q N M
F O U A U R I D Y I C C V X T E A R X P U S N Z
J N U P R L I E R V O R K B F R H B A F C I G P
J J S F A G Y Q P E S E J A Z P X E D G E X N R
V T F A H H G F Y V H Q J W W L G F E L G O G O
W J F Z C E M C B C P X T H E N X T K I B M J Z
N Z O V B A S R R N I G Q C K L Y V G X M E W V
H P P D T N T N A I A Y V I U H B V Y C M B T T
D L F N E Y N G V K F X M A K E X N S F H D Z Q
K Y M R D U F I O F F B P F W V B F Q F D Y O L
T U E A I C K H K L T S Q Z C K I V G E L K G G
Y L V B N O B Z U Z E Y V E M F K B J Z G L T L
K A Y K E Y Z N D R L D H Z O N S B O M V D Z C
E N O C Q F E C W G E O P K O N Y F R X F J Q H
H S B I L Z I P L Z P B F G Y W V J D I U O R P
Z F Q M A U L H S Q H A N T Y D C F E L C N G P
R S F C H A R P G M X D I A G O N A L X W V C K
U G A M A T P G S N K D T A S S B U F W W S N U
O D D I F S H I W T N V W E F G C C T W K P D Y
V E Z C U W S A S I Y U V U E L E P H G T C V V
S I F K E Y U L H T F A I E B A R N A I C V Z G
Q J I Z N K Y C Z E Z G O C K S H E N O P M J O
G R A H C Y N O R S N Q J D B Q B Y T I H V R H
I H K K R H D K Y Q W P H H N A H K O Q H L L F
L W T E C M P I U S Q F F E S A G R L V E B K T
I G A R F I P E R M G Q A S T C K E Y O M B G V
U L U N Y E G S Q T C Z R O O Y R W P E T R S T
M U N T W L A S L L G G P T N P G B H G H N D T
D F R F R D B K H N K F K W R O R E V T D J A B
I B A L D S E V E T A Y I R K L E S E N H S P A
T F N N F K A I D Q K E L D P X F O L D S X E T
A J O E O A T Q G D L B J G A R F I F I T J O R
B T R U S U G C E H O G A N Z I Q E T C Q S Y E
E A P T R O N D X A C R O S S X D L Q O F R T E
E P I S C U Z C A X H Q V Y J M R D B R P C K O
B T K V H P D Z T I K J M I V U C Z P A U Y R K
R S A C H U Z G U N M K H E D G E S G V U K C L
W G N E U T L P J A V E F T I W H R I R O C G D
A Y C A S R M G S X H O L E S X O R Q E M T R C
F R H P H O R O L O N K P S O H G L I R E S G C
G P I K A N D X M A K I N G X E C N N T E R F I
M S Z N C H R I C E F E A R O N A N G S T A A Z
N R A D H V M V O L L E B Y C L L U E K B P B D
O H T Z U C T X S T A T E X H P D G U T R I F A
N L L V E Z C H P P S Y Y F F Q D E B A L O H F
R R L L R Y T P Q Y K N K Q R W U B E H S O H D
R R H Y M M C A K I R O C G D C Z U S O Y I Z Q
G O B S T S L Q W X A B B R E V I A T I O N X E
O P R M C F I I C Q V I S I G R H Y U N L T H I
Z K E M Z Q N K E J S P R S A F N Y K R D Z P F
N D N O N C Z W L C S T A U M R M G U Z G N J Y
X L E T T E R S X M V V G T K Y M U H H O S Z M
D N E I N N N L R I E E R O R F T B S R U J Q U
Z M A M O V V L N L X T O U C H X S K Q D L Z I
CHARLIE KISS DUOS THAT SUM
NEUTRON TO EIGHT BY SCORES
PIKACHU ON SCRABBLE TILES

Solvers can now re-fold their strip into a new shape, such that letters are touching whose Scrabble tile scores sum to eight. Applying this grille to the grid, they’ll find three more EAT clue answers (of length 6) and instruction words:

P A G F S T Q W H C K A A P T F M S A E U Q N M
F O U A U R I D Y I C C V X T E A R X P U S N Z
J N U P R L I E R V O R K B F R H B A F C I G P
J J S F A G Y Q P E S E J A Z P X E D G E X N R
V T F A H H G F Y V H Q J W W L G F E L G O G O
W J F Z C E M C B C P X T H E N X T K I B M J Z
N Z O V B A S R R N I G Q C K L Y V G X M E W V
H P P D T N T N A I A Y V I U H B V Y C M B T T
D L F N E Y N G V K F X M A K E X N S F H D Z Q
K Y M R D U F I O F F B P F W V B F Q F D Y O L
T U E A I C K H K L T S Q Z C K I V G E L K G G
Y L V B N O B Z U Z E Y V E M F K B J Z G L T L
K A Y K E Y Z N D R L D H Z O N S B O M V D Z C
E N O C Q F E C W G E O P K O N Y F R X F J Q H
H S B I L Z I P L Z P B F G Y W V J D I U O R P
Z F Q M A U L H S Q H A N T Y D C F E L C N G P
R S F C H A R P G M X D I A G O N A L X W V C K
U G A M A T P G S N K D T A S S B U F W W S N U
O D D I F S H I W T N V W E F G C C T W K P D Y
V E Z C U W S A S I Y U V U E L E P H G T C V V
S I F K E Y U L H T F A I E B A R N A I C V Z G
Q J I Z N K Y C Z E Z G O C K S H E N O P M J O
G R A H C Y N O R S N Q J D B Q B Y T I H V R H
I H K K R H D K Y Q W P H H N A H K O Q H L L F
L W T E C M P I U S Q F F E S A G R L V E B K T
I G A R F I P E R M G Q A S T C K E Y O M B G V
U L U N Y E G S Q T C Z R O O Y R W P E T R S T
M U N T W L A S L L G G P T N P G B H G H N D T
D F R F R D B K H N K F K W R O R E V T D J A B
I B A L D S E V E T A Y I R K L E S E N H S P A
T F N N F K A I D Q K E L D P X F O L D S X E T
A J O E O A T Q G D L B J G A R F I F I T J O R
B T R U S U G C E H O G A N Z I Q E T C Q S Y E
E A P T R O N D X A C R O S S X D L Q O F R T E
E P I S C U Z C A X H Q V Y J M R D B R P C K O
B T K V H P D Z T I K J M I V U C Z P A U Y R K
R S A C H U Z G U N M K H E D G E S G V U K C L
W G N E U T L P J A V E F T I W H R I R O C G D
A Y C A S R M G S X H O L E S X O R Q E M T R C
F R H P H O R O L O N K P S O H G L I R E S G C
G P I K A N D X M A K I N G X E C N N T E R F I
M S Z N C H R I C E F E A R O N A N G S T A A Z
N R A D H V M V O L L E B Y C L L U E K B P B D
O H T Z U C T X S T A T E X H P D G U T R I F A
N L L V E Z C H P P S Y Y F F Q D E B A L O H F
R R L L R Y T P Q Y K N K Q R W U B E H S O H D
R R H Y M M C A K I R O C G D C Z U S O Y I Z Q
G O B S T S L Q W X A B B R E V I A T I O N X E
O P R M C F I I C Q V I S I G R H Y U N L T H I
Z K E M Z Q N K E J S P R S A F N Y K R D Z P F
N D N O N C Z W L C S T A U M R M G U Z G N J Y
X L E T T E R S X M V V G T K Y M U H H O S Z M
D N E I N N N L R I E E R O R F T B S R U J Q U
Z M A M O V V L N L X T O U C H X S K Q D L Z I
BARNEY PAIR BY AFFINE CODE
MICKEY WITHIN SECOND BOOK
RONALD OF LATTER PROPHETS

Solvers can now re-fold their strip into a new shape, such that letters are touching that are substitutes of each other in Atbash. Applying this grille to the grid, they’ll find three more EAT clue answers (of length 5) and instruction words:

P A G F S T Q W H C K A A P T F M S A E U Q N M
F O U A U R I D Y I C C V X T E A R X P U S N Z
J N U P R L I E R V O R K B F R H B A F C I G P
J J S F A G Y Q P E S E J A Z P X E D G E X N R
V T F A H H G F Y V H Q J W W L G F E L G O G O
W J F Z C E M C B C P X T H E N X T K I B M J Z
N Z O V B A S R R N I G Q C K L Y V G X M E W V
H P P D T N T N A I A Y V I U H B V Y C M B T T
D L F N E Y N G V K F X M A K E X N S F H D Z Q
K Y M R D U F I O F F B P F W V B F Q F D Y O L
T U E A I C K H K L T S Q Z C K I V G E L K G G
Y L V B N O B Z U Z E Y V E M F K B J Z G L T L
K A Y K E Y Z N D R L D H Z O N S B O M V D Z C
E N O C Q F E C W G E O P K O N Y F R X F J Q H
H S B I L Z I P L Z P B F G Y W V J D I U O R P
Z F Q M A U L H S Q H A N T Y D C F E L C N G P
R S F C H A R P G M X D I A G O N A L X W V C K
U G A M A T P G S N K D T A S S B U F W W S N U
O D D I F S H I W T N V W E F G C C T W K P D Y
V E Z C U W S A S I Y U V U E L E P H G T C V V
S I F K E Y U L H T F A I E B A R N A I C V Z G
Q J I Z N K Y C Z E Z G O C K S H E N O P M J O
G R A H C Y N O R S N Q J D B Q B Y T I H V R H
I H K K R H D K Y Q W P H H N A H K O Q H L L F
L W T E C M P I U S Q F F E S A G R L V E B K T
I G A R F I P E R M G Q A S T C K E Y O M B G V
U L U N Y E G S Q T C Z R O O Y R W P E T R S T
M U N T W L A S L L G G P T N P G B H G H N D T
D F R F R D B K H N K F K W R O R E V T D J A B
I B A L D S E V E T A Y I R K L E S E N H S P A
T F N N F K A I D Q K E L D P X F O L D S X E T
A J O E O A T Q G D L B J G A R F I F I T J O R
B T R U S U G C E H O G A N Z I Q E T C Q S Y E
E A P T R O N D X A C R O S S X D L Q O F R T E
E P I S C U Z C A X H Q V Y J M R D B R P C K O
B T K V H P D Z T I K J M I V U C Z P A U Y R K
R S A C H U Z G U N M K H E D G E S G V U K C L
W G N E U T L P J A V E F T I W H R I R O C G D
A Y C A S R M G S X H O L E S X O R Q E M T R C
F R H P H O R O L O N K P S O H G L I R E S G C
G P I K A N D X M A K I N G X E C N N T E R F I
M S Z N C H R I C E F E A R O N A N G S T A A Z
N R A D H V M V O L L E B Y C L L U E K B P B D
O H T Z U C T X S T A T E X H P D G U T R I F A
N L L V E Z C H P P S Y Y F F Q D E B A L O H F
R R L L R Y T P Q Y K N K Q R W U B E H S O H D
R R H Y M M C A K I R O C G D C Z U S O Y I Z Q
G O B S T S L Q W X A B B R E V I A T I O N X E
O P R M C F I I C Q V I S I G R H Y U N L T H I
Z K E M Z Q N K E J S P R S A F N Y K R D Z P F
N D N O N C Z W L C S T A U M R M G U Z G N J Y
X L E T T E R S X M V V G T K Y M U H H O S Z M
D N E I N N N L R I E E R O R F T B S R U J Q U
Z M A M O V V L N L X T O U C H X S K Q D L Z I
FELIX USING THIS FOLD MARK
ROCKY HALF CIRCLE LETTERS
STARS THEN READ GRID ORDER

For this instruction, solvers need to consider other letters in the word search grid—specifically, the letters partially encircled by the corner folds of the strip, for all three alignments of this final refolding of the strip.

Extracting these letters, and ordering them by their top-to-bottom and left-to-right order of their presentation in the grid, spells the answer phrase, IT’S TURBOCHARGER.