Reading down the first letters of the given poem’s lines gives you SPELLING SOCIETY DEAREST CREATURE POEM, which leads you to the Spelling Society’s republication of the most complete version of the poem “The Chaos.”
This is a poem about how terrible English is to learn to pronounce, with the first line starting “Dearest creature. . .” A version of the poem was originally published in 1920 in “Drop Your Foreign Accent: engelsche uitspraakoefeningen” (“English pronunciation exercises”), then expanded in following editions, hence the puzzle title.
Each line of the given poem clues all but one italicized word from a line of “The Chaos,” using only three- and four-italicized-word lines. Reading down the first letters of the unclued italicized words in the order of the given poem gives you VOLVO PERFORMANCE ELECTRIFICATION DIV, which is POLESTAR.
Learned Liz is, of course, Liz from the movie Sneakers, from which Setec Astronomy takes our team name.
Remaining word | “Chaos” line | Clued words | Poem line |
---|---|---|---|
VICAR | 31 | SCHOLAR, CIGAR | Said learned Liz [SCHOLAR], “This puzzle circus isn’t ready. Close, but no [CIGAR]. |
OVEN | 23 | HOW, WOVEN, LOW | Pray, in what way [HOW] have writers intertwined [WOVEN] their muted [LOW] riddles? |
LAUGHTER | 26 | TERPSICHORE, DAUGHTER | Evoke the muse of dancing’s [TERPSICHORE] blessing; every girl-child [DAUGHTER] join the show. |
VOWED | 84 | LEOPARD, TOWED, PEOPLE | Let in the big cat [LEOPARD], those it dragged [TOWED], the humans [PEOPLE], and their fiddles.” |
ONE | 37 | ANEMONE, BALMORAL | “Let’s move, we’ve got windflower [ANEMONE] and the castle planned by William Smith [BALMORAL]. |
PRINCIPLE | 90 | DISCIPLE, LABEL | It’s plenty for an acolyte [DISCIPLE] to read the sticker’s [LABEL] lineup. |
EASY | 69 | TEASE, TWOPENCE, THREEPENCE | No need to make fun [TEASE]; let them pay their couple–few cents [TWOPENCE–THREEPENCE] now, forthwith. |
REWARD | 56 | TOWARD, FORWARD | Go on [TOWARD] with test in sight, to front [FORWARD], the eager teams will sign up.” |
FAMOUS | 101 | CLAMOUR, PRIVY, IVY | “Still, uproar [CLAMOUR] over hushed discussions [PRIVY] tests our secret garden’s wall [IVY]. |
OWN | 137 | ROUGH IT, DOWN | Opt out from comforts [ROUGH IT], no distressed, glum [DOWN] faces: light exposes. |
ROUNDED | 59 | SIEVE, WOUNDED, GRIEVE | Can sifter’s [SIEVE] skill avoid an injured [WOUNDED] brain, or solvers stumped who bawl [GRIEVE]? |
MENIAL | 158 | DENIAL, TRIPOD | I’m told rebuttal’s [DENIAL] pointless; camera’s stand [TRIPOD] awaits our poses.” |
ADDRESS | 104 | DESERT, DESERT | “Except we need you—don’t abandon [DESERT] us for arid landscape’s [DESERT] peace— |
NATURE | 176 | MATURE, STATURE | To keep adult [MATURE] repute’s [STATURE] meticulous refined high standard. |
CORNICE | 71 | REVISE, VALISE, NICE | Your plans please edit [REVISE], close your satchel [VALISE], we’ll be pleasant [NICE] if you cease!” |
ERRING | 129 | ARCHANGEL, ARCH | Distraught he called to seraph [ARCHANGEL] limned in window’s shape [ARCH] and pandered. |
ENAMOURED | 170 | FLIGHTY, PARAMOUR | “Enough, I’m not that fickle [FLIGHTY] to abandon so a lover’s [PARAMOUR] want! |
LEISURE | 230 | SKEIN, RECEIVER, NEITHER | And not to wind [SKEIN] a giftee [RECEIVER] up with taunt of any [NEITHER] number. |
EVER | 229 | FEVER, AVER | Repent your febrile sickness [FEVER], vow [AVER] hard-headed checks for my détente. |
CLIMBER | 98 | LION, BULLION, TIMBER | Employ some testers, brave as Simba [LION], paid in gold [BULLION] and lumber [TIMBER].” |
TOPSHAM | 35 | KNOWN, RENOWN, BROUGHAM | “So done and understood [KNOWN]! Their fame [RENOWN] is broadcast far by carriage [BROUGHAM] routes: |
RIBALD | 133 | PERSEVERANCE, SEVERANCE | Tenacity [PERSEVERANCE] their calling card, no layoff [SEVERANCE] halting cracking. |
IRON | 97 | GAOL, MUSCULAR, MUSCLE | Come see: in lock-up [GAOL], brawny [MUSCULAR] brains, their sinew [MUSCLE] straining, beating doubts. |
FURY | 198 | TARRY, BURY, PARRY | Rest loitering [TARRY], entomb [BURY] concerns; they fend off [PARRY] any slacking.” |
INVEIGH | 121 | INVEIGLE, NEIGH | “Entice [INVEIGLE] the testers! Excellent, now let them bray [NEIGH] their worst concern |
CONSENT | 247 | SPITE, RESENT, RESPITE | And torment [SPITE] all our rest, begrudge [RESENT] our ever sleeping easy [RESPITE], |
ARSENIC | 117 | SPECIFIC, SCENIC | Try out particular [SPECIFIC] disasters, panoramic [SCENIC] trial and learn |
TREASON | 132 | COVE, COVER, HOVER | Until each inlet’s [COVE] lid [COVER] has dramamine to fly [HOVER] less queasy.” |
IDEA | 221 | AREA, GUINEA, SEA | “Right on! This region’s [AREA] coin [GUINEA] is paranoia and the ocean’s [SEA] deeps. |
OPPUGNERS | 201 | FAUGH, OPPUGNANT | ‘Ew something smells’ [FAUGH] is useful, not antagonistic [OPPUGNANT] drivel. |
NUT | 208 | PUT, GRANITE, UNITE | Position [PUT] building stone [GRANITE] and gently bring together [UNITE] ‘aha’ leaps; |
DOSE | 120 | RISE, PARADISE, ROSE | Obsess; ascend [RISE] to heaven [PARADISE]; buy a flower [ROSE] if uncivil.” |
INDICT | 268 | VERDICT, HOUSEWIFE | “Essential judgment [VERDICT] says our sewing case [HOUSEWIFE] is ready now. |
VOMIT | 217 | MANOEUVRE, YACHT | Move skillfully [MANOEUVRE] to cruise [YACHT] our way and put hand to the plow. . .” |