GC SF Sp WH BV YL BT CP SA CB CC Back to puzzle

Balloon Vendor

Harvard Ballooniversity

by Ian Tullis, Yar Woo
Answer: EVICTION

First, solve puzzles. Put their solutions by the appropriate balloons. Then, note which "class" discusses each solution.

art: purple balloon blank

CRIB
Baby Care
(2 units)
art: crossword balloon blank

MOB
Medieval Revolts
(1 unit)
art: helmet balloon blank

TORCH
Intro to Welding: Supplies and Suppliers
(2 units)
art: flower balloon blank


VESSELS
The Circulatory System
(1 unit)
art: hat balloon blank

WEDDED
Marriage in Judaism
(1 unit)
art: bird balloon blank

DIRGES
Survey of Singing
(3 units)
art: chess knight balloon blank

EQUINES
Terrestrial Vertebrates, Past and Present
(2 units)
art: purple balloon blank

CORTES
Western European World Changers
(5 units)

Now we apply "grade inflation" to the answers: BCDE letters become As. (At Harvard, bless their hearts, they don't have F grades, but Es.) E.g., CRIB becomes ARIA. But when we do this, the inflated-words are no longer with appropriate Ballooniverity courses; babies don't sing arias. But there are appropriate courses; ARIA goes well with "Survey of Singing". So move the inflated words:

art: purple balloon blank

CRIB
Baby Care
(2 units)
WAAAAA
art: crossword balloon blank

MOB
Medieval Revolts
(1 unit)
VASSALS
art: helmet balloon blank

TORCH
Intro to Welding: Supplies and Suppliers
(2 units)
AIRGAS
art: flower balloon blank


VESSELS
The Circulatory System
(1 unit)
AORTAS
art: hat balloon blank

WEDDED
Marriage in Judaism
(1 unit)
TORAH
art: bird balloon blank

DIRGES
Survey of Singing
(3 units)
ARIA
art: chess knight balloon blank

EQUINES
Terrestrial Vertebrates, Past and Present
(2 units)
MOA
art: purple balloon blank

CORTES
Western European World Changers
(5 units)
AQUINAS

Next, use the # of units to index into the inflated-words:

art: purple balloon blank

CRIB
Baby Care
(2 units)
WAAAAA
A
art: crossword balloon blank

MOB
Medieval Revolts
(1 unit)
VASSALS
V
art: helmet balloon blank

TORCH
Intro to Welding: Supplies and Suppliers
(2 units)
AIRGAS
I
art: flower balloon blank


VESSELS
The Circulatory System
(1 unit)
AORTAS
A
art: hat balloon blank

WEDDED
Marriage in Judaism
(1 unit)
TORAH
T
art: bird balloon blank

DIRGES
Survey of Singing
(3 units)
ARIA
I
art: chess knight balloon blank

EQUINES
Terrestrial Vertebrates, Past and Present
(2 units)
MOA
O
art: purple balloon blank

CORTES
Western European World Changers
(5 units)
AQUINAS
N

We've learned the salesman's intended major: AVIATION. But that's the result of grade-inflation; we need to deflate it. As clued by the flavortext of coming down to earth, "deflate" the two As to the corresponding letters in the original words (an E and a C) to get the problem the balloon seller is facing, EVICTION.