Each of the twelve vertical columns in this puzzle contains one light whose clue is indicated by an asterisk. The answers to these twelve clues play musical chairs before being entered in the grid as lights: i.e., their letters rotate sequentially and drop one member. For example, the word “chair” as an answer might be entered as “hare” with the “i” dropped, or “irha” with the “c” dropped, etc. The twelve letters discarded in this manner are to be seated at the tops of their respective columns, where they will compose a word of great importance to music. Answers to normal clues include two proper nouns. Remember that punctuation in the clues may be used deceptively.

For more than a year, Karen Hughes has been trying to sell George Bush’s America to the Middle East. Here’s why it isn’t working