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Here's a blast from the past, for anyone who's looking for a diversion- one of my favorites. I've posted the archive link before, but probably without singling out this puzzle.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/09/chain-links/3413/

Good evening Aristo,

I'm having a go at your posted crossword and thought I was doing OK, but I've hit a brick wall. I'm doing quite well on the left hand side but struggling with part of it.
I am happy with my answers to 1,2 & 3 Down and I have placed one of the Links across the top, but I have ended up with 3 letters of the 6 letter word underneath which would fit the link word I think is the answer to Link g, but can't find a reference to Tapioca. Am I barking up the wrong tree.
All other answers are fitting in well. I have completed 1,2,3,5,6 & 14 Down. 7,9,11 & 20 Across. & Link k.

A hint would be appreciated, and maybe something towards a kickstart on the right hand side, otherwise I think I'll be doomed on this one.
Cheers aristo.

Les40

I've now finished this ingenious puzzle after aristo's prompt on the other thread. The answer to g gives an alternative word for cassava, which in turn means tapioca. In the top RH corner, the link is j, which is a German word now commonly used in English.

Hello, Les40! Link g goes on the second line down to the left. Link j goes across the top right, and link l is below it.

Cheers peterm,

I have Link g now, the word I had before was with an 'a' instead of the 'o' that I now know it is. Haven't got the TR word yet but thanks for the clue, I will have a think about it.

Thamks to you too aristo,

I have letters in the TR with my answer to 5 Down, so I can now have a go at that side.

Thanks to you both again.

Les40

Sorry, peterm! Missed your post because I was looking the puzzle over for Mr. L. These two puzzlers stopped turning out these marvels for The Atlantic a few years back. What's remarkable about them is that they don't rely on obscure words (in fact there was once a note saying that the word for Greek soldier was obscure, and I was stunned to find that it was hoplite- the word that immediately came to mind) and are always ingeniously constructed- NEVER the same pattern. Whenever you finish one you sit back in wonder.

Les40 - j in the top right is an anagram.

aristo - yes, this was a great puzzle. Quite a challenge, but perfectly do-able and well worth the effort.

I have j & l in the top right now and just got 4 down aswell. I'm gonna start looking at possibilities for the two 11 letter words that snake their way down

For what its worth Les40, my advice would be to nail mas many clues as you can. The snaking words are tricky. I didn't spot them until after I had completed, and even then it took some searching. It can be done without knowing the theme or the significance of the circled letters. All becomes clear at the end.