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T |
HERE are two types of ‘special’
puzzle in Azed’s canon that involve an unnumbered
grid. A ‘Carte Blanche’ grid lacks numbers and bars, and solution lengths are
not indicated, but clues are set out in their normal order. This month’s ‘Jigsaw’
is a slightly less difficult puzzle in principle, with a barred grid and lengths
given, but clues are set out in alphabetical order of their solutions, and must
be fitted into the grid like jigsaw pieces. To maintain the challenge, Azed ensures there are at least four clues of each length.
Inevitably, more clues need
to be solved cold than in a Plain puzzle before the grid can start to be filled.
The key solutions are usually the long ones, in this case the four ten-letter
words. Where an across and a down word start in the same square, solvers
can look for clues to solutions of the relevant length that come close together
in the list, since they start with the same letter. This precludes 21 as a
contender for the first row, as there are no 7-letter solutions close to it in
the list that would share its first letter.
Dr Watson solved PRESENT-DAY
on a first pass, and OSTRICHISM not long afterwards, but it was only with
SHUFFLE-CAP and a dozen or so other clues solved cold that the grid filling
could begin in earnest.
In the notes below clues are
given in the order they are presented in the puzzle, and their starting square and
orientation in the grid are indicated.
5. Negotiated
Orinoco’s depth, describing process?
CORONOID (anag. + d; 1,2,D). The ‘process’
referred to here is an anatomical term for a projecting part of a bone, in this
case the coronoid (crownlike) process of the jaw or ulna.
6. What sounds
like pin for fastening short vestment COTTA (‘cotter’; 1,10,D). A cotta is a
short robe that sounds like a ‘cotter’, which could be a type of pin, or could
be a wedge fastened with a pin that is then a cotter-pin.
7. Low stool,
(former) Indian type, mixed
CREEPIE (Cree pie; 6,10,D). The Cree are not former Indians, but a Native
American people formerly called ‘Indians’. ‘Pie’ here is the second Chambers entry meaning a mixed state.
9. Witty sayings FACETIAE
(1,6,D).
The competition word is the second Latin plural in three months,
following VIDENDA in no 2360. Its secondary meaning, in the book trade, is
pornography, giving competitors scope for a creative definition.
10. Money
supplies – some engaged to limit what’s current in Nigeria? FINANCES (N in fiancés; 6,5,A). It took Dr Watson
far too long to realise that ‘what’s current in Nigeria’ is Nigerian currency,
the Naira, abbreviated to N.
12. Wheel not
operating riled pilots? IDLER (anag.; 9,1,A). A hard-to-see
anagram indicator, ‘pilots’, in the sense of ‘steers’.
13. Motor race
that would make one frightened with women leading INDY ((w)indy;
5,1,A). Dr Watson will just point out that, in contrast to F1, women
drivers have competed in the Indianapolis 500 since 1977, with Danica
Patrick achieving a podium place in 2005.
14. Tavern,
English, back part – it contains a vestibule INNER EAR (inn E rear; 5,7,D). More anatomy. The
vestibule is the tube that joins the inner to the outer ear.
25. To be
outstanding versifier must regularly include bits of rhyme and jolly catches
PROJECT (initial letters regularly placed in poet; 9,6,A). An unusual but
well-indicated wordplay device, similar to the ULNAE
clue in no 2364. The solver must work out whether or not
‘and’ is one of the words whose initials are required.
28. Old angler
in list catching fish (ace cast) RODSTER (d(ace) in roster; 4,1,A). Dr Watson was
expecting a bit more fish would be left in the solution by removing A rather
than the full ‘ace’.
29. Being part
of Europe determinedly kept back on track?
ROPED (hidden; 10,8,A). Azed has made his views on Brexit apparent elsewhere. The
‘back’ shouts ‘reverse hidden’, but it’s part of the definition.
30. Hector
coming in changed places in old game with stakes pooled SHUFFLE-CAP (huff in anag.; 1,3,A). The key to this clue is finding ‘huff’ as a
synonym of ‘hector’.
31. Lancer,
e.g., end of whose weapon is held in hand’s breadth SPEARMAN (e arm in span; 11,1,A). ‘End of whose’ is
especially devious in a clever clue.
31. Senior
tucking into stale food’s thrown up worms TAENIAE (aîné
in eat, all rev.; 6,4,D). Even after you find ‘aîné’
and ‘eat’, there are several possible ways of combining them.
36. Almost
poetic tune, though not difficult on the outside UNETH ((t)une
th(ough); 1,5,D). Azed kindly provides the exact material to be removed
rather than just indicating a hidden.
1. ANOA (no. in aa; 1,11,D); 2. BEARE ((lif)e in
bare; 5,8,A); 3. CAMI-TOP (I to in camp;
3,6,A); 4. CORNI (R in anag.; 8,8,D); 8.
EXIGENT (gen in exit; 1,9,D); 11.
HINAYANA (hi + ay in nana; 7,1,A); 15.
LOME (anag. of initial letters); 1,8,D); 16. LURED ((p)lu(m)
red; 8,3,D); 17. MARS (2 mngs.; i.e. red planet; 9,5,D); 18. MURIATE (U in anag.;
10,1,A); 19. NALOXONE (a L Oxon in ne;
2,5,A); 20. NUPE (up in NE; 9,2,D); 21. OSTRICHISM (rich is in anag.; 1,1,D); 22.
PEIN ((spik)e in pin; 8,9,A); 23. PIÑA (pina(for
E); 11,9,A); 24. PRESENT-DAY (p + anag.; 3,12,D); 26.
REDESCRIBE (redes crib E; 12,1,A); 27. RETICENT (cite, rev., in rent; 5,11,D);
31. SOWP (sow + P; 2,1,A); 33. SWIDDEN (anag.; 1,3,D); 35.
TRIPE (trip + e; 3,1,A).
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