In this puzzle you were required to deduce the title of a work by a figure (why that word was used I know not; it sounded a bit cryptic, but turned out not to be). Three answers without definition neeeded to be jumbled to give this figure, and the extra letters in the wordplay defined two words which in turn suggested a definition of the work!
Completing the grid was fairly straightforward, and the extra letters spelt out NAVIGATION SYSTEM RECORD OF A SHIP’S PERFORMANCE, and the three undefined words were DICE BELL CLIME. The first of these, with the help of Bradford’s, defined DECCA LOG which in turn hints at DECALOGUE, ie THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (which goes under the grid). The figure in the preamble should therefore be GOD, but there aren’t enough letters! So it must be CECIL B DE MILLE, although he is not required to be entered or highlighted anywhere. Finally, the work’s main character and “corresponding figure” do have to be highlighted, and MOSES and CHARLTON HESTON (sort of in the shape of the two tablets) can be found in the grid.
A good puzzle from Hypnos: a nicely worked theme with lots of parts to uncover.
Solving time: about 90 minutes, I think.
Unfinished business: 21ac (for update, see comment 3 below)
Legend:
ABC* = anagram
ABC< = reversal
abCDef = hidden
X = extra letters in the wordplay
| ACROSS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | ABSCISSE | intercept: A + BSC (science graduate) NISSE (benevolent creature) |
| 8 | DICE | undefined: (EL CID)< (Spanish leader) – L (liberal) | |
| 12 | A | TEA SET | service: TEASE (guy, vt) + TA (thanks) |
| 13 | V | NADAL | professional in court (ie tennis): VANDAL* |
| 14 | I | SUPREMO | principal: PIR (honorary title) E (east) in SUMO (wrestling) |
| 15 | G | SESELI | plant: SEE* in SLIG(O) (most of county) |
| 16 | A | WEAN | child, from Perth (Scotland): AWE (wonder) + A + N (new) |
| 18 | T | EXACT | absolutely correct: TEXT (words) about AC (bill) |
| 20 | I | HIRERS | those offering payment: HI (greeting) + IR (taxmen, ie Inland Revenue, HMRC that was) + ERS (source of bitterness, a plant) |
| 21 | O | RICCIA | plant: AIR< (publicity) about CO (company) C (clubs) + I (?); I cannot see the wordplay for the I |
| 22 | N | SLOVENE | east European: SLOVEN (poorly dressed person) + EN (nut) |
| 24 | S | CARNOSE | fleshy: NOSE (feature) with SCAR (mark) at front |
| 28 | Y | TOSHER | student out of college: TOSH (friend) + EYR(E) (Jane Eyre, dropping last) |
| 32 | S | OUTTOP | excel: OUT (on loan) + STOP (Australian stud); that’s stud as on football boot |
| 35 | T | LOOTS | officers (as in lieuts): TOOT (blast) in LS (Lesotho) |
| 36 | BELL | undefined: B (black) + ELL (measure) | |
| 37 | E | INTONE | chant: I + NET (catch) + ONE (singular) |
| 38 | M | NITINOL | alloy: NIT (fool) + MINO (raincoat) + L (left) |
| 39 | R | MALLE | French director: reversed in cELLAR Mistakenly; Louis Malle, French film director, most famous for Lacombe Lucien and Atlantic City |
| 40 | E | ISATIN | derivative of dye: SATIE (French composer) engaged by IN (popular); French composer of Gymnopédies fame |
| 41 | C | ELEA | Greek colony: LEA (meadow) behind CE (church) |
| 42 | O | SCHOONER | drink is held by (it): HOON (yob down under) in SOC(C)ER (game, half-hearted, ie only one C) |
| DOWN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R | ANSWER | acknowledgement: RAN (managed) + SOWER (one broadcasting) – O (nothing) |
| 2 | D | SEPAD | warrant: SEP (month) kept by DAD (father) |
| 3 | O | CARNAC | monumental village: CARO (sculptor) + CAN< (tin); a village in northwest France renowned for its Neolithic stones |
| 4 | F | SEMEIA | divisions: FEME (woman, legally) in SIAM (old country) – M (money) |
| 5 | A | STOURS | battles: TOUR (period of service) in SAS (regiment) |
| 6 | S | EASSEL | easterly (in Moray Firth, ie Scotland): SS (ship) flanked by EASEL (support) |
| 7 | H | SNEER | contemptuos expression: N (nationalist) in SHEER (very thin) |
| 9 | I | IDEATE | imagine: in deesIDE A TIE-up |
| 10 | P | CALCANEA | bones: C (cold) + ([SAN A PLACE] – S [Surgeon, initially])* |
| 11 | S | ELITE | very best: EL (railroad) + SITE (position) |
| 17 | P | OHIO | it’s around Cleveland (city in Ohio): HIP (joint) held by OO (pair, as in spectacles); I think this clue should have had a couple of !! as well as the ? |
| 19 | E | DIAGONAL | direction for bishop (on a chessboard): DIAL (call) about A GONE (past) |
| 23 | R | OOPS | oh dear!: ROOPS (hoarse sounds) |
| 25 | F | ROOTLE | grub, vt and vi: R (recipe) + FOOTLE (trifle) |
| 26 | O | STEERS | guides: ST (street) + E (close to notablE) + EROS (statue in London) |
| 27 | R | ETHNIC | foreign: ETHIC (treatise) about RN (Niger) |
| 28 | M | TONISH | hip (as in modern): MOT< (test) + IS in N (new) H (hospital) |
| 29 | A | SUBITO | in haste: BUS< + AIT (island) + O (nothing) |
| 30 | N | ROLLER | wave: R (queen) + ONER about LL (lines) |
| 31 | CLIME | undefined: C (Cuba) + LIME(Y) (Briton, snubbed) | |
| 33 | C | USNEA | lichen: US (America) + NE (north east) + CA (California) |
| 34 | E | LENIN | revolutionary: LINE (course) about E (Spain) N (Norway) |
Not certain on 21ac myself. I considered ICI (a company) but that gave an extra I and would have been unfair anyhow.
This was a very good puzzle, which took me a lot longer than Dave. Liked how all the thematic material was integrated. After filling the grid, I found CECIL B DE MILLE fairly quickly. Thought TEN COMMANDMENTS was likely then, but the confirmation of DECCA LOG came later, when I was away from the puzzle. MOSES came easily but not the rest – I spent a lot of time looking for TABLETS OF STONE (which also has 14 letters!), before twigging it was CHARLTON HESTON – so it was a very nice final touch that the outline was indeed in shape of those tablets. Thought the preamble was very fair.
Thanks for the excellent blog and comments. Apologies on 21 ac – there should have been “international” before company to account for the i.
Hypnos, thanks for that. I didn’t actually notice the omission until I came to do the blog, so it didn’t pose a problem. Also, on reflection, nms, I think it took me nearer two hours, so a good challenge.