Here we are with Oxymoron again (Schadenfreude’s EV pseudonym). A pretty straightforward puzzle this time: eight clues with an extra word with first and last letters spelling out a hint, and the barred-off letters of their respective clues leading to the ‘originator’.
Although I got the hint, AMERICAN NOVELIST, the barred-off letters PEANLRUK didn’t mean much, but that was because I misread 11ac GOOF as GOOP!! It was only when I saw and recognised As I Lay Dyi[n]g in the perimeter that I could Google to find out its author, William Faulkner. Hey presto, GOOP was actually GOOF! William Faulkner (1897 – 1962) wrote, among others, the five works found in the perimeter: SOLDIER’S PAY, SANCTUARY, ABSALOM ABSALOM, SARTORI, AS I LAY DYING. The missing letters spell PYLON, another of his works to be entered at 23ac.
Solving time: I’m in the middle of a slow streak at the moment due to excessive birthday beverages!! About 2¾ hours.
Legend:
ABC* = anagram
ABC< = reversal
abCDef = hidden
X = first and last letters of extra words giving hint to origonator
Y = barred off letters in clues with extra words
| ACROSS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | GOOF | AsyluM | idiot: OF (from) after GO (work) |
| 12 | EROTIC | steamy: XEROTIC (abnormally dry) – X (without) | |
| 13 | INDIGN | disgraceful (poetic): DIG (lodge) in INN (hotel) | |
| 14 | UNGUENT | EmbalmeR | unction: UN (a, French) GENT (noble, Spenser) holding U (universal, as in film classification) |
| 15 | WRITE-INS | candidates added by voters, in US: (WINTER IS)* | |
| 16 | DISPOSE | ordain what is to be: DIS (god) + POSE (propound) | |
| 17 | KARA | IconiC | steel band: KA (soul) + RA (artist) |
| 18 | YUM-YUM | 2 meanings: operatic sister & that’s tasty; Yum-Yum is the ‘sister’ of Peep-Bo and Pitti-Sing in The Mikado | |
| 19 | DIMETER | having two measures: DIR (director) outside (over) METE (limit) | |
| 23 | PYLON | unclued, from the letters dropped from the perimeter entries | |
| 26 | LINCHET | terrace: TINCHEL (circle of men) with ends swapped | |
| 28 | SUPERB | proud, old: SUPER (copper, short for superintendent) + B (heading for Breakdown) | |
| 29 | INCH | meadow by river: INCH(OATE) (not established, missing half) | |
| 31 | AMPERES | measures: AM (in the morning) + PEE’S (Jimmy’s) taking (holding) R (right | |
| 32 | TOLERATE | take: ERA (an age) in [THE TOILET – THE I (independent)]* | |
| 34 | AGELONG | chronic: GALE* + ON (against) + G (tuG’s stern) | |
| 35 | LIBERO | back: [BLERIOT – T (time)]* | |
| 36 | SAFARI | expedition: FAR (over a great distance) in SA (South Africa) I (India) | |
| 37 | FLAM | deceive: F (fellow) + LAM (scarper) | |
| DOWN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | OONT | beast of burden: SOON TIRES – SIRES (studs, removed from the outsides) | |
| 3 | LODESMAN | one at the helm: S (has) MA (mother) wearing LODEN (waterproof coat) | |
| 4 | INGROUP | AgaiN | social set: POURING* |
| 5 | EONISM | NIS (fairy) in MOE (more, outdated) | |
| 6 | ROUTED | fixed the itinerary of: TOUR* + E (Spain) + D (Germany) | |
| 7 | SENECIO | plant: S (sun) + (ONE ICE)* | |
| 8 | ARGIL | NavahO | pure clay: (A GIRL)* |
| 9 | YOUNKER | VirilE | youth, once: YON (that) round U (university) + K (king) + ER (queen) |
| 10 | AINTREE | racecourse: AIN’T (isn’t) + R (run) + EE (Es, sounds like ease) | |
| 20 | TIERCELS | hobbies, as in falcons: [I L (left) SECRET]* | |
| 21 | VINEGAR | bad temper: RAVING* holding E (east = bridge player) | |
| 22 | SCHOLAR | one learning: HO (stop) LA (the, French) in SCR (Senior Common Room, or staff room) | |
| 24 | YEMENIS | some of the Arabs: YE (the, old) + MINE’S* | |
| 25 | NUPTIAL | to do with mating: INPUT* + A L (line) | |
| 27 | TARGUM | LevI | version of the OT: [MATURING – I (one) N (noun)]* |
| 28 | SMALTO | coloured glass: MALT (whisky) in SO (very good) | |
| 30 | FLORA | goddess: FOR (beneficial to) A (associate) crossing L (lake) | |
| 33 | KRAB | ScientisT | link: BARK< (covering) |
It would be equally accurate to refer to Faulkner as an American noBElist, and I got hung up for a few minutes trying to turn BridgE in 21d into an extra word. The “d’oh” moment regarding VirilE eventually occurred.
Delighted again to have been able to find out exactly what I had to check when I got home from the pub – in a book. The only work I couldn’t find there was ‘Pylon’, which was deducible.
Schadenfreude/Oxymoron doesn’t use the internet, so you’ll only have to google his puzzles if he’s used a particularly obscure one, or you’ve donated your reference library to a charity bookshop to make room for more computer equipment 🙂
In case you’re wodering, he submits his puzzles on a CD via Royal Mail.