Inquisitor 1198 – What? When? by Schadenfreude

I found this one “challenging” (i.e. very difficult!). It was worth persevering with, and would have been much easier if you spotted the theme early, which I didn’t. Had I read the paper on Friday and seen its banner headline, that would have helped a lot!

There were three types of clue.

The first type consisted of normal clues (though up to Schadenfreude’s usual high standard of difficulty with odd spellings and unusual words).

The second type, which I found most difficult, were clues to a word (or words) which did not appear in the grid. We had to remove a letter, and form an anagram of the remainder for entry in the grid. Mostly I found it necessary to find the grid entry first, then find anagrams of it + a “wild card”, using a computer aid. This set of sixteen clues were readily identifiable as the lengths given in the clue were one longer than the grid entry, so my first operation was to ring all the clue numbers where this was true.

The third type gave two definitions , from which you had to deduce two answers and choose one for grid entry. There was an extra word in these clues which had to be removed. I discovered from the first one I solved (OBERON and OPERON) that the two defined words differed by one letter. Much later it dawned on me that these were always barred off letters, and clearly the choice must be connected to the the phrase to be highlighted in the grid.

Finally there were 22 letters (16 “extra” from type 2 + six initials of removed words from type 3) which spelled out what had to be highlighted in the grid. I found these letters, and the resulting instruction, after finding the highlighted phrase!

The instruction telling us what was to be highlighted was: IN EVEN ROWS, A CENTRAL WORD. The central words turned out, after adjusting the necessary type 3 answers, to read THE INDEPENDENT TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY, SEVENTH OCTOBER. The first edition of the Independent appeared on Tuesday 7 October 1986, hence the title “What? When?”

Brilliant idea and construction from Schadenfreude, appearing on 8 October 2011, so only a day late!

Normal clues:

Across
Clue	Answer	Definition: Wordplay
5	SCALAWAG	Good-for-nothing (alternative spelling of scallywag): A LAW ( a statute) in SCAG (heroin)
11	ZEROTH	Precedent to first: [OR THE]* (variable or the) after Z (third variable – x,y,z)
13	AUGURS	Guesses: [GURUS A(re)]*
15	EIRENIC	Pacific: EIRE (country) + NIC(e) (mostly friendly)
19	HOAGIES	Snacks (submarine sandwiches – what SUBWAY franchise!): HOA (stop) + GIES (Scottish provides)
26	DEMODE	Unfashionable: MOD (member of teenage faction ) in DEE (river)
33	ENCAGE	Put in prison: E(ast) G(erman) + ACNE (with spots) reversed
35	RATTEEN	Rough fabric: TAR reversed (set on back) + TEEN (archaic word for injury)
40	HADJ	Religious journey: HAD (taken) + J(uliet) (Romeo’s partner)
41	SHANNON	Irish river: SHANNY (smooth fish) with ON for Y (not unknown on)
45	SNOWY OWL	Nocturnal predator: [SLOW]* round WON (secured) + Y(ard)
46	ASSES	Roman coins: ASSES(s) (mostly fine)
Down
1	DEATH ADDER	Reptile: [DATE]* (blind = obscure?) + HAD (endured) + DER (the German)
2	BEGNAW	Bite: BEG (= bey – Turkish governor) + NAW (local no)
3	TRUDGEON	Incorrect swimming stroke (should be trudgen): [DO URGENT]*
6	CHEESY	Broad: CH(urch) + SEE reversed (meet up) + Y(ankee)
7	LORDLIEST	Most like a ruler: [L(iberal) EDITORS L(ength]*
18	LEYDEN JARS	Condensers: JAR (vibration) in [DENSELY]*
20	INDIGENCY	Poverty: G(overnment) in INDIE (record company) + C(aught) in N(ew) Y(ear)
23	TEAN	From somewhere in Ionia (Teos): (s)TEAN (unopened stone vessel)
24	FEATHERS	Conditions: FEARS (alarms) round THE
27	EVE	A female: (s)EVE(n) (cardinal number, stripped)
30	ERENOW	Before this time: E(astern) + RENO (US city) + W(on)
32	REALOS	Greens (German political party): REAL (genuine) + O(ld) + S(tyle)
34	CHACO	Military headgear (same as shako): CH(eck) + CO(mpany) round A(dvanced)
36	SHEN	Hands-on therapy: S(pecial) + HEN (female)

 

Type 2 clues – anagram of answer minus one letter: with Type 3 clues interspersed in blue

Across
Clue	Answer/Grid	Extra letter/word	Grid Anagram/ Answer 2	Definition(s): Wordplay
1	BIDETS	I	DEBTS	Horses: BID (old fashioned command) + [SET]*
12	EOLITH	Needing	OOLITH	A stone implement & grain
16	IDENT	E	TIND	Short film: D(utch) + EN (nurse) in IT(alian)
17	PEND	Violence	PEED	Once confined & went
21	ETALAGE	E	ALGATE	Display: LA (look) in ETAGE (floor) (Acute accents omitted)
25	THY	Naivety	SHY	Your & bashful
28	DEMETER	R	TEEMED	Goddess: MET (encountered) in D(Germany) + EER (at any time)
29	DONA	O	DAN	Sweetheart: D(iamonds) + ON (assigned to) + A
38	EVEN	Wearing	ETEN	Uniform & a giant
42	HAMLETS	S	THELMA	Villages: LET (allowed) in HAM (amateur) + S(ection)
43	COACTED	A	DECOCT	Once compelled: ACT (perform) in CO-ED (mixed school)
44	OBERON	Classified	OPERON	King & a set of genes
Down
4	SOREE	E	SORE	A bird: SO (very good) + REE (male of ruff – wader)
8	ANELE	N	ALEE	To do an embalming (not really, more an anointment!): HELENA (Bertram’s lover in Much Ado) minus H(usband), reversed
9	IN WANT	T	WINNA	Desire: IN (at work) + WANT (a mole)
10	TRAIT	R	AT IT	Trick: ART (crafty conduct) reversed + IT (the other!)
14	PASTE	A	SPET	Thrash: PAST (ended) + (fiv)E
21	FLAT	L	AFT	Smooth: FIAT (Italian car) with L(eft) for I(ndia)
22	THEWY	W	THEY	Strong: W(hiskey) in THEY (some people)
31	RANT	Orcadians	WANT	A lively tune & need
37	SWORN	R	SNOW	Devoted: S(aint) + WORN (showing the effects of work)
39	DEATH	D	THEA	A deadly plague: D.H. (das heisst – that is in German) round EAT (worry)