Enigmatic Variations 1206 A fantasy in Two Movements by Ploy

Well what a preamble. Nine words and a letter from the clues need returning to the preamble for it to make sense. Also letters need to be moved in an indeterminate number of clues which define a sequence. Then following this action the grid needs to be revised and a three-word phrase derived. Pass me a mince pie this could be along slog.

This indeed did take me a few sittings to get to the end – the end was very neat, albeit the route there was a little bumpy.

The extra words in the clues were:

START; TURNS; BAR; END; RUN; BALL; TILT; VIEW and PLAN. with the extra letter being O.

These needed to be plugged in to

“The grid represents a “1” “2”, with “3” depicting a “4”. Successively “5” the grid, to
make this “6” to a “7”, where it “8”. The sequence required is given by letters which have travelled to
new positions in some clues, and which are to be returned before solving. The “9” and “10” letters
in the grid, plus those at the “8”, must be rearranged to give a three-word phrase describing the
actions you have taken, to be written below the grid.”

Which became:

The grid represents a Plan view, with “O” depicting a Ball. Successively Tilt the grid, to
make this run to a bar, where it turns. The sequence required is given by letters which have travelled to
new positions in some clues, and which are to be returned before solving. The start and end letters
in the grid, plus those at the turns, must be rearranged to give a three-word phrase describing the
actions you have taken, to be written below the grid.

Looking at the completed grid – there is a single ‘O’ top left corner

O

L

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V

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C

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K

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The sequence of the moved letters is E,W,N,E,S,W,N,E,S which when followed (as compass directions) move the ball (O) to the bars shown below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The letters at the start/end and the turns are ‘O,L,R,C,K,A,N,D,R,L,O’. these rearrange to ROCK AND ROLL in keeping with the musical theme of many of the clues. The final grid yielding LIVE SHELL and LIBERO:

L

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Many thanks Ploy for some fun over Christmas time. Quite a challenge but ultimately very rewarding.

Key:

Underline – definition; * anagram, Rev. Reversed DD Double definition

Moved Letter	Extra word/letter	ACROSS
		1 The Molluscs’ cover of “Burning” stokes an uproar … (10)
		O (of) = live (burning) + s (stokes) + hell (an uproar) = OLIVE-SHELL
		12 … and reportedly another cover’s apparently back – in Greece it moved up a place to tenth (5)
		Homonym of Cap (cover) + Revv. Ap (apparently) = KAPPA (Was originally the 11th letter in their alphabet)
		13 Someone religiously following “One Vision”? Phooey! A sloth (5)
		Bah (Phooey) + ai (sloth) = BAHAI
		14 End of affaire – you abandoned Brad for Jonathan (3)
E		14 End of affair – you abandoned Bread for Jonathan (3)
		R (end of affair) + ye (you abandoned) = RYE
		15 See boundless drum playing start in old folks’ resort again (5)
	START	15 See boundless drum playing in old folks’ resort again (5)
		(ru + see)* = REUSE
		17 Bees can fancy the taste of being away (7)
		(Bees can)* = ABSENCE
	O	18 There’s no room for an amorous relationship at any time up north (4)
		18 There’s no rom for an amorous relationship at any time up north (4)
		Romance(amorous relationship) – Rom = ANCE
		19 Like Jimmy in Scotland, can be found beyond Fleetwood (3)
		DD Fleetwood Mac and Mac as a form of address for an unknown man
		20 Something hot’s almost chart hit for leader of big band (9)
		Chili (Something hot) + (chart-t)* = CHILIARCH
		21 Go faster – back – take a right – whoa! (4)
		Rev (Hup – go faster) around r (right) = PRUH
		24 US city limiting American rapper’s fineness of perception (6)
		NY (US city) around Ice T (American Rapper) = NICETY
		25 Lady began with right shot, won the hole (10, three words)
W		25 Lady began with right shot, on the whole (10, three words)
		(lady began r)* = BY AND LARGE
		27 Recommending for confidence in CD rental, i.e. manoeuvring (10)
		(CD rental ie)* = CREDENTIAL
		30 Progressive UK group in the clapped-out Sierra (3)
		Ye (the clapped-out) + s (sierra) = YES
		32 Take no more turns then, with tango much delayed (4)
	TURNS	32 Take no more then, with tango much delayed (4)
		Then moving T tango = HENT
		33 Bod, guarding river delta, snapped (5)
N		33 Bond, guarding river delta, sapped (5)
		Tie (bond) around r (river) + d (delta) = TIRED
		36 Where bathers used to gather, most of them heading for rapids – barmy! (5)
	BAR	36 Where bathers used to gather, most of them heading for rapids – my! (5)
		The (most of them) + r m (heading for rapids – my) = THERM
		37 Leaderless staff (worn out) flipped over endpaper in revised copy (7)
	END	37 Leaderless staff (worn out) flipped over paper in revised copy (7)
		Rev(Warder (Staff) – w ) + FT (paper) = REDRAFT
		39 Intermediate life form media take for male (5)
		Media swapping r (take) for m(male) = REDIA
		40 Day in Adele’s convertible – a date not to miss (8)
		(d + in + Adele)* = DEADLINE
		41 Breathy sound central to Jacko’s music video (4)
		Thriller (Jacko’s music video) – cetral part = RILL
		42 Hammer away, Pru, with reverse beats (9)
E		42 Hammer away, Peru, with reverse beats (9)
		Pe (Peru) + (reverse)* = PERSEVERE
		43 An organ indeed, in recital (3)
		Homonym of Aye (Indeed) = EYE
		DOWN
		2 Sees through over half of ocular region – how clearly? (7, two words)
S		2 See through over half of ocular region – show clearly? (7, two words)
		la (see) + Rev(by (through)) + areola (ocular region) – ola =  LAY BARE
		3 Letter penned by awkward US client unfit for consumption? Not now! (10)
		Es (letter) in (US client)* = INESCULENT
		4 Welder’s long heat element, perhaps, applied to bridge ‘member’ (4)
W		4 Elder’s long wheat element, perhaps, applied to bridge ‘member’ (4)
		Ear (wheat element) + N (Bridge member) = EARN
		5 Specials with Dusty likewise going east, coined money (6)
		Specials – als (likewise) + e (east) = SPECIE
		6 Trading ship was not the first maintained at sea (12)
		(was-s + maintained)* = EAST-INDIAMAN
	RUN	7 Before Queen, note origins of hit album run of Mud (5)
		7 Before Queen, note origins of hit album of Mud (5)
		La (note) + ha (origins of hit album) + r (queen) = LAHAR
	BALL	8 The Fortunes, having reduced line-up, verbally short of volume in office (8)
		8 The Fortunes, having reduced line-up, very short of volume in office (8)
		Chance (the fortunes) – e (reduced) + ery (very – v(volume)) = CHANCERY
N		9 Agora, possibly, outside Chad, gets hint in some parts earlier (6)
		9 Angora, possibly, outside Chad, gets hit in some parts earlier (6)
		Cat (Angora possibly) around TCH (Chad) = CATCHT
		10 Marillion at last in Spain – European, in fact, spotted Fish (8)
		N (Marillion at last) + in + e (Spain) + yes (in fact) = NINE-EYES
		11 With muscular problem, king enters temporary quarters by tilt yard (6)
	TILT	11 With muscular problem, king enters temporary quarters by yard (6)
		R (king) in Camp (temporary quarters) + y (yard) = CRAMPY
		12 Eke out two portions of chips – Will’s a fat lump! (5)
		(eke)* + ch (two portions of chips) = KEECH
		16 Send message and two from Oasis turn up, left out on being given the push (5)
		Rev (Liam + Noel) {Two from Oasis) – l (left) – on = EMAIL
		22 Protection from light 30 had in middle of week (8)
		Yes (30across) + had in Ee (middle of week) = EYESHADE
		23 Busy receptionist loses mobile cop’s binder (8)
		(receptionist – cops)* = INTERTIE
		26 Pay per view quarter receiving 20% of TV (4)
	VIEW	26 Pay per quarter receiving 20% of TV (4)
		A (per) + n (quarter) + te (20% of television) = ANTE
		27 Urge one chief to get clan in retreat (6)
E		27 Urge on chief to get clean in retreat (6)
		Ch (chief) + Rev(pure(clean)) = CHERUP
		28 The Cure once emerged regrouping with no hint of guitar (6)
		(emerged – g)* = REMEDE
		29 Bill mostly returned on upright bass (5)
		Rev. (Bill – l) + rev(re (on)) = LIBER
		31 Weirdly, half of fraternal duo no longer against garnering number one (6)
		Everly (half of Everly brothers) – v (against) + I (number one) = EERILY
		33 The periodically shortened count of Eddie’s heavenly steps (5)
		T (the) + sHoRtEnEd = THREE (as in 3 steps to heaven)
		34 Lapland displaying smart clothing long after Burundi (5)
	PLAN	34 Lad displaying smart clothing long after Burundi (5)
		Ru (Burundi) + die (long) = RUDIE
		35 Morsel bet at Catterick Bridge to support daughter (5)
S		35 Morel best at Catterick Bridge to support daughter (5)
		D (daughter) + wale (best (N. England) = DWALE
		38 Gunrunners got onto southern headland (3)
		RA (Gunrunners) + s (southern) = RAS