Eclogue is a fairly regular setter of Inquisitor puzzles. This is his eighth. I have blogged a couple of the previous one in January and November 2014.
The preamble told us that "Solvers should eliminate the names of four losers from the completed grid and highlight the winner. Ignoring resulting spaces, all grid entries are real words or abbreviations – except one. This exception may be resolved by replacing one letter which will then provide the initials of the creator of the contest. In 24 clues a letter should be removed prior to solving: eliminated letters confirm the losers. Wordplay in remaining clues lead to an extra letter not entered: extra letters identify the contest organisers.
We have two messages to find using two different methods and we don’t know which method is used in any particular clue. As usual I just barreled in and hoped everything about the messages would become clear.
Reading through the clues a few words stuck out as being slightly unusual -e.g. BAPU [11 across], GEIT [38 across], ROULE [13 across], EPACT [9 down], SARD [10 down] and COFFS [18 down]. Also these words would still be words if a letter was removed. I concentrated on these clues first. I didn’t get them all but I got enough of them to get some letters in the grid.
From this point solving proceeded fairly slowly and I wasn’t getting anything out of the skeletal messages I was building up.
Indeed it wasn’t till towards the end of the solving that the penny dropped. It was VIOLET and VERU? that was the trigger for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to come to mind. That then helped me see the outline of OOMPA LOOMPAS and WILLY WONKA coming from the extra letters in wordplay.
The two messages were:
Firstly, formed form letters removed from the clues: AUGUSTUS, VIOLET, VERUCA and MIKE. These were the Christian names of the losers. Their respective surnames which had to be removed from the grid were GLOOP, BEAUREGARDE, SALT and TEAVEE.
The second message was OOMPA LOOMPAS WILLY WONKA, the organisers of the competition.
The original grid looked like this:
Removing the surnames from the grid affected a significant number of entries [ twenty three in all I reckon] and, ignoring spaces, gave us,
| Across | Down |
| 1: BA | 1: BU [abbreviation for bushel] |
| 2: STALE | 2: PARABLE |
| 12: CLAN | 3: BIB |
| 13: RAINING | 4: ENO [English National Opera] |
| 14: ARBOD | 21: RIN [Scottish form of RUN] |
| 15: CASE | 24: PEDAL |
| 16: GAS | 27: MODE |
| 19: MACON [smoked salted mutton or, capitalised, a heavy red or white Burgundy wine] | 31: OLÉ again |
| 21: IBS [Irritable Bowel Syndrome] | |
| 25: OLÉ [exclamation of approval] | |
| 26: MEERS [alternative spelling of MERES {pools or small lakes}] | |
| 28: SMA‘ [small] | |
| 33: ATTAP [nipa palm] | |
| 36: CLOSE IN | |
| 39: Y |
Studying these new words, a couple seemed a bit odd – BU and ARBOD. For BU I found an abbreviation in Chambers, so that left ARBOD which would become a word if the final D was changed to R to give ARBOR
The final bit of work required us to highlight the winner. The diagonal is usually a good place to look and there we find BUCKET the surname of Charlie.
Having changed the D to R in ARBOD to ARBOR we can see RD in row 4, columns 6 and 7, the two middle columns. RD are the initials of ROALD DAHL, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 2016 is the 100th anniversary of DAHL‘s birth
The final grid looked like this:
The title, ELIMINATION CONTEST refers to the fact that the losers disappeared into various bits of the Chocolate Factory. Nobody really knows whether they died [were eliminated] or not.
There are a few clues where I am not sure I have really understood the wordplay or the relevance of some parts of the clue. I think I’m in the right area in all of them but readers may have better parsings than me of 5 across (STABLE), 40 across (UREDIA) and 21 down (VEERING).
| Across | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. |
Clue Amended Clue |
Removed Letter |
Wordplay |
Extra Letter |
Entry |
|
1
|
‘Rocky’ aware, maybe, sailor turned against sailor (6)
‘Rocky’ ware, maybe, sailor turned against sailor (6) |
A
|
AB (able seaman; sailor) reversed (turned) + SALT (sailor) BA< SALT |
|
BASALT (dark coloured igneous rock; rocky ware [articles of a specific type of material])
|
|
5
|
Together, sat on tree trunk (6)
|
|
STA (it’s an anagram of SAT but I can’t see an anagram indicator, so I’m not sure how we know to get to STA) + BOLE (tree trunk) STA* BLE |
O |
STABLE (one of the synonyms of ‘together’ in Chambers thesaurus is STABLE in the sense of well-balanced or well-adjusted)
|
|
11
|
Its seeds can adorn bapu perhaps, being mostly sprinkled (4)
Its seeds can adorn bap perhaps, being mostly sprinkled (4) |
U |
Anagram of (sprinkled) BEING excluding the final letter (mostly) G BENI* |
|
BENI (sesame, a seed that is often found on a bap [breakfast roll]) |
| 12 |
Charge some particle anew (5)
Chare some particle anew (5) |
G |
CLEAN (hidden word in [some] PARTICLE ANEW) |
|
CLEAN (CHARE is a variant spelling of CHAR [to do house-cleaning]) |
| 13 |
Roule of master, say, falling after time (8)
Role of master, say, falling after time (8) |
U |
T (time) + RAINING (falling as or like RAIN) |
|
TRAINING (one of the roles of a master is to TRAIN his pupils) |
|
14
|
Error comes after attention drop? (6)
|
|
EAR (attention) + BOOB (error) EAR BOB |
O |
EARBOB (an earring; a DROP can be defined as anything that hangs like a DROP [one of Chambers self-referential definitions)
|
|
15
|
Ideal existentialist (European) (5) |
|
CAMUS (reference Albert CAMUS [1913 – 1960], French philosopher and existentialist) + E (European) CAUS E |
M |
CAUSE (an ideal) |
|
16 |
Chief officers answer expression of astonishment (4) |
|
A + GASP (expression of astonishment) A GAS |
P |
AGAS (Turkish chief officers) |
| 19 |
Condensed set of instructions note indicator of stone’s length (6)
Condensed set of instructions note indicator of tone’s length (6) |
S |
MACRO (a single instruction that brings a set of instructions in operation; condensed set of instructions) + N (note) |
|
MACRON (straight line placed over a vowel to show it is long; indicator of tone’s length) |
|
21 |
Vice-Admiral encounters painful condition in stout shoes (4) |
|
VA (Vice-Admiral) + IBS (irritable bowel syndrome; painful conditions) V IBS |
A |
VIBS (shoes with Vibram [tough heavily-patterned rubber used, without nails, for the soles of climbing and walking boots] soles; stout shoes) |
|
22 |
Short-lived public alarm, mark the French (5) |
|
SCAR (mark) + LE (one of the French forms of ‘the’) SCAR E |
L
|
SCARE (short lived and often-unwarranted, public alarm)
|
| 24 |
Priest to detain returning sons (5)
Pries to detain returning sons (5) |
T |
KEEP (detain) reversed (returning) + S (sons) PEEK< S |
|
PEEKS (takes a sly look; pries) |
| 25 | Impertinently view old poet’s end (4) |
|
O (old) + GOLE (obsolete [Milton etc {poets} spelling of GOAL aim; end] O GLE |
O |
OGLE (eye impertinently) |
| 26 |
They oversee statues, rejecting spaces in Scottish yard? On the contrary (6)
They oversee states, rejecting spaces in Scottish yard? On the contrary (6) |
U |
REE (Scottish word for a partially roofed walled yard) reversed (rejecting) contained in (in) EMS (spaces in printing) i.e. the opposite (on the contrary) of spaces rejected in Scottish yard EM (EER)< S |
|
EMEERS (independent rules in Islamic countries; they oversee States) |
|
28
|
Exalted honorific, special sacred syllable inscribed in stone, perhaps (4)
|
|
S (special) + (OM [a sacred syllable intoned as part of Hindu devotion and contemplation, symbolizing the Vedic scriptures, the three worlds] contained in [in]AA [type of scoriaceous volcanic rock with a rough surface and many jagged fragments; stone]) S A (M) A |
O |
SAMA (a title given to an exalted or distinguished person in Japan) |
| 30 |
Entrance turning on single small slots (5)
Entrance turning on single small lots (5) |
S |
DOOR (entrance) reversed (turning on) + S (small) ROOD< S |
|
ROODS (plots of land measuring a quarter of an acre; lots [patches of ground]) |
|
33 |
Edmund’s to adorn clothes covering back section (6) |
|
MAT (covering) + PART (section) reversed (back) AT TRAP< |
M |
ATTRAP (Spenserian word for adorn with trappings; to dress or array; adorn clothes) |
| 36 | Approached, attitude departs in prison, mostly (8, 2 words) |
|
(POSE [attitude] + D [depart]) contained in (in) CLINK (slang word for prison) excluding the final letter (mostly) K CL (OSE D) IN |
P |
CLOSED IN (approached) |
| 37 |
Rolling meadow in New England? It’s no longer used to produce vetch (5)
Rolling meadow in New England? It’s no longer used to produce etch (5) |
V |
LEE (meadow) reversed (rolling) contained in (in) NE (New England) N (EEL)< E |
|
NEELE (obsolete [no longer] form of NEEDLE [a tool for etching]) |
| 38 |
In Scotland geit sick, delirious round about start of winter (4)
In Scotland get sick, delirious round about start of winter (4) |
I |
MAD (delirious) reversed (round) containing (about) W (first letter of [start of] WATER) D (W) AM< |
|
DWAM (Scottish word for fail in health or sudden sickness; get sick) |
| 39 |
As sloop in descent, coil in rope not acceptable (6)
As slop in descent, coil in rope not acceptable (6) |
O |
LOOP (coil) contained in (in) GUY (rope used to steady something) excluding (not) U (socially acceptable) G (LOOP) Y |
|
GLOOPY (descriptive of falling in a thick viscous dribble, a bit like slop) I usually associate SLOP with something more liquid than a GLOOPY substance |
| 40 | Pustules as treated in drugstore waste money on reflection (6) |
|
UREA (a waste substance) + AID (money) reversed (on reflection) URE DIA< |
A |
UREDIA (pustules) I am not sure where the phrase ‘as treated in drugstores’ is used in the wordplay |
| Down | |||||
| No. |
Clue Amended Clue |
Removed Letter |
Wordplay |
Extra Letter |
Entry |
| 1 |
Save each source of astringent slap (5)
Save each source of astringent sap (5) |
L |
BUT (except; save) + EA (each) |
BUTEA (genus of papilionaceous trees, including the dhak, yielding Bengal kino [astringent resinous substance that exudes from various tropical trees]) |
|
|
2 |
Box black nail (8) |
|
SPAR (box) + SABLE (black) SPAR ABLE |
S |
SPARABLE (small headless nail used by shoemakers) |
| 3 | Left out, I cry over black old month (4) |
|
(I + BAWL [cry] excluding [out] L [left]) all reversed (over) + B (black as in pencil leads) (AB I)< B |
W |
ABIB (earlier [old] name for the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar) |
| 4 |
Clothe nut in large overcoat, initially (4)
Cloth nut in large overcoat, initially (4) |
E |
EN (space in printing also known as a NUT) contained in (in) LO (first letters [initially] of each of LARGE and OVERCOAT) L (EN) O |
|
LENO (thin muslin-like fabric; cloth) |
| 5 |
Scott’s to wash out once since break of day (4)
Scot’s to wash out once since break of day (4) |
T |
SIN (archaic [once] word for ‘since’) + D (first letter of [break of] DAY) |
|
SIND (Scottish word for ‘rinse’ or ‘wash out’) |
| 6 |
It lives within France, sporting scalae (6)
It lies within France, sporting scalae (6) |
V |
Anagram of (sporting) SCALAE ALSACE* |
|
ALSACE (Region of France; it lies within France) |
| 7 | Live Japanese fish attracting university admirer (4) |
|
BE (live) + AI (variant spelling of AYU [small edible Japanese fish]) + U (university) BE A U |
I |
BEAU (lover; boyfriend; admirer) |
|
8 |
Running loop, see, catching young woman (5) |
|
LO (behold; see) containing (catching) LASS (young woman) L (ASS) O |
L |
LASSO ( rope with a running noose for catching horses etc; running loop) |
| 9 |
Taking in number, mostly record epact, maybe (7)
Taking in number, mostly record pact, maybe (7) |
E |
ENTER (record [in a log book for instance]) excluding the final letter (mostly) R containing (taking in) TEN (a number) EN (TEN) TE |
|
ENTENTE (friendly agreement or relationship between states, pact maybe) |
| 10 |
Sard tawny initially with rising smoke (6)
Sad tawny initially with rising smoke (6) |
R |
T (first letter of [initially] TAWNY) + CIGAR (smoke) reversed (rising; down clue) T RAGIC< |
|
TRAGIC (extremely sad) |
| 15 |
Scout’s plain shell lacks calcium (5)
Scot’s plain shell lacks calcium (5) |
U |
CARCASE (incendiary shell) excluding (lacks) CA (chemical symbol for calcium) |
|
CARSE (Scottish word for an alluvial riverside plain) |
| 17 | Trumpets entertain Kent area employers (5) |
|
LURS ( long curved Bronze Age trumpets of a style still used in Scandinavian countries for calling cattle, etc.) containing (entertain) SE (South East; area of the United Kingdom where the county of Kent is situated) U (SE) RS |
L |
USERS (employers) |
| 18 |
In Dallas, coffs nicest essence (4)
In Dallas, offs nicest essence (4) |
C |
ICES (central letters [essence] of NICEST) |
|
ICES (OFFS is an American slang term for ‘kills’) |
| 19 | Shark might stun (4) |
|
MAY (might) + KO (knock out; stun) MA KO |
Y |
MAKO (any of several sharks of the genus Isurus) |
| 20 |
Did spay doe, perhaps covering trail all round (8)
Did spy doe, perhaps covering trail all round (8) |
A |
(DEER [a doe is a female DEER] containing [covering)](DRAG [trail]) all reversed (all round) (RE (GARD) ED)<
|
|
REGARDED (observed; spied) |
| 21 |
For instance, limner’s letting out tailless American thrush on meadow (7)
For instance, liner’s letting out tailless American thrush on meadow (7) |
M |
VEERY (American thrush) excluding the last letter (tailless) Y + ING (an English meadow. especially one beside a river) VEER ING |
|
VEERING (changing direction as an ocean liner does when it alters course. I’m not sure how ‘letting out’ relates to changing course so possibly I’m missing something here) |
| 23 | Old German rule over the ocean (6) |
|
LAW (rule) reversed (over) + MAIN (sea; ocean) AL< MAIN |
W |
ALMAIN (German) |
|
24
|
American writer, old boy up for pleasure craft (6) |
|
POE (reference Edgar Allan POE [1809 – 1849] American writer) + (O [old] + LAD [boy]) reversed (up; down clue) PE (DAL O)< |
O |
PEDALO (small pedal-propelled boat used, especially on lakes, for pleasure) |
| 27 | Poise brought order back (5)
Pose brought order back (5) |
I |
(LED [brought; LED out synonymous with brought out] + OM [Order of Merit]) all reversed (back) (MO DEL)< |
|
MODEL (pose) |
| 29 | Sleep on the left, predominantly, causing breathing difficulties for Jonathan (5) |
|
NAP (sleep) + NEAR (left; left side of cars, horses, roads etc) excluding the final letter (predominantly) R AP NEA |
N |
APNEA (cessation of breathing, asphyxia; breathing difficulties) APNEA is an American spelling and JONATHAN can be defined as the people of the United States, collectively, or a typical specimen |
| 31 | Wacko’s spread dole out along the way (4)
Waco’s spread dole out along the way (4) |
K |
OLEO (hidden word in [along the way] DOLE OUT) |
|
OLEO (a short form of OLEOmargarine, a yellow fatty substance obtained from beef tallow and used in the manufacture of margarine in America [Waco is a town in America]; Waco’s spread) |
|
32
|
E.g. paste film over line disfiguring yard at first (4) E.g. past film over line disfiguring yard at first (4) |
E |
OLDY (initial letters [at first] of OVER LINE DISFIGURING YARD) |
|
OLDY (old film, produced or popularized, etc a considerable time ago; past film) |
| 34 | Tee shirt in Perth for Nicholas, for instance (4) |
|
T (tee) + SARK (Scottish word for a shirt) T SAR |
K |
TSAR (reference TSAR Nicholas, one of two Emperors of Russia of that name) |
| 35 | Old side of meat prepared with energy (4) |
|
Anagram of (prepared) MEAT + E (energy) TEM* E |
A |
TEME (obsolete [old] spelling of TEAM [side]) |
Thanks Duncan, and to Eclogue for a very enjoyable puzzle.
My way in was spotting the surnames in the grid (GLOOP and then SALT) before I had managed to make any sense of the message.
re: 21d. Through solving this, I learned that VEER = to let out a rope in sailing.
Oops, forgot to amend my name from the previous IQ blog
Hi Duncan, thanks for the blog.
I misremembered Waco as Wako initially which left me looking for Mice as one of the losers instead of Mike, though looking up Charlie and the Chocolate Factory soon put me straight on that
In 5a I think that the anagram indicator is “on” in the sense (perhaps) of “on the way to being drunk”.
In 40a Chambers has uredium as a US form so I think the reference to a drugstore is to indicate an american usage.
In 21d veer 2 (naut) is to slack – as well as to pay out cable as Kippax said; and let out is to widen, slacken or enlarge.
Thanks also to Eclogue for the puzzle.
Really enjoyed this. I agree with John Lowe @3 – ON is the anagram indicator
Thanks to setter and blogger
This was a really enjoyable puzzle, with a PDM that raised a smile. To get all those names in there struck me as being very impressive. Perhaps middling as regards difficulty. More like this please. 🙂
Yes, I enjoyed this too. I found it tough going, with the bottom right last to fall, and only then did Wonka appear, and so, and so. A clever grid, with a late-ermerging (for me) PDM, and then a clear route all the way to the end.
Thanks to Eclogue and Duncan for a very helpful, detailed blog clearing up several lingering niggles. I do hope ‘on’ doesn’t catch on as an anagram indicator.
@6 – it’s not that new – I’ve seen it quite a few times over the years in the Listener and Inquisitor.
Well – what one learns when solving the Inquisitor. For me, it was the broad-brush plot of Willy Wonka. An entertaining (if not overly taxing) puzzle. Thanks go to Eclogue and Duncan.
Much enjoyed; thanks as always to both setter and blogger! Nice to have one where I actually know the book and don’t have to Google all the details. Once I noticed most of WILLY WONKA taking shape at the end of Message 2, it was all plain sailing.
One small cavil: The title, ELIMINATION CONTEST refers to the fact that the losers disappeared into various bits of the Chocolate Factory. Nobody really knows whether they died [were eliminated] or not. It’s quite clear really. Though eliminated from the competition to determine who inherits the factory, they all survive and reappear near the end in variously misshapen and discoloured form.
Eclogue would like to thank duncanshiell for this excellent analysis of Elimination Contest. Thanks also to the commentators on this blog. We are delighted at the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the puzzle shown here. Eclogue’s own blog contains our notes on the puzzle and can be accessed at http://eclogue-eclogue.blogspot.co.uk/.
Many thanks to all concerned, particularly John Henderson and his team of checkers.
I can’t think of where else to ask this – where does one find the Inquisitor puzzle? Is it subscription only? I can only find reference to its being in the Independent, but can’t find on the website – is it available online?
Thanks!
Cormac @11
The Inquisitor used to be in the Independent (prior to the demise of the print version) but it is now in the i newspaper every Saturday. It is not available online.
Thank you! Surprising how hard that info is to find…
If you have access to http://library.pressdisplay.com you can get it there.
Thanks Duncan and Eclogue. I enjoyed this one, and another complete finish which was very nice. Good idea for the theme too.