The preamble tells us that there is an UPLIFTING sentiment found in five sides of the perimeter. However, the grid is a square, so what does this mean?
…It turns out that it means that the top row is to be read twice (hence the ‘five sides’), giving WE’LL MEET AGAIN, DON’T KNOW WHERE, DON’T KNOW WHEN, BUT I KNOW WE’LL MEET AGAIN.
It’s perhaps rather easier to find the expected SOME SUNNY DAY in three verticals than it is to solve the fifteen misprints. However, the misprints read LAST CLUE LETTERS. Lo and B, the last letters of the clues (starting with the final clue, in line with the ‘uplifting’ theme) read SHADE TWELVE LETTERS – COMPLETE PREDICTION.
The puzzle was published on Sunday 19th March – the day before Vera Lynn’s 100th birthday.
This was a very enjoyable puzzle. I found the correct letters L and T (of LAST) very hard. I was convinced they were U (for ‘sun’) and N (for ‘nit’). Got there in the end, though.
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | WYES | Letters W (with) YES (supporter of motion) (4) | |
| 11 | MOTED | Containing small faults, T (tense) [in] [rowdy] DEMO* (5) | |
| 12 | AVGOLEMONO | O ([Drop of] OUZO) [after] A VG (very good) O (old) LEMON (pale yellow) soup, perhaps from Santorini (10) | |
| 13 | NORSELS | {R (Take) LESSON}* [about] lines for fastening hooks and net (7) | |
| 14 | LEAN ON | [Unhappily] ALONE* [nursing] N (NEED, [at first]) use pressure as persuasive tactic (6, two words) | |
| 15 | IONIUM | Radioactive material [shattered] OU (African man) [found in] [reversing] < MINI (6) | |
| 17 | IDEM | [With A (acres) [going] for M (money)], IDEA (plan)’s same as just mentioned (4) | |
| 18 | ANNAS | AN (Article) <SAN (convalescent home) [returned] for small change in old Bangalore (5) | |
| 20 | ARAK | ARK (Vessel) [holding] A drink of fermented rice and sugar (4) | |
| 21 | TAKE | TA (Volunteers) KE (energy of movement)’s grasp (4) | |
| 23 | DINNA | Scots do not DIN (assail the ears with noise): NA (not applicable) (5) | |
| 25 | YARN | After Y (DAY’s [end]), A RN (RUN-ON [empty]) tale spun out (4) | |
| 28 | BYPAST | B |
|
| 30 | BEWAIL | Strongly regret <{A WEB (complex trap)} [being put back], IL ([mostly] ILL) (6) | |
| 31 | SOMEHOW | In an unspecified way [before] W ([start of] WAR), {O (ordinary) HOMES} [broken up] (7) | |
| 32 | NATIVISTIC | [Eccentric] {ACTIVIST IN} protectively upholding aggressive patriotism (10) | |
| 34 | ERODE | Become worn away ERE (before) [holding] [revolutionary] <DO (5) | |
| 35 | AMAH | [Found in] AssAM, A Handy domestic (4) | |
| Down | |||
| L | 1 | EYE OF DAY | EYE (Ancient brood), D (dead), AY (alas), [including] OF (aged) son according to animists (8, three words) |
| A | 2 | LEERIE | L (MetaLwork [in essence]) EERIE (weird), making lump lighter in Dollar (6) |
| S | 3 | MAVEN | [Fantastic] NAME* [surrounding) V ([heart of] NAVAL), highly competent port, in Boston maybe (5) |
| T | 4 | EGG | Urge on creation of goose, perhaps, or wit (3) |
| 5 | TOLLMAN | Tax collector [going round] [disorderly] MALL* NOT* [upset] | |
| C | 6 | AMEERS | [Crooked] ARMS* [circling] EE (essentially FREELY) for more than one thief in Lahore (6) |
| L | 7 | GO MAD | Act like a goon from DOGMA* [that’s criminal] (5, two words) |
| U | 8 | ATONER | One eager once to cultivate onion that’s [curiously] ORNATE* (6) |
| 10 | BOSUN | BONUS* [arranged] for crew member responsible for rigging, etc. on MV (5) | |
| E | 16 | CARYOCAR | YO (I’m here) [between] CAR CAR (vehicles) for treks in Brazil (8) |
| L | 19 | NIBLICK | Chub [turned up] <IN B (black) L (lake), ICK (SICK [with head gone]) (7) |
| E | 22 | KOWTOW | KO (Knockout), WTOW ([principally] Wearing Tuxedo, Ornamental Waist) band and bow (6) |
| T | 23 | DRIVEN | Waken in vehicle; D (HOUSEHOLD [finally]) RIVEN (torn apart) (6) |
| T | 24 | NYSSA | Free from swamps, NY (New York) SS ([doubled] S (special) A (acreage) (5) |
| E | 26 | AT-HOME | MOTH* [crushed] [within] AE ([bounds of] AGILE) fist, maybe, in one’s pad (6) |
| R | 27 | IAIDO | I (International) AID (assistance) O (over) military act in Hiroshima (5) |
| 29 | AMIGO | AMI (French pal), GO (ready) mate for Spanish (5) | |
| S | 33 | TIN | Commmonly brash, [primarily] Tough, Incurably Nefarious (3) |
| W | E | L | L | M | E | E | T | A | G | A | I | N |
| W | Y | E | S | A | G | B | O | M | O | T | E | D |
| O | E | E | A | V | G | O | L | E | M | O | N | O |
| N | O | R | S | E | L | S | L | E | A | N | O | N |
| K | F | I | O | N | I | U | M | R | D | E | C | T |
| I | D | E | M | A | N | N | A | S | A | R | A | K |
| T | A | K | E | D | I | N | N | A | Y | A | R | N |
| U | Y | O | I | R | B | Y | P | A | S | T | Y | O |
| B | E | W | A | I | L | S | O | M | E | H | O | W |
| N | A | T | I | V | I | S | T | I | C | O | C | W |
| E | R | O | D | E | C | A | I | G | A | M | A | H |
| H | W | W | O | N | K | T | N | O | D | E | R | E |
Mister Sting, I’ve commented before that it is a shame that more people don’t react to your puzzle reviews. You can be sure that the setters always read and appreciate them – and this one is no exception. I did feel that Vera Lynn deserved some recognition of her reaching the great age of 100 and remaining so alert. The nation’s sweetheart indeed. Thank you, as always.
I would have commented sooner, but I’m still trying to recover from the shock of the “five sides of the perimeter” line in the preamble!
Hi Chalicea,
Don’t fret, I imagine there’s a silent readership. Our business is a relatively niche one in any case.
I enjoy hearing from the setter. I’ve never quite got used to the idea that these puzzles are constructed rather than found objects.