Enigmatic Variations No.1298 – Rings in the Changes? by Encota

“The definition in all but two thematic clues contains a single misprint that must be corrected before solving, occasionally requiring changes in spacing and punctuation. In clue order, the correct letters give two instructions. For the first, solvers must RING THE CHANGES (23 letters in total: 5,9;5;4). The second relates to letters within the six pre-marked rings, real words being formed; the resultant organisation’s director appears in the unclued entry. In the incorrect letters from misprints, perhaps WE FIND TOP TWENTY, DANCING AND CLASSICAL MUSIC; or CANDID NEWS, FACTS, ACTING, COMEDY – WIT/PUNS IN ALL. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”

The answers to the two thematic clues – FIFTIETH and AUNTIE – give a helpful push towards the theme, and indeed we will discover that the six letters in the pre-marked rings are to be replaced by THE BBC.

The two instructions spelled out by the correct letters are RING OLD STATIONS IN NEW SLOTS and MAKE CHANGES HERE. The latter gives us the placement of THE BBC; the former points us towards the first four down clues, viz. LIGHT PROGRAMME, THIRD [Programme], and HOME [Service]. These stations were renamed Radio 2, Radio 3, and Radio 4 respectively.

The unclued entry, H.C. GREENE, was Director-General of the BBC from 1960 to 1969, where he ‘rang in’ many changes.

Notation

(xxx) = definition
[xxx] = (anagram/homophone/container/etc.) indicator
XXX* = anagram
< = reversal

Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.