“In a game of LONDON SONGBOOK, six clues consist of a partial song title that can be completed in a punning fashion by adding the name of a part of London. For instance, If I Were a ____ (from Fiddler on the Roof) might be completed with the word ‘Richmond’ to give a punning version of the song title If I Were a Rich Man. Answers to these clues must be entered where they will fit. In ten across clues, the wordplay leads to the answer and an additional letter not to be entered into the grid. In clue order, these letters give a musical group and a further partial song title; solvers must highlight the eight-letter part of London which might complete the title.”
The parts of London were guessable, which helped along an already quite speedy gridfill. A few clues were a little difficult to parse, but there was no doubt as to the entries. I found it an enjoyable way to occupy a Sunday afternoon.
The extra letters give ____ TO HELL ACDC.
HIGHGATE can be found along the main diagonal (Highway to Hell being the original song).
Notation
(xxx) = definition
[xxx] = (anagram/homophone/container/etc.) indicator
XXX* = anagram
< = reversal
TEE = additional letter
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
Song Titles
* PUTNEY on the Ritz (Irving Berlin) [Puttin on the Ritz]
* 24 Hours From TULSE HILL (Gene Pitney) [24 Hours From Tulsa]
* Sexual EALING (Marvin Gaye) [Sexual Healing]
* MORDEN Has Broken (Cat Stevens) [Morning Has Broken]
* CAMDEN Eileen (Dexys Midnight Runners) [Come on Eileen]
* Another Brick in BLACKWALL (Pink Floyd) [Another Brick in the Wall]
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| T | 1 | EEL | TEE (Support) L (lake) swimmer (3) |
| 9 | ARPANET | ART (Skill) [bringing in] PANE (something to see through) old defence network (7) | |
| O | 10 | POTOO | POO |
| 12 | GROUNDER | G [Start to] GRAB ROUNDER (something spherical) that’s hard to hit? (8) | |
| H | 13 | ISAIAH | HI (Word to greet) AIA (maid) [engrossed in] SH (quiet) book (6) |
| 14 | IRE | Anger and FIRE (passion) [not] F (fine) (3) | |
| E | 15 | NODS | [Wearing] NOSE (scent), D (Democrat) agrees (4) |
| 17 | ENDRIN | [Some] womEN DRINk poison (6) | |
| L | 19 | ALE | |
| 20 | HAEM | HAM (Actor) [pens] E ([end of] LINE) in blood? (4) | |
| L | 22 | SAAG | < {GALA (Festival) S ([initially] SENT)} [back] veg (4) |
| 23 | UTS | ||
| A | 24 | DREAMT | Having fantasised, DARE (risk) AMT (small amount) (6) |
| 27 | PROO | Call to stop P (pressure) on ROO (Euro?) (4) | |
| C | 28 | SEC | Dry, SCENIC – [not] NI (Ulster) (3) |
| 29 | UPTEAR | UP (Increase) TEAR (rent): pull out (6) | |
| D | 31 | ON THE HOP | Restless, {PHONED HOT}* [criminal] (8, three words) |
| 32 | RAYON | CRAYON (Colour) [not] C (coloured) fabric (5) | |
| C | 33 | OBELISE | Condemn as unwanted COB (horse) LIES* [around] E ([middle of] FIELD) (7) |
| 34 | KEN | Bruce on the radio? Scots know (3) | |
| Down | |||
| 2 | ERGS | Work units H (hard), [leaving] HER (that woman’s) GS (Grammar School) (4) | |
| 3 | TAMISE | Material IS TAME (flat) [outside] (6) | |
| 4 | UNGAG | Restore faculty in U (university) GANG* [terrorised]? (5) | |
| 5 | STONE AGE | STONE (Jagger?) AGE (Mature)? A long time ago! (8, two words) | |
| 6 | HONED | HO (Stop) NED (hooligan), for some made sounds of pain? (5) | |
| 7 | LOERIES | Fliers LOSE* [out], [taking] RI |
|
| 8 | LORENZ | Zoologist LORE (teaching) NZ (somewhere down under) (6) | |
| 11 | HADLEE | D (Director)’s [wearing] HALE (drag) and E (English) bowler (6) | |
| 16 | CHAT SHOW | Place to talk C (about) WHAT’S* [up] [around] HO (house) (8, two words) | |
| 18 | RETREE | RETIREE (Pensioner) – I (one) [quits] and leaves the worse for wear (6) | |
| 19 | ADRENAL | A < NERD (geek)’s [thrown up] before [vacuous] A |
|
| 21 | ADSORB | Form attachment to AD (film trailer) < BROS (brothers) [promoted] (6) | |
| 23 | UPTILL | As far as U (you heard), T P (priest) T ([ultimately] FELT) ILL (unwell) (6) | |
| 25 | AD HOC | A DOC (medic) [tours] H (hospital) for a specific reason (5, two words) | |
| 26 | APPEL | Stamp APPAREL (clothes) AR (Arab) [rejected] (5) | |
| 30 | APSE | ||