“In SUITABLE POWDER, two letters must be removed from the answers in each row and column and placed at either end of that row/column. All answers are affected and the leftmost/uppermost omitted letters are to be placed in the leftmost/uppermost cell of the column/row. Solvers must complete the grid and highlight a symmetrically disposed representation of the perimeter (6,4). Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
The perimeter of the grid spells:
PRAWN COCKTAIL
BEEF WELLINGTON
BLACK FOREST GATEAU
which is a
SQUARE MEAL
Notation
(xxx) = definition
[xxx] = (anagram/homophone/container/etc.) indicator
XXX* = anagram
< = reversal
SCAUP = removed letter(s)
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SCAUP | SCUP (Swimmer) [stopped by] A (amateur) diver (5) |
| 4 | ALCOPOP | COP (Officer) [overcome by] A LOP (cut) drink (7) |
| 8 | ARABISTS | Language experts BIS (twice) [apprehended] by A (American) RATS (deserters) (8) |
| 10 | CASQUE | QU (Queen) [goes in to] CASE (examine) covering for the head (6) |
| 11 | ARÊTES | Ridges ARE (remain) < SET (fixed) [facing west] (6) |
| 12 | CATALYSES | I (One) [leaving] [reformed] {CAST EAS |
| 14 | INSTAR | Insect form IN (among) STAR (grass at Oban) (6) |
| 16 | FACIA | Old band F (following) A (Australian) CIA (spies) (5) |
| 17 | CONGA | TONGA (Island kingdom) [has C (clubs) for T (tango)] dance music (5) |
| 19 | SWANEE | SWAN (Waterfowl) [by] EE ([banks of] E |
| 21 | INTERLARD | {TR |
| 24 | ASSUME | ASS (Idiot) [and] < EMU [retired] (Australian runner) show arrogance (6) |
| 25 | ALALIA | Inability to talk À LA (in the manner) of LIA |
| 26 | STONEFLY | NOTES* [trilled] [by] FLY (surreptitious) winged creature (8) |
| 27 | ARDÈCHE | [Vagrant] REACHED* a river joining the Rhône (7) |
| 28 | SEIFS | SEIS (Whales) [crossing] F (fine) sand ridges (5) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SACRIFICIAL | {FARCICAL I ([beginning of] INVESTIGATION)}* [is wrong] relating to holocaust (11) |
| 2 | CARAP | Producer of nuts – ACE (one) [removed from] CARAPACE (hard shell) (5) |
| 3 | WAISTS | {I WAS}* [doubtful] [about] ST (quiet) Virginia’s tops (6) |
| 4 | ACTUARIAL | RI (Rhode Island) A (associate) [probing] ACTUAL (material) relating to insurance risk calculations (9) |
| 5 | COURLAN | Bird is O (duck), [caught by] CUR (dog) [on] LAND (soil) [lacking] D (depth) (7) |
| 6 | POKEY | Powerful, PO (stolid) [and] KEY (vital) (4) |
| 7 | TOOTSIE | TOOT (Blast from a horn) IE (that is) [about] S (seven) foot (7) |
| 9 | PASSAGEWAYS | Some means of access PASS (disregard) AGE (mature) WAYS (conditions) (11) |
| 13 | ABSORBATE | A substance that’s sucked in A B (black) SORB (fruit) [and] ATE (swallowed) (9) |
| 15 | NONSKID | N (New) SKI (runner) [in] NOD (bob) designed to minimise sliding! (7) |
| 18 | ALMANAC | A L (Liberal) MANIAC (nutter) [ignoring] I (independent) yearbook (7) |
| 20 | NONANE | [Some] |
| 22 | CRUDE | Vulgar CRUD (contemptible sort) E ([ending in] TROUBLE) (5) |
| 23 | STIFF | Arduous S (society) TIFF (quarrel) (5) |
| P | R | A | W | N | C | O | C | K | T | A | I |
| U | S | C | S | P | A | C | O | P | O | P | L |
| A | A | R | I | S | T | S | U | O | O | P | B |
| E | C | A | S | Q | U | A | R | E | T | S | E |
| T | I | P | T | C | A | A | L | Y | S | S | E |
| A | I | N | S | T | R | B | A | C | I | A | F |
| G | C | O | N | A | I | S | A | N | E | E | W |
| T | I | N | R | L | A | R | D | N | S | W | E |
| S | A | S | U | M | E | A | L | A | I | A | L |
| E | L | I | D | A | S | T | O | N | F | Y | L |
| R | A | D | E | C | H | E | S | E | F | S | I |
| O | F | K | C | A | L | B | N | O | T | G | N |