“As a gesture of ENTENTE solvers must 1ac 15 43 28 24 44 and complete the tripartite expression at 17 14 12. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
Solvers are to PAINT FRANCE’S TRICOLEUR – BLEU, BLANC, ROUGE.
The expression is LIBERTÉ, EGALITÉ, FRATERNITÉ.
This was certainly on the easier side of the EV oeuvre, and I don’t think I’ll have been alone in guessing the tripartite expression before even attempting any clues. It was nonetheless very enjoyable, and I do like a pleasing final grid.
I imagine the European focus is no coincidence, and that perhaps the 2016 edition of Chambers Dictionary may be the only thing from that year that this puzzle recommends. Listener No.4578 Trick or Treat by Deuce also came out at Hallowe’en and referenced Europe.
Notation
(xxx) = definition
[xxx] = (anagram/homophone/container/etc.) indicator
XXX* = anagram
< = reversal
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6 | FLAME-LEAF | [Sadly] {FELL A [mostly] FAME |
| 13 | ROOT EATER | Creature that consumes beet, say, {ATE OR TORE}* [carelessly] (9, two words) |
| 16 | ALL-UP | Total |
| 18 | IGBO | Ethnic group’s |
| 20 | LATRIA | A TRIAL (An effort) [putting forward] L ([bit of] LOGIC) for veneration accorded to God alone (6) |
| 21 | NAILDEAD | [Excitedly] {HAILED AN}* architectural ornament (8) |
| 22 | MINOAN | Ancient Cretan MAN (fellow) [keeps] IN (wearing) O (nothing) (6) |
| 23 | BOA | < OB (Former pupil) [repelled] [by] A snake (3) |
| 26 | ANTE | < ETNA [Reviewed] (vessel)’s advanced payment (4) |
| 29 | PIPIT | [Centre of] troPIcal PIT (fruit stone) for bird (5) |
| 31 | ARC | [Limitless] MARCH (boundary) line that isn’t straight (3) |
| 32 | CREDIT | Reputation of < RC (Red Cross) [recalled] with < TIDE (trend) [reversed] (6) |
| 34 | ABERDEEN | Scottish dog, {AN E (ENGLISH) BREED}*[ (mongrel) ] (8) |
| 37 | ATTRAP | Ed’s to adorn AT ([shell of] A |
| 40 | ERUV | [Part of] |
| 41 | TISRI | I (Independence) [during] [all but start of] < |
| 42 | GAPESEEDS | G |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PLANOBLAST | Jellyfish; PLAN (scheme) [essentially] remOved BLAST (blight) (10) |
| 2 | ATLATL | ATL (Ex teachers) [repeatedly] throwing stick (6) |
| 3 | NOUL | SOUL (Innermost being) [changing direction]: highest part of the body (4) |
| 4 | TOP HAT | OP (Work) [goes into] THAT formal wear (6, two words) |
| 5 | SITE | [Regularly] SeT tImE for old man’s rise (4) |
| 7 | LABDA | Letter of < AD (publicity) [turning up] [supporting] LAB (research establishment) (5) |
| 8 | MELIC | [Some] rhyME LICensed to be sung (5) |
| 9 | ERA | [Half] ERA |
| 10 | LOTO | LOT (Much) O (of) game now rare (4) |
| 11 | AMI | Friend (thematically) (3) |
| 19 | OMNIBUS | <{SUB (U-boat) IN MO (short time)} [turning up] as transport for great number (7) |
| 25 | BARTER | Swap BART (noble briefly) with ER (Queen) (6) |
| 27 | TOERAG | ERA (Age) [in] TOG (garment) for tramp (6) |
| 29 | PIPAL | PIP (Pluck) A L (large) tree (5) |
| 30 | PAREU | PARE (Trim) U (uniform), item of central Pacific clothing (5) |
| 33 | ERIC | Fine < CIRÉ (glazed fabric) [turning up] (4) |
| 35 | EVEN | Nearly bard’s close of day (4) |
| 36 | DIDO | Carthaginian queen’s caper in Las Vegas (4) |
| 38 | TAR | < RAT (Act as informer) [about] sailor (3) |
| 39 | AGO | CHICAGO (Midwestern city) [lacking] CHIC in the past (3) |
| P | A | I | N | T | S | F | L | A | M | E | L | E | A | F |
| L | T | R | O | O | T | E | A | T | E | R | O | F | M | R |
| A | L | L | U | P | I | G | B | O | L | A | T | R | I | A |
| N | A | I | L | H | E | A | D | M | I | N | O | A | N | T |
| O | T | B | O | A | B | L | A | N | C | B | A | N | T | E |
| B | L | E | U | T | P | I | P | I | T | A | R | C | O | R |
| L | C | R | E | D | I | T | A | B | E | R | D | E | E | N |
| A | T | T | R | A | P | E | R | U | V | T | I | S | R | I |
| S | A | E | I | G | A | P | E | S | E | E | D | S | A | T |
| T | R | I | C | O | L | E | U | R | N | R | O | U | G | E |
Indeed, Mr Sting. The European focus was no coincidence, though this was set some time ago. I wonder whether more of the same (Like Deuce’s Trick or Treat) will be appearing in January, April and forever). Many thanks for the blog.
Looking at the printed solution in Sunday’s paper, the answer for 44A was TRICOLOUR rather than TRICOLEUR as shown above.
I had noticed that either spelling would fit and chose the French version also.
It is entirely possible that either verison would have been accepted.
Thanks to Chalicea and to Mister Sting