The first 14 Across clues have misprints and the last 14 down clues also have misprints. The across misprints give three elements of a game and the down misprints a thematic phrase. I suspect this is not a football theme, but sounds at the easier end of the spectrum.
And so it proved to be.
The down clues gave the theme as Alice in Wonderland – OFF WITH HIS HEAD, with the across clues yielding the parts of the game of croquet
MALLET (FLAMINGO)
BALL (HEDGEHOG)
HOOP (PLAYING CARDS)
The brackets give the items to find in the completed grid – shaped roughly as you would expect (but not symmetrical)
And as it should be (saving the hedgehog from a battering)
Merci beaucoup Gaston – A neat and enjoyable puzzle
Key: * anagram; DD double definition; Rev. reversed; underline definition
| Misprint | ACROSS |
| 1 TV show with pedal exercises (6) | |
| M | 1 TV show with medal exercises (6) |
| QI (TV show) + gong (medal) = QIGONG | |
| 7 Take in sailors’ bell (6) | |
| A | 7 Take in sailors’ ball (6) |
| abs(sailors) + orb (ball) = ABSORB | |
| 12 Odd gentlemen contemptuously reject South American politician (7) | |
| L | 12 Old gentlemen contemptuously reject South American politician (7) |
| Rev. s (south) + Harris (American politician) = SIRRAHS | |
| 14 Thick black socks are for changing (4) | |
| L | 14 Thick black locks are for changing (4) |
| (a + for)* = AFRO | |
| 15 Choosy artist who hated her mother? (7) | |
| E | 15 Choose artist who hated her mother? (7) |
| elect (choose) + ra (artist) = ELECTRA | |
| 16 Irrigates somewhere in France (6) | |
| T | 16 Irritates somewhere in France (6) |
| DD ANGERS | |
| 17 Cats stare once at first (5) | |
| B | 17 Bats stare once at first (5) |
| (stare)* = EARST | |
| 19 It may help boldness to be randy in vehicle! (6) | |
| A | 19 It may help baldness to be randy in vehicle! (6) |
| rut (to be randy) in bus (vehicle) = BRUTUS | |
| 20 New age gives protection (5) | |
| L | 20 New age lives protection (5) |
| (age)* + is (lives) = AEGIS | |
| 22 Sorry when flower loses heart (6) | |
| L | 22 Lorry when flower loses heart (6) |
| campion – p (heart) = CAMION | |
| 25 Nothing on farm for an Egyptian, perhaps (4) | |
| H | 25 Nothing on harm for an Egyptian, perhaps (4) |
| o (nothing) + mar (harm) = OMAR | |
| 26 Print describes empty bar being completely full (5) | |
| O | 26 Point describes empty bar being completely full (5) |
| aim (point) around br (empty bar) = ABRIM | |
| 29 Singer’s rule – invest current $1000 in gambling game (6) | |
| O | 29 Singer’s role – invest current $1000 in gambling game (6) |
| i (current) + g ($1000) in faro (gambling game) = FIGARO | |
| 30 Several cases of drowsy dames somehow gaining energy (6) | |
| P | 30 Several cases of dropsy dames somehow gaining energy (6) |
| (dames)* around e(energy) = EDEMAS | |
| 32 A worm destroyed tree (5) | |
| (a worm)* = MOWRA | |
| 33 Jokes turned up partners (4) | |
| Rev. up + ns (partners) = PUNS | |
| 34 We hear Rockall is one small hole (6) | |
| Homonym of islet (Rockall) = EYELET | |
| 35 Carry second-rate jewellery (5) | |
| b (second-rate) + ring (jewellery) = BRING | |
| 37 Look to stuff salmon for American’s dining room (6) | |
| lo (look) in parr(salmon) = PARLOR | |
| 38 Ox nearly swallows Australian dumpling (5) | |
| gyal (ox) – l around oz (Australian) = GYOZA | |
| 40 Buddy sounds as if he has a cold? (6) | |
| Homonym of rheumy (has a cold) = ROOMIE | |
| 41 One reveres storyteller hoarding silver (7) | |
| Homer (storyteller) around ag (silver) = HOMAGER | |
| 43 The same moment – almost (4) | |
| twink(moment) – k = TWIN | |
| 44 Key change made at start of difficult puzzle perhaps for TV addict (7) | |
| boggler (difficult puzzle) swapping g for b (key change) = GOGGLER | |
| 45 Deity chanted most of poem … (6) | |
| sung(chanted) + ode(poem) – e = SUNGOD | |
| 46 … and another absurdly phony section (6) | |
| (phony + s)* = HYPNOS | |
| DOWN | |
| 2 Scottish girl plays against the French (4) | |
| is (plays) + la (the French) = ISLA | |
| 3 Bird’s end of song that is sounding majestic (9) | |
| g (end of song) + ie(that is) + Homonym of regal = GIER-EAGLE | |
| 4 Regularly correct Tolkien’s monster (3) | |
| cOrReCt = ORC | |
| 5 Boast about special sheaves of wheat (5) | |
| Rev. brag(boast) + s (special) = GARBS | |
| 6 ‘There will be trouble ahead!’ hooted a Harrow bully (13, five words) | |
| (hooted a harrow)* = A HARD ROW TO HOE | |
| 8 False tale about soldier being small and combative (6) | |
| bam (false tail) about ant (soldier) = BANTAM | |
| 9 Minerals found in middle of large wood (4) | |
| forest (large wood) – ft = ORES | |
| 10 Boy is dismissed with lines (4) | |
| ro (dismissed) + ry (lines) = RORY | |
| 11 American friends holding functions on cliff which may provide introductions (13, two words) | |
| buds(american friends) around sines(functions) + scar (cliff) = BUSINESS CARDS | |
| 13 Organised a cruise — for the more promiscuous? (7) | |
| (acruise)* = SAUCIER | |
| 18 Sailor gabbles Italian to get expensive headwear for poet (4) | |
| O | 18 Sailor gobbles Italian to get expensive headwear for poet (4) |
| Tar (sailor) around I (Italian) = TIAR | |
| 20 Wed girl with sex appeal and goodwill! (5) | |
| F | 20 Fed girl with sex appeal and goodwill! (5) |
| amy (girl) around it (sex appeal) = AMITY | |
| 21 Count has good set of pliers (4) | |
| F | 21 Count has good set of fliers (4) |
| g (good) + RAF (set of fliers) = GRAF | |
| 23 Girl stops local chap — a creator of antibodies (9) | |
| W | 23 Girl stows local chap — a creator of antibodies (9) |
| Imogen (girl) around mun (local chap) = IMMUNOGEN | |
| 24 Great champ’s detailed colour (5) | |
| I | 24 Great chimp’s detailed colour (5) |
| Orange (colour) – e = ORANG | |
| 27 Illegally grade northern town ‘good’ (7) | |
| T | 27 Illegally trade northern town ‘good’ (7) |
| Bootle(Northern town) + g (good) = BOOTLEG | |
| 28 In York, catch one item protecting the dead in Lyon (4) | |
| H | 28 In York, catch one item protecting the head in Lyon (4) |
| kep (In York catch) + i (one) = KEPI | |
| 31 Paul has change of heart for task in Perth (4) | |
| H | 31 Haul has change of heart for task in Perth (4) |
| drag (haul) changing heart (ra to ar) = DARG | |
| 32 All at ease in more wool (6) | |
| I | 32 Ill at ease in more wool (6) |
| (in more)* = MERINO | |
| 35 Baron, natty type but heartless, creates Iron Age tower (5) | |
| S | 35 Baron, nasty type but heartless, creates Iron Age tower (5) |
| b (baron) + rough (nasty type) – u (heart) = BROGH | |
| 36 Climbing cat with beard you found in South Pacific (4) | |
| H | 36 Climbing cat with heard you found in South Pacific (4) |
| Rev. Tom (cat) + u (heard you) = MOTU | |
| 37 Quietly admit its tail is greenish blur in Scotland (4) | |
| E | 37 Quietly admit its tail is greenish blue in Scotland (4) |
| p (quietly) + own (admit) = POWN | |
| A | 39 Some geezer outside is damn ill (4) |
| 39 Some geezer outside is damn all (4) | |
| Hiddden geeZER Outside = ZERO | |
| 42 One record for Tom in Switzerland, perhaps (3) | |
| D | 42 One record for Dom in Switzerland, perhaps (3) |
| a (one) + lp (record) = ALP |
Thanks for the blog and to Gaston for the puzzle. I went for a more symmetrical mallet, going down one more row then left and right. Great theme, as always!
Yes, indeed, I believe the symmetrical mallet was the required one rather than one that impales the poor hedgehog. Thanks to twencelas and Gaston.
Very enjoyable from Gaston, loved the theme and the way the thematic elements were constructed in shape and size.
Not too tricky gridfull and I was treated to some new words as well as a new phrase at 6D.
I shaded my mallet in the same way as Encota.
Thanks for the blog twencelas and to Gaston for the fun.
Yes, the idea was for the mallet’s head to be represented by the NGO in SUNGOD on the bottom line – thus completing the symmetry….but no matter, as long as the puzzle was enjoyed.
I have good memories of one previous puzzle by Gaston that I completed except for a few thematic items at the end that I did not recognise. The quality and pitch of the clues were again just right, and it was good to have a mix of normal clues and those with misprints – also to be told which clues were which.
I got the theme when I had about half of the first set of letters, beginning MAL-E- and hinting at ball and hoop further on. That obviously helped to nail the theme and the left-hand column. My last solution in the grid was the long phrase going down the middle, which I have not come across before.
Thanks to Gaston and twencelas.
Thanks all re. the mallet. Apologies to the hedgehog. Seen so many squashed ones, I must have subconsciously addd to the count.
Very enjoyable, and a pleasing PDM when I recognised the context. As I may just possibly have said before (!) I approve of setters going the extra mile to organise gimmicked clues (where this doesn’t give thematic information away) in some structured way.
I don’t have a copy of the puzzle, but I think there was reference to the highlighted groups being symmetrical? If so that would have obviated the impalement.
An entertaining puzzle, with the thematic elements nicely constructed in the grid. Thanks Gaston and twencelas
Another lovely puzzle by Gaston. Loved the theme and the symmetry. Never heard the phrase at 6D so pleased to look it up. Clever treatment of thematic items in grid. Thanks Gaston and twencelas
Yes, a lovely puzzle, thanks very much. Fun ending, though I had a bit of a problem getting the right number of cells until I realised that there is only one O in HEDGEHOG!