“The eight unclued entries are thematically linked and each must be entered in an appropriate style. Pairs of clues in numerical sequence provide (one per clue, in either order) a one-word definition and a letter mixture (beginning or ending at a word boundary) of a word that will fit in an unclued slot, giving two alternatives for each of seven slots. The theme dictates both the correct choice for each specific grid location and the style in which it must be entered. Were the non-thematic options used instead, their eight unchecked letters (read in conventional grid order) would spell out THE NAME OF THE GAME, which must be entered under the grid; this provides a further hint to the final thematic entry. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
THE NAME OF THE GAME is (RUSSIAN) ROULETTE.
| Notation | |
|---|---|
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
| Letter mixture | eat noisily (ANTE) |
| One-word definition | stake |
| Thematic/non-thematic alternatives (with unchecked letter of non-thematic option in red, and clue numbers in parentheses) |
HOUSE (29)/ROUSE (23) |
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| 1 | C (Cold) HAM (meat) P (quiet) S (son) does eat noisily (6) | CHAMPS | eat noisily (ANTE) |
| 2 | Unclued | HOUSE (29)/ROUSE (23) | |
| 3 | Promised END (to finish) [conserving] GAGE (time-worn stake) (7) | ENGAGED | stake |
| 4 | V (See) LA ([crust on] L |
SOUVLAKIA | crust |
| 5 | [Render] {BAD CLUE E ([closer to] |
EDUCABLE | render bad (BREAD) |
| 6 | Unclued | DRAUGHT (11)/DROUGHT (19) | |
| 7 | Concluded CASE (event) D (date) [restricts] E ([term of] |
CEASED | date restricts (TREAD) |
| 8 | Unclued | BEAR (35)/BEAU (21) | |
| 9 | LAME (Unable to walk properly), < [overturned] ALL (quite) fine plate (7) | LAMELLA | walk |
| 10 | Pass A (afternoon) [in] E |
ELAPSE | drink |
| 11 | Recipient of award: { |
HONOUREE | award: thug (DRAUGHT) |
| 12 | Buy and sell |
DEAL | sell evacuated (LEVELS) |
| 13 | Guess A (American) U (Unionist) GUR |
AUGUR | ditches |
| 14 | < {MAN (Husband) AP (apparently)} [returning] A (top-class) item of headgear (6) | PANAMA | headgear |
| 15 | {A (Australian) V (against)} [plugging] SOUR (rank) S ([finale of] |
SAVOURS | has taste (HATS) |
| 16 | Fagged to excess: OVERT (evident) D (D |
OVERTIRED | veils displeasure (DEVILS) |
| 17 | Prosthetic [hearts of] |
PEG LEG | fellows |
| 18 | Unclued | DEVILS (16)/LEVELS (12) | |
| 19 | Put cover on {A TH ([drained] T |
SHEATHE | drained trough (DROUGHT) |
| 20 | Salubrious practices: < EH (what) [about] [imbibing] GI |
HYGIENE | thirst |
| 21 | Away from home has spread {TOAST [with] EU}* [bananas] (7, two words) | EATS OUT | EU bananas (BEAU) |
| 22 | [Penning] ETA (her first letter in Greek), HERA (goddess) kept lover (7) | HETAERA | lover |
| 23 | Seat for jumbo user H (hard), < {HAD (endured) WO (without)} [upset] (6) | HOWDAH | jumbo user (ROUSE) |
| 24 | [Provoke] NURSE* T ([beginning to] T |
UNREST | provoke |
| 25 | A (A |
TAUREAN | at start (TATS) |
| 26 | < DEEN (Old racket) [fixed up] – ED ([finishing touches from] ABLE HAND) required (6) | NEEDED | touches |
| 27 | Staring at LOG* [alarmed] IN |
OGLING | insects |
| 28 | OTT (Too much) TIE (restraint) [inhibits] an extremely small child (6) | TOTTIE | inhibits an (ANTS) |
| 29 | IN (Wearing) A (one) N (new) E ( |
INANE | shoe ultimately (HOUSE) |
| 30 | Unclued | HATS (15)/TATS (25) | |
| 31 | Unclued | RUSSIAN | |
| 32 | Dull DEA |
DEADEN | shelter |
| 33 | Unclued | BREAD (5)/TREAD (7) | |
| 34 | Unclued | ANTS (28)/ANTE (1) | |
| 35 | {TUNS ARE}* [bursting] [with] E (English) wine (8) | SAUTERNE | are bursting (BEAR) |
| 36 | Doubt HE’S (that man’s) ATE (upset) [to take IT (relations) in] (8) | HESITATE | take |
| C | H | E | S | E | D | U | C | A | B | L | E |
| H | O | N | O | U | R | E | E | D | E | A | L |
| A | U | G | U | R | A | P | A | N | A | M | A |
| M | S | A | V | O | U | R | S | O | R | E | P |
| P | E | G | L | E | G | D | E | V | I | L | S |
| S | H | E | A | T | H | E | D | E | H | L | E |
| H | Y | D | K | U | T | A | U | R | E | A | N |
| O | G | L | I | N | G | T | O | T | T | I | E |
| W | I | H | A | R | U | S | S | I | A | N | E |
| D | E | A | D | E | N | O | B | R | E | A | D |
| A | N | T | S | S | A | U | T | E | R | N | E |
| H | E | S | I | T | A | T | E | D | A | E | D |
| R | O | U | L | E | T | T | E |
Impressive to have all the clues serving two purposes – that must have been quite a challenge for the setter. Solving the clues was quite quick, giving enough checking to work out the unclued entry options, which was slower. And then getting the entry method took even longer before the penny dropped: at one point, I thought entries might have to be in Cyrillic (the Russian reference) before I realised they needed to be in either black or red. Very enjoyable throughout.
Doh!…I painstakingly transcribed them into some very amateur Cyrillic calligraphy…and felt very smug with myself!…
Thanks to setter and blogger…
I thought it a brilliant puzzle which I thoroughly enjoyed. Loved the colour aspect and the “Russian”.
Thanks Ranunculus and Mr Sting