“Each clue contains an extra word that must be removed before solving; selecting either the first or last letter of these words spells an incomplete sentence, while the other letters spell two instructions. Solvers must carry out the two instructions to reveal the SIX THIEVES. Chambers Dictionary (2016) and ODQ are recommended; all entries at all stages are real words or phrases.”
The incomplete sentence reads “IT IS SAID THAT EATING TOO MUCH LETTUCE IS…” The two instructions are CHANGE CELL TO FINISH SENTENCE / MIX ROW CONTAINING IT.
The final word of the sentence is SOPORIFIC, and the second row is to be changed to FLOPSY BUNNIES, who are the SIX THIEVES.
| Notation | |
|---|---|
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
| Homophone | “WORD” |
| Word to be removed | insomniac |
| Across | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | C | 4 | {AN insomniac DOES IT}* [confused] in state overcome with slumber, perhaps (8) | SEDATION |
| T | H | 11 | Thrush [regularly] S |
SLAE |
| I | A | 13 | [Putting YIPS (nervousness) aside], BUN (do) alibi for imposters (7) | BUNYIPS |
| S | N | 14 | I (One)’s seen [finishing] [preface to] TA |
TAPETI |
| S | G | 15 | Pretty EN (nurse), [primarily] I |
SCENIC |
| A | E | 16 | Invest in [plastic] RH |
ENTHRONE |
| I | A | 17 | RR (Rules) [surrounding] insignia ARE getting harder to find (5) | RARER |
| D | C | 18 | Chopped LEA (grassy field) [at beginning of] P |
LEAP |
| T | E | 20 | [Decayed] {T |
STIRS |
| H | L | 21 | DOC (Dwarf), LEST (for fear that) hell [follows] |
DOCILEST |
| A | L | 23 | DEF |
DEFT |
| T | T | 24 | Cardinal and EVE (First Lady) [in] SN (Senegal) toilet (5) | SEVEN |
| T | O | 25 | [Characters in] shoot-oUT oft EScaped American Indians (4) | UTES |
| H | F | 27 | ED (Journalist) [wrote filth about] PI (sanctimonious) URAL (banker) shot in back (8) | EPIDURAL |
| E | I | 29 | Tiff’s < [sending back] |
SET-TO |
| E | N | 32 | Native N |
NALA |
| F | I | 34 | Pipe WEE (to go) [between] Fiji, TT (Trinidad and Tobago) (5) | TWEET |
| F | S | 35 | Francis |
IT IS SAID |
| E | H | 37 | [Before] UM (I hesitate), BB (pellets) [must be removed from] [wild] RA |
ATRIUM |
| C | S | 38 | Somnific NOISE* [put out] [by] E (electronic) sleeping gear (6) | ONESIE |
| T | E | 39 | [Panic] HINDERS* the socially inept (7) | NERDISH |
| O | N | 40 | Charge narco with secreted liquid (4) | TEAR |
| F | T | 41 | One who’s pinched + STASH [could be] fast ANAESTHETISED* (8) | DETAINEE |
| Down | ||||
| E | E | 1 | [Helping of] cASTER Sugar and edible daisies (6) | ASTERS |
| A | N | 2 | Soothe abdomen AC (before food) [in] PLATE (Sheffield?) (7) | PLACATE |
| T | C | 3 | [Boil] {ASPIC OR carrot IF}* imparting flavour (9) | SAPORIFIC |
| I | E | 4 | Ask for inane |
SEEK |
| N | M | 5 | Man joins ENT (entomology) S (society) [after] E |
ENTERS |
| G | I | 6 | Jock’s on top of AB (sailor) imagining UNE (a French female) (5) | ABUNE |
| T | X | 7 | INCHPIN | |
| O | R | 8 | Examinations of officer causes disused |
OYERS |
| O | O | 9 | Quills, those perhaps displayed on octavo shelves (6) | SPINES |
| M | W | 10 | ASCENTS | |
| U | C | 12 | Maybe slip < [climbing] IF (an old) catechu ELDER (tree) (7) | FIELDER |
| C | O | 19 | LETT (Latvian) [checks] TERSE (crisp) calico printing method (9) | LETTERSET |
| H | N | 22 | MarCEL, A huntsman, DONned [hugging] pale-green coat (7) | CELADON |
| L | T | 23 | Misfit lost VIA (way), [engulfed by] DENT (depression) (7) | DEVIANT |
| E | A | 24 | Anne [originally] S |
SUNSUIT |
| T | I | 26 | ETEN (Old giant) [eats] < AIS (fish) [up] as seasonal winds may be imminent (7) | ETESIAN |
| T | N | 28 | Tinker [concealing [head of] L |
POTTER |
| U | I | 29 | S |
STANCE |
| C | N | 30 | OTHERS | |
| E | G | 31 | American Private’s IDEAS* [about] gelignite (5) | ASIDE |
| I | I | 33 | ReLIC HIghly [enthrals] illuminati nut (5) | LICHI |
| S | T | 36 | [Reportedly] secret “FATE” (lot)’s fair (4) | FETE |
Grid before alteration:
| A | P | S | S | E | D | A | T | I | O | N | S | A |
| S | L | A | E | N | F | B | U | N | Y | I | P | S |
| T | A | P | E | T | I | U | S | C | E | N | I | C |
| E | C | O | K | E | E | N | T | H | R | O | N | E |
| R | A | R | E | R | L | E | A | P | S | L | E | N |
| S | T | I | R | S | D | O | C | I | L | E | S | T |
| D | E | F | T | S | E | V | E | N | U | T | E | S |
| E | P | I | D | U | R | A | L | S | E | T | T | O |
| V | O | C | A | N | A | L | A | T | W | E | E | T |
| I | T | I | S | S | A | I | D | A | F | R | S | H |
| A | T | R | I | U | M | C | O | N | E | S | I | E |
| N | E | R | D | I | S | H | N | C | T | E | A | R |
| T | R | D | E | T | A | I | N | E | E | T | N | S |
Grid after alteration:
| A | P | S | S | E | D | A | T | I | O | N | S | A |
| F | L | O | P | S | Y | B | U | N | N | I | E | S |
| T | A | P | E | T | I | U | S | C | E | N | I | C |
| E | C | O | K | E | E | N | T | H | R | O | N | E |
| R | A | R | E | R | L | E | A | P | S | L | E | N |
| S | T | I | R | S | D | O | C | I | L | E | S | T |
| D | E | F | T | S | E | V | E | N | U | T | E | S |
| E | P | I | D | U | R | A | L | S | E | T | T | O |
| V | O | C | A | N | A | L | A | T | W | E | E | T |
| I | T | I | S | S | A | I | D | A | F | R | S | H |
| A | T | R | I | U | M | C | O | N | E | S | I | E |
| N | E | R | D | I | S | H | N | C | T | E | A | R |
| T | R | D | E | T | A | I | N | E | E | T | N | S |
I liked the ‘pairs of letters’ device in the clues because it meant that they held their secret for longer than if we were left with the much simpler task of making a readable message by joining up a single string of letters.
In fact I had three pairs missing when I found myself in the position of having to make sense of them all. Fortunately, there were enough for me to do just that, and I could go back to see what I missed.
I had to look up the Beatrix Potter tale, and it was then clear what I had to do to find the six thieves – a very neat execution of a charming theme.
Thanks to Aver for a challenging and enjoyable puzzle, and to Mister Sting for the blog.
Another fun EV, with a gentle theme, even if I had forgotten the quote. There were some nice thematic hints among the clues and a neat bit of construction to give all real words throughout. I struggled to parse a few clues (13, 20, 37) so thanks to Mister Sting for clearing those up, and to Aver for an entertaining puzzle.
I loved this puzzle. I think mainly because once I’d cracked the sentence and the instructions the end game all fell into place beautifully. A very cleverly constructed puzzle. This is the one I’ve enjoyed most in my short EV experience!