Well 30 years since the first EV – clues are 3’s and 0’s, as in that is how they are entered. The zeroes around the number and the threes jumbled between three numbers. Enter them correctly and two two-word phrases appear. Sounds daunting.
It was and it wasn’t. Basically the zeroes entered themselves quite easily with interlocking entries. Once they were in place the zeroes could be worked on to determine the three letters that could possibly go in the numbered squares.
As simple as that – the hardest part was the last bit spelling out something meaningful – the bottom three rows came first yielding PLATINUM JUBILEE and the top ANNUS HORRIBILIS.
A subtle reference to something else that happened 30 years ago in 1992 for the late queen – a phrase used in her 40th year of ascension speech. The platinum jubilee being this year 2022
So not the EV’s anniversary referenced but it was.
Thanks proXimal for a fun work out which was easy to medium in my opinion. And happy 30th anniversary to the EV – it’s still going
Clues:
Rev. reversed; * anagram; DD double definition; underline definition
THREES
1/6/11 Unmarried man‘s longing look in bedroom
ache (longing) + lo (look) in br (bedroom) = BACHELOR
2/7/12 Wisecrack about priest on beer regularly
on (about) + eli (priest) + oN + bEeR [regularly] ONELINER
3/8/13 American author from Alabama welcomed by bard, perhaps
singer (bard) welcoming Al (Alabama) = SALINGER
4/9/14 Recovered those swimming away from Outer Hebrides at sea
(outer hebrides – those)* = REBURIED
5/10/15 One fibbing about the French ship lacking bar
Rev. Liar (one fibbing) + le (the French) + ss (ship) = RAILLESS
16/21/26 Live species split and scattered out of the Ark
be (live) + sp (species) + rent (split) = BESPRENT
17/22/27 Shakespearean pleasing in revolving theatre, visual perfection
Rev. hidden theatrE VISUAL Perfection = PLAUSIVE
18/23/28 Child crossing cycling lane finds black garnet
mite (child) crossing elan (cycling lane) = MELANITE
19/24/29 Fans of Austen prepared jasmine tea with me trashing novel Emma
(jasmine tea + me – emma)* = JANEITES
20/25/30 Chartered Accountant drug addict? That is gossip
ca (chartered accountant) + user (drug addict) + ie (that is) = CAUSERIE
ZEROES
1 Article removed in clear-out’s tattered boxers
(clear-outs -a)* = CLOUTERS
2 Concluded stupid person must keep safe
clod (stupid person) around sure (safe) = CLOSURED
3 Dye enveloping a river is defilement
tint(dye) around a + ure (river) = TAINTURE
4 Means of removing water ultimately blocked some time after precipitation
d (ultimately blocked) + rain (precipitation) + age (some time) = DRAINAGE
5 Alleged unionist shot former president (two words)
(alleged + u)* = DE GAULLE
6 Turning back reptiles, that woman’s something remarkable
Rev. crocs (reptiles) + her (that woman’s) = SCORCHER
7 American having outstanding support ordered cold beer
(cold beer)* = CORBELED
8 Rabbit circling the boxes lacking access points
gas (rabbit) around teles (boxes) = GATELESS
9 Look around across street for racing car
Rev. regard (look) around st (street) = DRAGSTER
10 Always repelled by beer, duke disclosed
Rev. ever (always) + ale (beer) + d (duke) = REVEALED
11 Comparatively bright church by lake in centre of Limerick
ch (church) + erie(lake) in er (centre of Limerick) = CHEERIER
12 Holy-water font Scots mount beside one stage
ben (Scots mount) + i (one) + tier (stage) = BENITIER
13 Sample of crassest in Estonian verses
hidden crasSEST INESt = SESTINES
14 Occasionally seen tuskers, asses, bees and antelope
TuSkErS aSsEs BeEs = TSESSEBE
15 Be mean withholding a drink
be + average (mean) – a = BEVERAGE
16 Cupboards are adulterated with slime
(are slime)* = ALMERIES
17 Hollows are covered by makers of Jaffa Cakes with no end of jam
McVities (makers of Jaffa cakes) – m (end of jam) around a(are) = CAVITIES
18 Four inside property pass summer lethargically in LA
iv (four) in estate (property) = ESTIVATE
19 Spooky quality of headless noblewoman seen around home
peeress (noblewoman) – p around in (home) = EERINESS
20 Accepted information to dig into area for rutile
a (accepted) + gen(information) in site (area) = SAGENITE
21 Living underwater in Red Sea, mussel’s shell damaged
(red sea + ml)* = DEMERSAL
22 Bounders from Spain hosted by bishop wearing robes
capes (robes) around rr (Bishop) around e (spain) = CAPERERS
23 Measure retired senile patient’s girdles
Rev. hidden sENILE PATient = TAPELINE
24 Broadcast series about Northern Ireland’s allure
(series)* around NI (Northern Ireland) = SIRENISE
25 Most cross short bridges and Parisian revolutionary does again
iratest(most cross) – t around Rev. et (and Parisian) = ITERATES
26 Friend at table’s embarrassment by board game result?
mess (embarrassment) + mate (board game result) = MESSMATE
27 Sound and smell around in class
rate (class) around Rev (nose) (smell) = RESONATE
28 No second choice for mineral
no + s (second) + elite (choice) = NOSELITE
29 Drop off letter from ambassador, this oddly lodged in recess
apse(recess) around (this)* = APHETISE
30 Hiding primarily in cave, bats are apt to bask in sun rarely
iv in (are + apt)* = APRICATE
Happy birthday indeed, and a thank you to all involved, especially the guest in row 5…
Here’s to a few more yet.