“Eight clues comprise wordplay only. Solvers should identify a set of single-word synonyms of the answers to these clues. Leaving the body of the synonyms behind, solvers should take a poetic action and HEAD BACK HOME, arranging the heads into a suitable response. This response (which can be found in ODQ) will, in turn, provide a guide to the missing three-letter word in the centre of the grid. Finally, solvers must draw a continuous line through eleven cells to identify the source. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended; 11 is in Collins.
(This is the first and final Enigmatic Variations puzzle by Chris Dunn (inkling), who, sadly, passed away in July.)”
| Wordplay-only entry | Synonym |
| POTATO | TATER |
| COURTER | DATER |
| LOATHER | HATER |
| WESTERN | OATER |
| NOSHER | EATER |
| PROVIDE | CATER |
| AFTER | LATER |
The “heads” of the synonyms are rearranged into CHORTLED. This refers to the line “He chortled in his JOY [the missing three-letter word]” from JABBERWOCKY (through which a continuous line must be drawn) by Lewis Carroll.
| Notation | |
|---|---|
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
| Homophone | “WORD” |
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WEIR (Dam) [holds] < [backed up] {HG (High German) E ( |
WEIGHER |
| 6 | POT (Shoot) AT O (duck) (6) | POTATO |
| 10 | INN (Pub) E |
INNER |
| 11 | CR (Creditor) [accepts] {OUR TE (note)} (7) | COURTER |
| 13 | A ([Onset of] ACIDIC) VERT (green) BILE* [somehow] is preventable (9) | AVERTIBLE |
| 14 | LO (See) A |
LOATHER |
| 15 | [Some] anatomiCAL Foot is part of lower leg (4) | CALF |
| 17 | [Abandoning all restraints], |
INTERWAR |
| 20 | Sea creature < ACRO |
ORCA |
| 22 | ERNE | |
| 24 | Clandestine ROADB |
BACKDOOR |
| 28 | HAFF | |
| 29 | Rude UNCI (hooks), VI (six) [on] L (line) (7) | UNCIVIL |
| 32 | Heated AL (aluminium) [after] E (electronic) MOT (test) ION (charged particle) (9) | EMOTIONAL |
| 33 | Screen R ([first of] R |
REREDOS |
| 34 | [Compound] AND/OR element (5) | RADON |
| 35 | Esteemed ORE (Scandinavian coins) [in] ADD (tally) (6) | ADORED |
| 36 | REST* [uneasily] [in] WEN (congested city) (7) | WESTERN |
| Down | ||
| 1 | Jacobite’s bewildered command (4) | WILL |
| 2 | Soft-spokEN VOIces [smothering] last words (5) | ENVOI |
| 3 | Childhood‘s IN (popular) FANCY (whim) (7) | INFANCY |
| 4 | [Essentially] |
GENT |
| 5 | Young fish, |
ELVER |
| 6 | POA (Meadow-grass) [surrounding] RT (right) gate (5) | PORTA |
| 7 | [Review] {OUR DEBT}* resulting from disparate parentage (7) | OUTBRED |
| 8 | Haut and make fast T |
TRICE |
| 9 | TELLIN |
TELLIN |
| 12 | LEX (Law) REF (official)[‘s first] unthinking response (6) | REFLEX |
| 16 | N (Name) HER (that woman) [covered with] OR (gold) (6) | NOSHER |
| 18 | E (Earl), B (bachelor) and BT (baronet) IDE (fish) in receding water (7) | EBB-TIDE |
| 19 | OVID (Poet) [breaking] PRE (before) (7) | PROVIDE |
| 21 | Bored compeRE A MEDium [ensnares] (6) | REAMED |
| 23 | A F (Fahrenheit) T (temperature) E (base) R (rule) (5) | AFTER |
| 25 | AG (Silver) < DOO (Scottish dove) [soaring] heartily to Will (5) | AGOOD |
| 26 | Deceitful man [put [disheartened] K |
KNAVE |
| 27 | RIG (Fit) OR sense of chilliness (5) | RIGOR |
| 30 | Fabric [lining] beatnIK ATtire (4) | IKAT |
| 31 | Force of I (one) N (newton) [penetrating] |
LINN |
A real shame this was a first and last as it was a grand solve and unpicking of the theme/endgame.
Condolences and sympathies alongside celebrations of work indeed.
I agree – a very poignant debut…hopefully Inkling’s nearest and dearest will be proud of this getting published.
An enJOYable solve, which took a little Go-ogling of CHORTLED to trip across the theme – very nicely ravelled up in those central squares.
Thanks also to Mister Sting for the blog…