This week’s puzzle from the prolific Inquisitor setter Ifor. His first puzzle appeared in 2011, so we see a challenge from him about every 3 months. Challenge is the right word for Ifor puzzles as there is usually an interesting theme and some novel device in the clues.
The first thing I noticed was that the grid was asymmetric. This usually means that the setter had so much thematic material to fit into the clues, entries and final grid that it would be impossible to compile within the constraint of grid symmetry.
The preamble wasn’t too long and was reasonably understandable apart from the bit about reading the some of the extra letters in thematic order.
The preamble told us that the nine clues to four-letter entries contain an extra word having only one letter not found in that clue’s answer; in clue order these letters identify a set. Remaining clues contain an extra letter to be removed before solving. When read in thematic (not clue) order these collectively represent one item from the set. Solvers must highlight four groups of connected cells (40 in all, in four rows) showing one possible realisation of this item. Its creator (7,7) must be named under the grid.
If I don’t understand everything in an Inquisitor preamble, I try to solve as many clues and fill the grid as far as I can hoping that the meaning of everything will become clear as we go along.
The device of removing a word from a clue that used all the letters in the answer one or more times plus just one other letter that didn’t feature in the answer was new to me, but turned out to be less challenging than expected.
Indeed I made steady progress on the clues for the entries with four letters and fairly quickly identified that the word formed from the unused letters ended in ONIUM. A little bit of research, using the title revealed a collection of poems entitled HARMONIUM by an American poet WALLACE STEVENS. There are a number of websites listing the contents of this collection on the web and one stood out as the kind of phrase that crossword setters love. This was the delightfully titled ‘Frogs eat Butterflies, Snakes eat Frogs, Hogs eat Snakes, Men eat Hogs‘ with a huge potential for container and contents representations.
I then looked more closely at the letters I was removing from the clues to entries with lengths other than four letters and could see that BUTTERFLIES could be formed from the letters I was generating. I also had ME at the beginning and N at the with potentials for HOGS and SNAKES to appear as other containers. This realisation helped with a bit of reverse engineering to identify the placement of all the extra letters.
The extra letters, in clue order,
MEHOSNAFROBUTTERFLIESGSKESGSN
could be represented as
ME (HO (SNA (FRO (BUTTERFLIES) GS) KES) GS) N
which represents the food chain as described in the title of the poem with the poor BUTTERFLIES eaten by everything else as we move up the chain. Finally the meaning of reading these letters in thematic order made sense.
This left the task of highlighting four groups of connected cells showing one possible realisation of the poem’s title. I guessed that we would have rows showing MEN containing HOGS, HOGS containing SNAKES etc. The first one I identified was B (ADDERS) OARS, HOGS eating SNAKES. The second one was BOAS containing ANURA, SNAKES eating FROGS. ANURA are tailless amphibians, frogs and toads.
The letter S in the rows helped me identify GUYS containing SHOATS, MEN eating HOGS. A SHOAT is a young pig or HOG.
This just left FROGS and BUTTERFLIES. Although the grid wasn’t symmetric, the placement of the thematic rows looked as if it was, which indicated the seond row as holding the final meal. After some study of Chambers I identified RANA containing THECLA or a genus of FROGS eating a genus of BUTTERFLIES
The meals are displayed in the correct food chain order from lowest to highest as
RA (THECLA) NA – 10 letters
B (ANURA) OAS – 9 letters
B (ADDERS) OARS – 11 letters
GU (SHOAT) YS – 9 letters, giving 40 letters in total as require
Ifor gave us many excellent clues, with precise wordplay that was quite complex in places. The full detail of omitted words, omitted letters, adjusted clues and the wordplay is shown in the table below. There were many definitions that were new to me so Chambers dictionary played a big part in solving this puzzle
There were a couple of clues I solved wrongly initially – I had EATHE at 10 across rather than RATHE and I had an unparsed RAT at 35 across. The thematic depiction of the poem in the extra letters made me change to RATHE and the row depiction enabled me to change RAT to the clearly parsable OAT to get the necessary SHOAT eaten by GUYS.
The grid after simply solving all the clues is shown immediately below followed by the grid showing the necessary highlighting and WALLACE STEVENS below it.
The title , WALLACE COLLECTION, is self-explanatory given that HARMONIUM is a COLLECTION of poems by WALLACE Stevens.
Thanks to Ifor for continuing to innovate in clueing and grid construction.
| No | Clue | Words | Letters |
| Across | |||
| 2 | Herbs spread around behind mill stream (11)
Herbs spread around behind ill stream (11) MASTERWORTS (plants related to the parsnip, once used as a pot-herbs) Anagram of (ill) STREAM + STROW (strew; spread) reversed (around) MASTER* WORTS<
|
M | |
| 10 | Heater unexpectedly early at one time (5)
Hater unexpectedly early at one time (5) RATHE (archaic [at one time] word for ‘early’) Anagram of (unexpectedly) HATER RATHE* |
E | |
| 11 | Scots borough left anonymous, short of rank (6)
Scots borough left anonymous, sort of rank (6) LANARK (Scottish borough) L (left) + A (anonymous) + an anagram of (sort) RANK L A NARK* |
H | |
| 12 | Source of dye left owing to unfortunately missing colour in supply (7)
Source of dye left wing to unfortunately missing colour in supply (7) ORCINOL (a dihydric phenol obtained from archil and other lichens used to make dyes such as phenol red) Anagram of (supply [from supple]) IN and COLOUR excluding (missing) U (first letter of [wing] of UNFORTUNATELY) ORCINOL* |
O | |
| 13 | Inconsequential bits in revolutionary sea piece (5)
Inconsequential bits in revolutionary ea piece (5) NUGAE (trifles; inconsequential bits) (EA + GUN [a piece]) all reversed (revolutionary) (NUG AE)< |
S | |
| 14 | Colouring material out of harm’s way, spread by means of splints (9)
Colouring material out of harm’s way, spread by means of splits (9) SAFRANINE (any of various coal tar dyes, giving various colours) (RAN [spread] + IN [by way of; by means of]) contained in (splits) SAFE (out of harm’s way) SAF (RAN IN) E |
N | |
| 15 | Islander in copper collar, subject to Spain (5)
Islander in copper collar, subject to spin (5) CUBAN (someone from the island of CUBA) CU (chemical symbol for copper) + NAB (arrest; collar) reversed (subject to spin) CU BAN< |
A | |
| 16 | Salt deposit uncovered hours off, masking a horror (4)
Salt deposit uncovered hours off, masking a (4) URAO (natron [a hydrated carbonate of sodium found on some lake borders]; salt deposit) Anagram of (off) OUR (letters remaining in HOURS when the outer letters H and S are removed [uncovered]) containing (masking) A UR (A) O* |
HORROR
H is the only letter in HORROR not appearing in URAO |
|
| 18 | Snake species behind fright to Cleopatra (3)
Snake species behind fight to Cleopatra (3) ASP (venomous snake of various kinds) A (last letter of [right to] CLEOPATRA) + SP (species) A SP |
F | |
| 20 | The road to crime as far as (not after) taboo (4)
The road to crime as far as (not after) (4) TOBY (criminal slang for the road; the road to crime) TO (as far as) + BY (at the side of, therefore not after) TO BY |
TABOO
A is the only letter in TABOO not appearing in TOBY |
|
| 21 | Origin of strain happens either side of acting tense (6)
Origin of stain happens either side of acting tense (6) ISATIS (the woad genus of Cruciferae; a source of a permanent blue dye) IS (happens) + A (acting) + T (tense) +IS (happens) IS A T IS |
R | |
| 22 | Mood in love-in; never look away (4)
Mood in love-in; look away (4) VEIN (mood) LOVE-IN excluding (away) LO (look) VEIN |
NEVER
R is the only letter in NEVER not appearing in VEIN |
|
| 23 | Redo fingerprint retrospectively, not so well (6)
Red fingerprint retrospectively, not so well (6) BADDER (not so good; not so well) (RED + DAB [fingerprint]) all reversed (retrospectively) (BAD DER)< |
O | |
| 25 | Lung infection briefly beating old goes up rapidly (5)
Lung infection briefly eating old goes up rapidly (5) SOARS (rises rapidly) SARS (abbreviation for [briefly] severe acute respiratory syndrome; a lung infection) containing (eating) O (old) S (O) ARS |
B | |
| 30 | Same lift caught, down to ground level (4)
Lift caught, down to ground level (4) RASE (demolish a building down to ground level) RASE (sounds like [caught] RAISE [lift]) RASE |
SAME
M is the only letter in SAME not appearing in RASE |
|
| 32 | Could they correct after painting over rock? (8)
Cold they correct after painting over rock? (8) TRACHYTE (fine-grained intermediate igneous roc) ART (painting) reversed (over) + C (cold) + an anagram of (correct) THEY TRA< C HYTE* |
U | |
| 34 | Heartless shrug, so false sentimentality (4)
Heartless shrug false sentimentality (4) GUSH (sentimentality) Anagram of (false) SHRUG excluding the central letter (heartless) R GUSH* |
SO
O is the only letter in SO not appearing in GUSH |
|
| 35 | The right way to turn steed from grass (3)
The right way to turn seed from grass (3) OAT (seed of a genus of grass of the same name) TAO (in Confucianism and some other philosophies, the way to be followed; the right way) reversed (to turn) OAT< |
T | |
| 36 | IT manager in terror possibly, missing line in the same place earlier (5)
IT manager in error possibly, missing line in the same place earlier (5) SYSOP (system operator; an IT manager) Anagram of (in error) POSSIBLY excluding (missing) L (line) and IB (ibidem; in the same place) where IB appears earlier in POSSIBLY than L SYSOP* |
T | |
| 37 | Distributions made into entering botched repairs taking time (12)
Distributions mad into entering botched repairs taking time (12) REPARTITIONS (distributions) Anagram of (mad) INTO contained in (entering) (an anagram of [botched] REPAIRS containing [taking] T [time]) REPAR (T) I (TION*) S* |
E | |
| Down | |||
| 1 | Barn for writer (9)
Ban for writer (9) PROSCRIBE (ban) PRO (in favour of; for) + SCRIBE (writer) PRO SCRIBE |
R | |
| 2 | Sacks far inside Scots shepherd’s plaids (7)
Sacks ar inside Scots shepherd’s plaids (7) MARAUDS (plunders; loots, sacks) AR contained in (inside) MAUDS (Scottish shepherds’ woollen plaids) M (AR) AUDS |
F | |
| 3 | Red zone rails put in place, protecting hospital (6)
Red zone rais put in place, protecting hospital (6) SHIRAZ (a red ]wine]) (Anagram of [put in place] Z [zone] and RAIS) containing (protecting) H (hospital) S (H) IRAZ* |
L | |
| 4 | Rentals sustained small cabins built with earth as basis (9)
Rentals sustained small cabins built with earth as bass (9) TENANCIES (properties occupied by tenants[ rentals) TEN (abbreviation for [small] TENuto [musical term for sustained]) + an anagram of (built) CABINS with E (earth) replacing (as) B (bass) TEN ANCIES* |
I | |
| 5 | Least bit of cabbage wrongly counts as greens for some (7)
Last bit of cabbage wrongly counts as greens for some (7) ECONUTS (derogatory term for keen environmentalists [greens]) E (final letter of [last bit of] CABBAGE) + an anagram of (wrongly) COUNTS E CONUTS* |
E | |
| 6 | Hopeful fantasist in decline, assuming curses returning (7)
Hopeful fantasist in decline, assuming curse returning (7) WANNABE (A person who desires to be, or be like, someone or something else: hopeful fantasist) WANE (decline) containing (assuming) BAN (curse) reversed (returning) WAN (NAB<) E |
S | |
| 7 | Mirror’s gone after worthless individual in material for legal documents (8, 2 words)
Mirror’s one after worthless individual in material for legal documents (8, 2 words) RAG PAPER (material used for legal documents) RAG (worthless individual) + PAPER (The Mirror is an example of a [news]paper) RAG PAPER |
G | |
| 8 | Sending text, restraining one swearing rescheduled train’s running (12)
Sending text, restraining one wearing rescheduled train’s running (12) TRANSMISSION (sending) ([SMS {Short Message Service], a system for sending text} containing [{restraining} I {Roman numeral for one}]) all contained in [wearing] an anagram of [rescheduled] TRAINS) + ON (working; running) TRAN (SM (I) S) SI* ON |
S | |
| 9 | Morag’s very big squeal linked with seaweed (8)
Morag’s very big squeal lined with seaweed (8) SKELPING (Scottish [Morag] word for very big) SING (inform; squeal) containing (lined with) KELP (any large brown seaweed) S (KELP) ING |
K | |
| 17 | Poet last to write stories when working (8)
Poet last to writ stories when working (8) ROSSETTI (reference Christina ROSSETTI [1830-1894], English poet) Anagram of (when working) T (final letter of [last to] WRIT) and STORIES ROSSETTI* |
E | |
| 19 | Islamic school ignoring sinner in gay headscarf (6)
Islamic school ignoring inner in gay headscarf (6) MADRAS (large, usually brightly-coloured headscarf, formerly exported from Madras (now Chennai) in South East India) MADRASA (Muslim college or mosque school) excluding (ignoring) A (central letter of [inner in] GAY) MADRAS |
S | |
| 23 | Country cottage, gay to its owner before installing central heating (5)
Country cottage, ay to its owner before installing central heating (5) DACHA (country house or cottage in Russia) (DA [Russian nationality of cottage owner] for yes [ay] + A [before]) containing (installing) CH (central heating) DA (CH) A |
G | |
| 26 | Scoffer sparked some letters from the heart (3)
Coffer sparked some letters from the heart (3) ARK (coffer) ARK (some middle letters of [from the heart] SPARKED) ARK |
S | |
| 27 | Nurture genuine pity for old man after heading to trouble (4)
Genuine pity for old man after heading to trouble (4) TRUE (genuine) T (first letter of [heading to] TROUBLE) + RUE (archaic [old man’s] word for pity) T RUE |
NURTURE
N is the only letter in NURTURE not appearing in TRUE
|
|
| 28 | Risky kitty attempted holding Asian currency (4)
Risky attempted holding Asian currency (4) KYAT (standard monetary unit of Myanmar; Asian currency) KYAT (hidden word in [holding] RISKY ATTEMPED) KYAT |
KITTY
I is the only letter in KITTY not appearing in KYAT |
|
| 29 | Trustees settle reserve fund (4)
Settle reserve fund (4) REST (reserve fund) REST (settle) double definition REST |
TRUSTEES
U is the only letter in TRUSTEES not appearing in REST |
|
| 31 | Further small change in Laos (4)
Further change in Laos (4) ALSO (further) Anagram of (change in) LAOS ALSO* |
SMALL
M is the only letter in SMALL not appearing in ALSO |
|
| 33 | Rinses take a liquid into the mouth, top to bottom (3)
Rises take a liquid into the mouth, top to bottom (3) UPS (rises) SUP (take a liquid) with the first [top] letter S of this down entry moving to the bottom to form UPS UPS |
N |
A splendid puzzle, I thought — with utter bafflement dispelled as if by magic when the poem title came to light. Early googling of “Wallace Collection” led to a well-known museum and, probing a little deeper, an outfit that promotes brass music. If only there were a kind of brass HARMONIUM….
All thanks to Ifor and duncanshiell.
A fun, solid Inquisitor puzzle with a great endgame and interesting topic, for me slightly let down by the unclear instruction When read in thematic (not clue) order these collectively represent one item from the set.
I assumed this meant we’d need to use the order of the individual poems of the HARMONIUM to put the letters in order somehow, for example using CUBAN in THE CUBAN DOCTOR – or perhaps a word from each clue.
In the end it was much simpler than that, but it would have helped me tremendously if the instruction had simply said When read in clue order these cryptically represent one item from the set. .
Luckily I eventually saw the BUTTERFLIES appear in my extra letters and figured it out from there, but only after wasting a lot of time trying to get to some ‘thematic’ order.
Oh and the other thing – surprised to see WALLACE in the title so much so that for some time, I thought it couldn’t be the HARMONIUM because that would just be too obvious!
Overall good fun though and a satisfying final grid, so thank you.
For me, this is close to an ideal Inquisitor – fun generation of letters, a theme that can be easily deduced once you’ve made enough progress (I didn’t find the Wallace hint as obvious as Arnold@2, as I’m more familiar with the museum than the poet, and was unaware of Harmonium), and a satisfying but not over-complicated revelation in the endgame. I might have struggled without the butterflies in the middle! Many thanks to Ifor and duncanshiell.
Not for the first time I find myself in complete agreement with Arnold. I think his suggestion for the preamble would have made far more sense and the instruction as it was just seemed meaningless. As he says though a fun puzzle.
An excellent and in places a tricky crossword, taking longer than usual to complete. I had collected all but three of the extra letters, with the word BUTTERFLIES complete. As I also had a problem with the other set of 9 letters (which did not make anything meaningful), I went on a diversion with WALLACE and BUTTERFLIES and found Alfred Wallace (a name I knew) but came to a dead end. (Perhaps that’s why Ifor had ‘Wallace’ in the title!) Obviously I needed the other word (HARMONIUM), which I managed to get after correcting two careless errors (made by picking unique letters from the answers instead of the clues!).
I spotted ADDER first in the grid, and a bit later the boars eating the adders. From then on I knew what to look for, leading to a very neat and impressive result.
I liked the novel device used for the nine 4-letter clues, and would like to see it again some time, but I found some of the other clues tough to solve. I fully parsed my last three clues (all of them Downs) only after the theme had been resolved.
Thanks to Ifor and duncanshiell.
My thanks to Duncan for his typically exhaustive and accurate blog, and to those who commented. Arnold – I think you have a point – “collectively” is misleading rather than clarifying and might with advantage have been omitted.
The title wasn’t especially intended either to give a hint or to send solvers off into the contents of the museum, as you need both harmonium and butterflies for Google to yield the theme readily; Wallace is almost incidental to the search’s success.
One incidental point; the puzzle was timed to be as close as possible to the centenary of Harmonium’s publication.