A seemingly new setter this week, although from his entry over at the Listener Crossword website, it appears that he has been in a previous collaboration. Here, we had just four clues with an extra letter providing jumbles of the unchecked letters in the perimeter (more considerate than some setters!) and twenty-nine clues with misprints. That left six normal clues.
From the first clue 8ac When welcomed by usher, possibly seeing growth in Sally Field? (8, two words), it was fairly obvious that Sally would be the extra word. Not that it really mattered since I couldn’t solve it anyway (‘t would be SEA ASTER [ AS in SEATER] with misprint Salty). 10 Arab League abandoning oil ship cuts (5) however was a straightforward normal clue for OMANI. That was followed by a theatrical clue at 11 Concerned with inspection after casting in drama with prince and jerk (8), although which play was a mystery. It turned out to be AUTOPTIC [AUTO + P + TIC, casting in becoming cashing in, ie dying].
Luckily, the clues for TAPAS, ANTLIA, INGOT, STERIC, IGNITERS were a bit more strightforward so the grid had a wee smattering after I’d scanned the across clues. On to the downs, and they were equally unforgiving. I did like BANT at 2 (after I finally solved it) Played centrally, Kane, subtle and fast, abandoning Spurs perhaps (4) even though I’m not a football follower [((K)AN(e) + (su)BT(le))*, misprint for Spuds] referring to some obscure weight-loss diet in the 19th century!
Favourite clues: 4dn Runt of litter flourishing — after every other one having perished (3) for LET [L(i)T(t)E(r)*] (not ELT!) and 22 Filth in Manhattan and similar eccentricity squashed by American copper (7) for AVENUES [E in A + VENUS, misprint for Fifth].
Eventuallyh I had the four extra words from clues as DECEMBER, HUNTER, PLOUGH plus the sneaky OR in 18dn Leguminous plant used in lager or stout (3) [lagERStout], but I needed the quotation to reveal that the perimeter was to be all fish: “This island is made mainly of coal and surrounded by fish” from Aneurin Bevan. That just left ANTHRACITE, LIGNITE and BITUMINOUS to be highlighted in the shape of the UK.
Nice one, Degan.
Full analysis can be found at the Listener Crossword website.
Once again with a Listener, the tale grew in the telling in this evocative puzzle. I found that finding all of the fish was difficult, but all that angling (sorry) worth it once the island revealed itself. Very clever!
Thanks to Degen for the puzzle and once again to Shenanigans for the blog.