“Clues are given in alphabetical order of their answers and must be entered into the grid where they will fit. In 12 clues, a NOB’s word must be removed before solving; read in normal clue order the first letter of each of these clues gives a thematic expression, which is missing something removed from the person whose nickname and title complete the two unclued entries. Solvers must highlight a name (11 contiguous cells), circle the letter which has dropped vertically and insert one entry number.”
Many of these clues were cold-solvable, and I didn’t start filling the grid until I have most of their answers. The two 12-letter entries then made for an easy way in to what proved to be a quick gridfill. There were a few that were aided by crossing letters, but on the whole the clues were on the easier side.
The first letters of the clues that have words removed spell LAUGH ONE’S ____ OFF, which is obviously missing HEAD, for which all of the extra words are synonyms.
The unclued entries are THE FOX (nickname) and LORD LOVAT (title). The latter has entry number 11, and both refer to SIMON FRASER, the 11th Lord Lovat, who was the last man in Britain to be executed by beheading. We therefore insert that entry number.
I confess that I was initially baffled by the rest of the endgame. However, I finally realised that our unfortunate thematic character had been ‘B’-headed. We therefore highlight BIMON FRASER, which runs NW-SE, and circle the S in the SW corner of the grid where his head has fallen. (I have instead highlighted it in grey here, as circling a letter is beyond my meagre skills.)
I quote from Wikipedia, leaving the veracity of the final claim to be decided by the reader:
“At the last moment [preceding his execution], an overcrowded timber stand collapsed, leaving nine spectators dead, much to Lovat’s amusement. Lord Lovat’s laughter, even as he was beheaded, is alleged to be the origin of the phrase ‘to laugh one’s head off’.”
| Notation | |
|---|---|
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
| Superfluous word | word |
As always, please let me know if anything isn’t clear.
|
A (Active) D (daughter) M (medium) A (before) N (new) crumpet this guy’s plugging (5)
|
ADMAN |
|
Spenser’s embellishment? {Door and sconce ANITA}* [made] (9)
|
ADORATION |
|
[Wasted] {K
|
AKELA |
|
BE (Live) ST (street) poll [leading] ED (journalist) topped (6)
|
BESTED |
|
[Ugly] SNAIL* [below] B (black) noodle boils (6)
|
BLAINS |
|
B (Bishop) RAMBLE (Stroll) IN CH (church) [entertaining] F (fine) feathered friend (12)
|
BRAMBLE-FINCH |
|
DIES (Goes) [by] EL (railroad) train (6)
|
DIESEL |
|
DRS (Doctor’s) [hosting] AM (morning) drinks (5)
|
DRAMS |
|
[Created] {LION and DOE}* in image (7)
|
EIDOLON |
|
END (Halt) nut [with] OWE (bear) [beginning to] R
|
ENDOWER |
|
Ancient huge [blue] MON
|
ENORM |
|
Working in El Salvador for long periods (4)
|
EONS |
|
Fencing items chump L (left) [out] from ELPEES (records) (5)
|
EPEES |
|
Umbelliferous plants from FENS (marshy places) [surrounding] NE (Nebraska) L (lake) (7)
|
FENNELS |
|
F (Loud)
|
FETE |
|
< [From the south] {OIL (news) OF} bean leaves with figures (5)
|
FOLIO |
|
Daft FISH (swimmer) [holding] < LOO (John) [up] (7)
|
FOOLISH |
|
Easy to use loaf H (hot) AND
|
HANDY |
|
HERO (Prince perhaps) [has] N (navy) wader (5)
|
HERON |
|
[Opening S (square) block dropped off]
|
IDLES |
|
Onion flower arrangement BAN (prohibition) [in] IKEA (Scandi store) (7)
|
IKEBANA |
|
< [Going west], {ROB (take) A L (Latin) American workforce (5)
|
LABOR |
|
LAWMEN (Wild West sheriffs) – Y (Yankee) [hiding] W (with) amateurs (6)
|
LAYMEN |
|
GEOFF[‘s second] noggin [under] LOCK (bar) for philosopher (5)
|
LOCKE |
|
[Brief] SLOT
|
LOFTS |
|
[Rolling] <{GospORT SEAMan} shows way to transfer funds (7)
|
MAESTRO |
|
MA (Mum) and TAR (sailor) [welcoming] DO (party) for dominoes game (7)
|
MATADOR |
|
Nab winNER IN Excellent [bottling] plant (6)
|
NERINE |
|
[Snubbed] NEVE
|
NEVE |
|
NEXT (Nearest) X (ten) [squashed by] W (wife) ask for some (4)
|
NEWT |
|
Slightly offensive chap OK (agreed) [about] I (India) (3)
|
OIK |
|
[Woven] {MAT SUE}* [junked by] [wonderfully]
|
OX-BIRD |
|
Glaswegian daughter’s children and
|
OYS |
|
[Without] CA (cases),
|
RECESS |
|
Identical twinS AMElia [bears] (4)
|
SAME |
|
X (Twitter now) [interrupting] OAPS* [excitedly] [playing] {SON’S HIT}* for musicians (12)
|
SAXOPHONISTS |
|
|
SIEGERS |
| [Starts to] S |
SOFA |
| B | R | A | M | B | L | E | F | I | N | C | H |
| E | I | D | O | L | O | N | A | K | E | L | A |
| S | A | M | E | A | C | D | H | E | R | O | N |
| T | D | A | O | I | K | O | X | B | I | R | D |
| E | O | N | S | N | E | W | T | A | N | D | Y |
| D | R | A | M | S | F | E | N | N | E | L | S |
| M | A | T | A | D | O | R | L | A | B | O | R |
| I | T | H | E | S | O | F | A | N | E | V | E |
| D | I | E | S | E | L | O | Y | S | P | A | C |
| L | O | F | T | S | I | L | M | F | E | T | E |
| E | N | O | R | M | S | I | E | G | E | R | S |
| S | A | X | O | P | H | O | N | I | S | T | S |
I shall be interested to see the published solution, as I interpreted the instruction rather differently and perhaps wrongly. Persuaded by “11 contiguous cells” and not appreciating the ingenious B- headed I took the dropping S to be that touching the I in the LH column. Regardless of that, an entertaining puzzle which initially set me chasing the hare of the 15th Lord Lovat of D-day fame.
This was a fun solve, based on a rather grisly tale. I initially saw and circled the S of IDLES/SAXOPHONIST as Fraser’s ‘head’ on the floor, but the preamble mentions ’11 contiguous cells’ to be highlighted, and I then found that the S of BESTED allowed the name to be contiguous, although the ‘head’ was now still connected to the ‘body’, albeit by the thinnest of slivers…
The solver’s blog on the BD site confirms this was also the S to circle…unfortunate that there was another S in the same column, introducing an element of uncertainty/possible ambiguity…
Thanks to Vismut for the entertainment and Mr Sting for the blog…
Edit: (and apologies to Reg at #1 for repeating your point – your comment wasn’t there when I started typing mine!)
Very enjoyable blog Mr Sting thank you.
Yes it is indeed the first S in the column (from bested) that needed to be circled to look like a head dropping off.
I think if I was writing this puzzle again I might leave out that last requirement to circle the head, but I’m glad that, on the whole, it was entertaining.
I thoroughly enjoyed the phases of this puzzle: the cold-solving, the fitting of the jigsaw pieces, the clearing up of the remaining clues and the realisation of the theme. The topped head (S) of the name was a neat touch, and the ’11’ at the head of LORD LOVAT was particularly neat.
Thanks to Vismut, Mister Sting and other contributors.