Enigmatic Variations 1697 The Name of the Game II by Ranunculus

As we approach the summer we have the Name of the game II – a sequel to The name of the game. A perimeter to fill with a quotation and 12 missing letters in clues that enable its author to be found. The quotation then needs to be extended over itself.

Oh and one unclued entry too. Part 1 was 9/9/2021 where the game was Russian Roulette. https://www.fifteensquared.net/2021/09/09/enigmatic-variations-no-1502-the-name-of-the-game-by-ranunculus/

Quite a war of attrition this proved to be. Some expertly hidden missing letters and a fair amount of unusual vocabulary in use. Not one for those relatively new to this puzzle series – certainly one for the more expert wordsmiths, who may have a quibble or two but some clues. In my opinion all was fair as I got there in the end and am fairly confident I’ve parsed all the clues – hopefully as teh author intended.

As to the 12 omitted letters W F HARGREAVES, who was not a name familiar to me but a look in the ODQ yielded two quotations. The second of which being required to complete the perimeter

I acted so tragic the house rose like magic,
The audience yelled ‘You’re sublime.’
They made me a present of Mornington Crescent
They threw it a brick at a time.
‘The Night I Appeared as Macbeth’ (1922 song)

Continuing from present in the top row and entering OF MORNINGTON CRESCENT in the perimeter was a very novel and impressive way of getting a longer quotation in use than the perimeter allowed and created new words in the grid.

The final item was 16ac – unclued and was SORRY or ‘SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE’ defining the name of the game, I think anyway.

Thanks Ranunculus for quite an intense workout

Underline definition; * anagram; rev reversed; RED are the added letters

Across
9 Feel length of ear (5)
aura(feel) + l(length) = AURAL

10 Mention arresting men going about with a book of naughty pictures? (7)
Rev.[cite(mention) about or(men)]+ a = EROTICA

11 Crazy Parisian wed pure bum, ignoring omen (6)
11 Crazy Parisian wed pure bum, ignoring Women (6)
(wed pure – w)* = EPERDU

12 Unwrap bananas accommodating daughter lifted from ground (7)
(unwrap)* around d (daughter) = UPDRAWN

14 Old couple making for exits (4)
forming(making) – for = MING

17 Last of unicorns essentially vanish out of the ark (6)
s(last of unicorns) + per se (essentially) = SPERSE

18 Largely agree reflected light could be tracked by this (5)
18 Largely agree reflected Flight could be tracked by this (5)
Rev. accede(agree) – e = DECCA

20 Dreadful actor skipping back from Hamlet with a bow (4)
(actor – t)* = ARCO

21 Yen to go after eight rhino in Tashkent (4)
21 Yen to go after Height rhino in Tashkent (4)
y(yen) after sum (height) = SUMY (Rhino is money)

22 Bovine Australian certainly not acting (4)
a(Australian) no(certainly not) + a (acting) = ANOA

23 Fog containing more smut obscuring capital of England (4)
bluer (containing more smut) – e (capital of England) = BLUR

24 Disposal of tree led to substantial amount of timber (5)
24 Disposal of tree leAd to substantial amount of timber (5)
(tree + s)* = STERE

25 Rapacious group first entering Mile End from Whitechapel – 4×4 turned over (6)
I(first) in m (mile) + l(end from Whitechapel) + Rev. SUV (4 x 4) = MILVUS

27 Barking is the hold-up (5)
(is the)* = HEIST

31 Bank bought back Waterloo public houses (4)
31 Bank bRought back Waterloo public houses (4)
Rev. hidden waterLOO Public = POOL

32 One who scoffs about second final for Leyton Orient (7)
eater (one who scoffs) about s(second) + n (final for Leyton) = EASTERN

33 Earl left in grip of loathsome medieval instrument (6)
e(earl) + l(left) in vile(loathsome) = VIELLE

34 Metallic compound isn’t in red loco, tin one (7)
34 Metallic compound isn’t in red loco, tin Gone (7)
(isntinred – sn(tin))* = NITRIDE

35 Reasonable case for Victoria introducing effective restraint (5)
va (case for Victoria) + lid (effective restraint) = VALID

Down
1 Skin disorder spread round nurses at college (5)
Rev. air (spread) around up (at college) = RUPIA

2 Nourishing cereal wraps and fish (5)
2 Nourishing cereal wraps Rand fish (5)
sago(nourishing cereal) around r (rand) = SARGO

3 Causing hurt to old leader, devious replacement doing U-turn on energy (10, two words)
(leader)* + rev.sub(replacement) + e (energy) = ELDER ABUSE

4 Openings wasted, but Arsenal roused impartial spectators (8)
(ut rsenal)* = NEUTRALS

5 Surly judge voided unlawful charges (5)
5 SurEly judge voided unlawful charges (5)
ul(voided unlawful) in try (judge) = TRULY

6 Skips work in hot sun (4)
op(work) in h(hot) + s (sun) + HOPS

7 Most fresh milk suppliers delivering dead on time (7)
dairies(milk suppliers) – d (dead) + t (time) = AIRIEST

8 Rotting wrapper on salmon sandwich breaks (5)
8 RotAting wrapper on salmon sandwich breaks (5)
Rev. [ sn (salmon) + wad (sandwich)] = DAWNS

13 Inclined to precipitate departure, setter’s outside Old Street around 1 (10)
dep(departure) + I’ve(setter’s) aroung o(old) + st(street) around I(1) = DEPOSITIVE

15 Split starter in Earl’s Court, scrapping over sauce bottle (5)
e(earls) in [(court) – o(over)]* = CRUET

16 Ended gripes about wig (5)
16 Vended gripes about wig (5)
sold(vended) around c(about) = SCOLD

17 Spook binning American first lady’s begging letters (8)
scare(spook) – a(american) + eve’s(first lady’s) = SCREEVES

19 Fellow on rounds to check decorative mouldings (7)
19 Fellow onE rounds to check decorative mouldings (7)
cat (fellow) + I(one) around vet(check) = CAVETTI

26 Absurd how each section of the Jubilee line terminates (5)
in an e (how they end) = INANE

27 Borough indulgently entertains devotee of Indian religion (5)
hidden borougH INDUlgently = HINDU

28 Paddington maybe scratching head with odd barbed fork (5)
28 Paddington maybe scratching head with oddS barbed fork (5)
bear(Paddington maybe) swapping b (head) for sp (odds) = SPEAR

29 Served up viscous liquid made from a volume of large leaves (5)
Rev. oil (viscous liquid) + of (made from) = FOLIO

30 Costa supporting introduction of customer lift (4)
rib (costa) after c(introduction of customer)  = CRIB