“Four notable examples of a LOW RIDER are given by initial letters of single redundant words in each across clue in alphabetical order of their answers. A thematic quotation and its originator runs clockwise around the perimeter starting at the top left cell. Solvers must highlight the LOW RIDER (nine contiguous cells) in the final grid, at a stretch illustrating one of the four examples in motion.
Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
The initial letters in the correct order spell SLINKY LUMP ARCHIE AMOS, who are (or were) all dachshunds.
According to HENRY MENCKEN, dachshunds are HALF-A-DOG HIGH AND A DOG-AND-A-HALF LONG.
We highlight the DACHSHUND SLINKY (from Toy Story). At least we do if we remember – I had neglected to complete this step until I wrote this!
I thought the clues were a good mix for those who don’t want their brains to fall out of their ears at the weekend. The extra words weren’t all obvious, and the fact that one had to rearrange the letters made it far harder to guess any missing letters.
| Notation | |
|---|---|
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
As always, please let me know if anything isn’t clear.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 7 |
[On the rocks], analysing CERTAIN* clay mineral (7)
|
NACRITE |
| 9 | Step idly on |
QUASH |
| 11 | Lamb [put] LI (lithium) nitrate [into] EA (regional river) (4) | ELIA |
| 12 | Molluscs [mostly] RETAININ |
NERITINA |
| 13 | KIN (Family) IN (concerned with) plant leaf hormone promoting division (5) | KININ |
| 14 | Tiny old BEETLE (mallet) [with used head replaced by L (learner)] (6) | LEETLE |
| 15 | [Sprightly] young NAIAD* [consumes] E (energy) on Cretan mount (6) | IDAEAN |
| 17 | [Apart from maudlin centrepiece], LI |
LIED |
| 18 | N (New) [leader in] Russian Eatery < SF (forced) [to return] napkin holders (4) | NEFS |
| 20 | Bound for Scotland, [crashing] DENTS* moped (5) | STEND |
| 22 | [Interleaved] BRA (undergarment) [with] stylish UK outerwear (5) | BURKA |
| 24 | E |
EGAD |
| 26 | Root MORE |
MORE |
| 27 | Fashions TR (transpose) one’s ENDS (goals) (6) | TRENDS |
| 29 | SLUM (Ghetto) PS (cop) sinks attorney (6) | SLUMPS |
| 31 | Detention centre‘s keen GAG (to stop) [holding] U (university) L (lecturer) (5) | GULAG |
| 32 | Texas city RIO (port) ejects BRAVO (hired assassin) (8, two words) | RIO BRAVO |
| 33 | COL (Colonel likes A (afternoon) drink (4) | COLA |
| 34 | Geese SEEN* [flying] [over] N (northern) colony (5) | NENES |
| 35 | Foretold situation WRIT (legal document) TEN (sustained) (7) | WRITTEN |
| Down | ||
| 1 |
IT (Ne plus ultra) [found in] HALE (healthy) form of salt (6)
|
HALITE |
| 2 | CoeliAC INItially [hoards] pips (5) | ACINI |
| 3 | Young swimmer FINN ((Scandinavian)) A (about) [to go over] C (100) K (7) | FINNACK |
| 4 | CinDERElla [nurses] Ed’s injury (4) | DERE |
| 5 | Wolf < [raised] {ELT (local sow) [with] TUG (struggle)} (6) | GUTTLE |
| 6 | Addressing [onset of] Heart AIL (trouble) IN G (Gabon) (7) | HAILING |
| 8 | Incursions [on] S (Sweden) {R (take) AID (support)} (5) | RAIDS |
| 10 | No longer chopped DENSE* [tangles] (5) | SNEED |
| 14 | Composer‘s L (left) EAR [getting] H (hot) (5) | LEHAR |
| 16 | Dead body HAS* [freakishly] [hollowed-out] E |
ASHES |
| 19 | FUR (Strengthening piece) LONG (extended) 2×20 poles (7) | FURLONG |
| 21 | [Merry] OUTING* [over] L (lake) for tree sap (7, two words) | TUNG OIL |
| 22 | ROSIE (Lee’s cider-drinking companion) [switching R (right) to [initially] Bowl] wrong’un to Zampa? (5) | BOSIE |
| 23 | Hot sandwich maker‘s one of Leah’s sons (6) | REUBEN |
| 24 | ED (Education) [badly] CUT*, it’s inferred (5) | EDUCT |
| 25 | Plant from ZA (South Africa) [found in] {A (Australian) LEA (meadow)} (6) | AZALEA |
| 28 | SLOT (Tracks) H (Max’s constant) idleness (5) | SLOTH |
| 30 | Catch PAW (hand) [on] pedestaL[‘s base] (4) | PAWL |
| A | H | A | L | F | A | D | O | G | H | I | G |
| N | A | C | R | I | T | E | Q | U | A | S | H |
| E | L | I | A | N | E | R | I | T | I | N | A |
| K | I | N | I | N | L | E | E | T | L | E | N |
| C | T | I | D | A | E | A | N | L | I | E | D |
| N | E | F | S | C | H | S | T | E | N | D | A |
| E | B | U | R | K | A | H | U | E | G | A | D |
| M | O | R | E | T | R | E | N | D | S | Z | O |
| Y | S | L | U | M | P | S | G | U | L | A | G |
| R | I | O | B | R | A | V | O | C | O | L | A |
| N | E | N | E | S | W | R | I | T | T | E | N |
| E | H | G | N | O | L | F | L | A | H | A | D |