Misprints in 19 clues lead to three parts of an oath – seven members of this organisation then fill the perimeter. Two members are missing and one is hiding in plain sight and must be amended (2 cells) to show the other. A further change then shows where she was hiding. Makes sense?
As always as the clues fall then the sense of the preamble also comes into view.
The misprints give STARTS TO SECOND WORDS – assuming these are the clues then it yields
- MUMBO JUMBO
- JIGGERY POKERY
- COINCIDENCE
A quick google search yields THE DETECTION CLUB and
- BENTLEY
- SAYERS
- GORELL
- SYMONS
- KEATING
- BRETT
- EDWARDS
The full list of presidents being
- G. K. Chesterton (1930–1936)
- E. C. Bentley (1936–1949)
- Dorothy L. Sayers (1949–1957)
- Agatha Christie (1957–1976)
- Lord Gorell (1957–1963)
- Julian Symons (1976–1985)[8]
- H. R. F. Keating (1985–2000)
- Simon Brett (2000–2015)
- Martin Edwards (2015–)[9]
CHESTERTON and CHRISTIE being the 2 missing presidents. GK Chesterton’s surname is in the second row and can be changed to CHRISTIE by replacing the first E with RI and the second E with IE.
The final act is to replace the ie ending CHRISTIE with an O to show the OLD SWAN vertically where she famously ‘disappeared’ to
Thanks Shark. Help on parsing 14ac greatly appreciated. Apologies for the lateness of the blog been enjoying some Sicilian hospitality and food.
Key * anagram; Rev reversed; DD double definition; underline definition; RED misprints
Across
8 Game must finish early – time for cake (5)
8 Game must finish early – time for caSe (5)
chess – s + t (time) = CHEST
10 Snacks until noon (initially starving) (4)
10 STacks until noon (initially starving) (4)
to (until) + n (noon) + s (initially starving) = TONS
11 Dead mole’s dung (4)
11 Dead mole’s dAng (4)
d(dead) + rat(mole) = DRAT
13 Shellfish bordering Isle – Wight? (5)
13 Shellfish bordering Isle – Right? (5)
clam(shellfish) around I (isle) = CLAIM
14 In old letters, switched all but capital (5)
turned(switched) – t = RUNED or is pruned – p??
15 New Jersey money ironed out (6)
(ironed)* = DINERO
16 Toss up extra dud pound coins (just tails) (4)
16 ToTs up extra dud pound coins (just tails) (4)
end of (extra dud pound coins) = ADDS
17 Old master at first gains attention for gentry’s cutlery (8, two words)
17 Old master at first gains attention for Sentry’s cutlery (8, two words)
mess (old master) + g(at first gains) + ear (attention) = MESS GEAR
20 Plastic book in good condition – Viz? (6)
20 Plastic booT in good condition – Viz? (6)
well (in good condition) + ie (viz) = WELLIE
21 Made one cycling rack (6)
21 Made one cycling rOck (6)
united(made one) cycling = DUNITE
24 Fabric jumble sale, an event on vacation (8)
(sale an et)* = ELASTANE
25 Port in African country shifting terminus for coal (4)
25 PoSt in African country shifting terminus for coal (4)
Mali moving l (terminus of coal) = MAIL
26 Can go back to find moth (6)
tin(can) + Rev die(go) = TINEID
28 Alexa getting rid of articles is its way of expressing itself (5)
alexa – as (articles) + is = LEXIS
30 Midterm exam from a Charlie briefly in second (5)
a + nit(charlie) – t in mo (second) = AMNIO
31 Parrot removing kernel from tipper? (4)
lorry (tipper) – r (kernel) = LORY
32 Will you sing ultimately in early English? (4)
32 WEll you sing ultimately in early English? (4)
ug (you sing ultimately) in ee (early english) = EUGE
33 Old-school pash from Greek character embracing at home (5)
33 Old-school Cash from Greek character embracing at home (5)
rho(Greek character) around in (at home) = RHINO
Down
1 Possibly off-white vintage cruet bottles (4)
Hidden vintagE CRUet = ECRU
2 Finally keen on worker – posh bird! (6)
n(finally keen) + hand (worker) + u (posh) = NHANDU
3 Leaves east after festival on Sabbath (5)
3 LOaves east after festival on Sabbath (5)
Tet(festival) + e (east) + s (sabbath) = TETES
4 Bit recovered, but lacking force (6)
fetched(recovered) – f (force) = ETCHED
5 Primarily yob’s eighteen lagers – drunk’s barred from Ibrox (4)
5 Primarily yob’s eighteen lagers – drunk’s barreN from Ibrox (4)
Primarily yob’s eighteen lagers – drunk = YELD
6 Topless courting with the French is thrilling (7)
mating(courting) – m (topless) + le (the French) = ATINGLE
7 Eye of storm, perhaps, seen alongside England (7)
7 Dye of storm, perhaps, seen alongside England (7)
rain(storm perhaps) after eng (England) = ENGRAIN
9 Worship ignoring priest – he will cause a commotion (9, two words)
praise(worship) = he’ll(he will) = RAISE HELL
12 Allowing notice, Cambridge University’s smart sacking head (9)
ad (notice) + mit (Cambridge University) + ting (smart) = ADMITTING
18 Almost calm Perth baby eating one candy that’s out of date (7)
lull (calm) – l + bub (Perth baby) around i (one) = LULIBUB
19 Learned individuals from Wisconsin use this with Al (7, two words)
wi(Wisconsin) + semen (use this with artificial insemination) = WISEMEN
22 Organ’s dismantled with accepted tool (6)
22 Organ’s dismantled with accepted Wool (6)
(organ)* + a (accepted) = WOOL
23 Scams encompassing (anonymous) 10 historical fake maps (6)
23 Scams encompassing (anonymous) 10 historical fake mOps (6)
Cons (scams) around a(anonymous) + x (10) = CAXONS
25 In Nagpur, employed weaving kelim (5)
25 In Nagpur, employeR weaving kelim (5)
(kelim)* = MELIK
27 King’s crossed by reputed Parisian mum (4)
27 King’s crossed by reputed Parisian muD (4)
r(king) in dit (reputed (said) Parisian) = DIRT
29 Preps environment-friendly exhibits (4)
29 PreSs environment-friendly exhibits (4)
Hidden envIRONment = IRON