Two clue devices this week. Extra letters in the wordplay and misprints in some definitions. Also 10 unclued entries and a piece of encryption to solve at the end. The gentleman amateur cracksman is our setter – for those who remember the novels by E W Hornung or Anthony Valentine on TV in the early 70s
A pretty tough set of clues this week, not really in the spirit of a wind down to Christmas – but all completely fair.
What did the misprints spell out BEN HUR and TITANIC – two oscar winning films. It was at this point I realised across is an anagram of OSCARS. The are collectively described by 10 across perhaps becomes cryptically 10 OSCARS. Both won more than 10 oscars in their respective release years. In this respect the films Ben Hur and Titanic outdid the grid because the remaining unclued entries were 10 random famous or semi-famous Oscars
HAMMERSTEIN
ROMERE
WILDE
DE LA RENTA
DE LA HOYA
ASCHE
THE GROUCH
NIEMEYER
STRAUS
BROWNING
The extra letters in the wordplay spelled out LORD OF THE RINGS GNIK EHT FO or unencrypted it is LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING. Another film that outdid the 10 oscars in the grid.
Many thanks Raffles – I think I cracked the safe. And a merry Christmas to all who drop by. Hopefully the year ahead will not be a further descent by the world into the ever increasing likelihood of warfare. The UK, the US, the EU, the Ukraine, Russia and Israel really need to see that diplomacy is a lost art form and violence in any form should never be considered the answer to anything and stop making up the truth!
Key * anagram; DD double definition; Rev. reversed; underline definition
Across
8 Location of rattle baby serenely hugs (4)
B 8 Location of Battle baby serenely hugs (4)
Hidden babY SERenely = YSER
T 9 Flower seed’s measure of acidity with warm outside (8)
near (warm) around nut (seed) + ph (measure of acidity) = NENUNPHAR
11 Special party blend (5)
E 11 Special party bleEd (5)
s (special_ + crew (party) = SCREW
H 12 Opinionated French women the teenager gets round (7)
Hidden womEN THE TEenager = ENTETEE
E 13 Drama queen beset by confused aesthetic (9)
r(queen) in (aesthetic)* = THEATRICS
L 15 Discarded legal oversight shortly to take form of trouble (7)
jell(to take form) – l + of + ail(trouble) = JEOFAIL
19 Cage for unruly hags to shout uncontrollably (5)
N 19 Cage for unruly Nags to shout uncontrollably (5)
t(to) + rave (shout uncontrollably) = TRAVE
O 20 Life story containing work deleted from Open Sesame! (4)
bio(life story) around open – op(work) = BENI
R 21 Berry supplier to spoil lazy person (7)
mar(to spoil) + drone (lazy person) = MADRONE
D 23 Ancient curse on horse having enveloped teat (6)
mare(horse) around dug(teat) = MAUGRE
O 24 Served as attendant and elected to collect beer (7)
voted(elected) around ale (beer) = VALETED
26 Right behind dog’s bum (4)
H 26 Right behind dog’s Hum (4)
r(right) after cur (dog) = CURR
F 29 One dries swimmer in tedious experience (7)
fish(swimmer) in drag(tedious experience) = DISH-RAG
T 33 Indeed formerly popular, small canine, say (7)
in (popular) + s (small) + tooth(canine) = INSOOTH
H 36 Poet from India nursed by serf (5)
helot(serf) around I (india) = ELIOT
E 37 Girl favoured by God regularly used tavern in bay (4)
tAvErN iN bAy (regularly) = ANNA
38 Intelligence brought back that glue is binding weapon shows lost case for IS (11, two words)
U 38 Intelligence brought back that glue is binding weapon shows lost case for uS (11, two words)
Rev. gen (intelligence) in goo (glue) + sling(weapon) = GONE GOSLING
Down
1 Old area of spouts with stone axes on top (4)
R 1 Old area of spoRts with stone axes on top (4)
xy(axes) before st(sone) = XYST
R 2 Once immediately after this echo, concerned with probing wind instrument (6)
horn (wind instrument) around e (echo) + re (concerned with) = HEREON
3 Stadium dropping national track (4)
T 3 Stadium dropping national tracT (4)
arena(stadium) – n(national) = AREA
4 Wham! once forbidding following Raffles (6)
I 4 WhIm! once forbidding following Raffles (6)
grim (forbidding) after me(Raffles) = MEGRIM
I 5 Space that is poetically fair (3)
en (space) + ie (that is) = ENE
N 6 Flower of Scotland Royal Highness pens now in Latin (5)
rh(royal highness) around nunc (now in Latin) = RUNCH
7 Bike to Scottish mounts (3)
T 7 BiTe to Scottish mounts (3)
rev tae (to Scottish) = EAT
G 10 Aged Rob is average avoiding active exercising (5)
(average -a)* = REAVE
S 14 Total block on Solicitor General (4)
ban (block) on sg (solicitor general) = BANG
16 Smell animal faeces initially on old vile disturbed earth (9)
A 16 SmAll animal faeces initially on old vile disturbed earth (9)
f(faeces initially) + (old vile)* + e (earth) = FIELD VOLE
G 17 Choke about editor’s OK (6)
gag (choke) + re (abot) + ed (editor) = AGREED
18 Raised agreement to keep Conservative dole up (5)
N 18 Raised agreement to keep Conservative doNe up (5)
Rev. deal (agreement) around c (conservative) = LACED
N 22 The French following guy to get guy? (4)
man(guy) before le (the French) = MALE
I 24 Seven with food (5)
vii(seven) + and = VIAND
K 25 Date I’m to pick up – let you know at first – with two alcoholic radicals (6)
d(date) + I am (I’m) + rev. lyk (let you know at first) = DIAMYL
E 27 I’m unsure square peg’s bottom is fitting in receptacle (6)
ur (I’m unsure) + nine (square) + g (peg’s bottom) = URNING
H 28 Addict from Australia happened upon three parts of water? (5)
met (happened upon) + hho (three parts water) = METHO
T 30 Close to sound remedy (5)
at (close to) + tone (sound) = ATONE
31 Brno is Czechia’s third province – not its last (4)
I 31 BrIo is Czechia’s third province – not its last (4)
e (Czechia’s third) + lan (province) – d = ELAN
F 32 Leaves for thatching carried in craft apparently (4)
Hidden crAFT Apparently = ATAP
34 Join cast when contracted (3)
C 34 Coin cast when contracted (3)
sent(cast) – t = SEN
O 35 No longer stops natives of Indiana getting half-cut (3)
Hoosiers (natives of Indiana) – iers (half) = HOS