“Clues to perimeter entries comprise wordplay only. Each contains an extra word. Reading either the second or penultimate letters of these in clue order, followed by the alternative choices, gives a two-word phrase identifying the 34 contiguous cells containing seven names to be highlighted, thus showing a central figure in tune with the theme. Two of the perimeter entries are a forename and surname of someone associated with a thematic group; solvers must name another of this group’s works under the grid, using DYNAMO as a prompt. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
The forename and surname are LIAM STERNBERG, who wrote WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN, which was performed by The Bangles, who also performed ETERNAL FLAME (to be written under the grid).
The second and penultimate letters of the extra words spell THEMATIC PANTHEON, the seven members of which are ISIS, RA, BASTET, HORUS, THOTH, OSIRIS, and HATHOR, who form the ‘figure in tune with the theme’.
| Notation | |
|---|---|
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
| Homophone | “WORD” |
| Extra word | word |
As always, please let me know if anything isn’t clear.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Attempt [revision of] DEAL* (4)
|
LEAD |
| 4 | {SIP IS FROM}* [cracked] phial (9) | PISIFORMS |
| 10 | N (A large number) [invading] I (island) <ROOD (cross) [over] under cover (6) | INDOOR |
| 11 | < TENNOS (Divine leaders) [making a comeback] in short verse (6) | SONNET |
| 12 | Arab eminence <LET (permitted) [to travel to the West] (3) | TEL |
| 13 | [Hack] {USES BRUIN}*, a bit like Paddington (9) | SUBURSINE |
| 15 | MEM |
MELISMA |
| 18 | One from [reformed] USSR*? (4) | RUSS |
| 20 | One of Ra’s manifestations [imprisoned by] HaTHOR ONce (6) | THORON |
| 21 | In {THE MO |
AT HOME |
| 22 | SA mammal [wildly] A |
TAYRA |
| 24 | Permit LE |
LET |
| 26 | Hide tent [in] larGE Rucksack (3) | GER |
| 28 | More Scots < |
MAE |
| 31 | Gaping W (wide), [exiting] { |
HIANT |
| 33 | Bright Chap[‘s first] LEVER (prize) (6) | CLEVER |
| 34 | Despite the fact that O (nothing) [comes afterwards], EVENS (quits) (6, two words) | EVEN SO |
| 35 | CH (Check) ID (papers) ticked off (4) | CHID |
| 38 | < [Rejected] {PART (concern) TAR (set on)} unpleasantly restrictive situation (7, two words) | RAT TRAP |
| 40 | Most slimy {LIARS GET}* [infuriated] [masking] I (ego) (9) | GLAIRIEST |
| 41 | He didn’t look back a great deal (3) | LOT |
| 42 | [Half-baked] |
LAKSAS |
| 43 | L (Line) [from] HEL |
HELPER |
| 44 | SCALE* [flexible] <ROTA (cycle of seagoing duty) [back] 9) | ESCALATOR |
| 45 | CEDE | |
| Down | ||
| 1 |
Caught <MAIL (post) [turning up] (4)
|
LIAM |
| 2 | Understanding of N (Nationalist) [boring] ENTÊTÉ (opinionated French) (7) | ENTENTE |
| 3 | Noble girl { |
ADELE |
| 4 | SUM (Amount) [held by] POSS (possible) aids to manage disability (7) | POSSUMS |
| 5 | Old Yemenis < {À BAS} (down in Marseille) [travelling north] (4) | SABA |
| 6 | FOR (In favour of) W (week) [each side of] H |
FORWHY |
| 7 | NatiON STaking [claims] on one occasion in province (4) | ONST |
| 8 | Coach ME |
MENTOR |
| 9 | STERN (Back) street BERG (growler) (9) | STERNBERG |
| 14 | Religious clothing, [occasionally] wItH [torn] ARM* (5) | IHRAM |
| 16 | Formality of STAR CHAMBER (old court) [ignoring] AMBER (cautionary signal) (6) | STARCH |
| 17 | B (Book) {ALLEGED A}* million [wounded] (9, two words) | BALD EAGLE |
| 18 | Sandwich [fillings in] { |
ROTI |
| 19 | Signs over staff NOS (numbers) [under] SEG (sole protection) (6) | SEGNOS |
| 23 | Regretted [finishing up in] RUDE (rough) (4) | RUED |
| 25 | THE (So much) TA (expression of gratitude) in letter (5) | THETA |
| 27 | Chip [left in Bag’s] LITTER (rubbish) (7) | BLITTER |
| 29 | Excited, [bending] EAR* [over] [casual[ DATE* (7) | AERATED |
| 30 | USUAL* [changes] [restricting] V (very) fleshy bodies (6) | UVULAS |
| 32 | Stellar <ARTS (tricks) [picked up] [in] A (acting), [last of] alL (6) | ASTRAL |
| 36 | Figure of speech < [put up], <PORT (left) [on] purposE [in the end] (5) | TROPE |
| 37 | Travel document‘s VISA |
VISA |
| 38 | Let rip (4) | TEAR |
| 39 | [Some] scans sPY REad (4) | PYRE |
| L | E | A | D | P | I | S | I | F | O | R | M | S |
| I | N | D | O | O | R | A | S | O | N | N | E | T |
| A | T | E | L | S | U | B | U | R | S | I | N | E |
| M | E | L | I | S | M | A | S | W | T | H | T | R |
| B | N | E | R | U | S | S | T | H | O | R | O | N |
| A | T | H | O | M | E | T | A | Y | R | A | R | B |
| L | E | T | T | S | G | E | R | B | U | M | A | E |
| D | U | H | I | A | N | T | C | L | E | V | E | R |
| E | V | E | N | S | O | C | H | I | D | T | R | G |
| A | U | T | V | T | S | R | A | T | T | R | A | P |
| G | L | A | I | R | I | E | S | T | L | O | T | Y |
| L | A | K | S | A | S | W | H | E | L | P | E | R |
| E | S | C | A | L | A | T | O | R | C | E | D | E |
| ETERNAL FLAME | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|