Apparently there’s nothing enigmatic about this title’s puzzle. I am reliably informed that internet-only EVs like this one (of which there have been 8) are numbered differently.
The preamble is clearly written, but there appear to be a number of challenges in the way of the solver – mainly various issues resulting from a surfeit of letters to inhabit the cells. I’m making my way through my stocking as I start this, so let’s hope there’s a nice way in to this puzzle…
I’m wary of saying an EV was easy, as setters seem to take it as an insult. I’m not sure why. The only EVs I haven’t enjoyed are ones that have been made difficult in some tiresome way – although that’s not to say that difficulty is a bad thing, either! But surely Christmas Day is the right time for a slightly… um… ‘friendlier’ puzzle? In any case, I found this puzzle abundantly friendly.
For all its friendliness, there was more than enough going on in this puzzle to tickle the brain. I liked the surface reading of the clues, especially the touches like 5 down, which reveals another layer once solved.
The cells that were to be ‘resolved to a single character’ turned out to be numbers. A little alertness suggested that ‘364’ was likely, and the positioning was confirmed by the placing of various other clashes.
In short, there were two possible CHRISTMAS DAY MESSAGEs, running in diagonal lines through the grid. Using ‘/’ to indicate a line break, and aqua to indicate a rejected clashing letter (which highlights the generosity – fit given the season – of giving the two messages so many letters in common), the messages were:
(a) 364 / SHOPPING / DAYS TO / CHRISTMAS
(b) 364 / FLIPPING / WAYS TO / OVERSPEND
Of course, it is message (b) that goes in the grid.
Notation
(xxx) = definition
[xxx] = (anagram/homophone/container/etc.) indicator
XXX* = anagram
< = reversal
LAYING = letter(s) used in ‘Grinch-like’ message
RIEM = letter(s) in discarded message
FORM = letter(s) replaced by number
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PREFABS | Kit houses little judge in fort with brass casings (7) |
| 6 | ADAPTS | After date, active personal trainer takes last of classes and makes fit (6) |
| 12 | LAYING | Exorcising LAY (ancient faith) IN G (government) (6) |
| 13 | ROON | ROO (Little marsupial’s) N (new) in Perth list (4) |
| 14 | IONA | ON (Assigned to) IA (Iowa)[‘s outer] island (4) |
| 15 | FORM | Ceremony, FOR (wanting) [to have] M (Mass) (3) |
| 16 | NOSEY | NO (Not one) SEY (part of carcase) is fragrant (5) |
| 17 | AFFIXED | AFFED (FAFFED (Dithered), [subtracting first F (forty)]), [around] IX (nine) added (6) |
| 19 | IONOMERS | MOONRISE* [released] bonding products (8) |
| 20 | LITH | Old joint LIT (set on fire)’s H (hot) (3) |
| 21 | HAPLY | It may be H (constant) [with] A (one) PLY (bend) (5) |
| 23 | TRYING | Searching [within] ENTRY IN GRID (6) |
| 26 | SCALENE | Denoting a muscle with three unequal sides (7) |
| 28 | ACTION | CAT*[‘s crazy] IN [accepting] O (ordinary) operation (6) |
| 29 | SAINT | Virtuous person ISN’T* [troubled] [about] A ([hint of] ADULTERY) (5) |
| 33 | CHLAMYS | CLASH* [developed] [about] MY outdated cloak (7) |
| 36 | SIEGE | SINCE (Scorch) [E (earth) for N (new)] persistent offensive (5) |
| 37 | FORAMINIFERAL | Of some protozoa, F (female) OR (other ranks) A (are) MINI (small) and FERAL (wild) (13) |
| 41 | SMOWT | < [Doubling back], TOM (cat)[‘s seized] W (wide) young salmon in the Tay (5) |
| 42 | RIEM | Thong EMIR* [used badly] (4) |
| 43 | HEUCHS | SHEUCH (Iain’s ditch) [runs top to bottom] in Highland ravines (6) |
| 44 | SNEEZE | SNEE (Once cut), ZE (ZOE[‘s heart is lost]) in sudden expiration (6) |
| 45 | PRAAM | Lighter PR (prince)’s A (athletic) AM (in the morning) (5) |
| 46 | CEILINGED | DILIGENCE* [sorted] having a roof over one’s head (9) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | PRIALS | Sets of three PAIRS* [thrown around] L (line) (6) |
| 2 | ROO | GROOM [trimmed ends off] Australian jumper (3) |
| 3 | FLASHBOARD | FLASH (Vulgar) BARD (Shakespeare) [embraces] O (old) means of deepening channel (10) |
| 4 | BYRD | Composer BY (at the side of) RD (Rutherford) (4) |
| 5 | SIMILES | MISSILE* [exploded] producing striking effects in words (7) |
| 6 | ANNOYS | AN (Anonymous) NO (refusal) [followed by] YS ([gutless] YES) irritates (6) |
| 7 | ALSO-RANS | Unimportant types A (are) SO (very good) [in] [unravelling] SNARL* (8) |
| 8 | PREMY | [Leaving O (Ohio)], YOMPER*’s [excited] for early arrival (5) |
| 9 | SOPRANI | Singers {SPIN OAR}* [about] (7) |
| 10 | ON EDGE | Nervous? {END EGO}* [trips] (6, two words) |
| 11 | UNFREED | Enslaved {F (fellow)’s RE (note)} [is held by] NUDE* [lunatic] (5) |
| 15 | UREA | Carbamide [found in] NATURE APPARENTLY (3) |
| 18 | FINCH | Bird‘s F (free) [on] INCH (Irish meadow) (5) |
| 22 | PUNY | Feeble Y (COMEDY’s [finale]) [follows] PUN (wordplay) (4) |
| 24 | IMMERGE | Rare to plunge ME (myself) [in] [terrible] GRIME* (7) |
| 25 | POMATUM | {A MOM PUT}* [off] hair ointment (7) |
| 27 | CIRRI | COLONIC IRRIGATION [protects] tendrils (5) |
| 28 | ACTS UP | ACT (Feign) SUP (drink) malfunctions (6, two words) |
| 30 | AGNESI | Female mathematician EASING* [up] (6) |
| 31 | PIEMEN | EME (Old uncle) [infiltrates] PIN (pitch) for street sellers (6) |
| 32 | GELLED | GEE (Golf) D (direction) [without) LL (lines) began to work (6) |
| 34 | HOO-HA | HOO (HOOF (Dance) [without] F (female)?) HA (HAM (Ranting actor)[‘s endless]) noisy fuss (5) |
| 35 | SIEVE | Utensil < IS [upended] EVE (the night before) (5) |
| 37 | SMIR | Drizzle < RIMS (borders) [to the north] (4) |
| 38 | MICO | Monkey‘s ECONOMIC* [rent] [ONCE* [sorted] out] (4) |
| 39 | FENI | Goan drink is FINE* [when mixed] (4) |
| 40 | ADZE | AIRHEAD ZEALOUSLY [holds] tool (4) |