Half the clues lose a letter and the other half gain, with the letters lost matching the letters gained. These letters can then be rearranged to provide a thematic link to a surname (hidden in the grid). Once that has been found it needs to be changed to another surname reflecting a remake. An interesting affair in prospect?
Interesting, it certainly was. It’s always good when the compiler has added an additional checking mechanism. The additional/ subtracted letters alternated from clue to clue and the result spelled out real words. These were:
NO SLIM MIDFIELD UNWORTHY
IN RUN OF THE MILL DOWDYISM
Both anagram to THE WINDMILLS OF YOUR MIND, the iconic music from THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR – first made in 1968 starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway – remade in 1999 starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo.
MCQUEEN is visible in the NW to SE diagonal and can be replaced with BROSNAN to meet the requirements that all final entries are real words. If truth be told I had already spotted McQueen in the diagonal and knew enough about the films to realise it was THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR. Just took me a little while to realise the relationship was through the song.
Many thanks Eclogue – and nice to highlight a film where the remake was not a complete fiasco, but was eminently watchable too.
Key:
Rev. reverse, Underline definition; * anagram; DD Double definition
ACROSS
| – | + | 1 Indian’s shown a rug’s backing has perished (7) |
| N | 1 Indian’s show a rug’s backing has perished (7) | |
| Rev. a mat (rug) + (has)* = TAMASHA | ||
| 8 Acton’s time, possibly indicated by this, is short, public library being in revolt (4) | ||
| I | 8 Action’s time, possibly indicated by this, is short, public library being in revolt (4) | |
| Pl (public library) + up (in revolt) = PLUP (abbreviation) | ||
| 12 Perhaps advocates of POE surprisingly papalise icons (13) | ||
| O | 12 Perhaps advocates of PE surprisingly papalise icons (13) | |
| (papalise icons)* = EPISCOPALIANS | ||
| 13 You may die on this plant’s tubers coming hungrily up for air, originally (5) | ||
| N | 13 You may dine on this plant’s tubers coming hungrily up for air, originally (5) | |
| Initials of coming hungrily up for air = CHUFA | ||
| 14 Chinese channel returns my little pest (7) | ||
| S | 14 Chinese channel returns my little pest (7) | |
| Rev. Han (chinese) + nala (channel) = ALANNAH | ||
| 15 Head caving, that man has queen for independence (4) | ||
| R | 15 Head carving, that man has queen for independence (4) | |
| Him (that man) swapping ER (queen) for I (independence) = HERM | ||
| 16 Whippy aerial? More than one laid in teacher’s arsenal (6) | ||
| L | 16 Whippy aerial? More than one aid in teacher’s arsenal (6) | |
| (aerial)* = REALIA | ||
| 18 Chop follows special in English praise suddenly (8) | ||
| U | 18 Chop follows special in English upraise suddenly (8) | |
| Sp (special) + ang (in English) + hew (chop) = SPANGHEW | ||
| 20 Force primarily investigating European coin (5) | ||
| I | 20 Force primarily investigating European con (5) | |
| Vis (force) + I (primarily investigating) + e (European) = VISIE | ||
| 21 Queen of the South’s tea plats (4) | ||
| N | 21 Queen of the South’s tea plants (4) | |
| Q(queen) + at (of the) + s (south) = QATS | ||
| 22 It can be used to make male live with Sunday school? (4) | ||
| M | 22 It can be used to make ale live with Sunday school? (4) | |
| Be (live) + re (Sunday school) = BERE | ||
| 25 One who mans game bird runs (7) | ||
| O | 25 One who moans game bird runs (7) | |
| Grouse(game bird) + r (runs) = GROUSER | ||
| 27 Cremator of Egypt parking headwear back to front (4) | ||
| M | 27 Creator of Egypt parking headwear back to front (4) | |
| P (parking) + Rev. hat (headwear) = PTAH | ||
| 28 Indian actor in work on particles replacing nitrogen with boron in nozzle (4) | ||
| F | 28 Indian factor in work on particles replacing nitrogen with boron in nozzle (4) | |
| Nose (nozzle) swapping B (Boron) for N (Nitrogen) = BOSE | ||
| 29 Romani clubs originally formed large cells (5) | ||
| I | 29 Roman clubs originally formed large cells (5) | |
| F (originally formed) + asci (large cells) = FASCI | ||
| 31 Free in independent self, endless enthusiasm makes shiny tins (8) | ||
| T | 31 Free in independent self, endless enthusiasm makes shiny tints (8) | |
| Rid (free) in I (independent) + I (self) + zest(enthusiasm) – t (endless) = IRIDIZES | ||
| 34 Savaged cuckoo he left unfinished (6) | ||
| D | 34 Savage cuckoo he left unfinished (6) | |
| Ani (cuckoo) + male (he) – e (unfinished) = ANIMAL | ||
| 35 Medicinal sot? Certainly not number one (4) | ||
| H | 35 Medicinal shot? Certainly not number one (4) | |
| No (certainly not) + n (number) + I (one) = NONI | ||
| 36 Faltered greatly, success having fizzled out (7) | ||
| F | 36 altered greatly, success having fizzled out (7) | |
| Up (success) + ended (fizzled out) = UPENDED | ||
| 37 Pal shows mostly active part of the personality (5) | ||
| E | 37 Pale shows mostly active part of the personality (5) | |
| Live (active) – e (mostly) + id (part of the personality) = LIVID | ||
| 38 Spiry quality foiling hotel’s nemesis (13) | ||
| I | 38 Spry quality foiling hotel’s nemesis (13) | |
| (hotels nemesis)* = LITHESOMENESS | ||
| 39 Jonathan’s passed with best ark, advanced chapter on education (4) | ||
| M | 39 Jonathan’s passed with best mark, advanced chapter on education (4) | |
| A (advanced) + c (chapter) + ed (education) = ACED (Jonathan indicating an American) | ||
| 40 Small planet she’s on to become sleepy (7) | ||
| E | 40 Small plant she’s on to become sleepy (7) | |
| Her (she) + blet (become sleepy) |
DOWN
| – | + | 1 Roly, still climbing outside of church (5) |
| I | 1 Roily, still climbing outside of church (5) | |
| Rev. yet (still) around ch (church) = TECHY | ||
| 2 As leaves turn away from sun’s glaze, dashing pictorial hope (13) | ||
| L | 2 As leaves turn away from sun’s gaze, dashing pictorial hope (13) | |
| (pictorial hope)* = APHELIOTROPIC | ||
| 3 Measure of ronde, maybe, “I’m up on wild ox” (6) | ||
| L | 3 Measure of rondel, maybe, “I’m up on wild ox” (6) | |
| Rev. I’m + urus (wild ox) = MIURUS | ||
| 4 Hard to wind motor in self?contained engine at first (6) | ||
| D | 4 Hard to win motor in self?contained engine at first (6) | |
| Car (motor) in sce (self?contained engine) = SCARCE | ||
| 5 Hams in pay, males are holding fine (5) | ||
| L | 5 Hams in play, males are holding fine (5) | |
| Ok (fine) in hes (males) = HOKES | ||
| 6 Scout’s songs fully covered by clubs (7) | ||
| U | 6 Scot’s songs fully covered by clubs (7) | |
| All (fully) in bats (clubs) = BALLATS | ||
| 7 Palin travelled south lanes? (6) | ||
| D | 7 Palin travelled south landes? (6) | |
| (palin)* + s (south) = PLAINS | ||
| 9 Will’s self is transported by shore punt in water once upon a time (7) | ||
| N | 9 Will’s self is transported by shore put in water once upon a time (7) | |
| Che (Will’s self) in land (shore) = LANCHED | ||
| 10 Insecure mania contrived to turn one against US gals (13) | ||
| O | 10 Insecure mania contrived to turn one against US goals (13) | |
| (insecure mania)* = UNAMERICANISE | ||
| 11 Expressed wire had pews lit up (7) | ||
| W | 11 Expressed ire had pews lit up (7) | |
| (had pews)* = PSHAWED | ||
| 17 Recked greeting to Ghana (4) | ||
| W | 17 Wrecked greeting to Ghana (4) | |
| Hi (greeting) + gh (Ghana) = HIGH | ||
| 19 Old man’s to employ stoop for a while (5) | ||
| O | 19 Old man’s to employ stop for a while (5) | |
| Pa (old man) + use (employ) = PAUSE | ||
| 22 Game of cars British tease (4) | ||
| D | 22 Game of cards British tease (4) | |
| B (British) + rag (tease) = BRAG | ||
| 23 Crushed capsule loses energy to iodine in borne splinter (7) | ||
| R | 23 Crushed capsule loses energy to iodine in bone splinter (7) | |
| (capsul – e + i)* = SPICULA | ||
| 24 Native turned English trust in oof, say (7) | ||
| Y | 24 Native turned English trust in yoof, say (7) | |
| (native)* = e (English) = NAIVETE | ||
| 26 Most porty menagerie set up, that is, on street (7) | ||
| T | 26 Most pory menagerie set up, that is, on street (7) | |
| Rev. Zoo (menagerie) + ie (that is) + st (street) = OOZIEST | ||
| 28 What may bundle gran into container and tidy up? (6) | ||
| I | 28 What may bundle grain into container and tidy up? (6) | |
| Bin (container) + rev. Red (tidy) = BINDER | ||
| 29 Fierce queen may be one to bring down helm, for instance (6) | ||
| H | 29 Fierce queen may be one to bring down elm, for instance (6) | |
| Fell (fierce) + er (queen) = FELLER | ||
| 30 Second shed’s coop (6) | ||
| S | 30 Second shed’s scoop (6) | |
| S(second) + hovel(shed) = SHOVEL | ||
| 32 Finny friend avoiding current in choppy sea (5) | ||
| Y | 32 Finn friend avoiding current in choppy sea (5) | |
| (sea)* around ami (friend) – I (current) = SAAME | ||
| 33 Stupid upset over quiet esne position (5) | ||
| M | 33 Stupid upset over quiet mesne position (5) | |
| Rev. Dim (stupid) + st (quiet) = MIDST |