Inquisitor 54 – Seasonal Show by Loda

The clues for this Seasonal Show were presented in three blocks:

Firstly, an unnumbered set of clues to the whole of each of Rows 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 with the clues in each row run together to read as a single sentence, without indication of where one clue started and another ended. However, we were told that the clues were in the right order in each row;

Secondly the remaining Across clues; and

Finally the Down clues.

We were informed that that the Row clues contained elements to be adapted for the Seasonal Show in line with the examples we would find in two of the columns. My first thoughts of pantomimes came to nothing as the answers unfolded.

We were also told that most of the Across and Down clues contained an extra word, the initial letters of which, in clue order, spelt out a thematic phrase., with an additional indication that the phrase was a humorous variation on a more well known phrase.  In fact, all the Across clues and all but the final two Down clues contained an extra word.  The thematic phrase, with apologies to Shakespeare, appeared as:

Now is the winter of our discount tents

leading to the theme of Winter Sales which were in full swing on 5th January when the Crossword was published.

The answers to the Row clues had be adjusted by repositioning the letters S, A, L and E in the answers to create the word SALE in as many places as possible.  In many cases this involved adjusting letters across the join of the answers to the row clues. The unaffected letters remained in their correct order.

There were, I think, 10 occurrences of SALE that could be created in the Rows.  Together with the two instances of SALE in the columns, one in column 1 – last letter of 10 down and first 3 letters of 29 down – and one in column 12 – last 2 letters of 10 down and first 2 letters of 15 down – this gave the 12 appearances of SALE that had to be highlighted in the final grid.

To help generate the large number of occurrences of SALE in the Rows there were some very obscure words in the Across and Down answers – e.g WEAMB , LUIT and LINS. On a couple of the homophones and reversals I required help from the crossing answers to determine the correct entry e.g. ABLE/ABEL , or direction of entry – CEPS/SPEC. There were some definitons that brought a smile – e.g Cleaning fluids for ENEMAS.   My age helped with Mrs DALE’s Diary – it was first broadcast on 5th January 1948 with the final episode aired in April 1969.  It used to be broadcast twice a day on the Light Programme around the time of Worker’s Playtime. R egrettably, I can remember it well.

The clues read well and kept their true meaning hidden from me for a while over a couple of solving sessions totalling about 4 hours. There were 47 clues in all – excellent value for money!