“In the final grid, solvers must highlight a continuous sequence of eight symbols, all of which occur in the single unclued down entry. Five symbols consist of two letters, which must share the same cell. Of the three unclued across entries: two name examples of the third unclued entry, which we must reduce to continue STAYING ALIVE. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
This puzzle presented a pleasant challenge that was relatively easy to solve – in stark contrast to the theme!
The title and preamble gave some rather broad hints as to the theme, which I imagine was guessed by more than a few solvers.
The continuous sequence is made up of the chemical symbols of gases all of which occur in the ATMOSPHERE. METHANE and CARBON DIOXIDE are examples of GREENHOUSE GAS.
Rather pleasingly, the atmospheric gases have been listed in order of abundance (nitrogen makes up about 78% of the atmosphere, oxygen around 21%, argon roughly 1%, and so on).
I wonder if this is the first of a series highlighting the climate crisis. It’s certainly a worthy topic of consideration.
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| Notation | |
|---|---|
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
| Homophone | “WORD” |
| Thematic symbol | AVATArS |
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Cash earlier given as [broken] FOOT* IS H [beginning to] H |
OOFTISH |
| 13 | < {… |
BAHT |
| 14 | Video game figures: A VA (vice-admiral) with TARS (sailors) (6) | AVATArS |
| 15 | MODELS* [confused]? Not very often (6) | SELDOM |
| 16 | “NADENE” (Woman’s name) [may be spoken] in this group of languages (5) | NADENe |
| 17 | U (Uniform) [caught in] SLED (toboggan): went sideways uncontrollably (5) | SLUED |
| 18 | [Leaders of] E |
EURO |
| 21 | HER (That woman) with S (singular) E (energy), acquiring S (spades) and old harrows (5) | HeRSES |
| 23 | DIP (Swim) with SAS (military unit) and find a snake (6) | DIPSAS |
| 25 | Capital city: {CORK? NAY}*, [that’s wrong] (6) | CONAKrY |
| 26 | [Front bit of |
AFTER |
| 28 | HO (House) OF (made from) animal’s foot (4) | HOOF |
| 30 | < {SOB (Cry): ‘OH}, [to return] as drifters!’ (5) | HOBOS |
| 33 | [Eccentric] {HAD NO}* girlfriend (5) | DONAH |
| 35 | IN (Trendy) DER (German article) [about] EX (former partner) – one who compiles lists (6) | INDEXeR |
| 36 | Claim ALL (everything): EG (for example), E [first to] E |
ALLEGE |
| 37 | LET (Allow) E [first of E |
LEET |
| Down | ||
| 1 | Younger relative is GRAND (cracking) and CHIL |
GRANDCHILD |
| 2 | [During] |
RIVA |
| 3 | [Mixed-up] TEEN* [joins] RA (Regular Army) – there’s guts! (6) | ENTERA |
| 4 | HOST (Huge number of people) [on] RY (railway) to find this old inn (6) | HOSTRY |
| 5 | Kills US cricket side? More than one! (4) | OFFS |
| 6 | U (High-class) TILE (roof covering) is profitable (5) | UTILE |
| 7 | Being in [unfinished] ESSE |
ESSE |
| 8 | BALE* [out], having sufficient strength (4) | ABLE |
| 9 | CHORAL | |
| 10 | Such language, from LAD (youngster) IN O [back of] |
LADINO |
| 12 | Once burnt in < [escalating] TSUN |
INUST |
| 19 | Bulletin board system on the web provided by US (American) E (base), NET (free from all charges) (6) | USENET |
| 20 | [Crazy] MORON* [swallowing] E (Ecstasy): cheeky exhibitionist? (6) | MOONER |
| 22 | Type of shoe made from [recycled] BOATS* (5) | SABOT |
| 23 | < {IN A (Austria), WED (hitched)} [up] in government office (6) | DEWANI |
| 24 | PRO (Sportsperson) LIX ((59)) is saying far too much (6) | PROLIX |
| 27 | < |
FOEHN |
| 29 | Cheese and – [first of all] – F |
FETA |
| 31 | One slain by Gideon in [tattered] ROBE* (4) | OREB |
| 32 | S |
SHAD |
| 34 | Old < DEGA |
AGED |
| G | R | E | E | N | H | O | U | S | E | G | A | S | C | A |
| R | I | L | N | O | O | F | T | I | S | H | B | A | H | T |
| A | V | A | T | Ar | S | F | I | N | S | E | L | D | O | M |
| N | A | D | E | Ne | T | S | L | U | E | D | E | U | R | O |
| D | M | I | R | He | R | S | E | S | D | I | P | S | A | S |
| C | O | N | A | Kr | Y | A | F | T | E | R | R | E | L | P |
| H | O | O | F | H | O | B | O | S | W | D | O | N | A | H |
| I | N | D | E | Xe | R | O | E | H | A | L | L | E | G | E |
| L | E | E | T | M | E | T | H | A | N | E | I | T | E | R |
| D | R | C | A | R | B | O | N | D | I | O | X | I | D | E |
I enjoyed this a lot. The theme didn’t come all at once: it started with Ar, Ne and one other pair (Kr from memory), which led me to ATMOSPHERE, then to the full set of one-letter and two-letter symbols, then, later, to GREENHOUSE GAS and finally to the two examples of a greenhouse gas.
This was indeed an interesting and worthy topic, which we might see again. Thanks to setter and blogger.
Enjoyable solve, with a nice bit of misdirection in the “occur in the single unclued entry” bit of the preamble. Relatively gentle overall but nicely constructed. Thanks X-Type and Mister Sting