Kruger is one of the most prolific setters of Inquisitors, in third place third behind Schadenfreude and Phi, so it is no surprise to see another offering this week.
The preamble was quite clear: 1ac, 43 and 30/23 entered the 16/33 at 10. Each clue contains an extra word of at least four letters that must be removed before
solving. In clue order, the first or third letters (equal numbers of each) of these words will specify what must be highlighted in the completed grid. One answer is an acronym.
I got off to a reasonable start with 4 across entries and 5 down entries on the first pass. This gave me a good foundation to build up the rest of the grid. Inevitably I got some of the extra words wrong initially and had to do a little bit of reverse engineering to identify what was being specified.
The penny drop moment came with what looked liked a WIZARD reference at 16 across and a likely HOGWARTS at 10 down. I remember my children getting hooked on the books by J K Rowling when the first one was published in 1997. I have read the books and know a few character’s names but I couldn’t remember much about the TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT described in the Goblet of Fire book. I therefore had to a bit of research to complete CEDRIC DIGGORY, FLEUR DELACOUR and VIKTOR KRUM. I understand that three European schools of wizardry schools select individuals for the TOURNAMENT, but for the specific event in the grid, the Goblet allowed HOGWARTS to enter a second competitor whose name can be found within the NW-SE diagonal. That last entry was HARRY POTTER
The full sentence about the competition was therefore CEDRIC DIGGORY. FLEUR DELACOUR and VIKTOR KRUM entered the TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT at HOGWARTS
The first and third letters of the omitted words are shown below. By selecting 19 from each of the first and third choices the description of what had to be highlighted could be deduced. The full words omitted from each clue are shown in the detailed table below.
| L | A | H | T | H | N | F | S | S | L | C | C | T | C | D | N | O | D | A | L | C | P | H | F | E | U | J | C | O | S | P | S | T | I | S | I | O | C | 19 |
| N | W | S | O | O | V | E | I | E | A | E | R | N | E | I | T | L | T | P | K | E | W | A | R | T | I | N | R | T | M | B | E | I | N | T | I | P | N | 19 |
Highlight: LAST ONE SELECTED TO TAKE PART IN COMPETITION
Clues that seem difficult when first encountered somehow become much easier when extra words are omitted and the benefit of hindsight comes into play at the time of parsing the entries for the blog. The clues were all very fair and parse clearly.
I would put this puzzle towards the easier end of the Inquisitor spectrum, but perhaps I just happened to be on Kruger’s wavelength.
The completed grid and the highlighted grid are shown below.
The title GOOD SPELLING ESSENTIAL is fairly self explanatory and some solvers may have thought of wizardry and HOGWARTS immediately.
| No |
Clue Amended Clue |
Word Letters |
Entry |
| Across | |||
| 1 |
Unclued (13) CEDRIC DIGGORY |
||
| 9 |
Has long hike shattered consort of Arab chief? (7) Has hike shattered consort of Arab chief? (7) SHEIKHA (the chief wife or consort of a sheikh [Arab chief]) Anagram of (shattered) HAS HIKE SHEIKHA* |
long L N L |
|
| 11 |
Told to always run from bloodsucker (4) Told to run from bloodsucker (4) FLEA (bloodsucking insect) FLEA (sounds like [told] FLEE [run from]) FLEA |
always A W A |
|
| 13 |
Incite hostile adult interrupting very influential man (4) Incite adult interrupting very influential man (4) GOAD (incite) A (adult) contained in (interrupting) GOD (influential man) GO (A) D |
hostile H S S |
|
| 14 |
Plan to capture rarest tropical cuckoo – it’s a breeze! (9) Plan to capture rarest cuckoo – it’s a breeze! (9) AIRSTREAM (flow of air; breeze) AIM (plan) containing (to capture) an anagram of (cuckoo) RAREST AI (RSTREA*) M |
tropical T O T |
|
| 16 |
Unclued (9) TRIWIZARD |
||
| 17 |
Assert soldiers finally to guard hooligan Scots (5) Assert soldiers finally to guard Scots (5) SWEAR (assert) S (last letter of [finally] SOLDIERS) + WEAR (Scottish word for ‘to guard’) S WEAR |
hooligan H O O |
|
| 18 |
His wife’s never passed over chance to leave navy approaching Exeter on vacation (7) His wife’s passed over chance to leave navy approaching Exeter on vacation (7) WIDOWER (man whose wife has died [passed]) WINDOW (opportunity; chance) excluding (to leave) N (Navy) + ER (letters remaining in EXETER when the central letters XETE are removed [on vacation]) WIDOW ER |
never N V N |
|
| 21 |
They measure signal strength of French broadcaster following month last in ratings (7) They measure signal strength of broadcaster following month last in ratings (7) JANSKYS (units in radio astronomy measuring the power received at the telescope from a cosmic radio source; measurement of signal strength) JAN (JANuary; month) + SKY (name of a broadcasting company) + S (final letter of [last in] RATINGS) JAN SKY S |
French F E E |
|
| 24 |
Rub ridge on stiff neck (4) Rub ridge on neck (4) FRET (chafe; rub) FRET (any of the wooden or metal ridges on the neck of a guitar or other instrument which divide the fingerboard into spaces producing different notes) double definition FRET |
stiff S I S |
|
| 25 |
First grade mountain pasture has steep section lost (5) First grade mountain pasture has section lost (5) ALPHA (the first or one of the first grade) ALP (mountain pasture) + HAS excluding (has lost) S (section) ALP HA |
steep S E E |
|
| 27 |
Walk without parking learner’s electric vehicle (4) Walk without parking electric vehicle (4) TRAM (electric vehicle) TRAMP (walk) excluding (without) P (parking) TRAM |
learner’s L A L |
|
| 28 |
Positive Uzbek’s clearly ready to feign illness in New York (6) Positive Uzbek’s ready to feign illness in New York (6) POSSUM (equivalent to the phrase ‘play POSSUM‘ [to feign death, sleep, illness or ignorance]) POS (positive) + SUM (standard unit of currency [money; ready] in Uzbekistan) POS SUM |
clearly C E E |
|
| 31 |
America confines certain corrupt Republican moneylenders (7) America confines certain Republican moneylenders (7) USURERS (moneylenders) US (United States; America) containing (confines) (SURE [certain] + R [Republican]) U (SURE R) S |
corrupt C R C |
|
| 32 |
Retrospectively satisfied with tense, irrational times (5) Retrospectively satisfied with irrational times (5) TEMPI (musical term for times) MET (satisfied) reversed (retrospectively) + PI (an irrational number) TEM< PI |
tense T N T |
|
| 33 |
Unclued (10) TOURNAMENT |
||
| 38 |
Bishop in distress (with no end of chest pain) wandered no more (5) Bishop in distress (with no end of pain) wandered no more (5) ERRED (archaic [no more] definition of ‘wandered’) RR (Right Reverend; mode of referring to or addressing a Bishop) contained in (in) NEED ([state of] distress) excluding (with no) N (last letter of [end of] PAIN) E (RR) ED |
chest C E E |
|
| 39 |
Threesome drinking tipple – principally port (4) Threesome tipple – principally port (4) TRIO (threesome) T (first letter of [principally] TIPPLE) + RIO (RIO de Janiero; port city in Brazil) T RIO |
drinking D I D |
|
| 40 |
Some say native cattle from Texas excellent (4) Some say cattle from Texas excellent (4) NEAT (dialect word [some say] for cattle) NEAT (American [Texas] word for ‘excellent’) double definition NEAT |
native N T T |
|
| 41 |
Where thespians learn Jock’s only afraid at front of auditorium (4) Where thespians learn Jock’s afraid at front of auditorium (4) RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts; place where actors [thespians] learn their trade) RAD (Scottish [Jock] word for ‘afraid’) + A (first letter of [front of] AUDITORIUM) RAD A |
only O L O |
|
| 42 |
Lively symbolic narrative details not unknown or retracted (7) Lively symbolic narrative not unknown or retracted (7) ALLEGRO (musical term for ‘with brisk movement’ or ‘lively’) ALLEGORY (symbolic narrative) excluding (not) Y (a letter frequently used to represent an unknown value in an equation) with the last two letters OR reversed [retracted] to form RO ALLEG RO |
details D T T |
|
| 43 |
Unclued (13) FLEUR DELACOUR |
||
| Down | |||
| 1 |
Court of Session decline appeal. Upset, it greatly irritates (5, 2 words) Court of Session decline. Upset, it greatly irritates (5, 2 words) CS GAS (an irritant gas that affects vision and respiration) CS (Court of Session) + SAG (decline) reversed (upset; down entry) CS + GAS< |
appeal A P A |
|
| 2 |
Like what kills ungulates traversing Arabian city (8) What kills ungulates traversing Arabian city (8) DEADENER (something that kills) DEER (example of ungulates [hoofed animals]) containing (traversing) ADEN (Arab city in Yemen) DE (ADEN) ER |
Like L K K |
|
| 3 |
Spirit limited by Italian chemist in method of dyeing (4) Spirit limited by Italian in method of dyeing (4) IKAT (technique of tie-dyeing yarn prior to weaving, resulting in a fabric with a geometric pattern of colours) KA (spirit or soul within a person) contained in (limited by) IT (Italian) I (KA) T |
chemist C E E |
|
| 4 |
Awfully rich and extremely powerful – pretty happy! (6) Awfully rich and extremely pretty happy! (6) CHIRPY (cheerful; happy) Anagram of (awfully) RICH + PY (outer letters of [extremely] PRETTY) CHIR* PY |
powerful P W P |
|
| 5 |
Wish current heartless postcard differently presented county town (7) Wish current postcard differently presented county town (7) IPSWICH (county town of Suffolk) Anagram of (differently) WISH and I (electric current) and PC (postcard) IPSWICH* |
heartless H A A |
|
| 6 |
Become over-ambitious when nameless foreign agent dies mysteriously (8, 2 words) Become over-ambitious when nameless agent dies mysteriously (8, 2 words) GET IDEAS (become or be over-ambitious) Anagram of (mysteriously) AGENT excluding (less) N (name) and DIES GET IDEAS* |
foreign F R R |
|
| 7 |
Olive extract’s an ingredient of casserole again (4) Olive an ingredient of casserole again (4) OLEA (olive genus) OLEA (hidden word in [ingredient of] CASSEROLE AGAIN) OLEA |
E T T |
|
| 8 |
Build unisex lavatory at Harrow? (4) Build lavatory at Harrow? (4) REAR (erect; build) REAR (lavatory at a public school such as Harrow) double definition REAR |
unisex U I I |
|
| 10 |
Unclued (8) HOGWARTS |
||
| 12 |
Class of junior players perhaps mistakenly set out from Amsterdam ground (6) Class of players perhaps mistakenly set out from Amsterdam ground (6) AMDRAM (AMateur DRAMatic; class of players) Anagram of (ground) AMSTERDAM excluding (out) an anagram of (mistakenly) SET AMDRAM* |
junior J N N |
|
| 15 |
Devout Jamaican Christian read out several lines on TV (6) Devout Jamaican read out several lines on TV (6) RASTER (complete set of scanning lines appearing on a television or computer screen as a rectangular patch of light on which the image is reproduced) RASTER (sounds like [read out] RASTA [member of a West Indian [especially Jamaican] religious movement; devout Jamaican) RASTER |
Christian C R C |
|
| 19 |
Beginning Oxford University term’s outstanding first series of games (6) Beginning Oxford University term’s first series of games (6) OUTSET (beginning) OU (Oxford University) + T (initial letter of [first] TERM) + SET (series of games in tennis) OU T SET |
outstanding O T O |
|
| 20 |
Test paragraph containing some Latin in old copy of book (8) Test paragraph containing Latin in old copy of book (8) EXAMPLAR (archaic alternative to EXEMPLAR [a copy of a book or other text]) EXAM (EXAMination; test) + (PAR [paragraph] containing (containing) L [Latin]) EXAM P (L) AR |
some S M M |
|
| 22 |
Randomly drank publican’s ale in list (8) Randomly drank ale in list (8) KALENDAR (alternative spelling of CALENDAR [any list or record]) Anagram of (randomly) DRANK ALE KALENDAR* |
publican’s P B P |
|
| 23 |
Unclued (4) KRUM |
||
| 24 |
He makes grooves for missing centre around protective steel covering (6) He makes grooves for missing centre around protective covering (6) FLUTER (on who forms FLUTEs or grooves) FOR excluding the central letter [missing centre] O containing (around) LUTE (cement or other material used as a protective covering) F (LUTE) R |
steel S E E |
|
| 26 |
Starts to tease young daughter with thick left ear strangely having lobe larger than another one (7) Starts to tease young daughter with left ear strangely having lobe larger than another one (7) LYRATED (botanical term meaning ‘having the terminal lobe much larger than the lateral one’) Anagram of (strangely) (TYD [first letters of each of {starts to} TEASE, YOUNG and DAUGHTER] and L [left] and EAR) LYRATED* |
thick T I T |
|
| 29 |
Jonjo possibly isn’t sick after a drink (6) Jonjo possibly sick after a drink (6) O’NEILL (reference Jonjo O’NEILL [born 1952], Irish National Hunt racehorse trainer and former jockey) ONE (drink, as in ‘a quick one’) + ILL (sick) ONE ILL |
isn’t I N I |
|
| 30 |
Unclued (6) VIKTOR |
||
| 34 |
Unlimited optimism in sitting exam (4) Unlimited optimism in exam (4) ORAL (examination) MORALE (optimism) excluding the outer letters (unlimited) M and E ORAL |
sitting S T T |
|
| 35 |
Pointed slur initially deprecates to some extent (4) Pointed slur deprecates to some extent (4) URDÉ (pointed) URDE (hidden word (to some extent) in SLUR DEPRECATES) URDE |
initially I I I |
|
| 36 |
Woman, raised in Swansea orphanage, lonely (4) Woman, raised in Swansea, lonely (4) NOLA (woman’s name) NOLA (reversed [raised] hidden word in [in] SWANSEA LONELY) NOLA< |
orphanage O P O |
|
| 37 |
Canvas on top of ottoman cheaply-made (4) On top of ottoman cheaply-made (4) LEGO (of buildings, simply and cheaply constructed, jerry-built) LEG (on side in cricket terminology) + O (first letter of [top of] OTTOMAN) LEG O |
Canvas C N N |
Enjoyed, with many thanks to Kruger and duncanshiell. The penny dropped with the realization that 16A started TR?W with a D at the end, with HOGWARTS and the boy wizard in Diagon Alley immediately following. Unfair advantage admitted: I once wrote a whole book about the Harry Potter series. But that was so long ago that I couldn’t remember the overseas competitors’ surnames. What took longest was extracting the full surplus-words message….
This puzzle’s theme was on a subject that I know almost nothing about (which is why TOURNAMENT was the only unclued light I could fill in without doing any research), but I thoroughly enjoyed the endgame with a bit of online help, first finding TRIWIZARD (to go with TOURNAMENT) and thence a theme that I recognised. Despite knowing only HOGWARTS and HARRY POTTER among the thematic names, I found the others easily enough.
I liked very much the device the setter used whereby we have to extract two letters from each clue and then form a message from half of them. I think I’ve encountered this device only once before, maybe twice.
It was a very good set of clues, skilfully set to include the surplus word. The design too was impressive, fitting in those seven thematic entries, plus HARRY POTTER.
Thanks to Kruger and duncanshiell.
All present and correct here this week, with all answers parsed without any trouble. Even though the subject matter is not exactly my sphere of expertise (I haven’t read any of the books) I had heard of Hogwarts knew that the internet would help me find the wizards names and Harry Potter was quite easy to spot. My only gripe is the precise wording of the clue for 18A, which I felt would have been better as chance to lose navy, as to my mind, navy is actually leaving chance. Other than that, a fun and relatively gentle solve.
Very enjoyable and well constructed.
Thanks all!
I do like a bit of pop culture so found this fun overall, although a puzzle with so many unclued entries tends to go in 3 phases; fill in as much as possible; stare at grid for a while; penny drops and all remaining entries go in very quickly.
I too had most trouble with the extra words and additional letters (especially because of the 2 options each time), with the phrase only being completed long after the grid.
One minor gripe, I thought 1a should have been shown as Unclued (6,7) rather than Unclued (13) and ditto 43a as Unclued (5,8) – ?
Overall great fun though, so thank you.
There are Inquisitors that introduce one to surprising and delightful byways of history, art, science etc etc; and there are Inquisitors that require one to bone up on a subject one has until now deliberately and studiously avoided. But I did enjoy the journey… thanks to Kruger and duncanshiell
@5 Arnold. I suppose it would be “Unclued (two words)” as I don’t think I’ve ever seen an IQ give away the precise numeration?
Thanks Kruger – a nice PDM and an opportunity to involve the kids with this one as once I had spotted “TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT” I was able to ask them the names of the participants.
Fair point – Unclued (13, 2 words) it should have been.
Once I’d seen HOGWARTS at 10d and HARRY POTTER on the diagonal I kind of lost interest … but finished the puzzle anyway. Thanks to all.