“Clues are given in alphabetical order of their answers, which must be entered where they will fit. Starting at the top left corner, the unclued perimeter identifies who became famous and the reason why, while the other two unclued entries reveal what caused this UNDESIRABLE CELEBRITY. Each clue contains an extra word; in normal clue order, the first, middle or last letters of these (approximately equal numbers of each) instruct what must be highlighted in the grid. Unchecked and mutually cross-checking letters from unclued entries could give SHOWS SPRING’S FLASH STUNTS. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
I have a fondness for the “alphabetical answers to be entered where they fit” puzzle, and this was no exception.
I didn’t think it was too difficult, but nor was it, like the egg, over easy. There were a surprising number of homophones, and it was pleasant that they were all fair (none of the “PORE” = “POOR” nonsense that I saw recently).
The perimeter reads WILLIAM HUSKISSON FIRST RAILWAY PASSENGER CASUALTY, and the letters from the extra words (once one remembers to put them in grid-entry order) give FOUR NUMBERED CELLS GIVING DATE OF THE EVENT.
This refers to a fatal accident involving Stephenson’s Rocket on 15/09/1830, giving the cells to be shaded.
The first railway casualty was David Brook, who died on 05/12/1821.
Thanks to Kruger!
| Definition | word |
| Indicator | [word] |
| Anagram | WORD* |
| Reversal | <WORD |
| Homophone | “WORD” |
| Extra word | retired |
| LOCAL (Inhabitant) [housing] GI (Joe) retired [after] |
AEROLOGICAL |
| Sorbonne’s senior female A (academician) IN (concerned with) [middle of] English |
AÎNÉE |
| Quarter of Scots [from the outset] very I |
AIRT |
| [Nearly] AL |
ALGEBRA |
| APEX | |
| [Repaired] [nameless] {EARLY coloured STO |
AREOSTYLE |
| BIG (Very important), [extremely] A |
BIGAE |
| BIRO (What’s used to write) [about] Delhi ST (street) bar (6) | BISTRO |
| [Sounds like] Colorado “K9” (mountain) wolf perhaps (6) | CANINE |
| Offensive patois RE (“concerning”) COLE (old king) [admits] (6) | CREOLE |
| EE (Ian’s injured eye) R |
EERY |
| Jock’s son presently old enough (4) | ENOW |
| Organic matter in water found “GLARIN'” (shinin’ brightly), [we’re told] (7) | GLAIRIN |
| ICE (Criminal in Utah’s to kill) rogue [chiefs of] N |
ICENI |
| ICTIC | |
| Sliding in ILL (difficult) icy APSE (recess) (7) | ILLAPSE |
| Record company IE (that is) [associated with] IN (fashionable) D (department) store (5) | INDIE |
| {[Not quite] AGRE |
KIERKEGAARD |
| Grovel [overturning] <OK (fine) O (of) W (weak) magistrate (5) | KOTOW |
| Peruvian in USA maybe [investing] foreign TIN (money) in AOL (ISP) – [putting L (Lima) first] (6) | LATINO |
| Strauss perhaps VILE*, [horrible] musician (4) | LEVI |
| Brawny MY (setter’s) cravats [without] EAT (taste) (5) | MEATY |
| Be lost when I (one) [flees from] [corrupt] REG |
MERGE |
| OBA (West African chief) [maintains] [last of] |
OBIA |
| OR (Gold) [front of] Henry’s R |
ORRIS |
| RAG (Poor person) [beginning to] consume I |
RAGI |
| Antipodean leader {AGAIN AT [heart of] inept |
RANGATIRA |
| Again work at redirecting <ODER (European river) [to the west] (4) | REDO |
| <SIR (Gentleman) earlier [rejected] SOLE (only) fried meat dish (7) | RISSOLE |
| [Out of order], HIRES* cafe for meal during Ramadan (5) | SEHRI |
| Game presenter SPORT (to wear) C (cape) [mostly] ASTERN (behind) back (11) | SPORTCASTER |
| Holidaymaker R (right) [to follow] [winding] rural ROUTE*? (6) | TOURER |
| U (Posh) <LAD (boy) spoilt – [raised] in island estate with no-one superior (4) | UDAL |
| < PhysiciAN hates LUmps [recurring] – covering part of arm (4) | ULNA |
| Watch German’s “WEIGHT” (importance) [to the audience] (4) | WAIT |
| Desire Ivorian currency (3) | YEN |
| Outdated type [of] vinYL frequently KEpt (4) | YLKE |
| W | I | L | L | I | A | M | H | U | S | K | I | S |
| Y | L | K | E | C | R | E | O | L | E | I | N | S |
| T | L | S | V | E | E | R | Y | N | R | E | D | O |
| L | A | T | I | N | O | G | L | A | I | R | I | N |
| A | P | E | X | I | S | E | R | O | C | K | E | T |
| U | S | P | O | R | T | C | A | S | T | E | R | H |
| S | E | H | R | I | Y | E | N | B | I | G | A | E |
| A | A | E | R | O | L | O | G | I | C | A | L | F |
| C | A | N | I | N | E | M | A | K | R | A | G | I |
| R | I | S | S | O | L | E | T | O | U | R | E | R |
| E | N | O | W | B | W | A | I | T | D | D | B | S |
| G | E | N | B | I | S | T | R | O | A | I | R | T |
| N | E | S | S | A | P | Y | A | W | L | I | A | R |
I like these jigsaw style EVs too.
I found myself wondering if there was any further significance to the 4 highlighted letters – YGRR.
But I couldn’t see anything
Anyway, another excellent challenge and I learned something new.
Thanks to Kruger and Mister Sting