So how taxing is taxing? That is my first question – Misprints in the definitions of all but 2 clues, once corrected they will reveal a French proverb and ten thematic adjustments to boot. The final step is to encircle the clue number(s) that are normal.
Sounds reasonably taxing, certainly taxing in the sense of the use of the use of many unfamiliar words to me, anyway.
5 down and 6 down gave me my first clue to the theme – double ‘ii’ words and my first guess proved successful, that only one of these should be entered in the grid. To include 10 double ‘ii’ words in one grid is no mean feat, though the grid was littered with many obscure words – many of which needed my BRB to confirm.
The misprinted letters spelled out a French saying:
Au royaume des aveugles les borgnes sont rois – which roughly translates to English as “In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king” Desiderius Erasmus. Hence the double i’s becoming single i’s.
The two unaffected clues being 1 across and 1 Down
Certainly an interesting puzzle and quite hard work too – Many thanks Eclogue. (Both of you) http://www.logogriph.cabanova.com/ if you want some more information on the setters.
I must admit the title has me baffled – Is it meant to be Taxiing? and if so why? Or is it just taxing to illustrate the difficulty of the puzzle?
key: * Anagram, DD Double definition, Rev. reverse, Underline definition
ACROSS
| – | 1 Sombre, being ill-disposed with first sign of merriment dissolving (5)(Sombre – m)* = SOBER |
| A | 6 It may flop during the night — about time one was kept in dry environment (6)It may flap during the night — about time one was kept in dry environment (6)C(about) + t (time) + I (one) in Arid (Dry environment) = ARCTIID [7] |
| U | 10 Grandparent’s taxi returned for Turkish pad, perhaps (7)Grandparent’s taxi returned for Turkish pud, perhaps (7)Rev(aval (grandparent) + cab(taxi)) = BACLAVA |
| R | 11 Service taken in old European legion (4)Service taken in old European Region (4)RN (Service) in o(old) + e (European) = ORNE |
| O | 12 Brief time when rent swing was paid in semichaotic situation? (4)Brief time when rent owing was paid in semichaotic situation? (4)Hidden (seMICHaotic) = MICH (as in Michaelmas) |
| Y | 14 Meath concoctions, that is, in processed swine (7)Meaty concoctions, that is, in processed swine (7)(swine)* around ie(that is) = WIENIES |
| A | 15 Belonging to family of Yvesor fair comic performing (10)Belonging to family of Aves or fair comic performing (10)(orfaircomic)* = CORACIIFORM [11] |
| U | 17 God smothers dismayed interjection in mid-flow (5)God smothers dismayed interjection in mud-flow (5)Lar (god) around ha (dismayed interjection) = LAHAR |
| M | 19 Ancient poem in honour of sage (5)Ancient poem in honour of same (5)Dit (acient poem) + to (in honour of) = DITTO |
| E | 21 Tamper with running water in Holland (4)Temper with running water in Holland (4)Nl (Holland) around ea (running water) = NEAL |
| D | 22 Perhaps belonging to lairy Australian in ramshackle inn (4)Perhaps belonging to laird Australian in ramshackle inn (4)(inn)* around a(Australian) = NAIN |
| E | 23 Where gin may be pulled on by party animal down under, not half (4)Where gie may be pulled on by party animal down under, not half (4)Do (party) + joey (animal down under) = ey (half) = DOJO (Gie is a judo costume) |
| S | 24 Base fellow returns to mention for a poet (4)Base fellow returns to mention for a post (4)Rev (e (base) + man(fellow)) = NAME |
| A | 26 Brits at large, maybe renversing obstruction in French company (5)Brats at large, maybe renversing obstruction in French company (5)Rev, ((bar) in Sa (Societe Anonyme)) = ARABS |
| V | 27 Most of bard’s wall running around inside Roman pound for plants having large leases (5)Most of bard’s wall running around inside Roman pound for plants having large leaves (5)ARUMS |
| E | 28 Disks I included in revision of erotic research (10)Desks I included in revision of erotic research (10)(erotic + I)* + res(research) = ESCRITOIRES |
| U | 32 One of the fertile pooches could be deposed carelessly (7)One of the fertile pouches could be deposed carelessly (7)(deposed)* = SEEDPOD |
| G | 33 Idiom coined for bods’ capital adornments (4)Idiom coined for gods’ capital adornments (4)(idiom)* = MODII [5] |
| L | 34 It represents groups of setters or one in spirit (4)It represents groups of letters or one in spirit (4)An (one) in ka (spirit) = KANA |
| E | 35 Compound with bludy colouring produced from mix of tisane and iodine (7)Compound with bluey colouring produced from mix of tisane and iodine (7)(tisane + I)* = ISATINE |
| S | 36 Old do turning and warping eery little note in Versailles (6)Old do turning and warping eery little nose in Versailles (6)Rev (ut (do)) + (eery)* = TUYERE |
| L | 37 Pose for Perth saint by meadow (5)Pole for Perth saint by meadow (5)St(saint) + ing (meadow) = STING |
DOWN
| – | 1 Mail ID I use sorted out potentially harmful fliers (9)(mailiduse)* = SIMULIIDAE [10] |
| E | 2 One in appeal after old boy pigged out (4)One in appeal after old boy pegged out (4)Ob(old boy) + I (one) in it (appeal) = OBIIT [5] |
| S | 3 They appear in verges mostly to help greeting in the Channel Islands (6)They appear in verses mostly to help greeting in the Channel Islands (6)Back (help) – k + Hi (greeting) in CI (Channel Islands)BACCHII |
| B | 4 Centre-half in game lacking sound? (4)Centre-half in game backing sound? (4)Eo (game) around ch(centre half) = ECHO |
| O | 5 Ohio again awes vagrant bird, occasionally seen in Pacific shires (12)Ohio again awes vagrant bird, occasionally seen in Pacific shores (12)(ohio again awes)* = HAWAIIAN GOOSE [13] |
| R | 6 Claudia Vieira dressed for spinners taking binds (12)Claudia Vieira dressed for spinners taking birds (12)(Claudia Viera)* = AVICULARIIDAE (Bird eating spiders) [13] |
| G | 7 One who employs cape to bestow outside old pub (8)One who employs cage to bestow outside old pub (8)Confer (bestow) around in(pub) = CONFINER |
| N | 8 Term for engaging Irish on the rise (4)Tern for engaging Irish on the rise (4)To (for) around Rev(IR(Irish)) = TRIO |
| E | 9 State of rust? Tin reacting with air and earth (7)State of rest? Tin reacting with air and earth (7)(tin + air +e)* = INERTIA |
| S | 13 Revolutions concerning skills on the outside (6)Resolutions concerning skills on the outside (6)Re (concerning) in arts (skills) = ARRETS |
| S | 16 Descending with tingle runner records monarch touring island (9)Descending with single runner records monarch touring island (9)Monos(records) + king around i(island) = MONOSKIING [10] |
| O | 18 Those boring words one old boy with odd idea creates (8)Those boring woods one old boy with odd idea creates (8)An (one) + ob (old boy) + (idea)* = ANOBIIDAE (Beetles) |
| N | 19 Possible obstruction to classical art in resits (6)Possible obstruction to classical art in resins (6)Dam (possible obstruction) = ars (classical art) = DAMARS |
| T | 20 It’s just a bike for traveller returning thus, reportedly (7)It’s just a bike for traveller returning thus, reportedly (7)MORCEAU |
| R | 25 Composed American to wait on Italians primarily (6)Composer American to wait on Italians primarily (6)Bus (to wait) + on + i(Italians primarily) = BUSONI |
| O | 29 Declare nut to be true — true only after dismissing backward bumpkin regularly (4)Declare not to be true — true only after dismissing backward bumpkin regularly (4)True only – Rev(lout(bumpkin)) = RENY |
| I | 30 Gave out uplifting sentence (4)Give out uplifting sentence (4)Rev(Time(sentence)) = EMIT |
| S | 31 Without initial bearing Scandinavian country provided a heavenly letting (4)Without initial bearing Scandinavian country provided a heavenly setting (4)Sweden – Sw (bearing) = EDEN |
Many thanks for this very thorough blog of our debut puzzle in the Enigmatic Variations series.
We’re glad you enjoyed it.
Our own blog of this and other puzzles can be found http://eclogue-eclogue.blogspot.co.uk
Regards
Eclogue