Clues were given in alphabetical order and had to be entered where they would fit in the grid. When arranged in convetional order the initial letters would give instructions, and you then had to show complete understanding of the theme and express DEEPEST AFFECTIONS in three words to be entered below the grid. I immediately felt a bit apprehensive about this last step, and I was almost proved right to feel so.
Completing the grid was straightforward given the good clues. Reading the initial letters of the clues in coventional order (1A, 7A, 11A, etc) gave: SHADE TWENTY-FOUR CELLS TO INDICATE THE TITLE CRYPTICALLY. Nothing jumped to mind, except LOVE, and a search of the diagonals proved fruitless. It’s difficult to say how it happens, but just letting the eyes wander over the grid suddenly revealed lots of Hs, and when they are all shaded, they form a large heart. Now for the three words under the grid. Several phrases came to mind: heart-to-heart, in the heart of it, have a heart, bottom of the heart … but none really worked. And then, again letting the mind wander (this time in the kitchen), the fact that all the aitches in each cell were themselves hearts … bingo, HEART OF HEARTS. A check of Chambers reveals the definition DEEPEST AFFECTIONS.
For each clue I have shown its sequential number as printed followed by the number where it fitted in the grid. I haven’t given the initial letter of each clue since, once the answer has been positioned, it’s there on a plate.
Solving time: just over 1½ hours for the puzzle, plus 10 minutes to spot the heart shape, and 20 minutes cooking (I can’t remember what) to get the phrase. Solid clues, with some good surface readings, eg “Evasive lawyer’s of doubtful repute and mostly inflexible”; aren’t they all?
Legend:
ABC* = anagram
ABC< = reversal
abCDef = hidden
| Clues | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2D | ARISH | corn has been harvested from this (ie a stubble field): PARISH (Louisiana county) – P (ie penniless) |
| 2 | 16A | ASH CAN | bin: ASH (timber) + CAN(E) (rattan cut) |
| 3 | 7A | BIRD | hobby, say (hobby = falcon): BD (bound) outside IR (Ireland) |
| 4 | 34A | CACHET | case: CT (court) accepts ACHE (long) |
| 5 | 34D | CATHY | young girl: CAT (Australian word for coward) + H(elp) Y(oung) |
| 6 | 44A | DEARY | one who is kind and lovable: DRY (thirsty) holding EA (running water) |
| 7 | 47A | DYER’S WEED | plant used for woad: (DEWY REEDS)* |
| 8 | 10D | DYNAMO | energetic person: Monday* |
| 9 | 46A | ERSE | national language: in convERSEd |
| 10 | 41D | FARE | you eat this: (nigER AFrica)< |
| 11 | 40A | HEATHY | like moorland: HEALTHY (in good condition) – L (left) |
| 12 | 13A | HONEY | nectar: ONE (drink, as in a quick one) in HY (ie environs of HungarY) |
| 13 | 12D | HOTEL | inn: (THE OL(D) (ie unfinished))* |
| 14 | 5D | ICHORS | spirit-like juices: (CORNISH – N (last letter of grain))* |
| 15 | 42A | IMPISH | causing annoyance: IMPI (African warriors) + S (succeeded) + H (last letter of ambush) |
| 16 | 8D | INCH | island: (F)INCH (bird losing first letter) |
| 17 | 17A | KETONE | compound: KET (wool) + ON (close to) + E (middle of sheep) |
| 18 | 27D | MAKE HAY | cause confusion: (SHAKE – S (first letter of surprising) + MAY)* |
| 19 | 25D | MOHAIR | cloth: MO (Missouri) + H (hard) + AIR (wear openly) |
| 20 | 3D | NIGH | nearly: NIGH(T) (almost dark) |
| 21 | 14D | OH DEAR | tut-tut: (A HORDE)* |
| 22 | 36D | ORMER | mollusc: (F)ORMER (first mentioned without inital letter) |
| 23 | 37A | PACHISI | ludo-like game: CHAP* + I (in) + SI (South Island) |
| 24 | 1A | PANTSUITS | ladies cloths: (SATINS PUT)* |
| 25 | 1D | PURISTS | individuals highly discriminatory: P (first letter of proclaim) + UR (old city) + IS + T(EDIOU)S (extremely tedious) |
| 26 | 20A | QESHM | city and island in the Gulf: SHE* in Q (Qatar) + M (Oman’s second letter) |
| 27 | 29A | RAHS | exclamations of joy: RASH* |
| 28 | 9D | REACH | 2 meanings: extend & strain |
| 29 | 15A | RIGHT-OH | I can believe that: (E)IGHT in ROH (Royal Opera House) |
| 30 | 28D | SACHETS | envelopes: ACHE (yearn) in ST (street) + S (last letter of letters) |
| 31 | 23A | SERAPH | angel: PHRASE* |
| 32 | 38D | SETAE | hairs: SEE (learn) concealing TA(N) (most of light brown) |
| 33 | 24A | SHAM | false: SHAM(E) (modesty, not quite) |
| 34 | 4D | SHTETLS | Jewish communities: LETTS* holding up (ie under) SH (quiet) |
| 35 | 18A | SHYSTER | evasive lawyer: SHY (of doubtful repute) + STER(N) (mostly inflexible) |
| 36 | 26A | SMEES | ornithologists may be interested in these: S (special) + (EMEUS – U (for all to see))* |
| 37 | 21D | SPAHI | cavalryman: (SOPHIA – O (love))* |
| 38 | 33D | SPATHE | sheathing bract: H (top of hellebore) in SPATE (inundation) |
| 39 | 30D | STIPEND | pay: SEND (Scottish messenger) outside TIP (gratuity) |
| 40 | 31D | STRIDE | take a big step: TR (trustee) in SIDE (bank) |
| 41 | 6D | THANKEE | I’m grateful: THE outside (ANKLE – L (third letter of culluses)) |
| 42 | 43A | THECATE | with a case: TEACHER – R (end of year) + T (time); for = in place of |
| 43 | 22A | THEY’LL | some people will: T (tour’s leader) + Y (last of money) in HELL (gambling den) |
| 44 | 32A | THOMAS | man: (M (requiem’s last letter) + HAS TO)*; purists would argue that “move”, a verb, should not be used to indicate an anagram |
| 45 | 45A | TORAN | Indian’s hanging (such as flowers): gibbeT OR A Nail |
| 46 | 35A | TOSHY | nonsensical: T (end of argument) + O (start of object) + SHY (unproductive) |
| 47 | 39D | UPAS | poison: UP (revolting) + AS (arsenic) |
| 48 | 11A | URIAH | Dickensian: U (socially acceptable) + HAIR* |
| 49 | 19D | YEAHS | responses: (EASY + H (hard))* |