Enigmatic Variations 1210 Whodunnit by Ranunculus

A whodunnit this week – based on Cluedo. Five innocent suspects to be eliminated and 5 weapons too – all hidden in the clues.  The murder room is then the room defined by the 4 clues with nothing hidden in them. sounds like fun.

For reference the Cluedo cards:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This really was fun – whilst the clues were in the main straight forward (sometimes the definitions used were obscure) the amusement was in the theme.  Finding the additional words in the clues yielded 5 anagrams of suspect:

Mrs WHITE

Professor PLUM

Miss SCARLETT

Reverend GREEN

Colonel MUSTARD

This left Mrs PEACOCK as the murderess.

The hidden weapons were hidden in the remaining additional words:

COSH (lead piping)

SCONCE (candlestick)

KRIS (dagger)

LASSO (rope)

PISTOL (revolver)

This left the SPANNER as the murder weapon

All that reamined was to find the room – the only quartet of clues not containing extra words was the HALL which comprised

CURA

WIMM

RTEE

NERD

The 4 letters to change were in the second row WIMM became BODY (thus displaying the victim’s corpse) and making new words – Throb; Requote, Order, Frayed.

The murderer and weapon Mrs Peacock and the spanner (as per the preamble) were then confirmed by indicatons in 2 of the 4 clues of the hall. I assume ‘One taking flight’ in 18dn refers to Peacock and ‘One turning round’ in 20dn refers to Spanner. I’m not 100% convinced these extra indications were needed as the rest was more than enough to derive the perpetrator and the modus operandi.

Many thanks Ranunculus – This was fun.

Key: * anagram; rev. reverse; Underline definition

Red – Weapon synonyms

Green – Mixed up innocents

ACROSS
KITCHEN
1 For starters, serve cod as ‘Nicoise’ – tuna’s in short supply (5)

Initial letters Serve Cod As Nicoise Tuna’s = SCANT

5 Confused raw fish with duck, not following demonstration that’s way over my head (7)

(raw fish + o(duck) – f(following)* = AIRSHOW

10 I’m left struggling with filling for rotis – it’s a familiar theme (9)

(Im left + oti (filling for rotis))* = LEITMOTIF

11 Tesco shoulder (COSH) cut Delia prepared without a trace of emotion (5)

11 Cut Delia prepared without a trace of emotion (5)

(Delia – a)* + e (trace of emotion) = ELIDE

BALLROOM
12 After slipping and getting knocked out, dances in cast (5)

(dances in – and)* = SINCE

14 The Windsors’ (Mrs WHITE) usual barn dances are out of this world (8)

14 Usual barn dances are out of this world (8)

(Usual barn)* = SUBLUNAR

16 Ignoring line dancing tangle could result in one getting serious cut (5)

(tangle – l)* = AGENT (as in a representative)

17 Thanks awfully, but missing tango will make more than one cross (5)

(Thanks -t)* = ANKHS

CONSERVATORY
18 Herb I try moving clear of conservatory finally reviving (7)

(herb I try – y (conservvatory finally))* = REBIRTH

19 Citrus tree holding appeal with dimension kept in check (7)

Lime (citrus tree) around It (appeal) + d (dimension) = LIMITED

21 Leaf pulp makes (Professor PLUM) spatters – run inside for Flash (5)

21 Leaf spatters – run inside for Flash (5)

(leaf)* around r (run) = FLARE

23 Cuckoo? Exotic one initially landed close to here (5)

Ani (exotic one – as in Cuckoo) + l (initially landed) + e (close to here) = ANILE

DINING ROOM
26 Clergyman admits ‘nip of Irish very therapeutic’ (8)

Curate (clergyman) around i (hint of Irish) + v (very) = CURATIVE

27 Fabric covering is worth getting repaired (5)

(worth)* = THROW

28 Stylish 60s dresser with wood unfinished is a reproduction (5)

Mod (Stylish 60s dresser) + elm (wood) – m = MODEL

29 Numbers of us enter when treacle tart’s (Miss SCARLETT) dished out (9)

29 Numbers of us enter when dished out (9)

(of us enter)* = FOURTEENS

BILLIARD ROOM
30 Associate break with an outstanding performer, missing nothing (7)

Part (break) + oner (outstanding performer) – o (nothing) = PARTNER

31 Showing age, old man Davis concedes (SCONCE) having bottled tense red in centre (5)

31 Showing age, old man having bottled tense red in centre (5)

Dad (old man) around [t(tense) + e (red in the centre)] = DATED
DOWN
1 Butt of cue coming off on easiest shot in quiet afternoon session … (6)

(easiest – e (butt of cue))* = SIESTA

2 … before lunch, I’m playing with no tip on cue, just a bit of rag (10, two words)

(lunch + Im + no + c (tip on cue)* = COLUMN INCH

LIBRARY
3 Library bores Year 1 – I might put them somewhere else (5)

Lib (library) in A I (year 1) = ALIBI

4 Unconventionally, I use steps regularly for liaisons (6)

( I sue + tp(steps regularly))* = TIE-UPS

5 Make good one book, Lark Rise(KRIS), covering mark with a small piece of nappa (5)

5 Make good one book, covering mark with a small piece of nappa (5)

A tome (one book) swapping n (small piece of nappa) with m(mark) = ATONE

6 Stuck page in middle of folio I made up (7)

(l(middle of folio) + I + made)* around p (page) = IMPALED

LOUNGE
7 Starved of sex, sit itching to hold one tightly (8)

sit – it (sex) + tingly (itching) around i (one) = STINGILY

8 Behind Ercol recliner gentleman (Reverend Green) conceals hamper (6)

8 Behind Ercol conceals hamper (6)

Hidden beHIND ERcol = HINDER

9 Glass of (LASSO) steaming hot water could give rise to ring (6)

9 Steaming hot water could give rise to ring (6)

(h + water)* = WREATH

13 Leaving Bass beer can on TV starts dispute (10)

(Beer can on tv – b(bass))* = CONTRAVENE

HALL
15 Veg I left in cold, empty hall for anyone to see (8, two words)

c (col) + hl (empty hall) around i + l (left) + out (for anyone to see) = CHILL OUT

18 Must first of suspects, one taking flight, return? (7)

Requisite (Must) – i (one) – s (first of suspects) = REQUITE

19 PC Plod apt to get confused, disregarding letter at back of hallstand (6)

(Plod apt – d (back of hallstand))* = LAPTOP

20 Provide glasses for old bishop, one turning round transfixed by heartless murderer (6)

Mr (heartless murderer) around Rev. [o (old) + RR (bishop) + i] = MIRROR

STUDY
21 One past murderer (Colonel MUSTARD)  in room’s arrested by law enforcer and fitted up (6)

21 One in room’s arrested by law enforcer and fitted up (6)

Fed (law enforcer) around (Rm (room) around a (one)) = FRAMED

22 Cop is told (PISTOL) you lied badly about shade for antique lamp (6)

22 You lied badly about shade for antique lamp (6)

Ye (you) in (lied)* = EYELID (lamp is an old word for eye)

24 Shell heading for desk is fired from window (5)

Dormer(window) – d (heading for desk) = ORMER

25 Thick album I’d study – the solution’s in there … (5)

Hidden albuM I’D STudy = MIDST