A novel variation on the “hidden” message them this week. Words are to be anagrammed within the clues to make the clue solvable with their first letters leading to a “modified” quotation.
Took a while to get going on this one – but once I got into the right mindset it did complete relatively quickly.
The hidden message was:
THE MORE HE LOOKED INSIDE THE MORE HE WASN’T THERE
Not one I was familiar with but google (other search engines are available) came to the rescue when the ‘he’ is replaced with ‘Piglet’ then a quote from A A Milne is found.
| M | A | S | S | A | R | A | N | D | U | B | A |
| A | G | E | R | R | A | T | A | D | R | A | B |
| J | E | R | K | T | U | T | O | X | I | N | S |
| O | O | P | T | I | C | E | M | P | T | T | U |
| R | F | I | D | E | L | G | I | T | E | H | R |
| B | R | G | A | R | E | S | O | O | L | E | D |
| A | E | O | L | I | C | U | P | G | O | S | N |
| R | A | N | T | E | U | M | I | S | A | T | E |
| B | S | A | U | N | T | P | L | U | M | E | S |
| A | O | D | A | I | S | H | U | A | I | R | S |
| R | N | I | B | A | D | E | L | I | E | I | E |
| A | B | R | A | C | A | D | A | B | R | A | S |
The 18 contiguous cells are 3 ‘piglet’s formed a heart shaped and thus illustrating the ZOOPHILY of the title.
| M | A | S | S | A | R | A | N | D | U | B | A |
| A | G | E | R | R | A | T | A | D | R | A | B |
| J | E | R | K | T | U | T | O | X | I | N | S |
| O | O | I | C | E | M | T | U | ||||
| R | F | D | T | H | R | ||||||
| B | R | A | R | E | S | O | O | E | D | ||
| A | E | O | I | C | U | P | O | S | N | ||
| R | A | N | T | U | M | S | A | T | E | ||
| B | S | A | U | N | L | U | M | E | S | ||
| A | O | D | A | I | S | H | U | A | I | R | S |
| R | N | I | B | A | D | E | L | I | E | I | E |
| A | B | R | A | C | A | D | A | B | R | A | S |
A little pink shaded and that is that.
Many thanks Eclogue – a new variant for me which proved to be fun.
CLUES
Key * – anagram; Revv. reverse; DD Double definition; Underline definition
ACROSS
1 Brazilian driver organised trim area for rete in his country (12)
1 Brazilian driver organised trim area for TREE in his country (12)
Massa (Brailian drier) + Ran (managed) + dub (trim) + a (area) = MASSARANDUBA
9 I housed art in important period for writing slips? (6)
9 HIDEOUS art in important period for writing slips? (6)
(art)* in Era (important period) = ERRATA
10 Appearance of cure, perhaps, poet recalled (4)
10 Appearance of ECRU, perhaps, poet recalled (4)
Rev. (Bard) = DRAB
12 Sudden event mom derived from Jack, Queen, King (4)
12 Sudden MOVEMENT derived from Jack, Queen, King (4)
J (jack) + er (queen) + k (king) = JERK
13 Poisons that are on cigar cross into unexpected complications finally (6)
13 Poisons that are ORGANIC cross into unexpected complications finally (6)
(x (cross) + into)* + s (complications finally) = TOXINS
14 Out of print short whimsy e.g. for Carter (5)
14 Out of print short whimsy e.g. REFRACTOR (5)
Op (out of print) + tick (whimsy) – k = OPTIC
15 Locally the US ax space program’s opener before time (4)
15 Locally EXHAUST space program’s opener before time (4)
em (space) + p (program’s opener) + t (time) = EMPT
16 Data hid long method whenever reflected in road (4)
16 Data HOLDING method whenever reflected in road (4)
Rev if(wheneer) in rd (road) = RFID
18 The uncouth eighty sneer at butter, perhaps (4)
18 The uncouth eighty EASTERN butter, perhaps (4)
(the)* + r (eighty) = TEHR
19 Jock’s not tending to slash Nevis in sporting gear (4)
19 Jock’s not tending to LAVISHNESS sporting gear (4)
(gear)* = GARE
20 Once pulled by lugs, ice vehicle circles eleven orcas (6)
20 Once pulled by lugs, ice vehicle circles eleven OSCAR (6)
sled(ice vehicle) around o (11) + o (oscar) = SOOLED
22 Almost each oil route has Greek patois (6)
22 Almost each oil OUTRE has Greek patois (6)
(each + oil – h)* = AEOLIC
24 Puck the goblin’s part is to increase (4)
24 KETCHUP goblin’s part is to increase (4)
Hidden ketchUP GOblin = UPGO
26 Deity of type gains scripture to rail against (4)
26 Deity of EGYPTIANS scripture to rail against (4)
Ra (Egyptian god) + nt (scripture) = RANT
29 Glut finally solves appaloosa stud trouble (4)
29 Glut finally solves appaloosa DUST trouble (4)
last letters of solves appaloosa DUST trouble = SATE
30 Your nan’s use is perhaps local one in appropriate technology (4)
30 Your nan’s ISSUE perhaps local one in appropriate technology (4)
un (local one) in at (alternatie technology) = AUNT
31 Honour initially enjoyed by earners, for example, coming first (5)
31 Honour initially enjoyed NASEBERRY, for example, coming first (5)
plum(naseberry) + e (initially enjoyed) = PLUME
32 Sagoin’s habits revert on account of platform (6, two words)
32 SAIGON’s habits revert on account of platform (6, two words)
Rev. oa (on account of) + dais (platform) = AODAIS
33 Affectation of superiority rishi engraved in copper (4)
33 Affectation of superiority IRISH engraved in copper (4)
As (copper(coin)) around ir (irish) = AIRS
34 Charity aligned with visional issues regularly receiving bits of renminbi (4)
34 Charity DEALING with visional issues regularly receiving bits of renminbi (4)
Hidden ReNmInBi = RNIB
35 Sad peace lieutenant secures for Southern seabird? (6)
35 ESCAPADE lieutenant secures for Southern seabird? (6)
Hidden (escapADE LIEutenant) = ADELIE
36 Olde-worlde charms? Sailor almost risqué with a couth head (12)
36 Olde-worlde charms? Sailor almost risqué with a TOUCH head (12)
ab (sailor) + racy (risque) – y + a + dab (touch) + ras (head) = ABRACADABRAS
DOWN
1 Great hard nail twice appearing with a piece by GBS (12, two words)
1 Great HANDRAIL twice appearing with a piece by GBS (12, two words)
Major (great) + bar x 2 (handrail) + a = MAJOR BARBARA (George Bernard Shaw)
2 On sofa agree laciest philosophical period (11, three words)
2 On sofa agree ELASTIC philosophical period (11, three words)
(on sofa agree)* = AGE OF REASON
3 Swine beset by awfully sore skin or dermis (7)
3 Swine beset by awfully sore skin MISORDER (7)
pig (swine) in (sore)* = SERPIGO
4 More affected, perhaps to earn Inland Revenue rate (6)
4 More affected, perhaps ORNATE Inland Revenue rate (6)
(IR + rate)* = ARTIER
5 Shorty’s rough, rough clue dogs artist (6)
5 ??????’s rough, rough clue dogs artist (6)
Ra (artist) + (clue)* = RAUCLE
6 I time lament upon returning (5)
6 I EMIT lament upon returning (5)
Rev. (I + moan(lament)) = NAOMI (not sure where the definition is)
7 Slashed uteri in part of stomach (5)
7 HASSLED uteri in part of stomach (5)
(uteri)* = URITE
8 Heads following active old lady, long since singular examples of the ridiculous (12)
8 Heads following active old lady, ENCLOSING singular examples of the ridiculous (12)
nesses(heads) after a(active) + burd (old lady) around s (singular) = ABSURDNESSES
11 Old Greek festival of Athens era, it drew hit (11)
11 Old Greek festival of Athens era, it WRITHED (11)
(Athens era it)* = ANTHESTERIA
13 Garial, maybe, in second year gets unpredictable (4)
13 ARGALI, maybe, in second year gets unpredictable (4)
(gets)* = TEGS
17 Costs foster-child a pound in reduced time (4)
17 SCOTS foster-child a pound in reduced time (4)
dt (reduced time) around a + l (pound) = DALT
18 With onset of hilarity ten aged Goths friskily dress? (4)
18 With onset of hilarity NEGATED Goths friskily dress? (4)
(Goths – h)* = TOGS
21 Containing more sand and clay, see a medium that is teak (7)
21 Containing more sand and clay, see a medium that is TAKE (7)
lo (see) + a + m (medium) + ie (that is) + r(take) = LOAMIER
23 Reductions primarily cracked up eighteen shoppers (4)
23 Reductions primarily cracked up TE-HEEING shoppers (4)
starts of cracked up TE-HEEING shoppers = CUTS
24 Expressed Estonia hit having won without Turkey or Italy (6)
24 Expressed HESITATION having won without Turkey or Italy (6)
Triumphed (won) – tr (turkey) – i (italy) = UMPHED
25 McLean mostly follows confusion about tablet (6)
25 ENCALM mostly follows confusion about tablet (6)
Pi (confusion) + Lull (encalm) – l + a (about) = PILULA
27 All-time low suffered by one war director (5)
27 All-time low suffered by ROWENA director (5)
hidden roweNA DIRector = NADIR
28 Here Wilts number-cruncher Sir Michael, perhaps, rebuffed (5)
28 ERSTWHILE number-cruncher Sir Michael, perhaps, rebuffed (5)
Rev. Caine (Sir Michael) = ENIAC
Not too tricky this week, with some lovely cluing. Some of the anagrams jumped out whereas others were more subtle. I was initially duped by some crafty misdirection in 23D “Reductions primarily cracked up eighteen shoppers” (4). I originally solved this as “Introduces primarily cracked up eighteen shoppers” giving cues. Until I saw the anagrammatic error of my ways.
I enjoyed this, the anagrams being good fun. Thanks to both twencelas and Eclogue
Nutmeg set a lovely one on exactly this theme for the Magpie a year or two ago.
In 5D Shorty anagrams to Rosyth
6D is an &lit and refers to Naomi in the OT book of Ruth.