Enigmatic Variations 1226 FoRbIdDeN by Ifor

Down clues are normal – always a good start. Acrosses however have alternate misprints in the definition or wordplay. The misprints yield what is partly forbidden and does not appear. One down entry is then to be removed according to the theme. Ooops nearly forgot  partial columns need to be replaced – one of which is initially empty. Simple !

Well the grid fill was not overly difficult and then the lateral thinking needed to kick in. Of the columns to be replaced the crossing letters spelled LOT’s WIFE. With even my limited biblical knowledge – well let’s say not added to much in 35 odd years, I remembered that she looked back and was turned to salt. A quick check of the tale and she was turned to salt looking back at SODOM – which happened to be the answer to 26 down. Removing this did indeed leave real words. PEANS, HONE, GEES and ENDERS.

So what to make of the misprints – spelling RUBIDIUM IODIDE which is indeed partly forbidden as in RbI being its chemical formula.

Therein lay the clue to filling the “pillar of salt”. My initial thought was NaCl as in Sodium Chloride (table salt) but it was more complex than that.

BOLIDES became BONaFIDES

TOONS became TOCsINs

MATE became MANaClE

STING became LiFTING

POWER became POKIER

FOLIE became FOLLiClE

FATED became LiBrATED

EVER became NaIVER

And that was that Lot’s wife well and truly turned to salt with no RbI being used in the column.

Thanks Ifor, being a scientist by education, I do enjoy puzzles with a scientific bent.

Key: *Anagram; Rev. reverse; Underline definition

ACROSS

R	1 Space adapted to burden (7)
	1 Spare adapted to burden (7)
	For (adapted to) + bear (burden) = FORBEAR
U	7 What limit movement of members beginning to fill middle of arena (6)
	7 What limit movement of members beginning to fill muddle of arena (6)
	F (beginning to fill) + (arena)* = FRAENA
B	12 A last shot – one in occasional rounds (6, two words)
	12 A last shot – one in occasional bounds (6, two words)
	(alast)* + I = A SALTI
I	13 Post everything in slot needing return (6)
	13 Post everything in slit needing return (6)
	Rev(all (everything) in Rip (slip)) = PILLAR
D	15 Insolence originates in conflict, so good when unhappy to step aside (7)
	15 Indolence originates in conflict, so good when unhappy to step aside (7)
	(originates – so – g)* = INERTIA
I	16 Mate twisted arm (3)
	16 Mate twisted aim (3)
	(aim)* = AMI
U	17 Fill list of local birds in rows after week’s spent twitching (5)
	17 Full list of local birds in rows after week’s spent twitching (5)
	(in rows – w(week))* = ORNIS
	18 Fireballs left bodies scattered (7)
	(l + bodies)* = BOLIDES
	20 Source of timber, likewise source of nails (4)
	Too (likewise) + n (source of nails) = TOON (a tree)
M	21 Frantic lips kissing introduction to love letter (3)
	21 Frantic lips missing introduction to love letter (3)
	(lips – l)* = PSI
I	22 US rail accepting parking above in some areas (5)
	22 US rail accepting parking above in some arias (5)
	Sora (US rail) around p (parking) = SOPRA
	23 Dutch team thrashed (4)
	(team)* = MATE
O	26 Weans in Charing Cross hospitals lacking in sports education (6)
	26 Weans in Charing Cross hospitals locking in sports education (6)
	Sans (hospitals) around pe (sports education) = SPEANS
	28 Police chief remaining without a word of approval (5)
	Staying (remaining) – ay (word of approval) = STING (Gordon Sumner)
D	29 Cry when sat on hoe after scuffling (5)
	29 Cry when sad on hoe after scuffling (5)
	(on hoe)* = OHONE
	31 Woven rope with hidden effectiveness (5)
	(rope + w)* = POWER
	33 Madness of French revolutionary concerning press (5)
	Re (of (concerning)) + lie (press) = FOLIE
I	34 Fall of final westbound cuckoo (3)
	34 Fill of final westbound cuckoo (3)
	Rev. (final) – outside = ANI
D	35 Moultings of geese with tails plucked (5)
	35 Mouldings of geese with tails plucked (5)
	O(of) + geese – e (tail) = OGEES
	36 Destined to originally fade out (5)
	(fade + t)* = FATED
E	37 They might make better soap with money for cast (7)
	37 They might make better soap with money for east (7)
	Eastenders (soap) replacing east with m (money) = MENDERS
	38 Continually turn inside out without finishing (4)
	evert (turn inside out) – t =  EVER

 

DOWN

1 Well-known vesicant primarily displacing marks of skin disease (6)

Famous (well know) swapping vv for m = FAVOUS

2 Agree to shop around for diner keen on oysters (11)

(agree to shop)* = OSTREOPHAGE

3 Pours down, heading away from ditches (5)

Drains(ditches) – d (heading) = RAINS

4 Periodical produced by trainees struggling with no finishing touch from editor (7)

(trainees – r (finishing touch from editor) = ETESIAN

5 Warm and dry – hairy coat shed (3)

Hairy – coat (hy) = AIR

6 Chief gunmen shoot back after hush disappears (5)

RA(gunmen) + Rev. (shoot – sh(hush)) = RATOO

8 Rising effluvium flooded valley (3)

Rev (air) = RIA

9 Middle of grass left long for mountain plant (6)

A (middle of grass) + l (left) + pine (long) = ALPINE

10 Relax sustaining high note (3)

Hidden rELAx = E-LA

11 Same number mad at the time of George II (but not George III), for example (7)

(same n)* + on (at the time of) = NAME-SON (a person (male) called after one – George III was the grand son of George II who was teh son of George I)

14 Grit inside works – a growing trend (10, two words)

(grit inside)* = RISING TIDE

19 Wound up company’s head ordered from the top (7)

C (company’s head) + ranked (ordered from the top) = CRANKED

24 How airline sets out charges to go over coral islands? (6)

a (airline sets out) + tolls (charges) = ATOLLS

25 Hook, perhaps, as loosened from its opening (6)

h (aspirate – Hook’s opening) – as = PIRATE

26 Where doom’s spelt out? (5)

(dooms)* = SODOM

27 Track troops heading off northwards (5)

Rev (troops – t) = SPOOR

30 Zip fold not closed at the top (4)

O (zip) + pen (fold) = OPEN

32 Expert in phrenology turned up (4)

Rev. hidden (phRENOlogy) = ONER