Clues and Grid by Sirius
Enter the prize draw by 30 September.
The background for this puzzle is an Ian Preston photo, reflected both vertically and horizontally, of the stepping phones across the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey.
This puzzle by Sirius uses a vertical eight dials torus grid and notes a 50th anniversary of a revolutionary work by revolutionary creators, that leads to the main theme. Some clues may require partial grid completion for enlightenment. Asterisked clues indicate thematic content. Asterisked cells can be arranged to solve the clue: One of Joyce’s knockers is calling for attention. What the Blazes! (12) Solvers must submit this answer and the name of the revolutionary creators (4) with their entries.
In this grid, clues marked di go diametrically through the centre of a single dial. The symbol → between cell numbers is an instruction to fill cells inclusively. Clues marked C or AC go clockwise or anticlockwise round a single dial. Clues marked d or up go down or up through corresponding cells in different dials. The grid represents a torus, so the top dial is directly below the bottom dial.
All but two of the answers to asterisked clues are phrases or words sharing a property with the name of the revolutionary creators. Part of the answer to one of the other asterisked clues can be combined with the answer to the final asterisked clue to give a word describing phrases or words with this thematic property.
The asterisked cells form an anagram of a 12-letter word with the thematic property, but this word will not be found in dictionaries. It is an onomatopoeic word invented by James Joyce. It appears in Ulysses and I can reveal that it appears in the final sentence of that novel, but since that final sentence is notoriously long and lasts for several pages (and an entire chapter), that may not be much help.
Sirius leads us on a bizarre voyage of invention and back again, using his trademark style and wit and incorporating many thematic examples.
I have intercepted an enigmatic message, which appears to refer to a porcelain electrical weapon and an Italian dessert flower, but may simply be gibberish:
SIRIUS: IMARI TASER IS EDENIC; CAVE VACCINE DESIRES A TIRAMISU IRIS.
Day 4
John (Humphries), chap at the crease batting for the other side (5)
Note the spelling (not the newsreader John Humphreys). Think of another way of saying at the crease in cricket followed by a word for chap to give the surname of the actor who played Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries who was definitely batting for the other side. [JP]
Day 13
It could be Friday greeting Crusoe (4-3)
Look for an adjective attached to a specific Friday, and use it as part of a general greeting. [NI]
Day 15
Sounds like setter would if he could! (4)
Sounds like indicates that we need a homophone of a contracted form meaning that the setter would. The answer means observed (not so easy given that Sirius is registered blind). [NI]
Day 21
‘Bat out of Hell’ in 10 where Steeleye Span put the green willow sprigs (7)
No Meat Loaf here – Bat out of Hell suggests an anagram of bat and in 10 tells you the anagram is inside the solution to Day 10 (a way of referring to a number of them). This gives you what holds the sprigs in place. [JP]
Day 22
Give it a go and get five points (4,1,3)
This expression means give it a go, but could also (in rugby union) mean get five points. The first word coincidentally includes the roman numeral for five. [NI]
Day 23
Insensitive advice for ham player following terrible première (8)
Following terrible première suggests starting with the first letter of terrible. After this add the advice you might give to a poor actor to give you another word for insensitive. [JP]
Day 24
Muhammad’s uncle’s basic instincts creating an Islamic dynasty (7)
Take the name of one of the paternal uncles of the prophet Muhammad and add a short word for basic instincts to give an Islamic dynasty. Note that the first four letters form the thematic name of the revolutionary creators. [NI]
Day 26
Language of Flanders spoken out loud by British shows imperfection (7)
Take the language of Flanders (spoken) and remove (out) a single letter for loud, replacing it with a letter for British. This gives the answer, which means an imperfection. [NI]
Day 35
Hemispherical roofs are about right for large areas and arenas (6)
Take a word for hemispherical roofs, as in the Pantheon or St Paul’s Cathedral, and insert a letter for right, to give a word for large areas and arenas. Appending this answer to the second word of the answer to Day 19, gives a term for words or phrases having the thematic property (and this is why these two clues are asterisked). [NI]
Day 47
Answer to Antony’s question “What’s your poison?” (4)
You need to consider to which Shakespearean character Antony might have addressed this question, and what her answer might have been. [NI]
I am grateful to the other members of the Hints & Tips team: Garry Stripling (Gin) and Jim Pennington (Philostrate).
Happy solving!
Nick Inglis (etc)
Subscribe to receive Hints & Tips by email.