Enigmatic Variations N0 1630

Matakari | 12:22 Mon 19th Feb 2024 | Crosswords

36 Answers

Good morning, MIXED DOUBLES, an interesting and original teaser by IFOR this week! Not my bag of tea, the misprints, but I’m keen on understanding the normal clues in this offering.

( The answer to each pair of clues sharing a number must be MIXED so as to give the DOUBLES ( pairs of names ) that form the entry. Remaining across clues each contain a misprint in their definition; correct letters in clue order identify a playwright, one of whose works forms the central column. This work, differently punctuated, is part of a line ( in ODQ ) by another playwright which describes the shaded region of the grid. Chambers Dictionary ( 2016 ) is recommended. )

12 Processed calories not so bad in this? Hardly ( 6 ) : ?L????

12 Fabric weave evenly plastered with oil ( 5 )

14 Aid moving slowly as well as needed inside borders ( 7 ) : A??????

15 Hopelessness; a third of income’s disappeared and what’s left is uncertain ( 6 ) ?G????

15 Subject such as this one in story ( 5 ) LIEGE

26a Lived in Perth, able to be relocated ( 4 ): ??A?

27 Axes keenly unsheathed to be brandished in compound ( 6 ) : ??C???

27 Beginning of action caught company still in lines ( 5 )

28 More restive, alas, in tent ( 5 ) : ??Y??

Private Eye 772

Rte 9

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JJ109

12 Eclair

12 Voile

Note you now ?mi? these up

14 aiR moving slowly etc = And(w)ante(d)

JJ109

What happened to my typing?

You now "mix" these up!!

Neveracrossword

26 JUst an anagram, a Scottish word for 'livid'

PS You'll make very slow progress with themed puzzles if you keep recoiling from misprints (and extra letters and missing letters). Face them head on, Matakari!

JJ109

I've only just started this myself but I think

27 is xylene = xy (axes) + lene (anagram of (k)eenl(y))

Neveracrossword

JJ, one peculiarity of the format of this puzzle was that all the clues didn't need to be solved! The thematic stuff meant that I could ignore some of them, just fill the grid anyway. (PS That might not suit some people, but it was fine for me - a full grid is full grid...)

JJ109

Agreed NAC I have filled the grid with the mixed doubles for 9a but haven't solved either of the two clues!

I have the whole of the top 5 lines done with the exception of the play.............but very little in the bottom half

Neveracrossword

Thanks, JJ, it's always good to hear how fellow solvers are getting on. I think my lower half was bare for a while, then lots suddenly got slotted in.

Matakari

Question Author

Thanks, I think I see the technique here. For 12a I now have OLIVE followed by CLAIRE. Got 26a, the Scottish place not the Australian one. What then is the second part of 27a? ( XYLENE followed by???)
A verification for 20d Verbal fluency, nothing risqué ( 5 )ORACY
28a More restive, alas, in tent ( 5 ): ??Y??

Neveracrossword

Thanks, Matakari. I'm out but I'm almost certain that your Claire is wrong. MIXED doubles might provide a big nudge. 20 Is just O racy, nothing risque and Oracy is verbal fluency.

JJ109

Matakari - It is not Olive and Claire. It is Oliver and a female that uses the other letters, an anagram of Calie. Then google them together.

27 I think is accoy (but I don't have a Chambers to confirm)

28a The R of restive is the misprint - it should be an "F" - festive

JJ109

28a starts with a "G"

Neveracrossword

Matakari, I think there are now only 5 misprints left. Do you fancy having a go at those?

Matakari

Question Author

Thanks, jj109 and NACW! Chambers tells me that Accoy means to still, subdue, soothe...So ACCOY XYLENE for 27? I've got the playwright for 12a and thought some of his characters might fit some of the other clues...

Neveracrossword

Thanks, Matakari, I think you might be on the right track now! Your answers (well, JJ's answers!) for 27 A are fine. You've shown them in the wrong order, but that doesn't matters as they've to be Mixed, of course! That entry was the hardest one for me, but I got there eventtually.

Matakari

Question Author

Oh my, this is not plain sailing! If I get the first name for 27a, I'll work out the second part and the author, thanks!

Neveracrossword

Matakari, we've given you so much detailed information, I'm sure you won't mind putting in a bit of work at the end!

I don't know what you mean about getting'the author' once you've worked out the doubles in 27? If you have the central column filled, the 'another playwright' will give you a huge amount of help with the doubles. Things were a lot easier done that way round!

Matakari

Question Author

Thanks, I meant I've got the author for the doubles in 12a. I just needed the first name for 27a then I'll work towards the second. But I'm still working on several of the down clues.

Neveracrossword

Matakari, thanks. I think there were three Down clues that I didn't solve until I'd put in the Doubles. There were at least five Across clues that I didn't solve at all, all Mixed Doubles entries.