Invitation by Duck

Puzzle explanation

The message given by extra clue words read: “One-letter gap is crotchet. Draw stemmed notes”. It followed that a two-letter gap was a minim. Extra letters were indicated in wordplay to seven across entries: 6 C, 10 B, 16 A, 20 G, 28 F, 30 E and 35 D such that the rows represented the twelve semitones from C down to C sharp. Answers affected by clashes can be read from the table below. The given notes represented the first two lines of Adeste fideles, which were to be written beneath the grid. Entries with these eight words in the box were judged to be correct, irrespective of their presentation, although the prompt was intentionally aligned to leave space for two lines of verse. The published solution follows the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations in using “O”, but “Oh” was also accepted. Note stems could be drawn either up or down.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word/
Extra letter		 Answer Explanation
ACROSS
1 old HARASS H + A + R + ASS
6 Naval/C SEPADS (EC + PAD) in SS
10 endless/B TIERED BE in TIRED; reference tier = row
11 lessons UPTAKE PTA in UKE
14 empty-handed PRECEDE P + RECEDE
16 Teenagers/A BRANDISH HAIRBANDS*; both brandish and waving used as nouns
17 tentatively GREESE GEESE about R
19 Environmentalist’s VISON V + I + SON
20 relations/G MARTENSITE STAR MEETING*; reference steel-making
22 geezer STAGE-DIVER AGED in STIVER
27 admiring STEEL ST + EEL
28 Plucky/F MENACE MEN + FACE
30 implant/E CARNAUBA BAN A CURE* about A
33 stupid DERRIDA (DID + A) about ERR
34 chestnut NERITE IN TREE*
35 randy/D MAENAD MADE + DAN <
36 off TASSIE Two definitions
37 talismanic INSERT N in RITES*
DOWN
2 clanking AIRER FAIRER – F
3 heroin REEFER REFER about E
4 Expensive ARCHES (RESEARCH – RE)*
5 town SEED Two definitions
6 Drudge STEAKS Homophone (STAKES)
7 riled PUNDIT PUN + DIT
8 alas BARI BARITONE – TONE
9 Who’s SEEING RED ENERGISED*
12 supplements PROVIDE PROVIDE(d)
13 transport MYSORE MY + SORE
15 English IGNESCENT NICE GENTS*
18 Muddy SEALANT SEA + LANT
21 miaow CYTASE CAT YES*
23 embellishment TENNIS SINNET <
24 dugite’s GRUDGE G + (G in RUDE)
25 Norman INGRES Hidden
26 overpowering VAHINE HI in VANE
29 trunk CEDAR ED in CAR
31 envoys RUSS RUSES – E
32 steeplechase ARAN ARAB – (A + B) + AN
Back to 2007 menu