Skippers by Ifor

Puzzle explanation

The Os “dropped” from wordplay depicted the bouncing bombs used by 617 “Dambusters” Squadron in the attack on the Möhne dam in May 1943. The assault was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, but it was the fourth drop to hit the target, led by Flight Lieutenant David Maltby, that breached the dam. The instruction from clues was “repeat one entry number six places east”; copying the 1 to the cell between 6 and 7 completed the squadron number.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
Across
1 POSIT I in (POS + (Mal)T(by)); ref. thematic raid
6 KANGAROO GROAN * in (KA + O’)
12 VAT DYE DECORATIVELY * − RECOIL *
13 CIRCEAN CIRCLE − L + AN(d)
14 SRI (confer)S RI(ch)
15 OPPO ABBA with each letter moved forward 14 alphabetic places
17 REHEAR EH in REAR
20 MALT ALMOST * − SO <
22 BYLINE BY + LINE
23 ERS (Adv)ERS(ity)
24 MO(O)N TYPE MONTY + (o)PE(n)
27 ANG(O)RA ANG + R + A
28 NAEVUS (AE + SUV <) after N
32 TRIGRAPH homophone of (TRY + GRAF)
33 NAE N(e)A(r)E(r)
34 QU(O)RUM Q + U + RUM
36 IDEO- I + DEO
41 AREOLE EAR’OLE *
42 T(O)T(O) BETTER − BEER; ref. The Wizard of Oz
43 N(O)N N(eo)N
44 MELTEMI TIME * after MEL; ref. thematic raid
45 SIMO(O)M SIM + OM
46 EGLATERE RELEGATE(d) *
47 FORTH (I)FOR TH(rew)
Down
2 OARS SEABORNE * = (OARS BEEN) *
3 STILL 2 meanings
4 IDOL (TABLOID − TAB) *
5 TYPE B TYPE B (ref. typewriter letter)
6 KEPI (WITH PEAK) * = (WHAT + KEPI) *
7 NIRLIE NI around IRL + E
8 GREEN-BAG AGREEING * with B for I
9 ACHIEVER (EACH + I) * + VER(y)
10 REEFER 2 meanings
11 ONRUSH ON + RUSH
16 OWL-PARR(O)T (PROWLER THAT) * − THE *
18 EMMA (sl)AMME(r) <; ref. Emma Peel of The Avengers
19 TROUPE TROPE around U
21 AONIAN A(s) ON(e) I(s) AN(d)
25 N(O)N-QUOTA (ANY QUESTIONS) * − (YES IS) *
26 TR(O)UTLET (T(urtle) + TURTLE) *
29 SHOE (SO HE) *
30 INFAME (NAME IF) *
31 BEFELL LIFEBELT * − IT *
32 T(O)NEME (d)EMENT(ia) <
35 M(O)TIF M + T(hat) + IF
37 D(O)NOR D(epressed) + N(eedy) + OR
38 N(O)SE (le)NSE(s)
39 J(O)MO J + MO
40 F(OO)T FT
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