Impossible Construction by Serpent

Puzzle explanation

The extra words in clues to the four entries that bordered the central area were “promise to settle up”, wordplay leading to “word square”. The central 6×6 area was a word square containing CIRCLE, INURES, RUDEST, CREASE, LESSEE, ESTEEM — thus “squaring the circle”, an impossible task in Euclidean geometry using only a straight edge and compasses. Bars were entered to form the boundary of the word square, and normally in the rest of the grid, forming real-word entries everywhere.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

Extra word Answer Explanation
Across
  TRIBUNE TUNE around RIB
  CARVE CAVE around R
  ROBUST BUS in ROT
  TANNIN ((coloratio)N IN NAT(ural)) <
promise ORCHARD OR + CHARD
  LILAC CALL < around I
  NEAR (Byzanti)NE AR(chitect)
  UNEASIER UNE + A + (RE + IS) <
  CURRY (YR + RUC) <
  DEFROST (SOFTER + (foo)D) *
  ACREAGE CREA(m) in AGE
  PEASE P + LEASE − L
  ESCAPEES PEE in CASES *
  TOES O in SET <
  AMEER EPHEMERAL * = HELP + AMEER
to MAGICAL A(mazin)G in CLAIM *
  RETAIN TA in REIN
  DERIDE (ED around DIRE) <
  ALARM A(ccountants) L(eaving) + ARM
  USHERED ER in (U + SHED)
Down
  TRIAS ((dr)A(ma) + IS + R(acis)T) *
  ROLLER 2 meanings
  CURB 2 meanings
  THUNDER (HUNTER + D(read)) *
  CATER CRATE with R moved to the back
  CARELESS CARESS around (tru)EL(ove)
  SEDAN (distres)SED AN(imal)
  VIRAGO VIRGO around A(tlantic)
  ENSNARE (RAN in ESNE) <
Settle PREFACE PACE around REF
up LAYETTE LATE around YET
  ANEURISM (U + SEMINAR) *
  CAESURA (AREA around US + C) <
  SEASIDE homophone of (SEE + SIGHED)
  GROVEL L after GROVE
  PARADE PAR + (Asd)A (an)D (Waitros)E
  REALM REAL + M(usic)
  STUNG (G + NUT + S(peak)) <
  PALED PLEAD with A moved up
  REAM READ with M for D; ref. Roman numerals
Back to 2021 menu