A New Year Message from Ten-Four

Puzzle explanation

The New Year message from extra letters was “One down, fifty-one to go”, referring to this being the first of the 52 puzzles anticipated for 2008. Affected down entries thus had all instances of the letter I move down one cell (“One down”): these were 1 cryptobiotic 6 pioneers 9 stick insects 11 Bonaire 17 canakins 26 pilau. Affected across entries similarly had the letters LI removed (“fifty-one to go”): these were 1 carpet-slippers 12 moulinet 13 squillion 14 polings 16 trancelike 20 liveborn 21 bridling 27 abolishers 30 lindane 32 mainlined 35 industrialists.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra
letter		 Answer Explanation
Across
1   CARPET-SLIPPERS (A + R + STEP <) in CLIPPERS
10 O RUBATO BOAT in OUR <; reference musical term
12   MOULINET LINE in OUT after M
13   SQUILLION Q in ILLUSION*
14   POLINGS PALINGS, A changing to O
15 N PEDI- END in PI
16   TRANCELIKE ENTICE LARK*
19 E OARS (h)OARSE
20   LIVEBORN EVIL < + BO + RN
21   BRIDLING BR + IDLING
24 D GLEI LE in DIG <
27   ABOLISHERS HORSE’S BAIL
28 O IDOL IO + DOL(l)
30   LINDANE ANNELID*
32   MAINLINED A + IN + LINE in MD
33 W CALAIS WC + À LA + I + S
34 N AT REST ANTRE + ST
35   INDUSTRIALISTS DIARIST INSULTS*
Down
1   CRYPTOBIOTIC CRYPT + OB + I + OTIC
2 F AURORA FUROR in (A + A)
3 I PANG PAIN + G
4 F TOQUES QUE in SOFT <
5 T SMUT SM + TUT
6   PIONEERS PORN I SEE*
7 Y PULPS LPS after PUNY – N
8 O RENDER REJOINDER – (J + I)
9   STICK INSECTS STICK + IN + SECTS
11   BONAIRE BON + AIR + E; the editors apologise for the oversight when amending and later checking the definition in this clue
17   CANAKINS A SNACK IN*
18 N POLEAXE A + N + EX < after POLE
22 E RODMAN RODE + MAN
23 T DOG-EAR DOG + TEAR
25 O ERNEST ERST about ONE
26   PILAU LIP < + AU
29 G ONST Hidden
31 O DURA DA about OUR
Back to 2008 menu