Unusual by Mr Lemon

Puzzle explanation

Letters in across answers, in clue order, were to be replaced by clashing letters from the down answers to show “Red flanked bluetail” a rare visitor to Europe. The letters dropped at the clashes, read in the order of down clues, gave the far less exotic “Thrush, robin, sparrow”. Extra letters in the wordplay in across clues spelt the helpful “A Bird Guide, European”. Across answers: 1 glosses over 11 triene 12 Karen 14 Rahu 15 shalt 16 emeraude 18 lothario 20 upgo 22 Esther 23 sopors 25 otto 26 condylar 30 sweep-net 32 loopy 33 orra 34 borax 35 diapir 36 nonsensical.

The photograph was taken by Mr Lemon, on Lundy in 2005.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word
/Misprint		 Answer Explanation
Across
1 A GLOSSES OVER LOSS in AGE + SO + VER(y)
11 B TRIENE TRIBUNE, E(rbium) for U
12 I KAREN KAI + WREN – W
14 R RAHU RA + HUR(t)
15 D SHALT SHAD + LT
16 G EMERAUDE EMERGE about AUD(e)
18 U LOTHARIO AUTHOR* in OIL*
20 I UPGO PIG in (q)UO(d)
22 D ESTHER DER about ESTH
23 E SOPORS SOP + SORE*
25 E OTTO (fo)OT + TOE
26 U CONDYLAR (CURLY AND + O)*
30 R SWEEP-NET PERN* in SWEET
32 O LOOPY LOOP + YO(u)
33 P ORRA PRO < + RA
34 E BORAX BORE + A + X
35 A DIAPIR PAIR after AID <
36 N NONSENSICAL (CANNINESS + ONL(y))*
Down
2   LEAMS GLEAMS – G
3   ORFES ORES about F
4   SEPALODY DOG-PARSLEY* – (G + R)
5   ENGAOL (LAG + ONE)*
6   REND Hidden
7   VALUATOR (LABOUR + VAT)* – B
8   EDAM EM about DA
9   ANTEORBITAL (ALTERATION + B(owling))*
10   CREPUSCULAR (SPRUCE CURL + A(nnapurna))*
13   ELANET ELT about ANE
17   WOOD OPAL WOOD + PAL about O
19   HEUREKAS KE < in (EUR + HAS)*
21   KOODOO VOODOO, (e)V(e) replaced by K
24   ALEVIN A + LEVI + N
27   ANTIC ANTI + C(arthage)
28   CERIA ERIC* + A
29   ZERO ER in ZO
31   URDÉ RUDE*
Back to 2008 menu