I Know My Place by Syd Lexis

Puzzle explanation

Letters unindicated in wordplay all lay on the main diagonals and the four unchecked cells had to be filled so as to resolve “Syd’s cross words” — the space being omitted in the preamble, to avoid giving the game away — as the puzzle rhyme YYUR YYUB ICURYY4ME, or “Too wise you are, too wise you be. I see you are too wise for me”. The appearance of this in the main review in the Books section a week after the puzzle was, of course, coincidental.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Omitted
letters		 Answer Explanation
Across
1   EASTERN AE < + STERN
6   CAPA CAP (abbreviation) + A
11   IMPERIALISTS MISSILE PART I*
15 Y GOYLE Two definitions (GOLE); reference Lydford, Devon
16 I SPIRITS Two definitions (SPRITS)
17   SET Two definitions, one an abbreviation
18   ORE Two definitions, one leading to O’RE = o’re, a form of “over”
19 U TRADUCE C in TRADE
23 U ULNAE LEAN*
25   HALE H + ALE
27 R REEL Two definitions (EEL)
29 Y INDY IN + D
30   ACTS Two definitions, one an abbreviation
32 Y WITTY W + I + TT
34 Y OXYTONE OX + TONE
35   USE US + E(njoy); reference the monarch’s use of we/us for I/me/one
36   GED AGED – A
40 M REMANET RE + A + NET
42 B IMBUE Alternate (even) letters of tItMoUsE
44 E DESIGNATIONS DOINGS STAIN*
45   DELF (F + LED) <
46   STARETS STARTS about E
Down
1   EIGHTHS HE HIT GS*
2   AMOK A + MOK(e)
3   TEL LET <
4   ERES ERE + S(ummer)
5   RISE RISSOLE – SOL
7   AIR A + IR
8 I PSION P + ’S + ON
9   ATTRACT A + TT (Tourist Trophy) + CAR < + T
10   ESSE (S + S) in EE
12 Y PYGAL P + GAL
13 RY APTERYX APT + EX
14 UY LIQUEFY LIEF about Q
20   DENT DE + NT
21 UY UNDYING N + DING
22 RY CRYOGEN COGENT – T
24   LEAT E in LAT (abbreviation for “latrine”)
26 E ANISEED ANI + ’S + ED
28   USELESS USE + LESS (less = more in a particular Shakespearean context)
31 B COMBO COMODO – DO
33 M TEMSE STEE(l)*
35   URDU D in URU
37   ÉTAT ETA + T
38   DITA DIT + A
39   RUNT RT about UN
41   AIL I in AL
43   MIR Two definitions
Back to 2008 menu