Knitwear by 149

Puzzle explanation

Knit (k) was to be interpreted as if the letter appeared on the front of the knitted grid and purl (p) on the back (and hence invisible). Using the notation provided for across and down (pkkp then k to end; pkkk repeating to end) resulted in a grid of words justifiable by Chambers Dictionary (with one exception), the highlighted entries at asterisked clue numbers all being knitted garments. Clued answers, in order, are shown in the table below.

The stated exception was “Elise”. This entry was entirely fixed by crossing answers, so any others not justifiable by Chambers Dictionary, eg, as entries or plurals of entries, etc, were not allowed.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Entry
capital = purl		 Explanation
Across
2 VALETA BalAta VALET + A
8 WAVE PavO WE about (A + V(essel) & lit
11 CLOWNS EloIns C + LOW + (fu)N + (actor)S & lit
12 MOUSER RouTer MUSER about O
14 LARRIGAN CarDigan LA + RARING *
15 CANT LanA Three definitions
16 TRITON OriSon ROTTIN’ *
17 MELTON NelSon M + ELTON (John)
18 YES Mes (e)YES
19 ANODE GnoMe NOD in (A + E)
22 CASH OasT C + AS + H & lit
23 OSTEO- EstRo (h)E’S TOO *
24 FOUTRES LouVres F(ellow)S about OUTRÉ
26 TWEETER SweAter TWEE + TER
29 PERDU VerTu PRUDE *
32 HOLD SolI L in HOD
33 CANER ManOr Two definitions & lit, one cryptic (corporal punishment)
35 HER Eer HE + R(ib) & lit; reference Adam & Eve
36 LOITER CoiNer TO FILE *, semi & lit
38 LUMBER JumPer L + UMBER
40 ALSO ElsE Alternate letters
41 LAUREATE NauSeate A RULE * + ATE (goddess)
42 BLEATS AleRts (B(easts) + T(hat) + S(camper)) about LEA & lit
43 VERREY JerSey RE in VERY
44 EYED TyeS YE in ED
45 RELATE PelIte RE + TALE *
Down
1 DECODES BecoMes DEC(ember) ODES
2 ALARMS BlarEs A + L + ARMS
3 FORINT AoriSt FOR + TIN *
4 KIDS Lids K + I + D + S
5 UNIOS AnioN UN + I + OS (UN, I are both “one”)
6 BRAN Aran B(reakfast) + R + A + N & lit
7 GONER DoneE G(iven) + ONER
8 GULLIVER PullOver GULL + I + VER(y); see Little-endian for reference to Gulliver
9 DENOTE VenoSe NEED TO *
10 KRANG OranT Hidden
13 BASAL TasaR BASAL(t)
19 TRAILERS GraiNers RARE LIST *
20 FLEA Olea ELF < + A & lit
21 CORN Morn COR + N
25 MURRAYS SurrEys RUM < + RAYS
27 HOOLEY WoolLy HO + O’ + LEY
28 BLISS ElisE Hidden & lit
30 DEPART RepaSt PARADISE TO * – (SO + AI) *
31 BEETLE TeetEe Two definitions; reference Volkswagen
32 OCEAN SceaT ONCE A *
33 TENTY MentO TWENTY – W + two definitions, one facetious
34 FUSEE OuseL USE in FE
37 GASP Rasp GRASP – R
39 PERI Meri Hidden; repetition of “among” after “and” implied
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