Half a Dozen by Nibor

Puzzle explanation

Words in clues modified by extra letter are shown in the table below. The letters omitted from clues spelt “Joseph Haydn, died thirty-first May eighteen-o-nine”. The unclued answers were jumbles of Surprise, Miracle, Military, Clock, Drum Roll and London, referring to the six (half a dozen) of Haydn’s twelve “London” symphonies to bear names.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Correction Answer Explanation
Across
1 (j)udders POLYP LOPPY *
11 Sco(o)t EMIGRATE E + MIG + RATE
12 rever(s)ed MICE (d)ÉCIM(e) <
13 (E)yes SEES Two definitions
15 (p)ore STOMA SOMA about T
16 (H)ash ASS AS + S(a); reference a stupid person
17 (H)owl WILLOW WOW about ILL
19 co(a)t UNIT U + TIN <
22 Dick(y) FRONTAGER (RANG FOR + T(h)E) *
23 (d)evil IMPAIR IMP + AIR
24 (N)allah ARROYO A + RR + (y)O-YO
27 cor(d)ed SPERRE REPS < + RE
32 no(i)se BETUMBLED MUTE < in (BB + LED)
35 f(e)asting GISM GORMANDISM – RANDOM *
37 (D)o ACTIVE ACT + I + V(ibrat)E
38 (t)railing OHO O after HO <
40 clot(h) ECRU Hidden
41 ba(i)t TOLE TO + LE(g); “leg” can mean to propel a canal boat through a tunnel
42 d(r)unk ON THE NOD ON + THE + DON <
43 due(t) SECONDO SECOND + O’
44 bod(y)’s STAIR I in STAR
Down
2 (f)air OMEN O (zero) MEN; “the fair” = female
3 hero(i)n JOSHUA JO + H in (SEA, U for E); see meaning of name
4 co(r)pse PROSCRIBE CORPSE * about RIB
5 boo(s)t RAPTOR RAP + T’ (the) + O + R
6 (t)an TSWANA SAW TAN *
7 (m)asking YOLK YOK about L
8 (a)rum LILY First letters
9 man(y) ACRONYMS (SCOR(e) + MANY) *
10 Gr(e)ater MOWER MO + REW <
14 la(i)d ÉTAPE PATE < + (hik)E
18 lin(g)er HUN HUNG – G
20 (H)alf STRAIGHTS STRA(nger) + (e)IGHTS
21 (T)weak AMPERAGE (ARM + EG + APE) *
25 (e)vents OCCUR First letters
28 h(e)at RUT Hidden
29 mo(n)th ELUENT ELU(l) + ENT
30 Po(o)le LEAN-TO TO(wn) below LEAN
31 co(n)y IDIOCY DIO(r) in ICY
32 d(i)ebs BIDES DIEBS *
34 Spri(n)g TIDE Hidden
36 (e)king SHRI SHRIEKING – EKING
Back to 2009 menu