Inside by Hypnos

Puzzle explanation

The puzzle’s overall theme word was “porridge”, which can also mean a jail or jail sentence. The “alternative” clues led to alternative meanings of words for jail, ie, rivet for clink, tankard for jug, vehicle for quad, and cocktail for slammer. The “associative” clues led to words that can be combined with words for jail sentence, (bird)shot, (life) instinct, (stretch) limo, and (time) capsule. Extra letters from seven of these clues could be jumbled to form Spandau. The clue to “rivet” had no extra letter, identifying “clink” as the item to go below the grid. Extra letters from down clues spelt “grid is given stir in hole”, apt wordplay for a “porridge” puzzle. Finally, solvers were to highlight brose and thible, a porridge-stick. Brose is a dish containing similar ingredients to porridge, but prepared differently; porridge in its modern sense (using cereals rather than meat and vegetables) is a later development.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra
Letter		 Answer Explanation
Across
1 (S)low COCKTAIL Alternative #4: TAIL after COCK
6   LIMPET LET about IMP
11   ANIGH A + N + (HIGH – H)
13   IDES ID ES(t)
15   FOP (Bean)O in FP
16   SUMERIAN REMUS < + IAN
17   FUSTETS FUSS about TET
18   ABACK CABA < + K
20   NEUTRALS E(ntertainment) in LAST RUN *
22   ALASKA À LA + SKA; “detached” refers to it not being connected to the main part of the USA; Kingston in Jamaica
23   NALA Alternate letters
26   TWEEL TWEE + L; Scots twill
29   ROSET ROSETTE – TE
31   MEED DEEM(ster) <; Douglas in Isle of Man
32   TOULON Homophone (T) + OULONG – G
33   TRANSHIP (NOSH – O + I) in TRAP
36 None RIVET Alternative #1: PRIVET – P
38   LEE SIDE IDE after LEES; we apologise for overlooking the fact that The Chambers Dictionary has this as two words
41 (A)id INSTINCT Associative #2: INSECT, TIN for E
43   COG Two definitions; see cogue
44   PACO (O + CAP) <, over as in cricket
45   TIROL TIRO + L (learner driver)
46   MAYHAP PHARMACY * – (R & C)
47   SNORTERS (SORT + ERS(e)) about N
Down
1 G COFF C before GOFF
2 weir(D) CAPSULE Associative #4: (CAUL(d) + E) about PS (end of letter)
3 R KNIT (TINKER – E) <
4 I AGITATO (A + GIT) above (n)ATIO(n)
5 D LOUISE (BLOUSE – B) about ID
6 (N)iffy LIMO Associative #3: LIMBO – B(reathing)
7 I IDEALLY IDEA + LILY
8 S PSI Alternate letters
9 dr(U)nk TANKARD Alternative #2: (AT A DRNK) *
10 G ROUÉ GROUSE – S; reference New Zealand
12 I ICER CERI below I
14 V HACKLE HACK + LEV(iticus)
19 E BALMS BLAME’S *
21 N TABLE TA + BLEN(d)
23 S NATRIUM SN + ATRIUM
24 T ANOINT TAINT about NO
25 I EROTICA RIOT in (E + ICA)
27 R ETAERIO EATER < + RIOT – T
28 car(P) VEHICLE Alternative #3: VELE about (HICCUP – CUP)
30 I STOCKS O in STICKS
34 N NEAR NEN(e) + A + R
35 H IDOL I + HOLD *
37 O KNOP (PON(e) + OK) <
39 dram(A) SHOT Associative #1: three definitions
40 L EGIS LEGIST – T
42 E SPY Two definitions (SPEY)
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