Great Expectations by Samuel

Puzzle explanation

Clashes in grid A were resolved as the numbers 1 to 24, representing the doors on a traditional Advent calendar. The instruction from grid B clues was “Cut out doors and paste A over B”, thus revealing the festive message to be highlighted.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra Answer Explanation
GRID A ACROSS
1   TREASONS (REASON + S) after T’
10   REKEY RACY with EKE for AC
11   ROAN RAN around O (tours = goes around)
12   ORDERINGS (b)ORDE(r) + RINGS
13   STEADY STEAMY with D for M
16   LAB LA + B
19   HOO HOO(k)
20   AVERSE AVER + S(tabl)E
24   ISLANDERS I + SLANDERS
25   LOIN LOI(r) + N
26   TEADE (HEATED − H) *
27   SECTORED SECT + O’ + RED
GRID A DOWN
1   TREKSCHUITS (STUCK + THIS + E + R) *
2   AERATES AE + RATES
3   EKKA (se)EK KA(iser’s)
4   YEEHAW (EYEWASH − S) *
5   SEIF SEI + F
6   CRIED CR + I’ + ED
7   NONPLUS (N + PL) in NOUS
8   SATE SKATE − K
9   MISOBSERVED MISO + B + SERVE + D
14   TROOLIE TROOP − P + LIE
15   DIV DI + V
17   WISARDS WIS + WARDS − W
18   WEEDED W + NEEDED − N
20   XOANA (e)X(t)O(l) A(e)N(e)A(s)
21   NAOS NAPOOS − PO
22   CHAT C + HAT
23   DUAR (g)UARD *
GRID B ACROSS
1 D ESCALOPE ESCAPED around (L + O)
9 A PHRASERS P + HARASS around ER
10 O GREAT OGRE + TA <
11 R TUGS TRUGS
14 S RIOT RIO + ST
15 O TAELS ((conso)LE AT(hletes)) <
16 O GYP GOY + P
17 T RUT TRUST − S
18 R ISOLD IR + SOLD
19 D ORCA OR + DC + A
22 C AREA ARECA
23 N NILOT NIN(e) + LOT
24 V TEARABLE (BRAVE TALE) *
25 B WET-LEASE (WEASEL BET) * (will = astray)
GRID B DOWN
2 E SPRY (o)SPREY
3 O CHENOPOD OCHE + OP in NOD
4 A LATITUDINAL LATITA(t) + (LAID UN) *
5 P OSTRAKON POST + (ON ARK) *
6 T ERGS TEGS around R
7 U ASSISTANTS CHASSIS − CH + TAUNTS
8 U EGURGITATE URGE * + GI + TAT + EU
12 A STALWART S + TALA + WART
13 E TERRELLA TEE + RR + ELLA
20 T BREW RET in B/W
21 S JOES J + S(m)O(k)E(r)S
Back to 2010 menu