Initials of extra words in clues spelt out “a novel twist reveals twelve new words”. The novel was The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, from which the author's name and the characters Flora, Miles, Quint and Jessel appeared in the clues. A central ring of letters in the grid, containing THE SCREW, was given a turn of 180°, making 12 new words (the Es being unchanged). The title is a reversal of WARDER (a screw).
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
No | Extra word | Answer | Explanation |
---|---|---|---|
Across | |||
1 | Armenian | RECESS | CE in (RE + SS) |
5 | STIRPS | STRIPS with R moved to later position | |
10 | nothing | OUTSHINE | (HOME UNITS) * − M |
11 | outing | FIAT | 2 meanings |
12 | vaulter | COMPANY MAN | (CHAMPION GYMNAST) * − SIGHT * |
16 | eating | AGAR | A + GAR |
17 | luck | CASHES | LASHES with C for L |
19 | CELL | homophone of SELL | |
20 | tips | SERA | ((cur)ARE + S(trychnine)) < |
22 | works | REELS | RE + (Jes)SEL * |
23 | inscription | DINAH | HAND < around I |
25 | science | AGED | GE in AD |
28 | treasury | DOUT | DO + UT |
29 | WADDLE | W + DD in ALE | |
30 | replica | BERG | BERGÈRE − ERE |
33 | event | ICOSANDRIA | (HOPE + ICOSANDRIA) * = (ONE APHRODISIAC) * |
34 | violent | LISP | IS in LP |
35 | engine | UNLEADED | UN(w)ED around LEAD |
36 | apéritif | EATERY | ((v)ERY (l)ATE) * |
37 | letters | SERENE | ERE in ENS < |
Down | |||
1 | summer’s | ROCOCO | R(ange) + O’ + COCO; ref. Coco Chanel |
2 | EUOI | U in (E O + I) | |
3 | tuning | ESPY | E + ’S + P(robabl)Y |
4 | wheelchair | SINES | (acc)ESS could be seen as S in ES |
6 | exercises | TEMPER | MP in TEER |
7 | light-fingered | RINGLEADER | RINGER around LEAD |
8 | volleyball | PARALLEL | PA + RALL + EL(d) |
9 | Euro-MP | STARTS | TART in (Bru)SS(els) |
13 | MISANDRIST | ADMINISTERS * − E | |
14 | not | AKEE | (c)AKE E(nough) |
15 | excited | SCAG | GAS < around C |
18 | worker | AKINESIA | KINE in ASIA |
21 | RATE | GENERATE − GÊNE | |
23 | Wye | DABBLE | DALE around BB |
24 | obscenities | HUMOUR | HUM + O’ + UR- |
26 | respectable | EARN | (y)EARN |
27 | Darwin | DECADE | ECAD in D(unfermlin)E |
29 | singing | WEALS | WELS(h) around A(pril) |
31 | ADAR | A + D + (R after A) | |
32 | MIEN | AMIENS − AS |