Playgroup by Ifor

Puzzle explanation

The theme was the 1921 play Six Characters in Search of an Author, by Luigi Pirandello. All occurrences of “the six characters in SEARCH’ were omitted from answers before entry in the grid. The rest of the play’s title appeared in the preamble. Extra words in down clues defined anagrams of SEARCH. The central cell contained D to complete PI(RA)ND(E)LLO on the diagonal.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra words Answer Explanation
Across
1   LOGORRHEA LOG + OR + HEAR *
5   FRONT ’FRO + -N’T
9   MOORISH MOO + RISK with H for K
12   ARVICOLINE (A VOLE IN + RIC(h)) *
13   OUTER HEBRIDES ROUTE * + HEB + RIDES
14   PONTILE POLITE * around N
15   CONCESSION CON + homophone of SESSION
16   PULPIEST PUT around LIES around P
19   SOLID SO + LID
20   CHARING CROSS CHAR + IN + G + CROSS
21   HARROWING RAH < + ROWING
23   LICHENIN (LINEN WHICH − W − H) *
25   SCANSORIAL S + (RAN SOCIAL) *
27   OPERATION OPERA + (NOT + I) *
29   LOCATION COAT * in LION
31   NULLAH ((wit)H ALL UN(emptied)) <
33   EIRENICON (EIRE + CON) around NI
34   UNSALARIED (ALAS INURED) *
35   CLOSE CALL CLOSE + CALL-GIRL − GIRL
36   BERLIN B + MERLIN − M
40   LOOSING LOO + SING
42   FEISTINESS (STI(f)FEN SI(d)ES) *
43   INDIGENCE INDI(a) + C(harity) in GÊNE
45   STRIP OFF S(wami) + TRIP + OFF
46   INSULIN (USE IN − E) * + LINE − E
47   CANAILLE CANA + ILLE
48   SNIFFER (REF + FINS) <
49   LORINER LO + R + IN + ER
Down
1   SLAVE SHIP L in SAVE + S + HIP
2   CHOICEFUL (CHOICEFUL + SLANT) * = (TECHNICAL FOULS) *
3 hunting animals (RACHES) GOPHER (GO + PER) around (stenc)H
4   CLINICIAN CLAN around (IN + ICI)
6   ROCKING HORSE ROCKING + (HER SO) *
7   NEROLI OIL ((w)IL(d) (s)OR(t) (b)OILE(d) (a)N(d)) *
8   TURCOPOLE (CUR TO) * + POLE
9   SMARTENED TRADESMEN *
10   CORIOLANUS (SOCIAL ROUN(d)) *
11 Hotelier (SACHER) RESIDENTS NT in DESIRES *
17   LINTELLED TELL in LINED
18   ARTIFICIALISE ART + IF + I + CIA + LIES *
19   SOLOED LOOSED *
22 Slough (ESCHAR) WITAN (WANT + I) *
24 odd jobs (CHARES) CICISBEI BICCIES * + I’
26   INANENESS IE around (NANA − A) + NESS
28   NULLIFIES (SINFUL LIE) *
30   BENEFICIARIES ARIES after (BENE + F + ICI)
31   CANADIAN FRENCH CAN + (FIND ACHARNÉ) *
32   LOSE ONESELF (SO FEEL NO LESS) * − S
33   SAILORING (ORIGINAL SIN − IN) *
37   INDICIA (I + C) in INDIA
38 spans (ARCHES) OFTEN OF + T + EN
39   THIOL (OIL + TH(at)) *
41   GERMANENESS GERMAN + SENSE *
44 one who follows (CHASER) ENCLOSE SCORELINE * − R − I
Back to 2014 menu