The Evolution of East Perry by The Ace of Hearts

Puzzle explanation

The thematic entries were all four-wheeled carriages. The perimeter ring contained “a superfluous or useless person or thing” and the corrections for clue misprints spelt out “the spare wheel of a four-wheeled vehicle”. These are two verbatim definitions from Chambers for FIFTH WHEEL, entered in the centre of the grid. The title cryptically suggests “spare tyre”.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Misprint Answer Explanation
1 eas(T) STALIN ST + ALIEN − E
2   BERLIN BLINDER * − D
3 Smoot(H) NUT OIL NU + TOIL
4 c(E)ases PAUSER PAUPER with S for P
5 (S)ave RESCUE REC(l)USE *
6 (P)ast ROTHER ROT + HER
7 (A)ir FOETOR ROOF < around ET
8 F(R)ail SICKLY SIC + (na)K(ed) L(ad)Y
9   DROSKY DRO(p) + SKY
10 Her(E) DUYURE DURE around YU
11 ha(W)k OSPREY ((deathl)Y + PROSE) *
12 t(H)is UREIDE URE + IDE
13 Decr(E)es EDICTS CT in SIDE <
14 r(E)nt ON HIRE (HERO IN) *
15 (L)and ARRIVE I’VE after (A(t) R(adio) R(ecitals))
16   SURREY (SUETY around RR) − T
17 m(O)re YUKIER (YUKIER + HORSES) * = (YORKSHIRE USE) *
18 li(F)e SNOOPY SPY around NOO(n)
19 p(A)rts ECTOPY (E + C(ommunit)Y) around TOP
20 (F)illed LORDLY LOWLY with RD for W
21 S(O)ng MELODY M(ellifluously) + YODEL *
22   POCHAY COP < + HAY
23 Fl(U)ttering ASH-KEY ASH + KEY
24 (R)oofs SLATER SLAUGHTER − UGH
25 (W)ine PEWTER W in PETER
26 s(H)ot REMAKE RAKE around ’EM
27 po(E)t RHYMER (RE + MY + HR) <
28 fe(E)t SAVATE SAVE around AT
29 s(L)eep OPIATE (E(ach) T(ime) A(n) I(gnorant) P(reacher) O(rates)) <
30 pon(E) NOCAKE OCEAN * around K
31 (D)oing TAKE TO ((rem)OTE KAT(hmandu)) <
32 ha(V)ing RHODIC ORCHID *
33   HERDIC HERD + I + C
34 plan(E)s CUBIST BITS * after CU
35 (H)ub’s HUB-CAP CUB * in HAP
36 f(I)xed HIDAGE AG in HIDE
37 (C)lue NO IDEA (ON AIDE) *
38   TELEGA T(awny) + EAGLE *
39 C(L)ass GALEGA EG in ALGA *
40 T(E)am AMBLIN (r)AMBLIN(g)
Back to 2017 menu