Sharp Work by Puffin

Puzzle explanation

The puzzle marked the 951st anniversary of the Battle of Hastings (14 Oct 1066) in which King Harold was reputedly killed by an arrow to his eye. The highlighting of ONE IN THE EYE in the diagonal with the unclued entries HAROLD and DEPOSED, formed an illustrative arrow shape. Because of the error in the preamble (saying 12 extra cells were to be highlighted, rather than 11), highlighting of DHAROLD in the bottom row, making the arrow symmetrical, was accepted. The initials of extra words in clues spelt “Arthur Mailey’s ten wickets for sixty-six”; referring to the Australian cricketer’s feat of taking all 10 Gloucestershire wickets for 66 runs in the second innings of a match at Cheltenham in 1921. The title of his 1958 autobiography was 10 for 66 and All That, echoing the humorous history 1066 and All That by W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman, which was published serially in Punch magazine, and in book form in 1930.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word Answer Explanation
Across
1 asking ODDS-ON O’ + DD + S(h)O(w)N
5 reflected SCOWLS S/C + OWLS
10 tenderness NEEDED homophone of KNEED + ED
13 have MIEN MEN around I
14 Uranus CIRCLED C(urrent) I(nterplanetary) R(econnaissance) C(raft) + LED
15 regularly OHMIC OHMS − S + I/C
17 marathon CATALPA CAT + A + LAP *
18 auctioned HONORARIUM HON + ORARIUM
20 inveterate ESPRIT (Andr)E’S PRIT(tle-prattle)
25 loves HERMAE HER + MA + E
26 Each FISCAL YEAR (CASE FAIRLY) *
27 young ANT-EGGS A’ + NT + EG + GS
29 second SET-TO (fal)SETTO
31 term AGAMOID A + GAM + (v)OID
32 Egyptian TYGS (e)Y(e)S(i)G(h)T *
33 not ASLOPE ANTELOPE with S for (N + TE)
34 writings SWEYED DEWEY’S *
Down
1 inky OSMOSED DSO < around SOME *
2 conciliation DEEM DEE + M
3 Kilimanjaro SENIORS (ROSE IN + S) *
4 Effect ODIC 2 meanings
6 tippet CURTATE CURATE around T(he)
7 serial ORCA OR + CA
9 fond SODA ADIOS < − I
11 outmoded DIARCHY DIARY around CH
12 reprobates DEPURANT (PENAL SERVITUDE) * − LEVIES *
19 setter’s OTALGIA (OT + ALA) around GI(nk)
21 immediate POSTAGE GESTAPO *
22 X-rated ISAGOGE I + S + AGO + GE
23 tracking PRAETOR (A PORTER) *
27 youthful AAHS H in (b)AAS
28 stew’s EMMY EM + MY
29 Iolanthe SOLA SO + LA
30 xenophobic TYPO (seven)TY PO(sters)
Back to 2017 menu