Unicycle by Remus

Puzzle explanation

The only occurrences of O in the clues were misprints for the letters spelling “Isildur’s Bane”, another name for The One Ring in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. In the grid, the three ring-bearers Frodo, Bilbo and Gollum were made invisible by the ring. The single O remaining in the puzzle was in THE ONE RING, highlighted in an obliquely-seen ring shape.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Misprint Answer Explanation
Across
1   HALFLING HAL + FLING
8   GIGG (e)GG(s) after GI
11   UVA UV-A
12 R(I)ver RATE R + ATE
14   ARERE A + RE + RE
15   OREAD ØRE + AD
16   GAZAR GAZA + R(ed)
17 red(S) BREDES B + E in REDS
18   DATIN DATIN(g)
19   WROATH OATH after (W + R)
21 F(I)x BINDI BIND + I
22   BRAT BRACT − C
24   ADD-ON AD + DON
27   INCUT (z)INC + (r)U(s)T
30   GRAB 2 meanings
32 hal(L) AGUTI A + GUILT * − (hal)L
33 bir(D)s REDOES DO(v)ES after RE
34   GRASP GR + ASP
35 radi(U)s TALLER T + ELLA < + R
38   BLINI BLIND − D + I
39 (R)iled PERIL (Pi)PE RIL(ed)
40   LENIN (NINE + (cathedra)L) <
41   DANU AND * + U
42   DAD (E)D(w)A(r)D
43   ERIC (th)E RIC(h)
44   SALT-MINE AILMENTS *
Down
1   HUBBUB HUB + BUB
2   AVER A + VER(y)
3 Pas(S) LATERAL LA + (ART + EL) *
4   LARE (c)LARE(t)
5   NEATH NEAT + H
6   GADDED (payin)G + ADDED
7   VAGABOND VA + GABON + D
8   GRATING RAT in GING
9   GRANDMAS GRAND + MAS(s)
10 Ri(B) GERBIL RIB * in GEL
13 t(A) TESTA SET < + TA
19   WRIGGLER W + (REG GIRL) *
20 i(N)n AGNISING AG + (INN IS) * + G
23   TITANIC (I CAN’T + IT) *
25   PRELUDI (UP + RID(d)LE) *
26   WARBLE 2 meanings
28   CIPPUS (SUP + PIC) <
29   TETRA (whi)TE TRA(sh)
31   BORIDE BO + RID + E
33 St(E)ps RUEDA RUED + A
36   AIN’T TINA *
37   ÉLAN (m)ELAN(o)
Back to 2021 menu