Using 41ac = TIMOTHY, the title is a Bible reference, 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil”. Down entries that are synonyms for evil have 3×3 squares below containing names for money (Bahamian $, yellow-boy, lilangeni, centesimo, dandyprat) when their barred-off central cells are completed with MONEY. The squares are arranged to suggest a heart shape, for “love”.
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
| No | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Across | ||
| 1 | THEED | HEED after T |
| 5 | LULIBUBS | (SILLABUB − A + U) * |
| 11 | SALMIS | MISSAL with letters cycled |
| 12 | NAME | NAM + E |
| 14 | ARTIST | TRAITS * |
| 16 | MACLE | MAC + L(odg)E |
| 17 | CREPON | (medio)CRE PON(cho) |
| 19 | TIER | TIER(ce) |
| 20 | BAHS | B + AHS |
| 22 | AIR | A + IR |
| 23 | REDAN | R + E + D + AN |
| 24 | SETA | SET + A |
| 29 | BECURL | B + (CURLEW − W) * |
| 31 | GRAT | GRATIS − IS |
| 32 | DEBYE | BY in DEE |
| 33 | CENOTE | CE + NOTE; ref. 42dn |
| 35 | DÁIL | DAIS − S + L |
| 36 | WAT | (Bays)WAT(er) |
| 37 | SPAR | RAPS < |
| 38 | ERR | PEDRERO * − DOPE * |
| 39 | BOY | BOYLE − LE |
| 41 | TIMOTHY | TI + MOTHY |
| 43 | DIODE | DIODON − ON + E |
| 44 | EARWIG | EAR + WIG |
| 46 | TIGER LILY | TIGE + R(ed) + LILY |
| 49 | GARDAI | GAR + DAI |
| 50 | DEAD MEN | AMENDED * |
| 51 | AGED | A + GED |
| 52 | ESTYN | (hon)ESTY N(ot) |
| 53 | RUNGLESS | RUNG LESS |
| Down | ||
| 1 | TSAMBA | MAST < + BA(ba) |
| 2 | HARM | H + ARM |
| 3 | ELTCHI | ELI around TCH |
| 4 | DISEASE | SEASIDE * |
| 6 | UNFORTUNATE | UN + FORTE around TUNA |
| 7 | IMMORAL | IMAM − A + ORAL |
| 8 | BEA | BE + A |
| 9 | BALE | 2 meanings |
| 10 | STERN | 2 meanings |
| 13 | ACID DROP | ACID + DROP |
| 15 | INFARCT | IN FACT around R |
| 18 | PIE | 2 meanings |
| 19 | TEIGN | TE IG(itur) + N |
| 21 | SIBYL | IS < + BY + L |
| 25 | PTERYGOIDS | (DOGES TRIPLY − L) * |
| 26 | ADDEBTED | A + ’D + DEED around BT |
| 27 | NEARSIDES | READINESS * |
| 28 | DOLLARBIRD | DOLLY BIRD with AR for Y |
| 30 | CLWYD | homophone of (CLUE + ID) |
| 34 | TAHINA | TUNA with AHI for the second letter |
| 37 | SORORAL | SO + RORAL |
| 39 | BIELDY | B + WIELDY − W |
| 40 | OORT | TROO(p) < |
| 42 | MAYAN | (MANY A) * |
| 44 | ELGIN | E(e)L + GIN |
| 45 | WEDGE | EDGE after W |
| 47 | GEAT | (TA + EG) < |
| 48 | LAER | REAL < |