The grid was initially “wrapped” round a rod such that 13 columns formed one complate revolution; ie, down answers extending beyond the bottom of row 3 of the grid continued at the top of the column 13 places to the right. The eight thematic answers clued by wordplay only were types of wind. The last words of the novel Gone With the Wind are “tomorrow is another day” (given in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations). Wrapping the grid in the reverse direction (upward) with 7 columns making a complete revolution revealed the diagonal message “tomorrow is another year”, relevant to the puzzle’s publication on New Year’s Eve.
Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal
No | Answer | Explanation |
---|---|---|
Across | ||
1 | BOOMLETS | (ST ELMO + OB) < |
7 | ERIS | (p)ERIS(h) |
11 | OMELET | O + MÊLÉ(e) + ’T |
13 | PIERRE | PIER + RE |
14 | AT PLAY | ATP + LAY |
15 | BARRIO | BAR + RIO |
16 | FOEHN | FOE + HN |
18 | SPIRIT | SPIT around IR |
19 | KNOWN | NOW in KN |
20 | IRENA | (fl)ÂNERI(e) < |
21 | AMEBA | ÂME + BA |
24 | TABES | BEATS * |
27 | BREEZE | homophone of BRIES |
28 | BLAST | B + LAST |
29 | ITUNES | (l)UTENIS(t) * |
30 | SCLAFF | F after SCF around (Hi)LA(ry) |
32 | SDEINS | SD + EINS; ref. 13ac |
35 | SOLANO | AN in SOLO |
37 | KEDS | KE(y) + DS |
38 | ALIENISM | MILESIAN * |
Down | ||
1 | BRICKFIELDER | BF around RICK + I’ + ELDER |
2 | OFTEN | (s)OFTEN |
3 | MEN-O’-WAR | ENOW in MAR |
4 | ENSOR | NORSE * |
5 | SPEER | S + PEER |
6 | VIOLENT STORM | VISTO around OLENT + RM |
7 | ERSE | S in ERE |
8 | RICTAL | (((beas)T + C) in LAIR) < |
9 | SLAP | PAL’S < |
10 | INSETS | (MOUNTAINS LESS) * − MONAULS * |
12 | NASARD | R,D after NASA |
17 | OUZO | homophone of (OOZE + EAU) |
18 | SAMIEL | (SAME + L) around I |
22 | BAIZA | BIZ around A + A |
23 | GOBBI | GOBBING − NG |
25 | BORS | B + OR S(o) |
26 | EXITS | EXISTS − S |
31 | ORANGE | O + RANGE |
33 | DHAHRAN | (A HAND) * around HR |
34 | SPEK | SPEAK − A |
36 | OYES | 2 meanings |