C by Gnomish

Puzzle explanation

The puzzle marked the centenary of the first performance, on 25 April 1926, of the opera Turandot, written by GIACOMO PUCCINI (jumbled in 4dn and 25dn) and completed by Franco Alfano. ROSA RAISA sang the title role in the première. In the opera, Princess Turandot poses three riddles to her suitor, the as-yet unnamed Prince: I “What is born each night and dies each dawn?”; II “What flickers red and warm like a flame, but is not fire?”; III “What is ice which gives you fire and which your fire freezes still more?”. The Prince answers correctly with: I speranza (hope), entered at 3dn in the grid; II sangue (blood), initially seen in the SW-NE diagonal; III Turandot, entered jumbled at 22dn. He then poses a riddle for Turandot: IV “You do not know my name. Tell me my name before sunrise, and at dawn, I will die”, to which the correct answer is Calaf (though at the end of the night Turandot answers “Amor” despite having learnt his name). The extra words in across clues gave: I a clue for HOPE (see below); II “substitute two of its letters”, relating to SANGUE; III wordplay for ROTUNDAT; IV a clue for CALAF. The S and G of SANGUE were changed to show ALFANO in the diagonal, and SOL-FA in the circled cells. Letters missing from down clues spelt “IV in mad soprano trials”, wordplay for LA SCALA FIRST. 40ac represented the NOTES (41ac) of the scale (la scala) of C with the final note entered as UT from the sol-fa system, so that the starred cells contained DEBUT.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra word/missing letter Answer Explanation
Across
1 it’s ASSAI ASSAI(l)
5 involved SHARP-SET T after PHRASES *
11 in TOPIC TO + PIC
12 prophecy TAVERNER AVER in RENT <
14 substitute BARRACOUTA BARRAC(k) + OUT + A
15 two PERSIENNE (PEERS IN) * + NE
17 of CLAVIS (C + S) around (LA + VI)
19 its ROME homophone of ROAM
21 Letters MASORA AS in MORA
23 grandiloquent RAZOO RAZO(r) + O’
24 and EST SET with E moved to the front
25 testy PSORA SORA after P
26 initially RATTLY RATTY around L
29 Prince’s OAKS A in OK + S
31 sixth EUOUAE (str)E(n)UOU(s) A(m)E(n)
34 note IRON-MINER O’ in (INNER RIM) *
36 entering ASSENTATOR AS + SENTA + TOR
38 diminutive RALLIERS (HELLRAISER − HE) *
39 bistro GRAIN GRIN around A
Down
1 A(I)da ATOP AT + OPERA − ERA
2 ski(V)ing SORELY (YODLER’S − D) *
6 bra(I)ns HARNS RN in HAS
7 A(N)te AVA A + V + A
8 tra(M)p PROG GORP <
9 P(A)inter SNUB BUNS <
10 a(D) TRADENAME TRE around AD + N + ÂME
12 support(S) TRESSELS RESTLESS *
13 ro(O)ts ETYMA (Saf)ETY MA(tch)
16 (P)age ENS PENS − P
17 fi(R)st CARBON ARC CARBONAR(a) + C(hef)
18 G(A)len’s PATIENTS TIE in PANTS
20 (N)ever SOTS SCOTS − C
27 Tr(O)y TAI T + A1
28 (T)hat FAERIE FEAR with central letters reversed + IE
30 co(R)ps COARB OAR after C + B
32 E(I)gg ISLE IS + LE(an)
33 g(A)ins PELF P(acify) + ELF
35 Me(L)ts RUNS 2 meanings
37 Leave(S) TEA ATE with A moved to the end
Extra
it’s involved in prophecy HOPE (pr)OPHE(cy) *
grandiloquent and testy initially ROTUNDAT ROTUND + A(nd) T(esty)
Prince’s sixth note entering diminutive bistro CALAF LA in CAF(é)
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