Enigmatic Variations 1753 (Hints)
Tomfoolery by Curmudgeon
Hints and tips by Gabriel
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Gemini wasn’t very helpful – basically, rewrote the preamble as a structured list (it loves organising information but isn’t it supposed to make it useful as well?). It did note that we should “Keep an eye out for the 11-clue streak. The moment you notice an extra letter popping out of the wordplay, note it down. Once you find where it starts, you know the next 10 clues will also have extra letters”. The trick of course is finding where it starts.
Preamble: Circling the grid from the top left is a quotation and the name of its speaker. Solvers must perform the TOMFOOLERY he describes by changing five letters in the filled grid leaving all real words. An extra letter is produced by the wordplay of eleven consecutive clues. Those letters spell out a further instruction that must be obeyed. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.
The preamble doesn’t say that the consecutive “extra wordplay” clues wraparound from the last down to the first so we’ll assume they don’t – once we find a couple of them it will be pretty easy to nail down the range of course.
Clues
Across
7 Optimum from time to time and more (3)
You could argue that a foreign language indicator is missing here but it’s in Chambers as is.
17 Supports computer programs absorbing disheartened uni (6)
There are really only two common terms for a computer program these days: both 3-letters. You just need one of them. The rest is simple insertion of two letters.
21 Marxists, lacking way to express ballot choice destroyed this autocratic system (7)
This is really an &lit but I had to underline something and it’s not Trumpism.
34 Tangled in roots containing NO group (7)
The anagram is clearly signalled but the definition was unfamiliar to me (my last chemistry class was before The Beatles broke up. I didn’t pay much attention. Ask Mr. Nelson).
Down
1 Languish, upset with grief now and then in Hibernia (4)
Not a hard clue per se but there are two options for a 3-letter synonym for the first word – I chose the wrong one initially and got very confused. Don’t forget there might be an extra letter from the wordplay.
22 Folk talking wildly describing base robbers (7)
Just a slightly disgruntled note that imho the clue is missing an archaism indicator.
32 Relish spot in times gone by (4)
Double definition: one has entered English from across the channel (there it would be accented), the other does indeed have an archaic indicator.
Definitions are underlined.
Not very many clues needed hints since most are quite accessible. Once the 11-letter message emerged it helped figuring out the perimeter which is a familiar phrase (I heard it daily at work for instance) that I find only slightly amusing but I suppose that’s to be expected given the title.
The speaker attribution I believe is apocryphal though consistent with his sense of humour. The denouement requires interpreting the message almost literally and involves letter substitution – it helps of course that you’ll be left with real words.
Difficulty: 1.5 / 5
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Definitely apocryphal, so the preamble is misleading, but consistent with Dorothy Parker’s aphorism!
Yes, very generous clues, but I did like 21a. I first tried to interpret the quote [not one of his best bur quite apt] too literally before thinking a bit more laterally. Good fun.
Thanks to Curmudgeon and Gabriel.