Of the three Kcit puzzles in 1997, I thought the first was rather dull (a definite ‘why did I ever think that was a good idea?’ moment), the second was rather large for typing in all over again, but this third one had a rather unusual grid, necessary to accommodate the theme. I have modified the preamble slightly to reflect the fact that the word not in Chambers (1993) can be found in Chambers (2014). It may be worrying that there is no reason to think 9 down would need changing for being anachronistic.
Noticing that four unclued entries are correctly placed with regard to four others will prevent you MISSING THE POINT (though the ninth unclued entry did, to his great relief). Initial letters of redundant words in clues give items, any one of which may have been responsible for saving the day. All entries – apart from some proper nouns – can be found in Chambers (2014).
ACROSS
1 Town in South East Mediterranean recalled (4)
4 Lumps transistor radios initially amongst televisions (6)
8 Readily copying one’s expression of contempt (5)
9 Northern pluck is active in Irish scheme (5)
12 Duke’s gardener recalled nothing very individual from the outset? (2,4)
13 Rush almost surrounds one agitator’s platform (4)
14 Working to conceal book of cinema pictures (2-6)
16 Reduced inducement to impound lake nets for the old reservoir (5)
19 Italian male singer half-cut in Italian resort (4)
20 I power ahead, absorbing severe pressure, to get winning point (5)
26 Article about scripture traduces a quarter of the first disciples (5)
28 Latin American amphibian losing its tail again (4)
31 Confused Englishman on a cruise, perhaps (2,3)
32 Roughly calculating one hundred plus eight, see? (8)
35 Try to intervene in a new independence struggle (4)
36 Forming a mass around Left-wing leader (6)
39 Marmosets: small furry creatures without tails, immeasurably large (5)
40 Scots mire upset ox going around Loch (5)
41 British will take this Mexican fruit for another (6)
42 Relax – nothing tasteless will be found in line after line after line (4)
DOWN
1 Resilience one had repeatedly encountered in weed in heart of rotten tree (7)
4 Those people expending energy acted for you (3)
7 Hiding gory remains during police operation (8)
9 Unlooked-for hope in wrangling over US agents in Syrian area (9)
10 Snub surely cut a King of an island (7)
11 Mysterious power prompting staff absences, initially (4)
15 Almost swallowed up ineffable aromatic oil (4)
17 Tree in full leaf I mentioned (4)
18 Is each sole incorrect for such useless fasteners? (4-5)
21 Tailless moles turning up spoiled flat ground (4)
22 Meteor to penetrate once, briefly visible in day (7)
23 Column on the ground infiltrated prison camp with half an army (8)
25 Hoodwink lacklustre judge with Latin (4)
27 Lively lady about to dress up luridly – but she’ll be back before bedtime (3-4)
30 Uncrackable code cracked, by Jove! (4)
38 Old spy hates missing first of tapping devices (3)
Missing the Point (pdf)
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