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Enigmatic Variations No. 743: Stragglers – solution

This proved to be quite a difficult grid to fill, especially amongst the down entries where the entry that required an additional letter was unexpectedly on the other half of the grid, or quite a way below.  The across entries were quite orderly by comparison.  In some cases I even came up with real words after the intervention of the straggler – the fifth row seemed to hog them.  One or two of the others seemed to drive the clue-writing element – 8 down and 24 down used devices where the letters eliminated were also the ones introduced.  James let me get away with two references to ‘sect’ – not sure that would be allowed these days.

Misprints spelled POST HOC.

ACROSS

1              STIRRA; stir RA

6              GAME; gam E

10           FORGATHER; forgat her

11           KENSPECKLE; kens peck le; Patent

13           RYA; abbreviation

14           FUNDUS; fund US

15           TABES; tab e,s

17           JET; je(S)t

18           CRITICASTER; c + t in anag; minOr

21           CORSAGE; sag in core

22           RAT; rat(e)

23           SKELF; fle(C) ks (rev.)

25           SPREADEAGLE; anag; armS

28           NEF; ne(I)f

29           ZORIL; z o ril(e)

30           ODD ONE OUT; OD done out

31           SITH; anag.

32           REFRIGERATOR; anag; unheaTed

DOWN

1              SEKT; ‘sect’

2              THE CREEPS; re in the ceps

3              RESALE; res ale

4              UPS; UPS abbrev.

5              AGOUTAS; out in saga (rev.)

6              GANNISTER; anag; Hard

7              AID; (m)aid

8              SHAKO; shak(e) o’

9              EXSECT; Ex sect

12           BUTTER-FINGERED; butter + g in fine + red; drOp

16           SCOWDER; scow + red (rev.)

18           COSMOS; c osmos(e)

19           LANGUR; langu(0)r

20           TAROT; 0 in tart

21           CHARNEL-HOUSE; anag; Corses

24           FAME; f(l)ame

26           EGO; e go

27           ELF; (s)elf

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This is the website of Paul Henderson, who sets crosswords for The Independent (London) under the pseudonyms Phi, for the Daily Telegraph (London) under the pseudonym Kcit, and anonymously for The Times (London) amongst many other outlets. For a more detailed biography see the About Me page.

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