Ximenes and Azed have published what may generically be called ‘Gallimaufry’ puzzles – puzzles where several gimmicks are used. It’s not usually more than six, and twelve may be a record. As far as I recall, this didn’t prove too difficult to solve (though any emails and comments are at several hard drives’ remove now).
The names solvers were requested to supply were DEJANIRA and NESSUS, a reasonable encapsulation of the end of Hercules’ career. There was a 1995 Listener puzzle that touched on Hercules, and somewhere I still have a working idea for a prequel (the serpent strangling in his cradle while his half-brother Iphicles – how can I not use Iphicles? – looks on), but nothing has come of it over two decades. Thirteen puzzles was probably enough.
There is meant to be the zodiacal sign for Leo in the blank square – something like the symbol below. If I work out how to airlift it into the grid, I’ll do so.
Clue notes are in normal grid order with the appropriate Labour referenced. Labour VI was unclued: 14 Across with 1 and 2 Down formed ALPHEUS being diverted through a STABLE.
ACROSS
1 ASCENT; a scent & lit.
5 MOMMET; mom met
9 PARACHUTE; anag.
11 PARTNER; parE + rent (rev.) (IV)
13 ALAN; LA in an
15 CERULEOUS; CE rule ous(t) (I)
16 OBSESS; anag.
17 NEDS; cf. ends
18 (COB)BLE; 2 mngs. (V)
19 OMEGA; initial letters & ‘anti-lit.’ (VII)
21 REDO; red O
23 T(R)E(A)DS; d in treas(ure) (IX)
25 SCONE; scon(C)e
27/3d SINUS; sun is (all rev.); CERE; c ere; becoming SIN and CERUSE (XII)
29 WIEL; I in wel(l) & lit.
30 VOWESS; we in Voss
31 PENSIL; pen + is (rev.) + l; tool = UTENSIL (II)
32 PASS; pas(he)s; LIKE; 2 mngs; SORE; EROS (rev.); SASS (X)
34 DONG; 2 mngs; ref. Edward Lear
35 PICOTEE; I cot in pee
36 ENCLOSURE; anag.
37 THEME; them (plan)e; plan = SCHEME (II)
38 TENNE; (b)ennet (rev.); JENNET (VIII)
DOWN
3 See 27 across
4 NANISM; n + anag. & lit.
5 MONGER; m on Ger; MARENGO (VIII)
6 SHORTHORN; shor(n) thorn; implies DURHAM -> MHAUDR (XI)
7 MULLIONS; 10 n in mulls (I)
8 TENSIONS; is (rev.) in tenDons (IV)
10 TAUT; t aut
12 BRAHMIN; Brahm(s) in; TONY; ton y; comp. anag. of EB with AREA (III)
16 OBTRUDES; anag.
20 ECLIPSE; clips in ee
22 DISSE(MINA)TE; anag. inc. t & lit; (V)
24 SINGLE; sin + anag. (VII)
25 MESS; hidden; FIRE; f ire; SAIL; SA I l; SESS (X)
26 BEACON; be a con; implies BRECON -> NOBCRE (XI)
27 SEATON; a in set on
28 AHRIMAN; a + anag; BRAY; b ray; comp. anag. of EB with ETON (III)
29 WENCH; anag. inc. C
33 SE(N)N(I)T; SEN nit (IX)
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