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The Labours of Hercules – XIII – solution

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.

LeoHerc13sol

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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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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