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Not So Complex? solution

The fascinating thing about this quotation is its remarkable average word length.  The average in common use is around 4.5 letters per word, yet this ratchets up 7.  And there’s a curious almost-symmetry about it.  If you were clueing it in the ordinary way, it would have the length pattern (5,4,12,12,5,4).  I doubt there’s anything else like that, though I’d be happy to be proved wrong.

Complexsol

 

The quotation is QUIET CALM DELIBERATION DISENTANGLES EVERY KNOT from The Gondoliers.  (Gilbert actually has EV’RY.)  Solving the clues to the thematic entries (using calm deliberation, of course) gave you four knots, which were entered in jumbled form.

 

ACROSS

 

10        OVEN; O Ven

11        QUOITS; 0 in quits

12        TROCAR; anag.

13        PAN-PIPES; pip in panes

14        LIRA; Li(B)ra

16        CLOVE HITCH; love in C hitch

17        OSSEOUS; 0 in Sue’s so (rev.)

22        TONDINO; in in ton do

23        SHEEPSHANK; sheep(I)sh an K

28        YBET; hidden

29        RUDIMENT; dime in runt

31        RAIYAT; anag. inc. a,a

32        AGAMID; hidden

34        TALL; tall(y)

DOWN

1          EQUAL; hidden

2          TWONESS; ones in t’ W S

3          PICOT; Co. in pit

4          LISP; L is P

5          MOTELS; mo tel(l)s

6          WINDSOR; anag.

7          EVOLVED; (r)evolved

8          INARCH; hidden

9          OTIC; initial letters & lit.

18        EUSTYLE; EU style

19        OVERALL; over all

20        LINEMEN; me in linen

21        DEBATE; deb ate

22        TAUTOG; taut + go (rev.)

24        PIGS; g in P is

25        SMART; s(o)m(e) art

26        KNIFE; E fink (all rev.)

30        DAWN; anag.

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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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