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…until you see it solution

I think most of the basic 15×15 grids on the frame where odd rows and columns are predominantly white squares can be extended to 17×17 without affecting the clue ordering.  This puzzle did lead me to break (or at least bend) one or two precepts – namely, five letter answers with only two letters checked (ameliorated slightly by the implied perimetrical message) and also the use of quite a lot of rarer vocabulary.  This makes it a challenging blocked puzzle, but a reasonable stepping-stone to the barred level.  Also, Araucaria was fond of perimeter messages in his puzzles, and this seemed a new take on the idea.

UYSIsol

ACROSS

1          EISENSTEIN; se(x) in Einstein

6          NILGAI; nil gai(n)

9          GLOIRE; g Loire

10        LETTER-CARD; R in anag.

11        ANTEPENDIUM; an + pen in tedium

12        MONAD; on in mad

14        SPIRITED; I r it in sped

15        TEA-HOUSE; hou(r) in tease

17        SOIL-PIPE; ‘s oil + p in pie (4-4)

19        TREE-FERN; hidden

20        EAVES; (h)eaves

22        AEOLIAN HARP; comp. anag.

25        MONOMANIAC; mo no man 1 Ac

26        DEBONE; Deb One

27        LIBIDO; I bid in lo

28        EL SALVADOR; Elsa + v in lad + OR

DOWN

1          TIGLON; tig lon(g)

2          HEMIHEDRAL; he in anag.

3          ISOELECTRIC; i.e. elect in anag.

4          SECLUDED; SE + D in clued

5          INSTRUCT; curt (rev.) in inst.

6          SNOEK; anag. + k

7          ALECTO; a lecto(r)

8          HAIR-RAISER; hair(y) ‘razor’

13        CAKES AND ALE;

14        PROTANOPIA; anag. – b

16        OFF THE BEAM;

18        EYE-LINER; eye + liner

19        TELECAST; le ca in test

21        EROTIC; (h)ero tic

23        RENVOI; anag. – CE

24        HANOI; H a No. 1
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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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