I stumbled across this puzzle a few months ago, and it looked a suitable candidate for an unpublished puzzle for Christmas. (One year I may actually have to set one…) This puzzle was intended to mark my wedding, but as we’ve achieved 24 years together without said event ever taking place, it may as well appear here. I’ll just have to do a new one.
Nine pairs of words are ‘married’ as in the following example: TOPHI and PHILTER will go together to make TOLTER, once the common element is ignored. The Wedded Words clues are double (two clues run together, the gap not necessarily marked by punctuation) and yield nine such pairs (though either may be clued first). The common elements, each of 2 or 3 letters, in clue order, spell out two thematic words. The expectation was that the main diagonal would be with US.
Wedded Words
21a Quiet company study long poem – thus exercises will be recalled (4;4)
7a ‘The lure of speed enthralling one longing for it’ (Champion) (4;4)
42a All the rocks fell as the leaders of lifesavers recommended arranging restraints (6;7)
19d Herb in grass, embracing loved one – French girlfriend’s love in Paris with heart bowled over (8;4)
17d Tax one in jail, avoiding second hardship – is one arraigned after start of indecency charge? (9; 6)
32d Throw mum end of wavy string – pay out the straggly edges (3;6)
9d Chap retains order in report of food hand out? (4;4)
25d This could be shattering – team of experts left off wise men, so rest will be confused after end of discussion (4;7)
3d Holy book to avoid a Latin verse discovered in a falsehood still extant (6;5)
ACROSS
1 Palanquin without protective edge? (7)
10 O’Brien having no objection being relocated here? (4)
11 Plain double hopper will be needed (5)
12 Hesitation – this setter’s not one for doubtful expressions (5)
14 Dismal old party showed favouritism (6)
15 A reply-paid system thus encountered in Scotland (3)
16 A wind knocked over pine-trees (5)
18 Steamer detailed as mode of transport (4)
20 Scotsman’s ego putting English in second league (3)
22 A tax to return in eight days in Italy (6)
23 ‘Carbon and hydrogen combined with another element’ – chemistry prof may take it up (5)
26 Rages after last of scrum gets covered in mud (5)
27 See, in heart of Baltic rioting, one…from here? (6)
29 Will S’s rare contemporary narcotic (4)
30 Cry of distress on board ship? (3)
33 Bores expressing most of info may do for these! (4)
35 A youngster, I, a student? (5)
36 Child’s overcoat not lightly coloured (3)
37 Dares love, possibly (6)
38 Old Indian tribesman from Far East country? Certainly not (5)
39 Woody secretion left in limitless smoking (5)
40 What would have presented some Soviet as spectacular? (4)
41 A gleam of light visible in midst of entanglement (4)
DOWN
1 Cameraman’s last not to follow up live coverage of pond (7)
2 Soldier carrying sword getting cut more than once (9)
4 Aussie’s disordered half-drunken expletive getting curtailed (5)
5 Push bit of garment into clutches of unclothed (5)
6 Sanctions upheld? A Liberal cheers! (5)
7 Yul Brynner, say, curiously adaptable, trimmed up top! (8)
8 Bird of prey beginning to concentrate on beetle (6)
13 Spoil the trading area (4)
24 In which one lives a little under cover, as it were? (7)
26 Tinker’s first to manage to sell goods (penny off) (6)
28 I’m for evening wear – one household garment lacks a bit of pizzazz (4)
30 Tired swan landed in highway (5)
31 Blackbird parasite left at tail? (5)
34 Apostle’s engaging feature? (4)
Solution
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