Postcard from Hedge-sparrow
Whilst on holiday,
Hedge-sparrow has sent a postcard to Crossword Centre solvers showing
several features of interest of four different types – A, B,
C and D. Each clue includes either: (i) an extra consecutive
letter sequence, always extending over more than one word (4 clues);
(ii) an extra single letter (35 clues); (iii) an extra single word (18
clues). All “extras” must be removed
before solving. In the final grid, no cell contains more than
one letter.
A: Unscrambling the extra consecutive letter sequences gives four thematic names. In the final grid, the initial letter of each of these names must be circled where it occurs in the corresponding entry.
B: These features are located in nine cells where crossing entries clash. In clue order, extra single letters from 35 clues indicate how to derive these features’ names, whose (first) initial must be inserted as the contents of the corresponding clash cell.
C: A thematic feature, starting at cell 14, comprising 23 contiguous cells (5 words, including repeats).
D: Three further thematic names (30 cells in total).
The pairs of letters discarded from clash cells are to be separated (on a clash-by-clash basis) into two groups. Unscrambling these groups gives (i) the name of Hedge-sparrow’s holiday location (two words), and (ii) what he’s up to (three words), both of which must be written below the grid.
In the entry grid, only cells forming part of the thematic features A, B, C and D are to be filled (63 cells in total), all others being left blank. Solvers are encouraged to beautify their postcard with colour as they deem appropriate. A map might prove helpful.
A: Unscrambling the extra consecutive letter sequences gives four thematic names. In the final grid, the initial letter of each of these names must be circled where it occurs in the corresponding entry.
B: These features are located in nine cells where crossing entries clash. In clue order, extra single letters from 35 clues indicate how to derive these features’ names, whose (first) initial must be inserted as the contents of the corresponding clash cell.
C: A thematic feature, starting at cell 14, comprising 23 contiguous cells (5 words, including repeats).
D: Three further thematic names (30 cells in total).
The pairs of letters discarded from clash cells are to be separated (on a clash-by-clash basis) into two groups. Unscrambling these groups gives (i) the name of Hedge-sparrow’s holiday location (two words), and (ii) what he’s up to (three words), both of which must be written below the grid.
In the entry grid, only cells forming part of the thematic features A, B, C and D are to be filled (63 cells in total), all others being left blank. Solvers are encouraged to beautify their postcard with colour as they deem appropriate. A map might prove helpful.
Location .......................................... Activity .............................
Across
1 Lacking inclination, Sian’s undressed at private hospital (7)
9 Instrument converting bit of sludge into tritium in Brent reservoir (7)
14 Female feeding king his slice of ham hock? (7)
15 Ruing getting caught in informer’s snare (5)
16 I face team checks in plant (4)
17 Unorthodox view for Max who raged “Get a spouse” (4)
18 Flash from flickering light displaying name for hospital block (5)
19 Quiet rambler nigh on made confession (6)
20 Feast for saints in hell to atone for the past (4)
21 Hero’s initial repugnance after lion escapes keepers (6)
22 Tragic overture not finished – use organ (6)
25 How American swimmer emits power in secret rite (4)
27 Owing Ed money, hide rent surreptitiously (8, three words)
29 Turning pale, son dresses for fishing (4)
30 In New Year, gathering breed of dairy cattle together (8)
33 Split entrance to dorms IV and XI (4)
34 Certainty over becoming blued, essentially, in paint (8)
37 Crape cut from stretchy fabric for stars (4)
38 Louse translating an East Ghanaian language (6)
39 Reveal all to impress guards (6)
42 Send gold removed from cutter (4)
44 Fat infused with seasoning rejected in the end (6, two words)
45 Shock demolishes institute in course heading South (5)
46 Single black thorn, nothing further to the left (4)
47 Lacking pedal, Rover and Ford being stripped (4)
48 Cars court has not sequestered from traders (5)
49 Spotted second mouse tucking into ground grain (7)
50 Camp causes injury to scrub wallabies (7)
51 Old-fashioned French stockade cutting off British Celts, originally (7)
Down
2 Long pipes from hot oven heated hobs quick, no question (8)
3 Feel Victor needs to get into line (4)
4 In Scotland, buy up hotel close to Dunbar? (4)
5 Island estate surrounding loch – it’s in the Hebrides (5)
6 Cursorily purge knife (4)
7 Coy champion losing weight - the bit around the middle (5)
8 Share cycling tour in outskirts of French quarter (6)
9 Sticks used in game: bit of harmless fun from a bygone age, in short (4)
10 Trouble arises over university publisher (6)
11 Island base covered by taxi (5)
12 Introductory parts of discourse initially rejected by radio broadcast (7)
13 In retirement, slowly save money? Certainly not on Mull (3)
14 Country’s rod of authority captured in mounted art (6)
23 Agreement to doff hat for threepence (4)
24 One revealing war horn tends to unman evil rampaging monarch (8)
25 Groucho Marx ultimately smothered with balsam playing Biblical character (7)
26 Secured by a belt, fool crosses River Avon (4)
28 Halt carouser’s terrible slurring when skinned (6)
31 Last year, ash trees flourished (6)
32 Haunt burning church (6)
35 Take e.g. trifle from one local branch (5)
36 Scot appearing after sun’s half-melted snow (5)
37 One trapped in liner following evacuation, possibly anchorless (5)
39 Contests will and arising settlements to begin with (4)
40 Codeword for opening of slushy e-mail (encrypted without header) (4)
41 Alter ship’s course to pass coot (4)
43 Having power enough, curtail bleak war (4)
44 Inclined, winding path (3)
2 Long pipes from hot oven heated hobs quick, no question (8)
3 Feel Victor needs to get into line (4)
4 In Scotland, buy up hotel close to Dunbar? (4)
5 Island estate surrounding loch – it’s in the Hebrides (5)
6 Cursorily purge knife (4)
7 Coy champion losing weight - the bit around the middle (5)
8 Share cycling tour in outskirts of French quarter (6)
9 Sticks used in game: bit of harmless fun from a bygone age, in short (4)
10 Trouble arises over university publisher (6)
11 Island base covered by taxi (5)
12 Introductory parts of discourse initially rejected by radio broadcast (7)
13 In retirement, slowly save money? Certainly not on Mull (3)
14 Country’s rod of authority captured in mounted art (6)
23 Agreement to doff hat for threepence (4)
24 One revealing war horn tends to unman evil rampaging monarch (8)
25 Groucho Marx ultimately smothered with balsam playing Biblical character (7)
26 Secured by a belt, fool crosses River Avon (4)
28 Halt carouser’s terrible slurring when skinned (6)
31 Last year, ash trees flourished (6)
32 Haunt burning church (6)
35 Take e.g. trifle from one local branch (5)
36 Scot appearing after sun’s half-melted snow (5)
37 One trapped in liner following evacuation, possibly anchorless (5)
39 Contests will and arising settlements to begin with (4)
40 Codeword for opening of slushy e-mail (encrypted without header) (4)
41 Alter ship’s course to pass coot (4)
43 Having power enough, curtail bleak war (4)
44 Inclined, winding path (3)
To enter this competition, send your
entry as an image or in list format giving the final entries, plus the location and activity to ccpuzzles@talktalk.net before 8th October 2022. The
first correct entry drawn from the hat will receive a book from the Chambers
range, which has been donated by Chambers.
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