This was a fairly gentle puzzle from Schadenfreude – the challenge was to idenitfy the empty cells where the cause and effect were to be entered, “thus thwarting an attempt to save the planet”. We were also told that after doing so, the grid entries would all be real words. It fairly soon became apparent that the across answers were all entered normally and the empty cells were the two complete rows of unchecked letters in down answers. The “real word” possibilities for these answers soon showed that the cause was CARBON DIOXIDE and the effect GLOBAL WARMING. I don’t really get the “thwarting” bit (to me, ‘thwarting’ is a deliberate action rather than the side effect which the carbon dioxide has been historically) – so I wonder whether there’s something else going on that I haven’t spotted.
I didn’t time the puzzle but would guess at about 90 minutes. In down answers below, I’ve indicated the inserted letter in lower case.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 12 | LUALABA = (a U ball)*,A – an African river |
| 13 | A,FF,EAR,E |
| 15 | TRE(M1)E – a device for laying concrete underwater |
| 18 | HO!(A),S,T |
| 20 | P(1,T,V.I.P.)ER – per = a as in ‘two a penny’ |
| 24 | EMEUS = (S,M,use)* |
| 27 | A,U(D.A.),CIT,Y – the haircut is “worn” in a way that bugs me when I see it in clues – A wearing B = B inside A. Surely the exceptions like pacemakers are so few that A wearing B must indicate A inside B? |
| 40 | N(A DIN)E |
| 41 | SYSOPS – posy rev. in SS. – a posy is a motto or sentiment, esp. one engraved inside a ring |
| Down | |
| 1 | L,E(A)cH |
| 2 | A,L,F,a – ref. Alf Garnett |
| 3 | DIEbS – 2 defs |
| 4 | NO,Rn |
| 5 | G(L)EdE |
| 7 | CA’,R,oL |
| 8 | A(L)E.x |
| 9 | RA(M)iS |
| 10 | (r)ABIdES |
| 14 | F,rATE |
| 15 | Ti(AR)S – to pay is to smear (a boat) with tar |
| 16 | oTIS = (it’s)* |
| 17 | eD,EN – den (vb.) = retire to a den |
| 20 | PEAg – pea = “pee” – a rather confusing homophone for me as leak also sounds like a vegetable |
| 21 | PA(I)rS |
| 22 | PA,Rr |
| 23 | SI=is rev.,MiS – Sim = Simeonite |
| 25 | MULlE,Y |
| 28 | DoIT,’S – ‘s as in let’s go = let us go |
| 29 | Ca,RAP |
| 30 | TwIER = (re it) rev. |
| 32 | Am(ID)E |
| 33 | OgRES – hidden |
| 34 | bE,GO – go = break down as in “He’s gone!” – maybe of a 10,000 metre runner who sets the pace for 15 laps and then falls apart |
| 35 | a,(l)ONE |
| 36 | n,(d)ENE |
I managed to get a copy of the Independent when flying out to Portugal and had a go at this puzzle while on holiday. As soon as I read the preamble, counted the number of columns and noted the two fully checked rows I though “GLOBAL WARMING”. I knew the other line would be either “CARBON DIOXIDE” or “GREENHOUSE GAS”, with the second being a weaker option as it is usually pluralised. A few answers here and there soon confirmed things.
I agree with Colin Blackburn – and would add that it is somewhat less than satisfying to spot the theme from no more than a quick read of the preamble and a glimpse of the grid.