Inquisitor 1317: Who’s the Daddy by Eclogue

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This is Eclogue’s third puzzle in The Inquisitor series, but I haven’t blogged either of the previous ones.

There was a long preamble to the puzzle which stated "Each clue contains a misprint in the definition: the correct letters, in clue order, provide the second and fourth lines of a poem whose author will initially occupy all except one of the cells in 25 across.  The first line of this poem supplies the title of a fictional work by another writer, whose name should replace 25 across, leaving real words.  Solvers should highlight three of the four main characters of this work in the grid (22 cells in total), and write the identity of the fourth below the grid to answer the titular question."

In misprint puzzles, I usually find some of the misprinted words screaming their presence, although it’s not always immediately obvious which letter is going be changed.   Of course, there are always some misprinted words that hide their secrets for much longer.  This was the case in this puzzle.

I got into the puzzle in the NW corner and built the grid fairly steadily from there.  For some reason I assumed that the second line of the poem would be contained wholly in the Acrosses, with the fourth line wholly in the Downs.  Consequently I was puzzled by ULD beginning the Downs misprints until the penny finally dropped.  Literature is not my strong point so I had to do a bit of research to get the thematic elements.  I was fairly sure that WILLIAM BLAKE was going to be the poet.  The likelihood of the words IN THE FOREST and FEARFUL was also quite strong, so the poem TIGER was discovered with its first four lines as follows:

Tiger, tiger, BURNING BRIGHT
IN THE FORESTS OF THE NIGHT
What immortal hand or eye
COULD FRAME THY FEARFUL SYMMETRY?

Studying the Down words crossing WILLIAM BLAKE, and with the knowledge that the change generated real words, it was deducible that the new author would be JOHN STEINBECK who wrote the novel BURNING BRIGHT in 1950.  Wikipedia tells us that story is a simple morality play concerning JOE SAUL, an aging man desperate for a child. His young wife, MORDEEN, who loves him, suspects that he is sterile, and in order to please him by bearing him a child, she becomes pregnant by Saul’s cocky young assistant, VICTOR. The fourth character in the story is FRIEND ED, a long-time friend of SAUL and MORDEEN, who helps the couple through the ordeal after JOE discovers that he is indeed infertile and the child can not be his.

The occurrence of JOE SAUL and MORDEEN in the grid only becomes apparent once the authors are changed, as shown in the animation below. The animation also shows that the Down entries before and after are all real words.  FRIEND ED lurks in the top row of the grid as part of 1 across.  The name VICTOR should written below the grid as he is the DADDY of the title.

I generally find that misprint clues are slightly easier than normal clues once the misprint has been detected.  I completed this puzzle in one long Saturday evening session, with only a couple of short breaks for coffee and other refreshments. Identification of the full wording of the two lines of poetry was helpful in identifying some of the trickier misprints.

Inquisitor 131701

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                        VICTOR

 

The title of the puzzle, Who’s the Daddy is self-explanatory once the thematic material has been located and understood.

This was a good Inquisitor puzzle with a few tricky clues.  I think I have got all the misprints, but feel free to challenge any of the suggestions I have made.  I spent some time at 38 down wondering whether to change DANK to DARK or RANK.  In the end I went for RANK.  The last clue to fall completely was 19 across, TAFT but only after I found the existence of PRESES as a word in Chambers. The wordplay was clearly TAFT, but the definition eluded me for a long time.

 

Across

 

      
No Clue Letter and Change Wordplay Entry

1

 

Made buddles with fine red drunk during sex (10)

 

I buddles – buddies

 

Anagram of (drunk) FINE RED contained in (during) BED (to have sex with)

B (EFRIEND*) ED

BEFRIENDED (made buddies with)

 

10

 

It may cause wild primate mind to be half abstracted (6)

 

N wild – wind

 

APE (an anthropoid primate) + PSYCHE (soul, spirit or mind) excluding (abstracted) the last three letters (half) CHE

 

APEPSY (failure or absence of digestive function which could cause wind)

 

12

 

In Paris soldan‘s two Hawaiian dishes chucked to the French (5)

 

 T soldan – soldat

POI (a Hawaiian dish, a paste of fermented taro root.) + LUAU ( Hawaiian dish made of coconut, taro, octopus, etc;), giving two Hawaiian dishes, excluding (chucked) AU (French for ‘to the’)

 

POILU (French [Paris] private soldier [soldat])

 

13

 

His Gallic tumour was evident from agitation (4)

 

H tumour – humour

 

TATI (hidden word in [from] AGITATION)

 

TATI (reference Jacques TATI [1907 – 1982], French filmmaker and comedy actor)

 

14

 

Initially litter intricately majestic notation (4)

 

E litter – letter

 

LIMN (first letters of [initially] each of LETTER INTRICATELY MAJESTIC NOTATION)

 

LIMN (illuminate with ornamental lettering.  Traditionally, I think, it was initial letters that got the most ornamental treatment)

 

15

 

Low-line language to work in deception (5)

 

F Low-line – Low-life

 

GO (work) contained in (in) ART (trick; deception)

AR (GO) T

ARGOT (slang, orginally that of thieves and vagabonds; low-life language)

 

16

 

Perhaps prisons have all sections behind government letter (5)

 

O prisons – poisons

 

G (government) + AS (all sections, apparently an abbreviation used in insurance policies) + ES (the letter S)

 

GASES (some gases are poisons)

 

18

 

Possibly wash hack after easy romp (7)

 

R wash – rash

 

Anagram of (easy) ROMP + HEW (cut with blows; hack)

MORP* HEW

MORPHEW (skin eruption; rash)

 

19

 

Army on foot in former prises according to Jock (4)

 

E prises – preses

 

TA (territorial Army) + FT (foot)

 

TAFT (reference William Howard TAFT [1857 – 1930] , President of the United States 1909 – 1913.  The Scottish word preses means a President or Chairman)

 

20

 

Neighbour around East farming wort (4)

 

S wort – sort

 

BOR (neighbour) containing (around) E (East)

BO (E) R

BOER (a South African of Dutch descent, originally one engaged in farming; farming sort)

 

21

 

Dazed before casualty comes round – about time! (5)

 

T Dazed – Dated

 

(OR [before, an archaic meaning according to Chambers] + ER [Emergency Room; American term for Accident & Emergency; casualty]) reversed (comes round) containing (about) T) (time)

(RE (T) RO)<

RETRO (reminiscent of or recreating the past; dated)

 

24

 

Fellow taking part in an attack.  Why? (6)

 

S Why? – Shy?

 

F (fellow) contained in (taking part in) (A [an] + RAID [attack])

A (F) RAID

AFRAID (shy)

 
25 See preamble

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

28

 

It’s cut from ruck, say, in astute turnover (6)

 

O ruck – rock

 

Anagram of (turnover) ASTUTE

 

STATUE (a STATUE may be cut out of rock)

 

31

 

Large bellows set about round nut (5)

 

F bellows – fellows

 

Anagram of (about) SET containing (round) EN (nut is another term for the printing space EN)

ET (EN) S*

ETENS (archaic term for giants)

 

32

 

March for his queen ensconced with Home Secretary (4)

 

T March – Match

 

ER (Elizabeth Regina; Queen) contained in (ensconced with) HS (Home Secretary)

H (ER) S

HERS (reference HIS and HERS; a match for his)

 

33

 

In the early hours measure is halved for one of Tiree (4)

 

H Tiree – Three

 

MORN (early hours of the day) with M (em, printing measurement) replaced by N (en, another printing measurement half the width of an em) (measure is halved)

NORN

NORN (any of the three Fates)

 

34

 

Bags stolen in random firm (7)

 

E firm – fire

 

POTS (wins, bags) + HOT (recently stolen)

 

POTSHOT (random fire)

 

37

 

Thank God in butcher’s returning fridges (5)

 

N fridges – fringes

 

DG (Dei gratia, by the grace of God; Thank God) contained in (in) (SEE [look, expressed in rhyming slang as butcher’s {hook}] reversed [returning])

E (DG) ES<

EDGES (fringes)

 

40

 

Race lyrcially wrote this part of The Return of The Native (5)

 

I Race – Rice

 

EVITA (hidden word [part of] reversed [the return of] in NATIVE)

EVITA <

EVITA (Tim Rice was the lyricist for the musical EVITA)

 

41

 

 

Hood‘s time to regret (4)

 

 

G Hood’s – Good’s

 

T (time) + RUE (regret)

 

TRUE (good)

 

42

 

Jumble folk to stuff round (4)

 

H Jumble – Humble

 

SATE (feet beyond capacity; stuffg) reversed (round)

ETAS<

ETAS (formerly, members of the lowest Japanese class, which did work considered menial or degrading; humble folk)

 

43

 

Flying wren with energy to expend (5)

 

T expend – extend

 

Anagram of (flying) (WREN and E [energy])

 

RENEW (extend the period of))

 

44

 

Engaged in prime tirade following hesitation (6)

 

C prime – crime

 

ER (expression of hesitation) + RANT (tirade)

 

ERRANT (wandering from the right way; possibly by becoming engaged in crime)

 

45

 

Daddy’s clear of position being outside carded stuff (10)

 

O carded – corded

 

POP (daddy) + (LIE [position] containing [being outside] NETT [clear of all charges or deductions])

POP LI (NETT) E

POPLINETTE (imitation corded fabric)

 
Down    

 

  
No Clue Letter and Change Wordplay Entry

1

 

Tiber essence cheers (6)

 

U Tiber – Tuber

 

BA (in ancient Egyptian religion, the soul; essence) + TA (thank you; cheers) + TA (thank you; cheers)

 

BATATA (sweet potato; example of a tuber)

 

2

 

Product of mink loudly chewed up (4)

 

L mink – milk

 

F (forte; loudly) + (ATE [chewed] reversed [up; down clue])

F ETA<

FETA (cheese; product of milk)

 

3

 

Lant in water lives – headless eel rises (4)

 

D Lant – Land

 

IS (lives) + (EEL excluding the first letter [headless] R reversed [rises; down clue])

IS LE<

ISLE (land in water)

 

4

 

Check up on French gentleman within litter (6)

 

F litter – lifter

 

(M [monsieur] + M [monsieur] French gentlemen) contained in (within) (REIN [check] reversed [up; down clue])

NI (MM) ER<

NIMMER (obsolete word for thief; lifter)

 

5

 

A fellow has gold given (5)

 

 R given – giver

DON (fellow) + OR (gold)

 

DONOR (giver)

 

6

 

Poke e.g. with stick up isolated alder? (4)

 

A alder – aldea

 

PROD (poke, with a stick for example) reversed (up; down clue)

DORP<

DORP (a Dutch or S African village or small town; ALDEA is defined as a village or hamlet)

 

7

 

Binder of bricks, say, close to Mother and Nature at first (8)

 

M Binder – Minder

 

NIGH (close to) + TMAN (first letters of [at first] each of TO MOTHER AND NATURE)

 

NIGHTMAN (night watchman, someone who may guard houses [bricks])

 

8

 

Perhaps jot seven down it’s said (4)

 

E jot – jet

 

S (medieval Roman numeral for 7) + LOE (sounds like [it’s said] LOW [down])

 

SLOE (black; jet)

 

9

 

Dissolute roue has a couple lashed longer (7)

 

T lashed – lasted

 

Anagram of (dissolute) ROUE containing (has) TWO (a couple)

OU (TWO) RE*

OUTWORE (lasted longer))

 

11

 

Scooter on track mostly over line (6)

 

H Scooter – Shooter

 

PISTE (a beaten track, especially a ski trail in the snow) excluding the final letter (mostly) E + O (over) + L (line)

 

PISTOL (gun; shooter)

 

16

 

Galled by riot girl first without right (6)

 

Y Galled – Galley

 

GAL (girl) + RIOT excluding (without) R (right)

 

GALIOT (a small galley)

 

17

 

Might it provide basic comport from the South of America (4)

 

F comport – comfort

 

S (south) + OF + A (America)

 

SOFA (long upholstered seat that might provide basic comfort)

 

20

 

Lurks a bit suspiciously at top of shop (5)

 

E Lurks – Lures

 

Anagram of (suspiciously) A BIT + S (first letter of [top of] SHOP)

 

BAITS (tempts; lures)

 

21

 

Currents found in Carib estuary (5)

 

A Currents – Currants

 

RIBES (hidden word in [found in] CARIB ESTUARY)

 

RIBES (the black and red currant genus; currants)

 

22

 

They clean lawns, say. right old pain to scientists (6)

 

R clean – clear

 

R (right) + AKE (old spelling of ache [pain]) + RS (Royal Society; fellowship of prominent people from the science based spectrum of society)

 

RAKERS (people who may clear lawns of leaves or other garden material)

 

23

 

Having wintry pall settling unsteadily over the east with temperature dropping (8)

 

F pall – fall

 

Anagram of (undteadily) SETTLING excluding (dropping) T (temperature) containing (over) E (east)

SLE (E) TING

SLEETING (having wintry fall)

 

25

 

Those who blabber: footballer’s moving south (7)

 

U blabber – blubber

 

SWEEPER (defensive footballer with no specific man-marking responsibilities) with the S moved downwards (south; down clue)

WEEPERS

WEEPERS (those who cry; those who blubber)

 

26

 

Will’s to walk up with energy after a rise in spirit (4)

 

L walk – wall

 

RUM (a spirits drink) reversed (a rise; down clue) + E (energy)

MUR< E

MURE (Shakesperean [Will] word meaning to wall up)

 

27

 

Pals in tedium in sector of Berlin, Germany (6)

 

S Pals – Pass

 

LINGER (hidden word in [in sector of] BERLIN GERMANY)

 

LINGER (pass in tedium)

 

29

 

Bellow explosive let off during test?  On the contrary (6)

 

Y Bellow – Yellow

 

TRY (test) contained in (during) an anagram of (off) LET, this construction being the exact opposite of (contrary) of ‘LET off during TRY‘

TE (TRY) L*

TETRYL (a yellow crystalline explosive compound used as a detonator)

 

30

 

Riddle of candle that’s burnt tin brewing teas (6)

 

M Riddle – Middle

 

SN (chemical symbol for tin) + an anagram of (brewing) TEAS

SN ASTE*

SNASTE (wick; middle of candle)

 

32

 

Get warder excited on horseback (5, 2 words)

 

M warder – warmer

 

HOT (excited) + UP (on horseback)

 

HOT UP (get warmer)

 

35

 

Dona Trevor holds up (4)

 

E Dona – Done

 

OVER (hidden word [holds] reversed [up; down clue] in TREVOR)

OVER<

OVER (done)

 

36

 

Dread note in special case (4)

 

T Dread – Tread

 

TE (note of the tonic solfa) contained in (in … case) SP

S (TE) P

STEP (tread)

 

38

 

Antiquarian dank, perhaps, underneath clothes (4)

 

R dank – rank

 

DERN (hidden word in [clothes] UNDERNEATH)

 

 DERN (archaic [antiquarian] word for dreadful; rank)

39

 

Loon’s rank is revoked in statement (4)

 

Y Loon – Lyon

 

ETAT (hidden word (in) reversed (revoked) in STATEMENT)

ETAT<

ETAT (French [Lyon] rank)

 

 

10 comments on “Inquisitor 1317: Who’s the Daddy by Eclogue”

  1. Completed over the weekend, and agree on the whole not too difficult. There are apparently numerous other works whose title comes from this poems first line, so getting to Steinbeck took much longer than I expected, even with extensive Google use. Fortunately the character highlighting was fairly trivial.

    Thanks

    PS – how precisely do people go about submitting, write names and addresses on a separate sheet and enclose with the puzzle?

  2. Well, nearly finished it – only a couple of answers missing – but the book I didn’t know. Now, if it had been Tiger, Tiger by Alfred Bester I would have had no problems, but that name is too short. Googling only revealed a book called Burning Bright by Tracey Chevalier.

  3. I got lucky with the replacement author by trying to work out what other words could be made with a letter change, and noticed that JOHN would work at the beginning. From there it was a matter of searching for JOHN plus elements of the poem title.

    Trebor: on the rare occasions that I manage to complete IQs and enter, I tend to just scribble my name and address somewhere on the same sheet. Perhaps in the space at the top above the preamble.

    Thanks Eclogue and Duncan.

  4. I also found this one reasonably straightforward. Starting with 1A – sometimes not a good sign, but OK in this case. I tried looking for “Tiger, tiger” works, but quite quickly decided that “Burning Bright” must be the title, and (unlike Dormouse) Google led me straight to the Steinbeck novel, which I haven’t read, and certainly wasn’t tempted to start by the Wiki article!!

    Apparently Steinbeck’s original title was “In the Forests of the Night” which was too long for the publishers, so he used the previous two words from the same poem.

    Thanks to Duncan and to Eclogue.

  5. An enjoyable puzzle, not too hard or too easy. I’m fairly well read (I think) and I’d never heard of the Steinbeck novel, but there were enough clues to find it on google. I certainly agree with Hi@4…the Wiki article didn’t exactly make me want to go out and buy a copy! An interesting choice of theme…perhaps Eclogue saw something in the book that those clever people at Wikipedia had missed.

    Trebor@1, I write name and address (in small print) above the grid. It definitely works as I’ve won the champagne a couple of times. I do find it amusing that there is no specific space for name and address, like most other prize crosswords have. An initiative test perhaps? I’m pretty sure that I’ve posted at least one off, only to realise afterwards that I hadn’t written down my details….doh!

    Thanks to Eclogue and duncanshiell

  6. An enjoyable solve that, like Duncan, didn’t take me more than one session. It became clear early on that it was Blake’s “tiger, tiger” verse that supplied the incorrect letters and this helped greatly identify some of the less obvious misprints.

    Like Tom Willis@3 I realised that it was highly likely the replacement author’s first name was John so it was straightforward from there. Like others, not a Steinbeck novel I’d come across before…sounds just as grim as most of his others !

    Thanks to Duncan and Eclogue.

  8. Agree with most comments, tho’ the endgame seems to have taken me longer than many. (I stuck with just “Tyger Tyger” for too long.) I found a connection between the poem and JOHN STOCKMYER – looked good to start with but tailed off rapidly. But I got there in the end.

    The wordplay for the otherwise straightforward NORN at 33a puzzled me for ages, and TAFT was my last one in too (but very clearly correct from the wordplay). For 38d I had the misprint of DARK, given that both that and DERN have “secret” as a meaning.

    Thanks Duncan, and good stuff from Eclogue.

  9. Our solving experience seems much the same as others although we were in the camp that needed to google the theme to enable us to complete the puzzle.

    Thanks to Eclogue and Duncan!

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