Kruger is the third most prolific setter of the Inquisitor puzzles blogged on fifteensquared, so we are dealing with a challenge from an experienced setter this week.
The preamble told us that clues are given in alphabetical order of their answers which must be entered where they will fit, although seven thematic entries (involving two pairs) are unclued. Each clue contains an extra word of at least four letters that must be removed to enable solving. The position of the word within the clue indicates the position of the required letter within that word that collectively, in normal clue order, identify what must be highlighted in the completed grid.
It was clear that there would be many steps in this puzzle. We have a jigsaw, but we don’t know anything about seven of the pieces. There is a message to be found, but it can’t be deduced easily from the letters being generated by the extra words, as the message will only make sense when we have established the normal clue order, which can only be determined from the filled grid.
I did a lot of cold solving before I started on the grid. There’s no doubt that knowing the first letter of an answer and possibly the range of the secoond letters is very useful when cold solving.
For me, it was the six-letter words (ESSIVE and URCHIN), plus the three-letter answer RAP which were the greatest help to building up the grid. I had a further problem in that I hadn’t solved one of the 5-letter entries properly.
Eventually though, it all fell into place. The table below shows the answers in normal clue order, together with the letters derived from the clues.
| Entry | Letter | Clue | Entry | Letter | |
| Across | Down | ||||
| 1 | ABERDEEN | N | 1 | ARECA | C |
| 6 | DALI | A | 3 | ENSIGNS | I |
| 9 | RINSE | M | 5 | EPHA | N |
| 10 | SPLIT ON | E | 6 | DINKIEST | G |
| 12 | ESSIVE | O | 7 | AT ALL | T |
| 13 | SNARF | F | 10 | SERIEMA | H |
| 14 | CHILI | C | 11 | ORCA | E |
| 15 | RAP | O | 16 | JEWELERS | F |
| 18 | HILAR | M | 17 | RAILBUS | I |
| 19 | APNEA | P | 19 | ARMIGER | V |
| 20 | EAGER | A | 21 | ROUTHIE | E |
| 23 | SWAMI | N | 22 | UMBRIEL | D |
| 24 | DSOMO | Y | 26 | ERRS | R |
| 25 | MEDEA | P | 27 | DUETT | I |
| 34 | URCHIN | R | 28 | SCRAE | N |
| 35 | ESTRUMS | O | 29 | MANUL | K |
| 36 | ADIEU | D | 31 | HUMA | S |
| 37 | ROTS | U |
Reading in normal clue order, we can see the message is:
NAME OF COMPANY PRODUCING THE FIVE DRINKS
At this point, my grid looked like this:
A little bit of research identified the five drinks, formed by the seven unclued lights as:
JHB [30 across];
CITRA 32 across];
GREEN DEVIL [33 across / 4 down]
BISHOP’S FAREWELL [2 down, 38 across]; and
INFERNO [8 down]
These are all beers produced by OAKHAM ALES which can be found in the grid diagonal running NE to SW (ignoring the first and last cells)
The final grid with highlighting is shown below. I have highlighted the beers as well as the brewery.
I enjoyed this even though it took me a few sessions to complete. I thought the clues were very fair and the extra words were not too difficult to spot.
The detailed table below shows the clues before and after the extra words were omitted. My interpretation of the full parsing is explained.The table also shows the letters derived from the extra words.
Thanks to Kruger for an enjoyable puzzle.
The title Getting Walloped could refer to the beers as WALLOP is a slang term for beer. It could also refer to the state a drinker might be in if they drink all five of the highlighted beers in one session.
| Clue as printed
Clue after extra word has been removed |
Word
position in clue |
Letter
within word |
| Australian idiot abruptly recalled poverty in Italian city (8)
Australian idiot abruptly recalled poverty in city (8) ABERDEEN (city in Scotland) A (Australian) + BERk (idiot) excluding the final letter (abruptly) + NEED (poverty) reversed (recalled) A BER DEEN< |
Italian
7 |
N |
| Associate to stop working at Oxford University – farewell! (5)
Associate to stop working at University – farewell! (5) ADIEU (farewell) A (associate) + DIE (of an engine, stop working) + U (University) A DIE U |
Oxford
6 |
D |
| An upset ape suffering in San Diego being short of breath (5)
An ape suffering in San Diego being short of breath (5) APNEA (American [San Diego] spelling of apnoea (temporary cessation of breathing; being short of breath) Anagram of (suffering) AN APE APNEA* |
upset
2 |
P |
| Tree in vacant piece of ground around front of copse (5)
Tree in piece of ground around front of copse (5) ARECA (a tree of the betel nut genus of palms) AREA (piece of ground) containing (around) C (first letter of [front of] Copse) ARE (C) A |
vacant
3 |
C |
| Support current, good, brave English King – he’s entitled to a coat of arms (7)
Support current, good, English King – he’s entitled to a coat of arms (7) ARMIGER (a person entitled to a coat of arms) ARM (provide with weapons; support) + I (electric current) + G (good) + E (English) + R (Rex; king) ARM I G E R |
brave
4 |
V |
| Answer strangely hard to be believed in any circumstances (5, 2 words)
Answer hard to be believed in any circumstances (5, 2 words) AT ALL (in any circumstances) A (answer) + TALL (hard to believe) A T ALL |
strangely
2 |
T |
| Pungent stimulant from Black Country delivered (5)
Pungent stimulant from Country delivered (5) CHILI (any one of the varieties of capsicum, an extremely pungent stimulant) CHILI (sounds like [delivered] the country of Chile) CHILI |
Black
4 |
C |
| Almost untouchable travelling artist (4)
Almost untouchable artist (4) DALI (reference the Spanish artist, Salvadore DALI [1904 – 1989]) DALIt (a member of the former untouchable class in India) excluding the final letter (almost) T DALI |
travelling
3 |
A |
| Most dainty and kindest individual’s coming introduction to be arranged (8)
Most dainty and kindest individual’s introduction to be arranged (8) DINKIEST (most dainty) Anagram of (to be arranged) KINDEST and I (first letter of [introduction to] Individual) DINKIEST* |
coming
6 |
G |
| Cross when joyful moods changed (5)
Cross when moods changed (5) DSOMO (a kind of hybrid domestic cattle found in parts of the Himalayas, said to be a cross between the male yak and the common horned cow) Anagram of (when … changed) MOODS DSOMO* |
joyful
3 |
Y |
| Tribute to extremely moving, turbulent arrangement for couple (5)
Tribute to extremely turbulent arrangement for couple (5) DUETT (alternative spelling of duet, a composition in music for two performers) DUE (fee, toll, charge or tribute) + TT (outer letters of [extremely] TurbulenT) DUE TT |
moving
4 |
I |
| Keen German tailing leaders of Russia’s elusive agents (5)
Keen German tailing leaders of elusive agents (5) EAGER (keen) EA (first letters [leaders] of each of Elusive and Agent) + GER (German) E A GER |
Russia‘s
6 |
A |
| Traces historical origins of European nations’ leading flags (7)
Traces origins of European nations’ leading flags (7) ENSIGNS (flags distinguishing nations or regiments) EN (first letters [origins of] of each of European and Nations) + SIGNS (traces)) E N SIGNS |
historical
2 |
I |
| Measure investor’s record haul? Not half! (4)
Measure record haul? Not half! (4) EPHA (a Hebrew measure for dry goods) EP (Extended Play record) + HAul ignoring UL, the second pair of two of four letters (not half) EP HA |
investor’s
2 |
N |
| Audibly shows nervous hesitation and makes a mistake (4)
Audibly shows hesitation and makes a mistake (4) ERRS (makes a mistake) ERRS (sounds like [audibly] ERs [shows nervous hesitation]) ERRS |
nervous
3 |
R |
| Being honest, solemn mischievous child right to be shunned (6)
Being solemn mischievous child right to be shunned (6) ESSIVE (an adjective denoting a state of being) imprESSIVE (solemn) excluding (to be shunned) (IMP [mischievous child] + R [right]) ESSIVE |
honest
2 |
O |
| Must police rest shortly after resolving frenzies in New York? (7)
Must rest shortly after resolving frenzies in New York? (7) ESTRUMS (American [New York] spelling of oestrums [vehement stimuli or frenzies]) Anagram of (reloving) MUST and RESt excluding the final letter T [shortly] ESTRUMS* |
police
2 |
O |
| Mainly concerned with depression, funny tokens of debt ignored (5)
Concerned with depression, funny tokens of debt ignored (5) HILAR (relating to a hilum [a depression or opening where ducts, vessels etc enter an organ]) HILARious (funny) excluding (ignored) IOUS (‘I owe yous’, tokens of debt) HILAR |
Mainly
1 |
M |
| Fabulous bird easily being tailed (4)
Fabulous bird being tailed (4) HUMA (a fabulous restless bird) HUMAn (person, being) excluding the final letter (tailed) N HUMA |
easily
3 |
S |
| Jeer after Welsh husband drops crooked dealers in gems from USA (8)
Jeer Welsh husband drops crooked dealers in gems from USA (8) JEWELERS (American [from USA] spelling that describes a dealer in gems) Anagram of (crooked) JEER and WELSh excluding (dropping) H (husband) JEWELERS* |
after
2 |
F |
| By hand, scratch sickly adult cat (5)
By hand, scratch adult cat (5) MANUL (another name for Pallas’s Cat, a wildcat of central Asia) MANUaL (by hand) excluding (scratch) the second A (adult) MANUL |
sickly
4 |
K |
| Jason’s wife starts to expect multiple advancements following teaching qualification (5)
Jason’s wife starts to expect advancements following teaching qualification (5) MEDEA (In Greek mythology, MEDEA is the wife of Jason) MED (Master of Education, a teaching qualification) + EA (first letters [starts to] of each of Expect and Advancements) MED E A |
multiple
6 |
P |
| Killer from Oregon and eastern California (4)
Killer from Oregon and California (4) ORCA (a killer whale) OR (Oregon) + CA (California) OR CA |
eastern
5 |
E |
| Potentially, one on judicial bench and perjurer turned up in coach (7)
Potentially, one on bench and perjurer turned up in coach (7) RAILBUS (a lightweight railway coach powered by a bus-type diesel engine, or otherwise resembling a bus) (SUB [SUBstitute [a player on the bench waiting to play in place of another] + LIAR [perjurer]) all reversed (turned up; down entry) (RAIL BUS)< |
judicial
4 |
I |
| Grab noisy rattle (3)
Grab rattle (3) RAP (to grab) RAP (strike or knock sharply, rattle) double definition RAP |
noisy
2 |
O |
| Maybe wash repaired reins (5)
Wash repaired reins (5) RINSE (wash) Anagram of (repaired) REINS RINSE* |
Maybe
1 |
M |
| Jokes about contents of most irregular orders (4)
Jokes about contents of most orders (4) ROTS (slang for jokes) ROTS (reversed [about] hidden word in [contents of] moST ORders) ROTS |
irregular
6 |
U |
| No longer regret consuming crude oil initially that’s in abundance in Shetlands (7)
No longer regret consuming oil initially that’s in abundance in Shetlands (7) ROUTHIE (Scottish [Shetland] term for abundance) (RUTH [archaic {no longer} word for sorrow, remorse or regret] containing [consuming] O [first letter of {initially} Oil]) + IE (id est; that is) R (O) UTH IE |
crude
5 |
E |
| Loose rocks on Ben Nevis graze last of struggling group to fall (5)
Loose rocks on Ben Nevis graze last of group to fall (5) SCRAE (Scottish [Ben Nevis] word for scree [a sloping mass of loose weathered rock at the base of a cliff or on the face of a mountain]) SCRApE (graze) excluding (to fall) P (final letter of [last of] grouP) SCRAE |
struggling
9 |
N |
| Bird sheltering in a mere is migratory (7)
Bird in a mere is migratory (7) SERIEMA (either of two South American birds of the family Cariamidae, related to the cranes and the rails, similar to a small crested crane in form) Anagram of (migratory) A MERE IS SERIEMA* |
sheltering
2 |
H |
| Greedily devour first of Californian red accepted by returning supporters (5)
Greedily devour first of red accepted by returning supporters (5) SNARF (devour greedily) R (initial letter of [first of] Red) contained in (accepted by) FANS (supporters) reversed (returning) SNA (R) F< |
Californian
5 |
F |
| Betray spoilt, over-zealous nationalist crackpot (7, 2 words)
Betray spoilt, nationalist crackpot (7, 2 words) SPLIT ON (betray) Anagram of (crackpot) SPOILT and N (nationalist) SPLIT O* N |
over-zealous
3 |
E |
| Religious instructor perhaps pointlessly crawled to India (5)
Religious instructor perhaps crawled to India (5) SWAMI (Hindu religious instructor) SWAM (the crawl is a swimming stroke, so someone who SWAM may have crawled) + I (India is the international radio communication codword for the letter I) SWAM I |
pointlessly
4 |
N |
| Moon’s shadow not quite falling on bare ploughed field (7)
Moon’s shadow not quite falling on bare field (7) UMBRIEL (third largest moon of Uranus) UMBRa (shadow) excluding the final letter (not quite) A + IEL (letters remaining in fIELd when the outer letters F and D are removed [bare]) UMBR IEL |
ploughed
8 |
D |
| Favour arranging Chinese adopting child (6)
Favour Chinese adopting child (6) URCHIN (child) URCHIN (hidden word in [adopting] favoUR CHINese) URCHIN |
arranging
2 |
R |
The seven unclued theme words complicated things a lot. Laborious cross checking of grid spaces and clues meant one could work out their lengths, which facilitated tentative grid filling, but this was a purely mechanical process and I think Kruger might have saved us the effort by simply giving these details; it wouldn’t have affected the integrity of the puzzle. Once that step was done I enjoyed the clues and the grid filling, with the only significant mis-step being putting JEWELERS into the FAREWELL slot. The theme was obscure enough (to me) to require the message before seeking out the drinks and the brewer, so everything unfolded in the right order, and I thought the clues were a good mixture of the straightforward and obscure. Thanks to Kruger and Duncan.
As a lover of Oakham ales I was surprised and delighted to uncover the unclued answers. Topically Green Devil (my favourite) will be defending the title ‘Beer of the Festival’ at Peterborough this week.
I always like the challenge of cold-solving, whether or not that is forced upon us, and, with practice, have had a lot of success. Much to my surprise, I was unable to get enough answers to reach the point where I could start putting some jigsaw pieces together and enjoy doing so. (In puzzles like this I aim to have all the pieces, or nearly all if that is not possible.) With this jigsaw I’m afraid I got hardly anywhere.
Sorry I could not do justice to this puzzle. I have always enjoyed Kruger’s clues and once cold-solved the first twenty in one of his puzzles, as that also (from memory) was a carte blanche. Thanks to Duncan (yet again) for his clear and thorough blog and for revealing all that I missed.
On about the fifth day, I found the courage to pencil in ‘armiger’ (as Sagittarius pointed out, the unclued entries meant you could be sure of very little), and enough answers tumbled in to suggest it was a good hunch. There was still some erasing to do on the journey to the ale promotion (is this one sponsored? I hope so), but the path gradually eased. Very satisfying, in the end; thanks to Kruger and Duncan.