One unclued entry cryptically indicates how to REFORM sixteen clues
prior to solving, always leaving real words or abbreviations (adjusting the
immediate spacing if necessary), the other cryptically represents source
material. In each of the remaining
clues, solvers must REFORM one word into an anagram of the correct word
required for the definition plus an additional letter. In clue order these letters will provide a
relevant name. One answer will require
REFORM in order to fit the allotted entry.
One answer is in Collins.
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| Reform Solution Grid |
PASSEPARTOUT cryptically indicates the removal of “OLD” or similar
from each of 16 clues prior to solving.
The extra letters from anagrams in the remaining 13, in clue order,
provide MR PHILEAS FOGG. FREIGHTER is
shown as FR8ER (the 8 coinciding with the clue number), which is at the head of
80DAWORLDYS, a cryptic representation of Jules Verne’s AROUND THE WORLD IN
EIGHTY DAYS. The original wager takes
place in the REFORM Club, of which Mr Fogg was a member.
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| Reform Club |
The Corridors of the Saloon
Some Solvers' Comments
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I read
the book as a child, and I liked that I could remember the title and the two
main characters which was all that was needed to solve the puzzle. I wouldn't
have remembered the part the Reform Club played except I had just read its Wikipedia
article because it was referred to in the last Azed puzzle of August.
I wasn't very happy with 80DAWORLDYS being a cryptic representation of the title, because it seemed 'Around' and 'in' both had to be containment indicators. I considered that 'Around the World' could mean a jumble of WORLD which could be achieved by switching the W and D in the unchecked cells, but I was even less happy with that. In the end I decided that 'source material' didn't have to mean the title of the novel, so the entry could just representing something like '80 days going around the world', but I seems from the solution notes seem to say that 8d is supposed to represent the title. |
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I rather
liked the name of Passepartout as the rationale behind the reform of sixteen clues,
and the ‘Reform’ motif running through the puzzle. I was slightly perplexed
by column 10 since ‘Around’ seems to be missing from the cryptic
representation of the source material. I tried to read it in such a way that
‘Around’ did figure, but wasn’t able to, though it wasn’t a major issue for
me.
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It was
only slightly vicious for the message to start MRPH.
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JEG:
Another theme needing no googling; most people of crossword age will have
read the book or seen the film. No question marks.
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I'm not
quite so sure about the title of this one... Is it because Reform is an
anagram of former, and reform is also an anagram indicator? Probably
overthinking it... Anyway, setting the clues with all those passe synonyms to
be removed would have been no easy task. Very much enjoyed. Thank you
Eclogue.
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