The Australasian One (Fall Out)

Origially entitiled 'FALL OUT' this was renamed The Australasian One to conform to a theme in the Enigmatic Variations series relating to the continents.

Steve Bartlett writes:-

As you may be aware, John Henderson (editor of the Inquisitor series) is intending to run an all-female-setting July and I've been persuaded to do the same at the EV. However, I've asked the intended setters to follow an international theme, as a nod to the 'proposed' Tokyo Olympics (23 July - 8 August). There are ony four slots in July and only four female setters, but my idea requires six puzzles (based on continents), so I am two short. Your puzzle Fall-Out would be an ideal fit for one of these slots, which are as follows: 

July 4 — The Asian One by Chalicea

July 11 — The European One by Vismut

July 18 — The African One by Skylark

July 25 — The South/North American One by Sae-kale

Aug 1 — The Australasian one by Eclogue

Aug 8 — The South/North American One by proXimal (me)

 

The Preamble

A letter must FALL OUT wherever it occurs from a thematic solution in each column, dropping into the bottom row to provide a setting.  Chambers is recommended, but does not contain two thematic answers, two proper nouns or the bottom row.  Enumerations refer to grid entries.

Fall Out

This puzzle commemorates the ‘FALL-OUT’ of the British nuclear tests conducted at MARALINGA, Australia, a lesser known chapter in the war with GERMANY.  Operation BUFFALO in 1956 comprised four tests: ONE TREE, MARCOO, KITE and BREAKAWAY, while Operation ANTLER ran a year later.  VIXEN was an associated minor safety test programme.