Crosswords

Crossword Archive

Cryptic Crossword: March 2002

The puzzle is based on the legendary achievement of a certain person (whose name will appear in the top and bottom of the completed grid). Each clue comprises a definition of its answer and a hidden consecutive jumble of the answer's letters including one extra letter. The extras spell out a four-word description of the achievement, from the entry in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable concerning the person in question. Five answers will not fit into the grid; these should be treated in a way suggested by the puzzle's theme, to produce the words to be entered.

Across 7 Tennis umpire, boldly overbearing (9) 9 Surfacing material that pal assessed (4) 10 Critic, on and on, interminably teaching (14) 11 Bragging again? It's obnoxious (5) 13 Forger's arts infuriate official responsible for records (9) 14 Save treasure he collected (6) 16 Rascal is imagining highly seasoned sausage (6) 19 Compulsory levy - and no arm-twisting (9) 21 Holding basic gangplank (5) 23 Tolerance and sense in poems? Delightful (4-10) 25 Article, not mineral (4) 26 Additional gear for varied ventures (9)

Down 1 Thanksgiving emblem (4) 2 Delegate's hurt - no pipes allowed (8) 3 Letter's sound ideas stir pacifist (5) 4 Saw cadet confirmed (7) 5 Believer with strength (6) 6 Pool in an attractive estate (10) 8 Contestant's immaculate staying power (7) 12 Admire attractions, earthenware (10) 15 True pop music, fast (2-5) 17 Boat in tale crossed ocean (8) 18 Doorkeeper let in proud one who can make an impression (7) 20 Detected aroma about attractive person (6) 22 Friend visiting Italian composer (5) 24 Want snakes' departure (4)

Solution