Enigmatic Variations N0 1597 By Vagans

[Matakari]

Good afternoon, a brain tease which has me stuck on the following for which I would appreciate some help. Thanks in advance!

( Solvers are invited to find ILLUMINATION in a crucial page in a historic book of evidence which has been damaged. Unclued entries name the book’s title ( 4 words) and 4 key witnesses ( 1 in short ), all to be highlighted along with 34 other cells whose letters are omitted in the wordplay of their clues ( in 5 cases causing its total loss). Blocks of adjacent cells naming symbols of each witness, 1 in each quarter, must be highlighted ( 16 cells total ) and their illustrations optionally restored. Single extra characters in 17 otherwise normal clues confirm the page’s location.
Chambers Dictionary ( 2016 ) is highly recommended. )

17a Scots scrape distinction ( 5 ) : U?L??
19a Humblest local river retreat ( 7 ) : L?A????
32a Master antique point ( 4 ) ?O??
6d Problem arising in competition puzzle8 ( 6 ) : ??I???
7d Dash beneath floor endlessly leaking ( 6 ) : ?O????
10d Fife’s ungenerous in bid for face protection ( 7, 2 words ) ?AL????
25d Summer child forward in embrace of Alderaan princess ( 7 ) ??ONI?N

[JJ109]

25 Leonian (child born under Leo/summer = Leia (princess) around "on" forward + N (extra)

[JJ109]

7d Oozing (leaking) = floor remove both ends = loo (L is surplus = oo + zing (dash)

[JJ109]

6d Bemuse (puzzle) = sum(problem reversed = mus, inside (spelling) bee (competition)

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

Sorry to be an ignoramus, but what is the Enigmatic Variations crossword and where would one find it? I see it mentioned here a lot.

[JJ109]

17a I think your U is wrong
19a I think your L is wrong
1d I think your L is wrong

[JJ109]

Rick generously gives a link to it on Sundays

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puzzles/Crosswords/Question1842107.html

[JJ109]

That should be 10d where I think your L is wrong

I have answers that I think are correct for all your others but I am struggling to parse them, so I shall leave that to others

[JJ109]

17a Eclat (distinction)= (e is unclued, clat = Scot's scrape)

[Neveracrossword]

JJ109, did you do do this puzzle? I did and enjoyed every minute of it.

Matakari, persevere, it'll be worth it!

[Matakari]

Thanks, JJ109! What about 19a, 32a, 10d? And thanks, NACW, after this I'll persevere to see how far I can reach with the other clues. It's somewhat different from the Spectator which I'm now doing in record time.

[Neveracrossword]

19 Meanest
32 Lord
10 Gas Mask

I haven't parsed these, nor given any of the 'missing in wordplay' letters. If you do those yourself, you'll better understand the setter's mind, something you're often keen to do.

[ProfessorMaisie]

19a [M]EA(dialect for 'river')+NEST
32a[L]ORD(='point' archaic)
10d[G]+SMA'(Scots word for small/'ungenerous')[inside]ASK='bid' GASMASK.
[capital letters inside square brackets are unclued].

[ProfessorMaisie]

You were not there when I started typing, Neveracrossword - it took me quite a while (sorry to spill the beans}.

[Neveracrossword]

PM, it's fine. I'm sure Matakari will be grateful!

[Matakari]

Many thanks, NACW and ProfessorMaisie! I'll continue now, and also study these for the omitted letters which I'm very weak at finding.

[ProfessorMaisie]

Probably already solved them (it's been a while - and then we both come along like buses}.

[ProfessorMaisie]

I really must type faster.

[JJ109]

Thanks NAC - I agree it was a very enjoyable puzzle. I struggled on some clues though without a chambers.

You (and Prof Maisie)confirmed my 3 answers, but I had to assume the dialectic river "Ea", the point "ord" and I couldn't see the "Sma" for Scots ungenerous.

[Matakari]

Good morning, I’m back to the charge! Quite addictive, this one!
Some hints for the following would be useful, thank you.

21 Drink named for PM ( 8, 2 words ) : N?RL?R?I
27 Re 2 rums I mixed for slippery customers ( 7 ) : M????E?
30 Stomach in Val moving slowly ( 6 ) : ????W?
31 Rank dead heron missing tail ( 6 ) : ??G?EM
33 Old rogue that is incomprehensible to me (5 ) : ??E??

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, you have two mistakes in 21 and one mistake in 31.
33 The 'old rogue' was new to me, but the phrase 'It's all (incomprehensible) to me' wasn't.
21 The drink is non alcoholic.