Spectator 1841

[cruciverbali]

Today's thematic puzzle consists of DLM clues:

Uncertainty

[kayakamina]

I don't know if Columba also sets for the Guardian but the identical saying was used in a themed Guardian puzzle a few months ago.

[cruciverbali]

Do I detect a note of uncertainty in your posting K ?

C

[kayakamina]

Good one C !!

[BigMac]

Not an answer, rather a request...

Can you/Kayakamina explain the instructions for me? I would relly like to tackle this x-word but just don't understand it. Unclued squares don't phase me, after all they appeared in last week's Carry-On x-word.

Any help with the 'how' of this puzzle rather than answers would be gratefully received.

[kayakamina]

Bigmac

Each clue has a jumble of letters within it .If you remove the surplus letter the remaining letters fit the definition and can be entered in the grid.
The extra letters reading consectutively downwards will give you a well known saying of 11 words which in turn will assist in solving the unclued lights.

For example 10a The jumbled letters are AULTH - remove the T and you are left with AULH which should be entered as HULA - (Dance)
T now becomes the first letter in your 11 word phrase.

Hope this helps and good luck

K

[cruciverbali]

Classically BigMac, in DLM clues the letter-mixture begins or ends with the first or last letter of a word in clue, though in this case this 'rule' does not apply.

If you are interested in reading more about this device, Derek Harrison includes a good piece with reference to Ximenes on his Site:

http://home.freeuk.com/dharrison/ximenes/xclue s.htm

[BigMac]

Thanks, guys. Let's see how it goes... I may be back for more help/advice later, if you don't mind.