Red Carpet – Solutions, Annotations and Results

Stats The puzzle page was loaded 513 times. 105 visitors had a go at it and 46 solvers managed to complete and submit the grid.  Of those who submitted,  39 managed to get the maximum possible score of 152.

If you enjoy our puzzles, you would also like our puzzle collections that have been published worldwide.

Cryptic Crossroads

Cryptic Crossroads - Volume 2

Cryptic Crossroads – Vol. 3

Red Carpet<<< Click Here for the Puzzle Post
Here is the solution grid:

Annotations 
ACROSS

8 Rush to online meeting place (4) ZOOM. DD

9 Useful software’s likely to allow customization initially
(10) APPLICABLE. Def: Useful; software= APP, likely= LIABLE, allow
= container indicator, customization initially= C; APP
LI(C(-ustomization))ABLE

10 Screen information having essentially overstepped right (6)
FILTER. def: screen; information=FILE, essentially overstepped=T,
right=R; FIL((-overs)T(-epped))ER

11 Send back one in party with emergency room assistant (8)
RELIEVER. Def: assistant; Send back= reversal indicator, one=I,
party=REVEL, emergency room=ER; REVE(I)L ER<<

12 Melt a bit of snow time and again (6) SOFTEN. Def: Melt; a bit of
snow=S, time and again=OFTEN; S(-now)OFTEN

14 Celebration – source of fun after the beginning of summer (8)
FESTIVAL. Def: Celebration; source of fun=F,of summer=AESTIVAL, after
the beginning= removal of first letter; F(-un) (-a)ESTIVAL

16 Off the record, anger issues can be this? (6,3,6) BEHIND THE
SCENES. CD, wp based on anger issues leading to scenes

18 Finding silver in pot is basically mentioned in ancient practices (8)
PAGANISM. Def: Ancient practices; finding in=cont ind, silver=AG,
pot=PAN, is=IS, basically mentioned= M; P(AG)ANISM

19 Crush rustic orange, say (6) CITRUS. Def: Orange, say,
DBE; rustic= anagram fodder, crush = anagram indicator

20 Traps emu swimming against the current (8) UPSTREAM. Def:
Against the current; traps emu= Anagram fodder, swimming= anagram
indicator

22 Silent about caste regularly? Evolve (6) MUTATE. Def= Evolve;
Silent=MUTATE, about= container indicator, caste regularly= A T;
MUT((-c)A(-s)T(-e))E

24 Breeds occasionally prepared to be kept on a leash (10)
RESTRAINED. Def: kept on a leash; Breeds occassionally= R E S,
prepared=TRAINED; (-b)R(-i)E(-f)S TRAINED

25 Almost ruin model’s skirt (4) KILT. Def=
skirt; Almost= deletion indicator for the last letter; ruin=KILL,
model=T; KIL(-l)T

Down

1 Sound instrument breaking pen. Time for light-hearted musical
(5,5) COMIC OPERA. Def: Light-hearted musical; Sound instrument=MIC,
breaking= insertion indicator, pen=COOP, time=ERA: CO(MIC)OP ERA

2 Letters from victim of recurrent neglect (4) OMIT. Def: Neglect;
Letters from= hidden word indicator, fodder= vic(TIM O)f, recurrent=
reversal indicator

3 Watch student leaving for new guardian (6) PATRON. Def:
Guardian; watch=Patrol, student=L leaving for=substitution ind, new=N,
PATRO(-l)N

4 Hemp softens tumor perhaps, removing last bit of cancerous
rash (4-2-3-6) SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT. Def: rash; Hemp softens tumor=
anagram fodder, perhaps= anagram indicator, removing=deletion
indicator, last bit of cancerous=S; HEMPSOFTENSTUMOR*-(cancerou)S

5 Ring ultimately haughty sibling for medical procedure
(8) DIALYSIS. Def: medical procedure; Ring=DIAL, ultimately
haughty=Y, sibling=SIS; DIAL (-haught)Y SIS

6 Harmful man, on return, provided money (10) MALEFICENT. Def:
harmful; Man=MALE, on return= reversal indicator, provided=IF,
money=CENT; MALE IF< CENT

7 Leave brownie boosted with drug (4) FLEE. Def: Leave;
brownie=ELF, boosted=reversal indicator, drug=E; ELF< E

13 Fall attire altered in three pieces (10) TRIPARTITE. Def: in three pieces;
fall=TRIP, attire= Anagram fodder, altered= anagram indicator; TRIP
ATTIRE*

15 Drunken lady at Queens getting rid of partners modestly (10)
ADEQUATELY. Def: modestly; drunken= anagram indicator, lady at
Queens= Anagram fodder, partners=NS, getting rid of= deletion
indicator; LADYATQUEENS*-NS

17 Split with wife within twenty-four hours in private road
(8) DRIVEWAY. Def: private; Split= RIVE, wife=W,
within= containment indicator, 24 hours= DAY; D(RIVE W)AY

19 Perform later, attend to skin condition (6) COMEDO. Def: skin
condition; perform=do, later=position indicator, attend=come; COME DO

21 See mountain, say (4) PEEK. Def: see; say=homophone indicator,
mountain=peak; PEAK~PEEK

23 Pointless to hold a currency (4) TAKA. Def: currency; hold=TAKA,
pointless= deletion of E; TAK(-e)A

BONUS QUESTIONS

1. Jumble the circled letters to find 2 words (6,4) that go together with one of the lights (solution words) in the Grid for a topical event
   ANS: CANNES FILM

2. Identify the Light (solution word) that was referred to above
   ANS: FESTIVAL

Scorecard

Note: 1 person (Veena Venkatraman) had submitted the bonus form but not the grid and this entry has been disregarded.

Congrats to the 39 solvers who maxed the score and to every one who participated. Very well tried.

Grid Rating: The puzzle got an excellent score of 8.41. It got 8 perfect 10s. The lowest score was 6.

Favorite Clues:  The Top 3 clues were

Hemp softens tumor perhaps, removing last bit of cancerous rash (4-2-3-6) – 17 votes
Useful software’s likely to allow customization initially (10) – 16 votes and
Breeds occasionally prepared to be kept on a leash (10) and Harmful man, on return, provided money (10)  – 7 votes each.

Comments / Feedback: Here’s the feedback from our solvers

Thanks to “Metacryptix” for a neat and entertaining puzzle.  Looking forward to more puzzles from you.

Glad the solvers enjoyed the topical bonus which we worked out last minute. If you enjoy our puzzles, you would also like our puzzle collections that have been published worldwide.

Cryptic Crossroads

Cryptic Crossroads - Volume 2

Cryptic Crossroads – Vol. 3