SLEUTH by Cliew




Solvers must detect four thematic clues which lack definitions. Other answers which appear not to fit must be entered appropriately, and will eventually contribute to the theme in a big way. Evidence of three further confirmers of the theme may also be discovered in the grid. Numbers indicate grid entries.

ACROSS
1. It’s okay to be fit for ploughing (8)
5. Rugby forward (6)
10. Fleet lies leaderless at one side or the other (7)
11. At sea, Raleigh controls the waves (7, two words)
12. About a third of a gallon (2)
14. Almost half of Rowling’s non-wizards at Hogwarts are swots (5, two words)
15. Gentile mirrored 99 of the asanas (5)
17. One of Sergei’s quackers (4)
20. Drugs cop heads west for quantity possibly smoked (4)
21. Boy’s toy – thematic one, headless (4)
22. Hotel’s poor rating, stemming from a couple of mangy rats (4, hyphen)
24. Connections, viz in Eliot (4)
27. Even actuaries provide a solution (4)
28. How to streak maybe, beginning to run so (5)
29. Top act to open exciting run (5, two words)
30. About half an acre (2)
35. Stuff a heart, say, with zucchini and artichoke for starters (7)
36. Cry at most of Spooner’s bad breath (7, hyphen)
37. Squat barbarian, a nut? Not half (6)
38. 24 hours on choppy ocean? Here’s the doctor’s orders
(8, three words)		 DOWN
1. Head of airline (5)
2. Refreshment for pair writhing on bed (7)
3. When Bangkok resident rose to be in charge of his continent (7)
4. Some gauchos have no bolas, so use this (5)
6. Nonpareil speech therapist’s description of New York (6)
7. Dagger cuts carefully prepared cake (7, two words)
8. Count out a poker-player’s giveaway (4)
9. Not confident enough to pitch? (3)
13. One of the surprise entrants – or not (7, hyphen)
14. Pitt, perhaps? I’m a voter’s nightmare (6, two words)
16. Track to turn racer nuts? (6, two words)
18. Tears for Fears, perhaps, in party pop compilation (4)
19. China tea (4)
23. One month past November at northern theatre (7)
25. Guys and Dolls character unhappy in the shade (7, two words)
26. Garbled version of Yesterday Ringo started optimistically (7, hyphen)
27. Wince at the representation of Lord Seb? (6)
31. John, a pupil in a public school (5)
32. Sauce in the bible? On the contrary! (5)
33. Ring up (4)
34. Part of feather on swallow (3)

To enter this competition send your solution, in list format to me at derekharrison@yahoo.com before the 8th July 2009. The first correct entry picked at random will receive a copy of the 2009 edition of Chambers Thesaurus which has been donated by the publishers.

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