Competition Puzzle Christmas 1974

 

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Half of the ACROSS clues of each length have a misprint of one letter only in the definition part of a clue, the other half are devilled as in 'Printer's Devilry' puzzles.  Solvers must discover which is which.  The 12 letters (3 words) of the title of the puzzle should really occur (in some cases more than once) in the answers to the DOWN clues - the first in 2 dn, the second in 3 dn, and so on, in the right order up to the last letter, which should occur in 18 dn.  These letters must all be omitted, wherever they should occur, when the answers are entered.  Definitions in these clues refer to the full unmutilated words (lengths indicated by numbers in brackets); subsidiary indications refer to the mutilated forms to be entered in the diagram.  To save space, each DOWN clue is really two clues, standing side by side but not overlapping, leading to two answers, one for the numbered space on the left, the other for that on the right.  Solvers must discover which goes where as the clue for either side may come first.  Competitors to send a PRINTER'S DEVILRY clue to the unmutilated form of TEN DOWN.

Across
1.   When listening to the rat believe all you hear    (6)
8.   Fellow having too many bends up in court   (4)
9.   Did Sarah use a Parana ?  Very hot day ?    (4)
10. The ember coalmen put out without right   (8)
11.  Rat's tail caught in trap?   No longer sure    (4)
13.  We're going all over the place in a large jag   (4)
17.  After 'im we dry my husband's patience   (8)
19.  The beginning of another free day   (4)
20.  A super bath lever runs out of steam   (4)
21.  Before breaking into reserve fund for a jaunt   (6)
Down
2, 15.  One who flies in carrying  Royal Mail encounters distinguished pilots  (6, 5)
3, 12.  To be woven around a collar some of those seemingly trivial things  (6, 8)
4, 16.  Day of invasion - see lingering ship belonging to Her Majesty  (5, 5)
5, 18.  Sir Walter's tip - a couple of loves after noon - dreadful doctor pinches one  (4, 4)
6, 14.  Peculiar tied up warning of danger left among pictures  (5, 5)
7, 10  To accelerate one with a need to change short story with    time setting  (8, 7)