Cross-Examination
Jeffrey Harris, with help from Mark Halpin, Dave Shukan, and Kevin Wald
This is a fairly straightforward cryptic. The numbered clues were to be solved and entered normally. The answers to the witness clues were to be entered in the shape of a cross without its intersection point, starting horizontally and reading left-to-right. For example, the answer SCALIEST is read from the squares (3, 9), (3, 10), (3, 11), (1, 12), (2, 12), (3, 12), (4, 12), (3, 13) , where the squares are written in (row, column) format. Placement of these entries could be determined from crossings. When every answer was entered into the grid, letters could be inserted in each of the skipped squares to form new words reading across and down. Those letters are displayed in red in the grid above, and when read from left to right they spell the answer word, MARLIN.
Clue answers and explanations:
Across
1. BENIGNI (hidden, reversed)
5. T + UP + ELO
8. ACADemIA
10. D(OREM)I (REMO anagram)
12. A(N)TE
14. P(L)ODS
15. S.A. + USA + GE
17. BAR(b)Q’S
19. NOSE (E + S + ON reversal)
20. P(OS)IT
22. HILO (double definition)
24. E + WES
25. H + INGE
26. PALS (SLAP reversal)
29. DU + VET
32. RETAK(E)S (SKATER reversal)
35. P + ORES
36. A + MEN
37. LATEST (LATTES anagram)
38. TEAM UP (AMPUTEe anagram)
39. ST + RIDES
Down
1. B(AG + PIP)E
2. NAB + jOB + S
3. GINS (double definition)
4. IDEAS (every other letter in MIDDLEMAN’S)
5. TOFU (hidden)
6. PE + CAN
7. yOU + TSET (TEST reversal)
9. DADAISM (AMID SAD anagram)
11. AL + LOWS
13. AG + OR + A
16. SOLE + D
18. TIGRIS (GRITS I anagram)
21. THE + TA
23. P + LED + G + E
27. STREETS (anagram)
28. W(HIP) IT
30. ERODE (hidden)
31. TEARS (double definition)
33. KEEP (PEEK reversal)
34. BEAR (BARE homophone)
Witnesses
D(IS + TEMPE)R
TI(TO PUENT)E (TOP TUNE anagram)
SCA(LIES)T
B (EVE) + LEDGE
H(EEL)ER’S
MESQUITE (hidden)