Puzzle No. 27: Operation

Operation

By teamcrazymatt

One or two consecutive letters must be removed from one down entry in every column before entering it into the grid. Every revised entry forms a common English word. Placing the removed letters in order from left to right in the blank below the grid will reveal the operation being performed on these answers. (Enumerations? What enumerations?)

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Squares filled: 0/121

Exolve Print Notes Jotter Webifi

Crossword ID: xet-aml8v9

Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025 Report-Bug Exolve-on-GitHub Community
Exolve-maker info:

Software: Exet
Version: v0.56 September 16 2021
Lexicon: ukacd18-lufz-v0.04
Timestamp: Wed Sep 22 2021 19:28:59 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Control keys:

• Tab/Shift-Tab: Jump to the next/previous clue.
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• Arrow keys: Move to the nearest light square in that direction.
• Ctrl-q: Clear this, Ctrl-Q: Clear All!, Ctrl-B: Print crossword, Ctrl-/: Jump to/back-from notes, Ctrl-*: Mark clue as fave in notes, adding a * prefix.
• Delete: Clear the contents of the current square.
• Spacebar: Place block in the current square if it's diagramless.
• Double-click or Shift+Letter: If the puzzle has rebus cells, this is the way to enter multiple letters into a single cell.

Overwritten letters will briefly be coloured like this (before fading back to this) just to draw your attention so that you can fix any accidental typing errors.

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Page size: Letter: 8.5in x 11in A4: 210mm x 297mm A3: 297mm x 420mm A5: 148mm x 210mm B4: 250mm x 353mm B5: 176mm x 250mm Book: 6in x 9in Legal: 8.5in x 14in Ledger: 11in x 17in

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Title	Setter	Preamble
Explanations	Copyright	Questions

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• Ctrl-* adds a * prefix to the current clue's notes.
• Hovering over a clue's notes shows the clue as a tooltip.

Across

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Jotting pad: (click here to shuffle)

What is the operation being performed on certain down entries? (2 wds.)

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Down & Up

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Across

1, 37	01, 37Clip from Cyborg and On, or show part suppliers? (2 wds.) ORGAN DONORS. HA in cybORG AND ON OR Show
5	One who loves a party about the end of December ADORER. A + DO + RE + decembeR
10	Now, about the onset of opening my market for the rich... CEONOMY. CE + ON + Opening + MY
11	Large corpsmen eating bit of uncooked carrot LURE. (L + RE) cont. U
12	Which person has unit of Resistance overturned? WHO. OHM flipped over
13	Assistant cycling light bulb IDEA. AIDE cycled
14	Westbound pilot pockets son's boots again RESETS. STEER rev. cont. S
15	Base moving east SEAT. EAST*
17	Exploited wind shelter by pained decapitation LEECHED. LEE + aCHED
19	Short sibling is coming after head of school SIS. IS after School
21	Embroidery of noted penile dysfunction NEEDLEPOINT. (NOTED PENILE)*
23	Amtrak stripped of prime boat ARK. AmtRaK
25	My brother starts packing some time before stripping all layers from gingham hat HOMBURG. ((My Brother) in HOUR) + ginGham
27	Audibly cry finding old car maker SAAB. SOB hom.
29	Beginning to have queer lust, everyone's opening fly HUSTLE. Have + LUST* + Everyone
31	Make of English car missing bonnet, junky at its core EARN. E + cAR + juNky
33	Wolf down eggs and toast, initially EAT. Eggs And Toast
35	Matured silver bonds to limp log? AGED. AG + ED (erectile dysfunction)
36	Song about death of labyrinthine woman ARIADNE. ARIA + (END rev.)
37	See 1a
38	Doctor, for instance, touch of sulphuric sediment DREGS. DR + EG + Sulphuric

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Down

1	Edges shaved off draconian dissonant instrument OCARINA. dRACONIAn*
2	They show actual reprise, even holding onto extremes of voice REVEALERS. (REAL + rEpRiSe) cont. VoicE
3	Pierces centre of rigid minerals GORES. riGid + ORES
4	Noisy rejection of Japanese theatre NOH. NO hom.
5	Psychosomatics got written up for book AMOS. HA rev. in psychoSOMAtics
6	Units of forces oddly dry and easy DYNES. DrY aNd EaSy
7	Up in Massachusetts, a durable scale for cognitive measurement (init.) RUDAS. HA rev. in massachusettS A DURable
8	Before, dad in Paris lost head ERE. pERE
9	Subsequently coming back carrying new borrowed thing RENTAL. LATER rev. cont. N
11	Spoke imperfectly to get rid of switching sides LISPED. DISPEL, D/L swap
12	Soaked couple, apprehending sober person with energy WETTED. WED cont. (TT + E)
16	A glint extraordinary in grand sound of a bell (hyph.) TING-A-LING. (A GLINT)* + IN + G
18	Turned up at OK border HEM. MEH rev.
20	Severest foul, having no right, inclines up STEEVES. SEVEREST* - R
22	Expel prisoners to U.S. territory OUST. HA in tO U.S. Territory
24	Bossy woman tossed 23 across space KAREN. ARK* + EN
25	Script cards HAND. DD
26	Take the top off layabout - that guy's American BEHEAD. BED cont. (HE + A)
28	Old Indian province is unusual, coming up after British BERAR. RARE rev. after B
29	Picks up long black car shortly HEARS. HEARSe
30	Mark up to Germany TILDE.
32	Acceleration - run past AGO. A + GO
34	Help young woman removing clothing, dropping ecstasy AID. mAIDEn - E

Puzzle No. 26: A Devil of a Time

A Devil of a Time

By teamcrazymatt

This is a Printer's Devilry puzzle with a twist.

In Printer's Devilry, consecutive letters forming a word are taken out of a sentence, with the remaining letters forming a sentence of their own. In this new sentence, spacing and punctuation may be changed, but the letters are still in order. The solution to each clue is the word that was taken out of the sentence.

For example:

A food taster may, on the jot, wine in plentifuls. (6)

The solution to this clue is BINGES, which when inserted into the sentence produces

A food taster may, on the job, ingest wine in plentifuls.

Ordinarily, Printer's Devilry puzzles include no definitional hint, only the stripped-down sentence. But in this puzzle, the definition is included as a superfluous word or two somewhere in the clue; the definition word(s) must be removed before the solution word is inserted.

For example:

When playing, can Evita Bly try to swindle you for swimsuit resources? (7)

The solution is TANKINI. The definition, "swimsuit," is removed, and the solution word inserted, resulting in:

When playing Catan, kin inevitably try to swindle you for resources.

One additional note: The solution word is always inserted in the middle of a word, never at a break between words, though hyphens and apostrophes are fair game.

Good luck.

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Squares filled: 0/162

Exolve Print Notes Jotter Webifi

Crossword ID: xet-1m6bt7

Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025 Report-Bug Exolve-on-GitHub Community
Exolve-maker info:

Software: Exet
Version: v0.55 September 9 2021
Lexicon: ukacd18-lufz-v0.04
Timestamp: Wed Sep 15 2021 00:06:53 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Control keys:

• Tab/Shift-Tab: Jump to the next/previous clue.
• Enter, Click/Tap: Toggle current direction.
• Arrow keys: Move to the nearest light square in that direction.
• Ctrl-q: Clear this, Ctrl-Q: Clear All!, Ctrl-B: Print crossword, Ctrl-/: Jump to/back-from notes, Ctrl-*: Mark clue as fave in notes, adding a * prefix.
• Delete: Clear the contents of the current square.
• Spacebar: Place block in the current square if it's diagramless.
• Double-click or Shift+Letter: If the puzzle has rebus cells, this is the way to enter multiple letters into a single cell.

Overwritten letters will briefly be coloured like this (before fading back to this) just to draw your attention so that you can fix any accidental typing errors.

Your entries are auto-saved in the browser's local storage. You can share the state using this link: URL

Print or create a PDF: Grid and clues Only grid Only clues Inksaver

Font size: Normal Large Extra Large Small Other

Page size: Letter: 8.5in x 11in A4: 210mm x 297mm A3: 297mm x 420mm A5: 148mm x 210mm B4: 250mm x 353mm B5: 176mm x 250mm Book: 6in x 9in Legal: 8.5in x 14in Ledger: 11in x 17in

Margin (inches, up to 4 numbers):

Include if visible:

Title	Setter	Preamble
Explanations	Copyright	Questions

Extra header:	Extra footer:
Force grid scale to:

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Call to action:
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Show clue-solving sequence:

Show entered solutions:

Show clue-solving times:

• Ctrl-/ takes you to the current clue's notes (or overall notes) and back (if already there).
• Ctrl-* adds a * prefix to the current clue's notes.
• Hovering over a clue's notes shows the clue as a tooltip.

Across

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Jotting pad: (click here to shuffle)

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Down & Up

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Across

1	I can look? No! Ten, do retypes of racially-insensitive characters in stories. (6) SEARCH. I cannot endorse archetypes of racially-insensitive characters in stories.
4	He plays: the sound separates, effects die, phrases in the speech to increase tension. (8) SCATTERS. He plays the sound effects disc at terse phrases in the speech to increase tension.
10	The first rule of frightening phenomenon: plumbing is a super-sin to the sewer. (5,4) BLOOD RAIN. The first rule of plubming is a superb loo drains into the sewer.
11	It is Brut - a kingdom lifted, students are lost in the crowd. (5) FUNGI. It is brutal if ungifted students are lost in the crowd.
12	To get bottled water to Ohio, we came, Weng: land and Pennsylvania. (5) EVIAN. To get to Ohio, we came via New England and Pennsylvania.
13	Sucking up, Wren? Ada knows the island's history. (9) HOOVERING. Who over in Grenada knows the island's history?
14	With so much exporting, do notice, Saul, the oil. (9) DISMISSAL. With so much exporting, do Saudis miss all the oil?
16	Though you call ISS weak, it's my room and I know where everything is. (4) TAME. Though you call it a mess, it's my room and I know where everything is.
20	The court prayer's conclusion will sub Poe now to the witness stand. (4) AMEN. The court will subpoena me now to the witness stand.
21	The coronavirus pandemic may set peoples' gods of the next generation. (9) PANTHEONS. The coronavirus pandemic may span the onset of the next generation.
24	Muscle weakness, maybe? A plant container mar koas. Si? Um... (9) FLOWERPOT. Muscle weakness may be a mark of lower potassium.
27	In poker, one can always relish beady hand - will win a large pot. (5) TASTE. In poker, one can always bet a steady hand will win a large pot.
28	Wise-arse toric step - annoy herself for a serious relationship. (5) TREAD. Wise-arse Tori cannot ready herself for a serious relationship.
29	The struggling actor taking off won a tailor Mao'd spell. (9) DEPARTING. ...won a tailor-made part in Godspell.
30	Why did I buy stoners a L.A. ID? My dog would like it. (8) POTHEADS. Why did I buy Alpo? The ad said my dog would like it.
31	If it's "very BS, Shoemaker, U mean": incident has happened. (6) ADIDAS. If it's very bad, I'd assume an incident has happened.

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Down

1	It's in - give forest mammals a family of my own. (6) SABLES. It's a blessing I've a family of my own.
2	Of all native Australian car companies' starts, the sax cites me most. (9) ABORIGINE. Of all car companies' starts, the Saab origin excites me most.
3	Taxi Can restaurant, alias "In Australia," closed in the 1980s. (4,4) CODE NAME. Taco Den, a Mexican restaurant in Australia, closed in the 1980s.
5	The devout Catholic place, "Die Chamber," walls X, perhaps. (9) CONSONANT. The devout Catholic placed icons on antechamber walls.
6	Don't go into the tiger pit due to the threading oneself to the sweet animals. (6) TOFFEE. Don't go into the tiger pit due to the threat of feeding oneself to the animals.
7	As kids, my brother and I had boredom with much adobes. Ancestor? Ick, our father! (5) ENNUI. As kids, my brother and I had, with much ado, been nuisances to Rick, our father.
8	While in more tight-fisted celebration, we were feared by not guarding the outer gate. (8) STINGIER. While in celebration we were feasting, I erred by not guarding the outer gate.
9	If there's any tub, Joan'd do it for the experience. (4) BATH. If there's any job at hand, do it for the experience.
15	My old teacher Alex charged them OUCA to revere Xi: TED academia after 40 years. (9) STAMPEDED. My old teacher Alex, the most amped educator ever, exited academia after 40 years.
17	To afford my Drew Elling I want more than anything pardoned, I started budgeting for the house. (9) AMNESTIED. To afford my dream nest; i.e., dwelling I want more than anything, I started budgeting for the house.
18	I can. No twat, Cid, attempts small interval at humour. (4,4) HALF STEP. I cannot watch ALF's tepid attempts at humour.
19	Regarding homework, I.T. frequently mended (boo!) an assignment. (8) RESTORED. Regarding homework, it frequently bores to redo an assignment.
22	In our fan-made Star Wars spoof, Vader "KI-A!" in the stomach before kidnapping her prick. (6) NEEDLE. In our fan-made Star Wars spoof, Vader kneed Leia in the stomach before kidnapping her.
23	The royal subject crowds made a nature of respect when the king approached. (6) WEDGES. The royal subject made an awed gesture of respect when the king approached.
25	Encourage the wild clog "row," and it will open. (5) OVERT. Encourage the wild clover to grow, and it will.
26	Them? Rams on a Lisa turned a ride down. (4) TUPS. The Mona Lisa turned art upside-down.

Puzzle No. 25: Over the Hill

Over the Hill

By teamcrazymatt

Apologies for taking so long since my previous crossword, as I've been working a summer job. On an unrelated note, the unclued entry at 31 Across cryptically explains the six shaded regions and describes what I've been working on all summer.

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Squares filled: 0/169

Exolve Print Notes Jotter Webifi

Crossword ID: xet-dem9ij

Exolve v1.61 February 22, 2025 Report-Bug Exolve-on-GitHub Community
Exolve-maker info:

Software: Exet
Version: v0.53 August 21 2021
Lexicon: ukacd18-lufz-v0.04
Timestamp: Tue Aug 24 2021 18:05:53 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Control keys:

• Tab/Shift-Tab: Jump to the next/previous clue.
• Enter, Click/Tap: Toggle current direction.
• Arrow keys: Move to the nearest light square in that direction.
• Ctrl-q: Clear this, Ctrl-Q: Clear All!, Ctrl-B: Print crossword, Ctrl-/: Jump to/back-from notes, Ctrl-*: Mark clue as fave in notes, adding a * prefix.
• Delete: Clear the contents of the current square.
• Spacebar: Place block in the current square if it's diagramless.
• Double-click or Shift+Letter: If the puzzle has rebus cells, this is the way to enter multiple letters into a single cell.

Overwritten letters will briefly be coloured like this (before fading back to this) just to draw your attention so that you can fix any accidental typing errors.

Your entries are auto-saved in the browser's local storage. You can share the state using this link: URL

Print or create a PDF: Grid and clues Only grid Only clues Inksaver

Font size: Normal Large Extra Large Small Other

Page size: Letter: 8.5in x 11in A4: 210mm x 297mm A3: 297mm x 420mm A5: 148mm x 210mm B4: 250mm x 353mm B5: 176mm x 250mm Book: 6in x 9in Legal: 8.5in x 14in Ledger: 11in x 17in

Margin (inches, up to 4 numbers):

Include if visible:

Title	Setter	Preamble
Explanations	Copyright	Questions

Extra header:	Extra footer:
Force grid scale to:

Add QR code for this puzzle's URL

Call to action:
The QR code (rendered to the right) will be printed to the bottom-right of the page bottom-left of the page . QR code size: 96 128 160 .

Convert Explanations URLs to QR codes

Show clue-solving sequence:

Show entered solutions:

Show clue-solving times:

• Ctrl-/ takes you to the current clue's notes (or overall notes) and back (if already there).
• Ctrl-* adds a * prefix to the current clue's notes.
• Hovering over a clue's notes shows the clue as a tooltip.

Across

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Jotting pad: (click here to shuffle)

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Down & Up

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Across

1	One of nine mothers Greek god, but not his foot (4) ATLA. ATLAs
5	They're on track to run ahead of champions chasing gold (4,5) AUTO RACES. (TO + R + ACES) after AU
11	Pretend buyer's old money has no sign of action (5) SHILL. SHILLING - ING
13	Order about including opposites (7) ROUTINE. RE cont. (OUT + IN)
15	Camp by mouth of a region (8) SECTORAL. SECT + ORAL
16	Brief giveaway (4) TELL. DD
17	Back in China, I shape dynasty (4) HSIA. HA rev. in chinA I SHape
18	Ant-Man initially infiltrating swap meet (5) EMMET. Man in MEET*
19	Officers going back regularly to Dune (4) SEIF. oFfIcErS rev.
20	A long time ago, the commons of Asiatic Timor turned to a ferocious beast (4) YETI. YE + TI (common letters in asiaTIc TImor)
21	Partner boxes old Greek (8) SOCRATES. SO + CRATES
24	Pup's tail's mangy when no person is present (5) DOGGY. DOG + MANGY - MAN
28	Neighbourhood of stadium lacking note (4) AREA. ARENA - N
30	Crowd ejects very loud man (3) STU. STUFF - FF
31	See instructions ROLLER COASTER.
33	Expert progress, not beginner (3) ACE. pACE
35	Main killer taking part in motorcade (4) ORCA. HA in motORCAde
36	Small interval of time greeting heartless Commie (5) THIRD. T + HI + ReD
37	Energy producers catch at the start in a retro remake with soprano (8) REACTORS. Catch in (A RETRO)* + S
40	Care to reshape many square yards? (4) ACRE. CARE*
43	One foot behind large spur (4) LIFT.
44	Number one sport is first in money (5) RUPEE. PEE after RU
46	Diva's percentage reported (4) CHER. SHARE hom.
47	It indicates comparison of a gas stripped of its external elements (4) THAN. eTHANe
50	Prediction of review: give the parts to new actors (8) FORECAST. OF rev. + RECAST
52	101 Dalmatians, at heart, accepted as part of story of protozoan (7) CILIATE. CI + (dalmATians in LIE)
53	Right after doctor that is less wet (5) DRIER. R after (DR + I.E.)
54	Ground ball to Carrey mishandled behind second (5,1,3) SCORE A TRY. (TO CARREY)* after S
55	Put up aerials without Number 49 (4) ANTE. ANTENNAE - N - NAE

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Down

1	American rear admiral solicits security leaders (3) ASS. Aamiral Solicits Security
2	That guy is among extremely troublesome group near us (5) THESE. HE'S in TroublesomE
3	Lawyer takes off two coats - that's legal (5) LICIT. soLICITor
4	Turning tail to chase 33's range (5) ALTAI. TAIL* after A
5	Duck served in beer with side of sweet creams (5) ALOES.
6	Streetcar shop experiences turnover (4) TRAM. MART rev.
7	Gutter ball hops out of course, going the wrong way (3) RUT. TOUR rev. - O
8	Swallowed and threw up bits of Weetabix (3) ATE. HA rev. in weETAbix
9	Nurse and student first to join the army (6) ENLIST. EN + L + IST (1st)
10	Erected communist laws about transmission of suicide (4-6) SELF-MURDER. (RED RULES) rev. cont. FM
12	Mail writing during affair (6) ARMOUR. R in AMOUR
14	To smell in Spain is to rewrite lore (4) OLER. LORE*
17	Daily crush breakdown of fluid science (10) HYDRAULICS. (DAILY CRUSH)*
19	Returned hospital tests in a pile (5) STASH. (H + SATS) rev.
22	Beanball? That's lower than excrement (5) CACAO. O after CACA
23	Short girl is cutest, in part (4) ESTI. HA in cutEST In
25	Move faster to take line of ecstasy (4) GLEE. GEE cont. L
26	Mostly smoulder at boast (5) GLOAT. GLOw + AT
27	Informally, you are very confused? Not very (3) YER. VERY* - V
29	Does 8 now decay? (3) EAT. DD (8 is ATE)
32	Model of space or 44 placed beside railway (6) ORRERY. OR + RE + RY
34	One who gives stars, like, some acid, with reading coming up (6) CRITIC. CITRIC, R moves up
38	I disapprove of holding fellow's beard (4) TUFT. TUT cont. F
39	Like a dive into stormy eyes goes down (5) SEEDY. D in EYES*
40	Capital A attached with band on adulterer's front (5) ACCRA. A + CCR + Adulterer
41	Zelda's ending included in chat with multiple Links (5) CHAIN. A in CHIN
42	Bending trees once again put in place (5) RESET. TREES*
45	Men discovered set in greatest rising balladeer (4) POET. mEn in (TOP rev.)
48	Express character (3) AIR. DD
49	In Glasgow, "no" means stripping and turning around (3) NAE. mEANs rev.
51	Three in Rome stirred every so often (3) TRE. sTiRrEd