“The left-hand and bottom perimeter cells represent empty supermarket shelves which must be ‘restocked’ (making new words) with the initial letters of the first 12 words of a song. One of its subsequent lyrics explains the specific item that was UNDERSTOCKED. Solvers must write the title below the grid and highlight the two artists (two blocks of cells in straight lines) responsible. Chambers Dictionary (2016) is recommended.”
The theme is the song ‘RABBIT‘ by CHAS and DAVE, which starts with multiple repetitions of the title, and includes the line ‘You’ve got more rabbit than Sainsbury’s”.
A jolly little romp, this one.
Notation
(xxx) = definition
[xxx] = (anagram/homophone/container/etc.) indicator
XXX* = anagram
< = reversal
Please post a comment if the explanations are not clear.
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | EMOTION | < {NO (Not so) I (current) TOME (book)} [all about] how we feel (7) |
| 7 | SIC | So |
| 9 | YURT | Skin product to accommodate < TRY (test) [rejected] [outside of] U (University) (4) |
| 10 | SKELUM | Glaswegian wide boy: 50% risk accepted, going into wood (6) |
| 11 | E-FIT | E (From the beginning, EVERYONE’S) FIT (trained) to use on-screen imaging (4) |
| 12 | ARABIA | Asian countries AA (rock) [after devouring] RABI (grain harvest) (6) |
| 14 | MAXIMUMS | Gin (past sell-by date) continues to entertain mother? Largest measures (8) |
| 15 | ALLIED | Got together ALL (whole group)? IE (That is) D (dead) (6) |
| 19 | LEA | Countryside’s |
| 20 | EBAY | Online retailer [stocking] [flipping] < soYA BEans (4) |
| 21 | HACHIS | HA (In this year), CH (Switzerland) IS a mess (e.g. in Geneva) (6) |
| 23 | VRIL | Magic energy juice from VR (Queen Vic) (I (one) [before] L ([start of] LOCKDOWN)) (4) |
| 24 | MAY | Can everything between April and June? (3) |
| 25 | SPARERS | They relieve SP (special) |
| 27 | ANTIPOLE | POTENTIAL* [for disaster], [with T (time) running out], or its direct opposite? (8) |
| 29 | SHEEN | Slick [volte-face by] < NHS, [embracing] |
| 30 | SLUR | LUR |
| 31 | OVER | Balls thrown when it’s done and dusted (4) |
| 32 | EDAMAME | MISDEMEANANT* [wants] this snack [to be served up] by INNS [before] T ([end of] AUGUST) (7) |
| Down | ||
| 1 | EYEWASH | WASH (Clean up) [after] EYE (brood)? What nonsense! (7) |
| 2 | MUFFLE | Wrap up and conceal features round mouth (6) |
| 3 | ORIEL | [Play] BERLIO |
| 4 | ISRAELI | Foreign national making |
| 5 | NERITA | Slow-moving group’s {E ([term for] REIGATE) TRAIN}* [after commuting] (6) |
| 6 | GLAM | Woopie L (lecturer) [admitted into] GAM (school) (4) |
| 7 | SUBUMBRELLA | Where Sting may be hiding [to compose] {L (50) ‘UBER-ALBUMS’}* (11) |
| 8 | CHASMY | Abysmal C (Conservative) HAS (entertains) M |
| 13 | IMPAIRS | Undermines I (daily) MP (politician) AIRS (broadcasts) (7) |
| 14 | MIGHTIER | {RIGHT |
| 16 | DESPOND | DES (In Paris, some) PON |
| 17 | SEVRES | China SERVES (covers) [up] (6) |
| 18 | SCYTHE | [Forgoing] R (right) SC |
| 22 | PALMA | P ([At outset], PANDEMIC’S) ALMA (benign in Italian) and Spanish resort city (5) |
| 24 | MANO | Rolling Stone [furloughing last 20% of] MANO |
| 26 | SORE | Affliction “SOAR” (to rise exponentially), [according to reports] (4) |
| 28 | PEE | Relief as [sources of] P |
| R | E | M | O | T | I | O | N | G | S | I | C |
| Y | U | R | T | S | K | E | L | U | M | H | |
| R | E | F | I | T | R | A | R | A | B | I | A |
| W | F | E | M | A | X | I | M | U | M | S | |
| R | A | L | L | I | E | D | T | S | M | P | M |
| S | E | S | G | L | E | A | E | B | A | Y | |
| R | H | A | C | H | I | S | P | V | R | I | L |
| M | A | Y | T | S | P | A | R | E | R | S | |
| R | A | N | T | I | P | O | L | E | L | S | O |
| N | S | H | E | E | N | M | S | L | U | R | |
| R | O | V | E | R | E | D | A | M | A | M | E |
| R | R | R | R | R | R |
RABBIT
Well, I was barking totally up the wrong tree with this one! I guessed from the title and the present situation that the theme was related to the recent shortage of toilet rolls. I completed the grid without too much difficulty and found that all the blanks could be filled with an R to leave real words. Good, R for rolls. I found RITA and MAX in the grid but an internet search gave nothing useful. However, I found that there were over 200 “songs” which hoards of wits had performed on U-tube etc. about the toilet roll shortage but there was nothing obvious to home in on so I gave up the search. I then found DAVE in the grid but missed CHAS. I felt a bit cheated – was the title was intended to be a red herring? If so, it certainly worked on me!
Thanks to Artix and Mr S
The title of the puzzle isn’t much help without having already guessed the song, but I’ve added a line to suggest how the the title might be relevant.
I enjoyed this highly original puzzle – the clues were imaginative, and I liked all the topical references. I completed the grid, but I recorded a surprisingly large total of clues (8) that I did not fully parse: perhaps I need to get more accustomed to this setter.
I saw that eight of the extra letters were likely or certain to be R, and on closer inspection I saw that the other four could also be R. The only song I could think of starting with a lot of Rs was Run, Rabbit, Run, which met the requirement perfectly. For that I had to find Flanagan and Allen in the grid and was a tad surprised that they were not there.
It was back to square one, and I found ELLA and RITA before I spotted CHAS in the grid, and when I looked for DAVE he was there too. I do not know Chas & Dave’s songs, but when I looked them up I saw one called Rabbit. That song begins ‘Rabbit x 20’, according to the source that I found. 20 was more than enough!
Looking back, I think Run, Rabbit Run was an intentional red herring, and it was a good one.
Thanks to Artix and Mister Sting.
Really enjoyed this puzzle which was an example of how a fun solve does not have to be a hard tussle. I spotted DAVE after asking myself why the odd V, but the first source Google found me for the lyrics Of RABBIT didn’t include the “Rx20” so I might have given up but for a niggling memory of how the song started!
I also enjoyed this puzzle and went along the same route as Alan B looking for Flanagan and Allen. I was also slowed down by 8d being one of my last clues solved. I had seen DAVE but not thought it relevant, but eventually found CHAS.
I have read that the Telegraph has informed EV setters that the series is to be discontinued. If so, is there anything we can do to reverse this appalling decision?