A few weeks ago I saw a themed cryptic (of sorts) that was quite unusual: it had the “theme” (a set of related items) hidden in the solution squares, yet the crossword itself had nothing to do with the theme. That is, the clues and the answers had no relationship with the hidden theme words, in fact, instructions were added to allow solvers to “play the game” with the completed grid. I guess you could claim that the puzzle was flexible in that it could be solved like normal and left, or it could be solved and enjoyed for those interested. In a normal theme puzzle, the theme itself (once discovered) should assist a solver by limiting what certain answers could be. Likewise, if a message or words are hidden in the letters in the grid, a solver may deduce what’s needed and this allows them to preload the grid with letters of answers that are not yet solved. I know some love themed crosswords, but in my experience they can be hit-or-miss as the theme may not be a strong area for a solver, or like me, constant cross-referencing (where used) serves as an intolerable distraction. Theme crosswords can also feel a little forced, as words get used that may not be chosen by a setter under normal circumstances due to the difficulty of clueing them. The result may be some ordinary clues all in the name of adding to the theme.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | NUMERACY | |
| Menu redefined with crude and basic competence in mathematics (8) | Anagram of MENU + RACY | |
| 5 | PLANES | |
| People movers parking next to narrow roads (6) | P + LANES | |
| 10 | TROOP | |
| Company not having much capital backing after short time (5) | POOR reversed after T | |
| 11 | OPERATIVE | |
| Ring private involved with drug running (9) | O + anagram of PRIVATE | |
| 12 | WELL-DOCUMENTED | |
| Supported by evidence, we will execute men in possession of precious diamonds (4-10) | WE’LL + DO + (MEN inside CUTE) + D | |
| 14 | RAGE | |
| Fashion writer’s final season (4) | WRITE(R) + AGE | |
| 15 | ORDNANCE | |
| Arms once injected with right genetic material (8) | ONCE outside (R + DNA) | |
| 18 | ARK | |
| Animal transporter is heading off from nature-reserve (3) | P(ARK) | |
| 19 | HOTHOUSE | |
| Delicate tube with core measuring one thousandth of an inch (8) | THOU inside HOSE | |
| 20 | ICON | |
| Computer image, one linked to scam (4) | I + CON | |
| 23 | INFERIOR PLANET | |
| One flyer, breaking through frontier, manoeuvred orbiter close to the sun (8,6) | I + (PLANE inside anagram of FRONTIER) | |
| 26 | IMPARTIAL | |
| One joined with power bound by military objective (9) | I + (P inside MARTIAL) | |
| 27 | AGENT | |
| Business manager is not contracted after a period of time (5) | NT after AGE | |
| 28 | MALADY | |
| Illness youngster incubated in a period of days (6) | LAD inside MAY | |
| 29 | ACCEPTED | |
| Did something about mushroom generally approved (8) | ACTED outside CEP | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | NOTEWORTHY | |
| Striking, not strange theory, based around tungsten (10) | NOT + anagram of THEORY outside W | |
| 2 | MOONLIGHT | |
| Way of working on delicate work at a secondary job (9) | MO + ON + LIGHT | |
| 3 | RAPIDS | |
| Part of a flower that’s unsettled by attacks involving pests initially (6) | RAIDS outside (P)ESTS | |
| 4 | CROUCH | |
| Lie close to the ground, right between blades of grass (6) | R inside COUCH | |
| 6 | LEARNING | |
| Pupil ultimately receiving scholarship (8) | PUPI(L) + EARNING | |
| 7 | NAIVE | |
| Innocent local not taking time (5) | NATIVE minus T | |
| 8 | SEEP | |
| Goes to the toilet in retreat to leak (4) | PEES reversed | |
| 9 | DENMARK | |
| European men worked in unenlightened state (7) | Anagram of MEN inside DARK | |
| 13 | REINSTATED | |
| Control determined by agreement is brought back (10) | REIN + STATED | |
| 15 | ORE | |
| Mineral deposits located in major excavation (3) | majOR Excavation | |
| 16 | NO CONTEST | |
| Unfair competition upset prisoner on trial (2,7) | CON reversed + ON + TEST | |
| 17 | DOG-EARED | |
| Work, adjusted, is shabby (3-5) | DO + GEARED | |
| 18 | ASPIRIN | |
| Sufferer at the end, in pain, is treated with painkiller (7) | SUFFERE(R) in anagram of PAIN IS | |
| 21 | FROLIC | |
| Close friend, badly missing out, needs to have fun (6) | Anagram of CLOSE FRIEND minus NEEDS | |
| 22 | PLEASE | |
| Satisfy rental agreement after start of proceedings (6) | LEASE after (P)ROCEEDINGS | |
| 24 | NEPAL | |
| Country residents of Constantine palace (5) | constantiNE PALace | |
| 25 | FIRM | |
| Tree farm not securing very much business (4) | FIR + (FARM minus FAR) |
