I sometimes get asked about how I come up with clues like 15-across: Central feature of ice age? (8), a clue-type called an &lit (and literally). It must be remembered that a good setter will always approach the writing of any clue with the intention of creating a (seamless) link between the definition and wordplay. That is, once the definition has been explored, the job of the setter is to hunt out wordplays that can be tied in with an appropriate definition. For example, in 9-across, Surgical procedure dealt with twitch connected to the eye (5), a plausible story is told with the wordplay which is then connected to the definition. Since this mindset is in play in every clue, it’s not unusual for potential &lits to surface, but it is relatively rare for a true &lit to be the end result – it’s much more likely that the &lit potential turns into a standard two-part clue with good surface reading. As the whole clue must double as both definition and wordplay, it takes only a small misfitting to knock the &lit on the head. I’ve lost count of the times I thought I had a chance of constructing &lits, and wasted a lot of time pursuing them, but most times they end up just missing. A good setter will resist the temptation to use an inappropriate or non-anagram anagram indicator or the like just to make a clue work. A near &lit is just another poor clue.
In the case of 15-across, it started in the normal way with the identification of possible definitions (you must have something to work towards) and exploration of what could be used in the wordplay. “oldness” stood out as a potential wordplay piece, and “age” surfaced as a suitable synonym. Without any idea of &lit potential, I searched for words containing “c” that naturally precede “age”, and came up with a list including “ice”, “school” and “space”. It was at this point that I realised “ice age” ties in nicely with “coldness” and the &lit clue was born. Note that if I couldn’t find a way to indicate the “c” in “ice” appropriately the clue simply wouldn’t work. A number of things need to happen and I must say I love it when they do.
| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | PROPAGANDA | |
| Specialist US lawyer, going after hedonist, organised spread of information (10) | PRO + (DA after PAGAN) | |
| 6 | SWAG | |
| Plunder was exchanged by leader of gang (4) | Anagram of WAS + (G)ANG | |
| 9 | OPTIC | |
| Surgical procedure dealt with twitch connected to the eye (5) | OP + TIC | |
| 10 | MEANS WELL | |
| Tight bunch has good intentions (5,4) | MEAN + SWELL | |
| 12 | LAGOMORPH | |
| Hologram ordered containing head of Peter Rabbit, for instance (9) | Anagram of HOLOGRAM outside (P)ETER | |
| 13 | LATER | |
| Roof worker not starting behind schedule (5) | S(LATER) | |
| 14 | SHOO | |
| Fire largely used to scare away animals (4) | (SHOO)T | |
| 15 | COLDNESS | |
| Central feature of ice age? (8) | I(C)E + OLDNESS | |
| 18 | AGITATOR | |
| A large swamp dweller eating – it is a cause of trouble (8) | ( A + GATOR) outside IT | |
| 20 | TROT | |
| Become weak after start of triathlon’s run (4) | ROT after (T)RIATHLON | |
| 24 | COATI | |
| Relative of the raccoon, one found on east side of hide (5) | I after COAT | |
| 25 | TRANSPIRE | |
| A sprinter needing conditioning to happen (9) | Anagram of A SPRINTER | |
| 26 | EXPENSIVE | |
| Dear old friend expressing thoughtfulness with sadness (9) | EX + PENSIVE | |
| 27 | IDOLS | |
| Island filled with old, sculptured objects of worship (5) | IS outside anagram of OLD | |
| 28 | SATE | |
| Types of cliffs at enormous gorge (4) | cliffS AT Enormous | |
| 29 | BELONGINGS | |
| People possessing extensive property (10) | BEINGS outside LONG | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | POORLY | |
| Sick ducks, found by river, wrapped in thin sheet (6) | (OO + R) inside PLY | |
| 2 | OUTAGES | |
| Ring a guest discontented with power failures (7) | O + anagram of A GUEST | |
| 3 | ACCOMMODATION | |
| Board’s wild do, fully transcribed in lawsuit? (13) | Anagram of (DO + COMMA) inside ACTION | |
| 4 | ADMIRE | |
| Value diamonds found in a marshy area (6) | D inside (A + MIRE) | |
| 5 | DEATH ROW | |
| Negotiate briefly to launch special facility for condemned prisoners (5,3) | (DEA)L + THROW | |
| 7 | WREATHE | |
| Wind and water distributed helium (7) | Anagram of WATER + HE | |
| 8 | GOLD RUSH | |
| Migration of miners experienced river in flood (4,4) | (OLD + R) inside GUSH | |
| 11 | SALAD DRESSING | |
| Old sailor mostly talking to saucy thing! (5,8) | (SAL)T + ADDRESSING | |
| 16 | FANCIERS | |
| Enthusiasts restored fine cars (8) | Anagram of FINE CARS | |
| 17 | CONTRITE | |
| Pedestrian going after kid is remorseful (8) | TRITE after CON | |
| 19 | IN A SPOT | |
| One not handling snake is experiencing difficulty (2,1,4) | (I NOT) outside ASP | |
| 21 | TRICORN | |
| Hat we pinched from distracted town crier? (7) | Anagram of TOWN CRIER minus WE | |
| 22 | CAME TO | |
| Reached tall type of actor cast in a small role (4,2) | AC(T)OR inside CAMEO | |
| 23 | CENSUS | |
| Different consulates not employing a lot for head count (6) | Anagram of CONSULATES minus A LOT |
hi David
got it (15a) but now I really know why.
as for lagomorphs & coatis – what kind of zoo do we have here!!!
think it’s called Life Long Learning.
Thanks for the spiel, David. It’s very satisfying to solve a good &lit, and recognise it as such. But I imagine it’s not nearly as satisfying as creating one.