Missing Letters By Conto ( Crossword Centre )

[Matakari]

Missing Letters by Conto in the Crossword Centre

( For each clue, one apposite letter is absent from the wordplay. Clues are listed alphabetically by answer. Answers should be fitted into the numbered grid. Chambers Dictionary is recommended but does not give one commonly used entry.)

www.crossword.org.uk/missing.html

Good morning,
I’m trying my hand at a novelty for me, and would like some clarification of the preamble. I’m not sure if I understand it right.

For example:
A mature saying (5) : ADAGE ( To go in 7 A?)
Father nude…Nude? That’s a crime! (5) : THEFT ( To go in 13 A? )
One committed to assasinate the King in state capital of Eswatini (7) :MBABANE
( To go in 12 A?)

What are the “apposite letters absent” from these clues?
And must all answers be fitted wherever they can go in descending order?
Thanks in advance for your expert guidance!

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, as the answers are in alphabetical order and the Father clue is near the beginning, Theft would appear unlikely. The answers are alphabetical, but I'd assume that fitting them in would just be a jigsaw-type puzzle.

PS I haven't done this one, I've had only a quick look at it.

[Neveracrossword]

... and the alphabetical answers would make Mbabane unlikely too.

PS I could have misunderstood the preamble, but am just sharing my thoughts!

[Matakari]

Thanks for coming to the rescue, NACW! So, does this mean that 7A:ADAGE is correct and that 8A must be a 9-letter word beginning with B, C, D etc?

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks,Matakari. I'd say Adage is the answer to the clue - but there looks to be lots of places where it could be entered. You might think 8 A is the next clue, seeing as it has 9 letters - but the one after that has 7 and the next grid entry has 8...It really does look like a 'jigsaw' crossword, one where you need a few connecting entries before you can start filling the grid.

[roslyn251254]

ADAGE looks good for the 1st clue ..."D" being the apposite letter absent from wordplay?

[Matakari]

Thanks for the clarification, NACW and Roslyn, this looks like a great brain teaser!

[Neveracrossword]

Father nude... Fraud, crime. Fr, father nude/unclothed/outside letters and Ud, nude unclothed etc, with the A being absent from wordplay.

[roslyn251254]

i wonder if the apposite letters spell out a message...??

[ProfessorMaisie]

No message is spelled out (but if you count the number of clues...). A few tricky/quirky clues in this puzzle.

[bobbinwales]

Fraud looks perfect. Sorry cant see any reason for Theft

[ProfessorMaisie]

FIANCEE (def 'one committed') 'state' =F[r]ANCE+E(swatini) with 'king' = 'r' taken out [and 'i' unclued].

[ProfessorMaisie]

The answer to 'East of Switzerland...' goes in 12a.

[Matakari]

Many thanks, Professor Maisie ! Let's see where FIANCEE goes and an answer to "East of Switzerland" might set me in the right direction. I'm learning, thanks again!

[ProfessorMaisie]

Just about to head out, Matakari - but before I go here's a hint for 12a -

The IVR for Switzerland (2 letters) + name of an old Queen [with 'L' unclued on the end] def 'trench'.

FIANCEE is a down entry.

[ProfessorMaisie]

...and be careful when entering the answer for 13a - the def is slightly tricky for that clue, I think.

[ProfessorMaisie]

...unless you're into music.

[Matakari]

Thanks again, ProfessorMaisie !

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari,I hope you made good progress with this? I thought it was great fun, well worth the time and effort involved.

[Matakari]

Good morning NACW,
I've given "Missing Letters" a rest for the time being. I'll come back to it a bit later and I'll be soliciting your advice and help, too! Meanwhile, I'm concentrating on the Sunday Times Crossword and Mephisto which I find quite enlightening and fascinating. Thanks to you, ProfessorMaisie and Roslyn! Cheers and stay safe!

[pomona]

Help please with:
There will be a letter missing in the wordplay...
How mum passes buck to a guy for shark wrestling (2,3,4,6)
starts with G.. possibly go fro or go the ... looks like an anagram
Misguidedly met up with her online, i.e. exchanged contact (9,6) starts R or S or T or U
Heated with heat (6) starts bet U and Z warmed ??
Turnover of three-hundred dairies containing teats (5) looks like UDDER (U missing from wordplay) but defn seems to be teatS ..??