Genius Crossword N0 252

[Matakari]

Good evening, I’m having a shot at the Genius and have made some interesting headway. The ten special clues demand keen observation and much word sleuthing which keeps me on my toes. Some help with the following should help me to make further inroads into this one. ( I reserve the ST and Mephisto for later to lift  my spirits! )

7a Eccentric aims to pen short book showing Democritus's philosophy (7): ????I??

10a Cover, in French, country singer (6) : ??C???

4d Bard's fellow fiend sanctioned wickedness at the end of year (4-5) : ?????E?I?

17d Extra sober, embraced by great lovers (8) : A???????

18d Jester backing monarch and Cambridge physicist (7) : ?A???N?

 

(PREAMBLE: In ten clues, wordplay and definition lead to two words or phrases differing by a single letter (e.g. the definition gives GARNISHED while the wordplay gives TARNISHED). Solvers should choose the correct entry by ensuring that the grid displays a principle articulated in 1940 by 22 down – and that these ten solutions adhere to it. )

 

 

 

 

[JJ109]

Jesus Roslyn! I never even saw that! and just googled Eliot and found it!

[quinol]

How clever, of course: in my end...

huge thanks jj and roslyn

[Matakari]

Good day, I’m pleased to have reached this far with all the discussions  about it. My worry is that I’m not sure which of the ten special answers must be entered. Some further guidance would be appreciated, thanks! I now have the majority of the ten, I think:

9a   DEFERRED/DETERRED
10a ENCASE/ ENCASH
11a  NIP IN / DIP IN
14a  ENSNARE / ENSNARL
21a  NOMEN / WOMEN

2d NAIRN /
3d MAHDISM /
18d GAWKING / HAWKING
20d STATUE / STATUS
23d NIXON / DIXON

Thanks to Roslyn’s hint about going around the grid with ELIOT, I see “My beginning is my end…” which leads me to enter the italics in 10a and 11a, but the rest…

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, I thought you'd appreciate being given most of the  10 words, and the instructions on what to do with them. As the quote is 'In my beginning is my end', the entries have to match that - ie there's no point in putting in Dixon or Statue say. Your ( is wrong - you must have missed that it's the first and last letters that are affected? 9 A is Referred or Deferrerd.

[Neveracrossword]

Sorry about the typo - the bracket should have been 9 (Across).

[Matakari]

Thanks, NACW, with the precise quote, everything falls into place!

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari, glad you realised what the quote actually meant, led us to do. You'll be nicely warmed up now  for Sunday's leftovers (Mephisto and the Cryptic). Enjoy those!

[Matakari]

Many thanks, NACW, mephisto and the ST cryptic were quite  enjoyable!

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, thanks. Glad you enjoyed the ST puzzles. I don't do Mephisto any more - not since I learned all the answers were available online on Sunday mornings* - but I have heard that this week's was a real toughie. It's good to hear you enjoyed the solving, I am sure it was immensely satisfying!

*I know I don't have to look at the answers, but I don't like knowing that they're all there.