Solution: Product Placement
Answer: BASE ATTRIBUTES
Written by Sara Goodchild
Acrosses are entered normally. Downs are given in alpha order of answers.
As suggested by the flavourtext, half of the Downs (14 answers) can be entered normally. The first letters of the clues for the unchanged Downs give "4 reaction types." That phrase, along with the chemistry theme in the clues and flavourtext, should suggest the 4 main types of chemical reactions as set out in North American high school chemistry classes: synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement. (For those from other education systems, Googling for “4 reaction types” can also lead to this aha.) The patterns associated with these chemical reaction types suggest how to modify the remaining Downs.
Classify the “products” based on how they were formed and read the circled letters in each group left to right to give the final answer, BASE ATTRIBUTES.
| Reaction type | Reactions | Circled letters |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesis | REGRET + TABLE → REGRETTA[B]LE LEVI + TATE → LEVIT[A]TE |
BA |
| Decomposition | MISSPOKE → MI[S]S + POK[E] SOFTWARE → W[A]RE + SOF[T] |
SEAT |
| Single replacement | BURT → YUR[T]; BAKER → [R]AKER HIPS → R[I]PS; VISIBLE -> RISI[B]LE |
TRIB |
| Double replacement | SQUARE + FLASH → SQ[U]ASH + FLAR[E] BITING + MASON → MA[T]ING + BI[S]ON |
UTES |
ACROSS
| Wordplay | Entry |
|---|---|
| 1. CHE(m) + APER | CHEAPER |
| 6. anag. | SCLERA |
| 10. A’S + TRO(d) | ASTRO |
| 13. ACHES inside anag. ERIN (“painstakingly”) | REACHES IN |
| 17. MUS< + KEGS | MUSKEGS |
| 18. CAP< + IF + I + C | PACIFIC |
| 19. YEAR(n) | YEAR |
| 20. EAR + L | EARL |
| 21. anag. | USURPERS |
| 22. B + EAGLE | BEAGLE |
| 23. H(e)R + O inside TATS | THROATS |
| 25. S(ART)R + E | SARTRE |
| 27. (STRAT + A)< | STRATA |
| 29. OR + LE + ANS | ORLEANS |
| 31. CHEM(ical) in SA | SCHEMA |
| 33. F(amily) in PERGOLA anag. | LEAPFROG |
| 37. LAB anag. + Y | ABLY |
| 38. “el” | ELLE |
| 40. BRIT + sTiLlEd | BRITTLE |
| 41. anag. | EDWARD I |
| 44. R(I + SINGS)UN | RISING SUN |
| 45. REP(R)O | REPRO |
| 46. TO(BAG)O | TOBAGO |
| 47. anag. | PRESS ON |
DOWN
| Wordplay | Entry |
|---|---|
| Swap last two letters in ALLELES | ALL ELSE |
| BREAK anag. | BAKER |
| BAR + BAR + DEANE anag. | BARBARA EDEN |
| B(IT)ING | BITING |
| BRUTAL – al; anag. | BURT |
| Swap two letters in CLAMS | CALMS |
| CHIC + LE(t) | CHICLE |
| (voi)D(ing) + PAY anag. + ASS | DAY PASS |
| (b)ETAS | ETAS |
| (PUCE + YE)< | EYECUP |
| F + La + S + H | FLASH |
| H + IPS | HIPS |
| hidden | LEVI |
| anag. | MASON |
| anag. | MISSPOKE |
| N + ODDER | NODDER |
| “rising sun” = SUN< containing CLUE anag. | NUCLEUS |
| O + ESTER anag. + IA | ORESTEIA |
| anag. | RARE |
| Re(G)Re + T | REGRET |
| R(E)ISER | REISER |
| PRO< inside SCIO(n) | SCORPIO |
| F inside SWORE AT anag. | SOFTWARE |
| SQU(I->A)RE | SQUARE |
| TA(B)LE | TABLE |
| T(ASK)BAR | TASKBAR |
| Ta + Te | TATE |
| V + I + S + I + BLE(d) | VISIBLE |