by Roy Arnott & Ken Greatorex
Theme: General Skeptical Issues
(Click on the grid to enlarge and print)
STANDARD CLUES (Scroll Down for Cryptic clues)
ACROSS:
3. Artificially induced trance state resembling sleep, characterized by heightened susceptibility to suggestion [8]
9. Either of the two groups of cards in a tarot pack [6]
10. To persuade (someone) to do or believe something by lying to them [3]
11. Irrational mathematical constant [2]
12. Baltic country which in 2013 topped the list of sources of internet fraud [6]
14. Ancient Egyptian sometime “King of the Gods” [4]
16. Melodic vocal operatic music [6]
18. Portion or part [6]
20. The so-called “sixth sense” [3]
22. Insect [3]
23. Underwater breathing system [5]
25. Astonish [5]
26. It is important to keep vaccination rates high to maintain _ _ _ _ immunity which helps protect infants and other at-risk individuals [4]
29. The deliberate rupture of skin capillaries by suction as demonstrated by Michael Phelps at the 2016 Olympics [7]
31. Uncertain, indefinite, unclear [5]
32. Diminish, wane [3]
34. Searching for hidden water or minerals by paranormal means [7]
38. System of complementary medicine using tiny doses of natural substances that in larger amounts would produce symptoms of the disease under treatment [10]
40. Large carnivore in danger of extinction in the wild due to the popularity of its body parts in Traditional Chinese Medicine [5]
42. One who is intolerant towards those holding different opinions [5]
43. Solid substances in which the repeating regular 3D array of atoms or molecules extends throughout the sample [8]
45. “Argumentum ad antiquitatem“: Something must be right because it has a well-established _______. See 21 down for an example of this logical fallacy [9].
DOWN:
1. Water nymphs OR the aquatic larvae of a dragonfly, mayfly, or stonefly [6]
2. Card game in which players bet on the order in which cards appear [4]
3. Ring or disc-shaped auras [5]
4. Companion animal [3]
5. Dishonest scheme [4]
6. Innermost of Jupiter’s moons [2]
7. Gastropod [5]
8. Plastic consisting of PVC or a related polymer [5]
11. To place [3]
13. Organic nutrients which are essential to the diet in small quantities but provide no extra benefit in larger doses [8]
15 & 33 down: Popular psychological personality questionnaire which has demonstrated poor statistical validity and reliability [5, 6]
17. Meeting for contacting the dead [6]
19. Common English preposition which in mathematical use expresses the relationship between a part and a whole [2]
21. Site of an annual Bull Running which produces 50 to 100 injuries annually [8]
24. Belief that the Universe and life have a divine origin [11]
27. Before [3]
28. Create and apply a nick-name [3]
30. Weapon [3]
33. See 15 down
35. Obtain [3]
36. What rhino horn is actually made of [7]
37. Legitimate medical term appropriated by marketing strategists to promote treatment of non-existent conditions [5]
39. Trick-taking card game whose deck is a popular prop for fortune tellers [5]
41. Property where livestock exhibiting desirable characteristics are bred [4]
44. Allow [3]
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS:
3. Yon ships are open to suggestion [8]
9. Analytical reagent of two metals is a mystery [6]
10. Greek fraudster? [3]
11. C/2r [2]
12. A vital arrangement in Europe [6]
14. International body after morning finds Egyptian deity [4]
16. Go to a Rio sojourn to find melodic style [6]
18. Element with disturbed Yeti for part share [6]
20. In despair there is new sentience [3]
22. Go off Lygon Street to find dressed fish hook [3]
23. Young mammal in a State to breathe under water [5]
25. A labyrinth can astound [5]
26. Mob sees Queen in high definition [4]
29. Form of therapy in which a sucker is applied to a sucker [7]
31. Five malarias or the like; it is all very uncertain [5]
32. It is evens of new baby to decline [3]
34. Dons wig and changes to search for water [7]
38. A theory and practice of medicine which aims to cure the diseases of fools. As it does not cure them, and does sometimes kill the fools, it is ridiculed by the thoughtless, but commended by the wise. Bierce [10]
40. Carnivore found when gravity is inserted in a level [5]
42. One who is obstinately and zealously attached to an opinion that you do not entertain. Bierce [5]
43. Class, try to form ordered arrays of atoms! [8]
45. Democracy of the dead? [9].
DOWN:
1. Found where an ad is nymphean [6]
2. Afro is game [4]
3. Head lights seen in shoal [5]
4. You can have it extruded or spun [3]
5. Adjust mechanical linkages to transform rotary and linear motions? It’s a fraud! [4]
6. Princess of Argos became Jovial orbiter [2]
7. Metal, Lloyd’s classification – 50, defines mollusc [5]
8. Six at US city left to make record [5]
11. Golf stroke lacks time to place [3]
13. Visit man to get nutrients [8]
15 & 33 down: Grimy grebes used for psych testing [5, 6]
17. South African party in Bishop’s seat talks to the dead [6]
19. Foreign Office taken aback to indicate to whom belonging [2]
21. Appal Mom! Change to find bullish place [8]
24. No armistice for this belief [11]
27. Before Her Majesty took to the East [3]
28. Heavy metal surrounded by noise level before [3]
30. Weapon for a twisted antelope [3]
33. See 15 down
35. Obtain germanium with time [3]
36. Take rating to include nail composition [7]
37. Handy for those lacking livers and kidneys [5]
39. Cards for sailor on overtime [5]
41. Dust storm at live-stock breeder [4]
44. Single tenancy contains legal impediment [3]