Theme: Conspiracy Theories
by Roy Arnott & Ken Greatorex
(Click on the grid above to enlarge and print off)
STANDARD CLUES
(Scroll down for CRYPTIC CLUES)
ACROSS:
1. Concerning women [7]
6. Egyptian Cross of Life [4]
10. Cook meat in an oven [5]
13. Measure of intelligence [2]
14. Man who lives off a prostitute’s earnings [5]
16. The conspiracy theory which claims that aircraft contrails contain added chemical or biological agents [10]
18. Member of an extensive 7th century BC Indo-European empire [4]
19. One popular theory claims that the British Royal Family are shape–shifting
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ from the Draco Planetary System who adopt the appearance of influential humans [7]
21. & 23 across: Top-selling author whose genre is milking conspiracy theories [3, 5]
23. See 21 across
24. Beseech [3]
25. Severe distress [7]
28. International Olympic or FIFA country code for Switzerland [3]
29. & 30 across: Covert operation meant to appear as though carried out by entities other than the real perpetrators. (A common conspiracy theorist claim for 9/11, for example) [5, 4]
30. See 29 across
31. Decade [3]
33. Cicatrix [4]
34. Possess [3
36. Element 40’s symbol [2]
37. Things [7]
40. Power to unilaterally overrule [4]
41. False [6]
43. Anger [3]
44. Secret society alleged to conspire to control world affairs by masterminding events and planting agents in government and corporations [10]
45. Water supply additive which draws much attention from conspiracy theorists [8]
50. Strike with the open hand [4]
52. Of or relating to birth [5]
53. Sans fat [4]
55. Withdraw formally from membership of a federal union, alliance or political organization [6]
56. Articles written about the recently dead [5]
58. Plot [8]
60. Bucket [4]
62. Cutting implement [5]
65. & 67 across: Real Catholic organisation implicated in conspiracy by Dan Brown et al [4, 3]
67. See 65 across
68. According to 21 across, the map of this place abounds in Masonic symbols [10]
69. Consumed [3]
71. & 73 across: Australian Prime Minister claimed by conspiracy theorists to have been picked up by a Russian submarine, rather than drowned [6, 4]
73. See 71 across
74. Brings about greater knowledge or understanding [10]
75. Hoax agenda of the Elders of Zion [9]
DOWN:
2. Prefix from Latin, meaning “above, beyond” [5]
3. Mental state often invoked as the reason eye-witness evidence of alien abduction, etc is so vague [7]
4. Widespread fraternal order, often the subject of conspiracy theories [10]
5. Biological bag or pouch [3]
6. Same as 69 across [3]
7. Set of articles required for a specific purpose [3]
8. Intrinsic nature; determinative character [7]
9. Demolition charges claimed to be in evidence by 9/11 “truthers” [6]
11. Egyptian water-raising device [6]
12. & 46 down: 1978 film whose premise was that NASA might be prepared to stage hoax missions. [9, 3]
15. Strange [3]
17. Giant American chemical corporation often cited in conspiracy theories [8]
18. & 38 down: Scornful term for the Warren Commission’s theory that the bullet that killed President Kennedy also wounded Governor John Connally [5, 6]
20. Principal Greek deity [4]
22. Sicken [3]
26. Novel [3]
27. Mercury’s symbol [2]
29. Surname of the Ufologist who is the original civilian investigator of the so-called Roswell incident [8]
31. 9/11 Conspiracy Theorists claim evidence of deliberate demolition using this incendiary process [8]
32. & 49 down: Date of the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Centre [4, 6]
35. Golfing aid [3]
36. Radio code word for “Z” [4]
38. See 18 down
39. Invertebrate grasping appendages [9]
40. Bulwer-Lytton’s Universal Life Force, claimed by Conspiracy Theorists as the inspiration for Nazism [4]
42. & 57 down: Term for a government which attempts to exercise total control over its citizens: (literary allusion) [3, 7]
43. Belonging to a thing previously mentioned [3]
46. See 12 down
47. Punters often feel this industry is one giant conspiracy [6]
48. Male parent [3]
49. See 32 down
51. Prefix related to the paranormal [3]
53. Element 3’s symbol [2]
54. Small vipers [4]
57. See 42 down
59. UFO Central [7]
61. That part of the unconscious mind that relates to basic needs and desires [2]
62. Eastern European snack of filled dough casing [5]
63. Irritates the skin [6]
64. Precedes “Fum”, but succeeds “Fe” and “Fi” [2]
66. Legume [3]
68. Supermarket item with probably the highest profit mark-up [5]
70. Coalition of political entities [4]
72. Furrow [3]
73. Possesses [3]
CRYPTIC CLUES
ACROSS:
1. Fit fads are women’s business [7]
6. Egyptian device found in tank hull [4]
10. The Astor is adapted for cooking [5]
13. Sounds like I take a turn in line. How bright is that? [2]
14. Non-U soft light weight profits from women’s business. [5]
16. Affected camel shirt to leave ice in wake [10]
18. Subject pronoun of French old Persian [4]
19. Some are blind and legless [7]
21. & 23 across: Writer modifies own brand [3, 5]
23. See 21 across
24. To begin the beguine is asking for it [3]
25. His gnu a pain for a change [7]
28. Outfit has no time for Japanese water [3]
29. & 30 across: As fag fell it became fraudulent vexillology [5, 4]
30. See 29 across
31. Or, another way, 1010 [3]
33. Endless neck cloth leaves a mark [4]
34. Change now to possess [3
36. Even blue components provide element of cheap jewellery [2]
37. Things one opposes [7]
40. Returned soldier with nothing to over rule decision [4]
41. 8 x 7 = 87 [6]
43. Anger found in unfair exchange [3]
44. Unit aim ill but produces bright sparks [10]
45. Rude foil adapted for caries prevention [8]
50. Strike by upset pals [4]
52. Adjust tan on metal to establish parturition [5]
53. Incline to take a crooked lane [4]
55. 500 Protestants in bishopric get out of the alliance [6]
56. Death notices of planetary trajectories without radius [5]
58. To plot, we hear, Greek’s funeral blaze. [8]
60. Group ailment has something to contain it [4]
62. Tool of potassium, nickel and iron. [5]
65. & 67 across: A religious organisation got Oedipus mixed up [4, 3]
67. See 65 across
68. President confused, saw nothing [10]
69. Consumed oxyanion [3]
71. & 73 across: Ironic pool [6, 4]
73. See 71 across
74. Printers’ measure loses weight to enhance knowledge [10]
75. Agreement made by cool sport [9]
DOWN:
2. Remove phosphorus from meal. Great! [5]
3. If sane aim is disturbed it could be forgotten [7]
4. Safe sermon adapted for lodge members [10]
5. Bag USAF organisation [3]
6. Partook by taking credit from shipping container [3]
7. Included by soldiers in pack items [3]
8. Character of French petrol [7]
9. Which French note in ship chickens out [6]
11. Raise water by sci-fi containing a distorted head up display [6]
12. & 46 down: Single goat is a hoax [9, 3]
15. Nothing against large cup size – strange! [3]
17. Place from where retreated with insect and oxygen to create chemical giant [8]
18. & 38 down: Alt luge ICBM is a fantastic projectile [5, 6]
20. Godfather? [4]
22. Beer sounds crook [3]
26. Novel takes three directions [3]
27. A Wells descriptor but best not to put in them [2]
29. Twisted fad miner finds ET [8]
31. White ant absorbs hydrogen and becomes explosive [8]
32. & 49 down: In Australia it would be 11/9 [4, 6]
35. Cut ends off metal to make ball stand [3]
36. =GMT [4]
38. See 18 down
39. Elect ants to provide graspers [9]
40. Masters of Triumph of the Will [4]
42. & 57 down: Be bright or change for large sibling [3, 7]
43. Hit show about possession [3]
46. See 12 down
47. Artist copper attached to New Guinea is in a hurry [6]
48. Lawyer takes 500 for paternity case [3]
49. See 32 down
51. Pressure of old [3]
53. Metal extracted from saline [2]
54. Apocrita lose direction and turn reptilian [4]
57. See 42 down
59. Artificial language expansion at conspiracy HQ [7]
61. Travel without Engineer extremes provides but part of personality [2]
62. The dough is stuffed. It could be Jewish food [5]
63. Dogs with no lead induce scratches [6]
64. “I can see the target”, he said [2]
66. Cut the end of fruit to turn it leguminous [3]
68. Unnecessary diluent of Scotch [5]
70. Coalition leader could be a _ _ _ _ head [4]
72. Take note of dry bubbly, groovy! [3]
73. Secures by stirring fire residue [3]