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Tricky homophones
We had dealt with homonyms in one of the earlier issues. Homophones, are words that sound similar though spelt differently. The words `Bard' and `Barred' are pronounced alike, but are spelt differently and mean totally divergent things. `Bard' is a noun, while `Barred' is a verb in the past tense form. Either of these words could be the answer to the clue `Shakespeare, we hear, prohibited'. So, how do we choose between the two? The number within the brackets after the clue provides the hint. Depending on whether the number is 4 or 6, the answer is `Bard' or `Barred'. Another clue `The feline species have what sounds like a part of a law (5)' has the answer as `Claws', which is homophonic with `Clause'. The words `hear', `sound' etc in the clue is a hint that the answer comprises a homophone.
Here are a few samples for you to solve
Across:
1. The prayer sounds like him (4)
4. The car wheel, one hears, is to wear out (4)
6. The young woman, we hear, built of produced (4)
Down:
1. The chief horse's hair (4)
2. The poem was not better (5)
5. Travelled by horse along the path (4)
The answers are: Hymn, Tire, Made, Main, Verse and Road. The alternative words were: Him, Tyre, Maid, Mane, Worse and Rode.
While `Hymn' was the obvious choice because the number of letters had to be four, in the others, the choice was forced by the need to mesh with the other words. For instance, if we had chosen, say, `Worse' it would not have agreed with `Tire' (or even Tyre). `Rode' would not get with `Made' (or Maid, for that matter).
One can see two other words `Nor' and `As' in the formation.
They have, however, not been reckoned because the relative clues would not fit into the homophone pattern.
K.T.R.
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