Game Box by Poat

Puzzle explanation

The entry method for answers was based on the game Black Box, involving deducing the positions of “obstacles” that block or deflect straight lines. Alternate letters in the grid’s perimeter gave the first four words of a quotation from P. G. Wodehouse’s Unpleasantness at Bludleigh Court, “The fascination of shooting as a sport depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of the gun.” The puzzle was published on the first day of the duck shooting season in Britain.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer Explanation
2 HARE HEAR with E moved to the end
3 KREMLIN SPORTSMANLIKE * − (PASS TO) *
4 ETTLING TITLE * + N + G; ref. Nicola Sturgeon
5 RETIREE ((explosiv)E + TIRE) in RE
IDÉE I + DEE
6 FLATTERING F + LATTE + RING
8 AERIEST EIRE < after A + ST
9 SHIELD L in SHIED
REIK REIK(i)
10 VISNE (exp)ENSIV(e) <
WIENER WINE * + ER; ref. “frank” = “frankfurter” in the ODE
WOO W + O + O
11 CITHER C + THEIR *
LETRASET (REAL TEST) *
12 INTER NOS (T(wo) + RONNIES) *
13 RECLUSE RE + CLUES *
14 SNAKESKIN SNAKE + SKIN
15 FROSH FRESH with middle letter changed
HERETO HETERO with T, R transposed
16 ETIOLATE (p)ETIOLATE
OCTETS (STET + CO) <
17 OATH (l)OATH
REARWARD REWARD around (A + R)
18 UPSEE UPS + EE; ref. clan Montgomery
ALIYA ALA around (I + Y)
RID RID(e)
19 FOUR homophone of FOR
TERCELET LETTER * around CE
20 AGREE 2 meanings; (Gretn)A GREE(n)
21 SAC S(n)A(t)C(h)
TO-BRUSD TO + BUS around R + D
22 LINCRUSTA (CURL + STAIN) *
KIWI K + I’ + WI
23 HASTEN H(ighway) + AS + TEN
WOOL-COMBERS (BLOWS OR COME) *
24 DRAW D + RAW
25 ORA RA after O
IAGO I + A(dvancin)G + (Othell)O
PARITOR AIRPORT *
27 ILL SEEN ILL + homophone of SCENE
EYES DOWN 2 meanings
28 GOLLARS G + COLLARS − C
30 OWLISH 2 meanings; WISE OR FOOLISH = (ROOFIES + OWLISH) *
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