An Overt by Awinger

Puzzle explanation

The thematic answers clued by wordplay only were fictional bears (Boo-Boo, Biffo, Fozzie, Yogi) and synonyms of “necessities”, hinting at the song The Bare Necessities (sometimes referred to as The Bear Necessities), which Baloo and Mowgli sang in the 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book. The extra letters in clues spelt out “your strife” (across) and “your worries” (down), illustrating the song’s third line, “Forget about your worries and your strife”. The puzzle’s title consisted of WANT and POVERTY stripped of their outer letters, ie two “bare” words for “necessity”.

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Extra letter Answer Explanation
Across
1   REQUIEMS REQUIRE with EMS for ER <
7 tin(Y) FRANC FC around RAN
11   STURDY R(egion) in STUDY
13   BOO-BOO BO around (O + OBO)
14   SHOELESS (HE LOSES) * + (Kenyan)S
15 zo(O) ZOISM ZO IS M(oving)
16   FESTS (FAST with E for A) + S(earch)
17 ca(U)ses ESP PE < around S
19   ACHOO A + C + HOO(ter)
21 gone(R) SOIGNÉ (IS GONE) *
24 Pole(S) LOIPEN (POLE IN) *
27   TEL TELLING − LING
28   CAJUN CAN around JU(g)
29   GIE G + I + E
30   BOOKS BROOKS − R
31 star(T) ORE (HERO − H) <
32 range(R)s SAIGAS S + AGAS around I’
34   ACKNOW C in WONKA <
36   BIFFO (OF + FIB) <
39 cock(I)er PET 2 meanings
41 (F)or ROBOT OR < + BOAT − A
44 plan(E)ts IXIAS (I + AS) around XI
45   IMAGISTS (MA + GIST) in IS
46   ON VIEW ON + VIE + W
47   TEASES T(h)E (b)A(t)S(m)E(n) + S
48   NEEDS (NET + MEDS) − T − M
49   INTEREST IN + TEST around RE
Down
2 And(Y) ETHIC ET + HIC
3 h(O)ard QUOTH H after QUOT(a)
4   IDLE (IDLE + EYES) = homophone of IDOLISE
5 (U)sing EYES E(ton’s) Y(ear) E(leven) S(ing)
6   MUSTS (SET + SUM) < − E
7   FOZZIE I in (F + (r)OZZE(r))
8 fine(R) ROOK OK after R(eboz)O
9 (W)in À BIENTÔT A + BIT around (EN + TO)
10   COMPULSIONS COMMOTIONS with PULS(e) for MOT
12 c(O)urse REFOCUS (CURSE OF) *
14   SEA SCORPION SEASON around (COR + PI)
18   SEEKS KEE(p) < in SS
20   YOGI (GIE − E) after YO
22 Ma(R)ine MARAE ME around ARA(b)
23 Pete(R)’s EJECTIVE (IV + E) after ((Pet)E + C in JET)
25   PEAK PE(w) + A(r)K
26   NOTITIA IT in (AIT + ON) <
33   ANISES (org)ANISES
35 lass(I) WOMAN OM in WAN
37 corps(E) FOSSE SS in FOE
38   FATES FATTEST − T − T
40 (S)aid GAID G + AID
42   BATT BA(by) or BA(be) + TT
43   OGEE GEE after O
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