Missing the Big Picture solution
by Kegler
The theme is the old adage "You can't see the forest for the trees."
30 Across, WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE, describes
THE FOREST, the nine letters from the Across entries that get overwritten.
8 Down, WHY YOU CAN'T SEE IT,
describes the "trees" from the Down entries that overwrite those letters. The colored
squares in the answer grid indicate
the following replacements: 1 YEW for T, 2 PEAR for H, 3 FIG for E,
4 ASH for F, 5 ELM for O, 6 TEAK for R,
7 OAK for E, 8 CEDAR for S, 9 PINE for T.
Across
| 1 | A + G(END)AS |
| 8 | WOM + BAT (rev) |
| 12 | BO(THE)R (ROB rev) |
| 13 | O + OH |
| 14 | V + AM + P,S |
| 16 | RUED (RUDE anag) |
| 17 | EIGHT ("ATE" hom) |
| 18 | LATCHKEY ("CATCH LEE" spoonerism) |
| 20 | A + F + RAID |
| 22 | HOWLING (hidden) |
| 23 | SE(RENE'S)T |
| 26 | H(ENC)E |
| 27 | ESCORT (SECTOR anag) |
| 30 | WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE |
| 33 | EACH (ACHE anag) |
| 37 | NONE (hidden) |
| 38 | HIRE (HEIR anag) |
| 40 | T + ROLL |
| 41 | HA(ZE)D |
| 42 | C(ET + ACE)ANS |
| 44 | SA + LA(R)Y |
| 45 | DE(P)LETE |
| 46 | MI + L + LION |
| 47 | TI(T)LE |
| 48 | E + ASE (SEA anag) |
| 49 | LEI + SURE |
| 50 | NUDE (DUNE anag) |
| 51 | ME(L)TS |
| 52 | MUSH (HUMS anag) |
|
Down
| 1 | A + B(R)EAST |
| 2 | GO + U + L{ASH}ES |
| 3 | E + {YE(W}E)AR |
| 4 | D(E)ICING |
| 5 | ARCH (2 defs) |
| 6 | SmOCKS |
| 7 | DO + G + {FlIG}HT |
| 8 | WHY YOU CAN'T SEE IT |
| 9 | OVERWH{E + L + M} (HOWEVER anag) |
| 10 | MAIL (2 defs) |
| 11 | A + P{(PEA)R}ANCE |
| 15 | STAG + E (GATS rev) |
| 19 | PINT-SIZE (NETS I ZIP anag) |
| 21 | DEMO (hidden) |
| 24 | REAC + T (CARE anag) |
| 25 | ENTHRALLED (HELD RENTAL anag) |
| 28 | SCOUNDREL (CRUEL DONS anag) |
| 29 | WEE + D |
| 30 | WEL(COME)D |
| 31 | UNLAY (rev hidden) |
| 32 | T(HALL)I + UM |
| 34 | ABE{CEDAR}IAN (CABINED AREA anag) |
| 35 | CO + CA(I)NE |
| 36 | CL{OAK}ROOM (LOOK, MARCO anag) |
| 39 | {TEAK}ETTLES (LET KATE SET anag) |
| 41 | H(A + P + {PIN)E}SS |
| 43 | TEETH (hidden) |
|