6
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This is part 4 of the puzzle series. Part 1 is here.


Dear Puzzling,

Today I'm visiting a wonderful old castle surrounded by picturesque woodland. You may have noticed that I'm not exactly taking the most convenient route to visit my intended destinations – this is because I want to show these places to you in the same order in which you'll need them later.

In five clues, the letters of one word have been scrambled and must be corrected before solving. The unscrambled words together form an instruction for extracting the final answer.

Wish you were here!
Love, Gladys.

enter image description here

Across
1. Woods, they say, is a kind of area where spruces and pines grow (5)
5. Birthplace of the King of Portugal: Central Peruvian capital, Lima, in the outskirts of El Agustino (6)
9. Onset of disease struck – put off return to school (4)
10. Bony fish tooth is missing a piece (4)
11. Suggestion: Turn that thing on before working (6)
12. Separate a piano composition, say (5)
13. Finally meeting wearing uniforms, dear head teacher (4)
15. Royal warrants are obtained… (4)
16. …by myself, misrepresented as current Patriarch (5)
18. SFX producer for two channels featuring "the latest in radio" – after constant fossil material (4,7)
21. Official day before year regularly turns to reflection (5)
22. Getting rid of male sheep dogs, briefly (4)
28. Biblical figure's many pieces of property (4)
29. Appoint everyone to read the wrong way (5)
30. Opera composed to describe Illinois's capital, a city located on Illinois River (6)
31. Blade weapons pointing toward the west – sign of hidden treasure in the Caribbean, perhaps? (4)
32. Love in hearts, occasionally leading to physical desire (4)
33. Piece of rubber retreats drastically as temperatures drop (6)
34. Picture the height of terrifying wizard (5)

Down
1. City in North Africa having a stronger flavour (7)
2. Original opening in wind instrument turned around (5)
3. Getting artistic inspiration, understanding Shakespeare's introductions to Julius Caesar (5)
4. A Mexican's greeting, from the south: "Hi!" (5)
5. Meaning of 10 down's second answer, ultimately (5)
6. Old man situated near a border of Rome? (4)
7. Small lifeforms between the banks of Nile? Article by Pravda dismissive of the odds (6)
8. Cooked Hot Pockets? A foul thing to say (4)
10. Mother, among others, embraces female-organized crime (5)
14. Cars for hire – ones with retractable top (4)
15. The messenger, picking the essential bit for you (4)
17. Vineyard's fruit juice campaign (7)
19. Story of one making 26 down told (6)
20. Small parts, taking first form: aromas (5)
22. One with serious disease (and large girth) obtains short sword (5)
23. The first Persian shah converted a member of Iranian minority (5)
24. Orlando, FL: Finale held in advance (5)
25. Smart musician (5)
26. Peddling a bit of strong beer (4)
27. Enemies aboard flying saucers decapitated Earthling – only the head remaining (4)


Gladys will return in Gladys's Extra Word Cryptic.

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2
  • $\begingroup$ 5 Across: I loved it...I loved it very much. :-) $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 14:14
  • $\begingroup$ @JeremyDover Hehe, glad to hear it! $\endgroup$
    – Jafe
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 15:53

1 Answer 1

4
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The filled grid:

enter image description here

Clue explanations (thanks, Stiv and Jeremy Dover, for helping me finish off the last few!):

enter image description here

The instruction is

READ EIGHTH LINE FROM RIGHT. The eighth row of the grid, read right-to-left, spells out the destination: STOLZENFELS, a German castle that was later rebuilt as a palace.

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4
  • $\begingroup$ Always impressive how quickly you get these... Pretty sure for 20D it's just rot13(FPRAGF (nebznf) zvahf vgf svefg yrggre (gnxvat svefg sebz)) $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 13:04
  • $\begingroup$ @Stiv Ahh, of course. I was too distracted by the homophone. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 13:07
  • $\begingroup$ Oh and 5D is reaaally sneaky! rot13(GRA + qBja'f frpbaq + nafjrE hygvzngryl - abguvat gb qb jvgu gur npghny 10Q pyhr!) $\endgroup$
    – Stiv
    Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 13:07
  • $\begingroup$ Re 14D: rot13(V guvax guvf vf n qbhoyr qrsvavgvba, jvgu pnof orvat fubeg sbe pnoevbyrgf, juvpu ner pneevntrf jvgu n ergenpgnoyr gbc) $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 14, 2020 at 14:16

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