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This is part 18 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own.


Deаr Puzzling,

This is an I Have No Idea What I’m Doing crossword. The clues are a mix of 10 standard crossword clues, 11 cryptic clues and 10 printer’s devilry clues, in no particular order. “Sneak” answers (thin lines with circle at the top) are written downwards starting from the numbered cell. “Addler” answers (thick rectangular lines) climb upwards from the numbered cell as indicated. “Across” answers start from the bottom left corner and make their way upwards row by row, each sharing one or more letters with the previous answer. Note that this means that the answers on every second row are written right to left.

The large letters and cells shaded in dark grey form an Akari puzzle (also known as Light Up). The letters A to E in the grid stand for the numbers 0 to 4, each used exactly once. Figure out which letter correspond to which number and fill the grid by placing lamps in unshaded cells. A number in a cell indicates how many lamps are adjacent to that cell (horizontally or vertically). A lamp illuminates every cell it sees horizontally or vertically. Lamps cannot see through shaded cells. In the filled grid, every unshaded cell must be illuminated by at least one lamp, and no lamp must be illuminated by another lamp.

Today I have visited an important religious site. People have travelled far and wide to see this place for centuries, and I guess today it was my turn. Can you guess where I am?

Love, Gladys.

Empty crossword/Akari grid
Akari on Penpa+
Crossword on Penpa+

Across
8a. Papers displaced in unexpected event, leading to stress (6)
8b. Sort of oven from part of South Asia (7)
8c. Italy's Senate loses its decision making Po west - Han, 50% of the members are present (6)
8d. Everyone seems to love The Return of the King, but I think I tome film (7)
8e. One of the principal villains in the series is do lore bridge (3)
8f. Stories like that of Io: "Thy S&M is perverted!" (5)
8g. She described her Fanta King, place in a magical land (6)
8h. Standing and thus foul (8)
8i. Among Fox's no how's are The Simpsons and Ally McBeal (6)
8j. The con stabs, eventually enrolled in the Police Academy to follow in their father's footsteps (6)
8k. To properly enjoy as a UT wig, whisk to beat your skin (6)
8l. A member of the US Navy's special forces (4, abbr.)
8m. The cougar I safe pec, i.e. sin North America that's very widely spread (5)
8n. Works out love in order to get aboard ship (6)
8o. Mark tours Los Angeles with no particular direction (6)
8p. One frequenting the Forum? (5)
8q. Australians and New Zealanders in WWI (5, abbr.)
8r. Area containing many embassies, one near Connecticut (3, abbr.)
8s. Brown fellow's excursion (7)
8t. Terrible mentor is behind student's right to cause distress (7)
8u. Located in northwest Iran, Azerbaijan's capital city (6)
8v. Tortilla chips with melted cheese (6)
8w. Many aquatic species have lived in this type of environment and proceeded along the surface of the water quietly (5)

Sneaks (down)
1. Tavern in The Simpsons (4)
2. Way to greet a modern-day 8p (4)
3. Republican assault taking control of location of Parliament Building (6)
6. Piece of music with accompaniment for one singer (4)
7. This setback should node Rus from accomplishing our goal (4)

Addlers (up)
4. One teaching Tibetan Buddhism (4)
5. Musicians recording some of their ide ape recorder (6)
9. Opposing forces devastated Yemen (5)


Gladys will return in Layers upon Layers.

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  • $\begingroup$ Nostalgic title. :) $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Mar 30, 2023 at 10:51
  • $\begingroup$ I know this is an older puzzle, but I've been going through the series and I ran into trouble on the Light Up part of this. I'm not sure it actually has a unique solution? But I feel like I must be missing something. Obviously it doesn't work for the final answer, but isn't this also a valid solution for the Light Up step? pasteboard.co/CWorGPOjNcxb.png $\endgroup$
    – Idran
    Sep 12, 2023 at 18:51
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @JustinHilyard Almost, but the cell to the left of the D doesn't see a lamp. $\endgroup$
    – Jafe
    Sep 12, 2023 at 21:04
  • $\begingroup$ @Jafe Oh ugh, I shouldn't have used the same color to mark "lit up" and "definitely no lamp here". Thanks! $\endgroup$
    – Idran
    Sep 12, 2023 at 21:08

1 Answer 1

11
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Gladys is visiting:

Mariazell Basilica in Austria

First, the crossword:

Across
8a. Papers displaced in unexpected event, leading to stress (6)

ACCENT - acc(-id)ent

8b. Sort of oven from part of South Asia (8)

TANDOOR

8c. Italy's Senate loses its decision making Po west - Han, 50% of the members are present (6)

RIFLES - Printers' devilry - ...poweR IF LESs than...

8d. Everyone seems to love The Return of the King, but I think I tome film (7)

SATIRES - Printers' devilry - ...it'S A TIRESome...

8e. One of the principal villains in the series is do lore bridge (3)

SUM - Printers' devilry - ...DoloreS UMbridge

8f. Stories like that of Io: "Thy S&M is perverted!" (5)

MYTHS - (thy S M) anagram

8g. She described her Fanta King, place in a magical land (6)

SIESTA - Printers' devilry - ...fantaSIES TAking

8h. Standing and thus foul (8)

STAGNANT - Double def

8i. Among Fox's no how's are The Simpsons and Ally McBeal (5)

TABLES - Printers' devilry - ...noTABLE Show's...

8j. The con stabs, eventually enrolled in the Police Academy to follow in their father's footsteps (6)

LESSON - Printers' devilry - ...constabLES' SONs...

8k. To properly enjoy as a UT wig, whisk to beat your skin (6)

NAUSEA - Printers' devilry - ...a sau**NA, USE A twig whisk...

8l. A member of the US Navy's special forces (4, abbr.)

SEAL

8m. The cougar I safe pec, i.e. sin North America that's very widely spread (5)

LINES - Printers' devilry - ..is a feLINE Species in...

8n. Works out love in order to get aboard ship (6)

SOLVES - (love) in SS

8o. Mark tours Los Angeles with no particular direction (6)

SCALAR - sca(LA)r

8p. One frequenting the Forum? (5)

ROMAN - Cryptic def

8q. Australians and New Zealanders in WWI (5, abbr.)

ANZAC

8r. Area containing many embassies, one near Connecticut (3, abbr.)

ACT - A + CT

8s. Brown fellow's excursion (7)

TANGENT - tan + gent

8t. Terrible mentor is behind student's right to cause distress (7)

TORMENT - (mentor) + T (right of student)

8u. Located in northwest Iran, Azerbaijan's capital city (6)

TIRANA - northwesT IRAN, Azerbaijan

8v. Tortilla chips with melted cheese (6)

NACHOS

8w. Many aquatic species have lived in this type of environment and proceeded along the surface of the water quietly (5)

SWAMP - SWAM + P

Sneaks (down)

  1. Tavern in The Simpsons (4)

MOE'S

  1. Way to greet a modern-day 8p (4)

CIAO

  1. Republican assault taking control of location of Parliament Building (6)

NASSAU - RepublicaN ASSAUlt

  1. Piece of music with accompaniment for one singer (4)

ARIA

  1. This setback should node Rus from accomplishing our goal (4)

THIN - Printers' devilry - ...noT HINder us...

Addlers (up) 4. One teaching Tibetan Buddhism (4)

LAMA

  1. Musicians recording some of their ide ape recorder (6)

SONATA - Printers' devilry ..ideaS ON A TApe...

  1. Opposing forces devastated Yemen (5)

ENEMY - (Yemen)

enter image description here

And the Akari (Light Up):

The numbers

A is in a corner so is at most 2.
The two B's in the same row mean B is also at most 2. (3 or more lights around one of them illuminate at least two squares adjacent to the other.)
There is an E on an edge, so E is at most 3.
If D were 4, the C would have two illuminated squares, and two squares in common with the A in the corner, making A and C equal. So D is not 4 either.

So C is 4.
A is 2.
The B adjacent to the C has one light, two illuminated squares and one unknown, so can only be 1.
The D had two illuminated squares and two unknowns so can only be 0.
And E must be 3.
enter image description here

And the whole grid can be quickly filled using only basic deductions:
(There's probably a better way to do this in Penpa, but I've used yellow for Lights and green for illuminated squares.)
enter image description here

Finally:

The squares with lights from the Akari give us the following on the crossword:
enter image description here And in normal reading order the highlighted squares give us
Mariazell Basilica

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