May 2026 Slot 7 (Clashes) by Flowerman
The grid represents a map rotated roughly 45 degrees from normal. Clashes (letters of crossing entries not matching) occur in five appropriately positioned cells forming a theme. Numbers in brackets indicate the cells available for each entry. (This is not necessarily the length of the solution since entries associated with clashes each contribute at least two letters to the cell in which the clash occurs.) The clashing letters can be arranged to form names of thematic areas. For submission solvers must enter the initial letter of each name in the five cells.Three clues consisting of wordplay only have surface readings [not their solutions] hinting at the theme. Their clue numbers, one used twice, can form a thematic date. The eight circled letters can be arranged to provide the location of the theme.
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