Inquisitor 1855 Virtue Rewarded? by Arcadia

OK, Eurovision time. The sun is shining, and we’re all getting out and about and no doubt burnt too. Several questions would arise throughout the day, most of them to do with Britain’s dodgy voting in said event, the equally dodgy Dominic Cummings appearing in the i, and last but not least the week’s Inquisitor, because. Blimey.

Spenser, that favourite of the barred grid crossword setter. Only this time we’ve got him full on, 100%, no holds-barred, XXXX strength. Because, you see, all the entered across answers are whimsical spellings of his invention of the actual answers. Spenser was obviously quite the wit. Or couldn’t spell. Perhaps they spelled things differently in ye olde days, I don’t know.

But you spotted that quickly, didn’t you, whereas it took me until Sunday to work out what the hell was going on.

The downs were thankfully more sane, and I’m betting I wasn’t alone in having a grid full of them with only a smattering of across ones for ages.

The unclued ones. Characters from the Faerie Queene, apparently. They look like they will fit. Which is the best that can be said for my one at the bottom of the grid, which is based solely on its position in the alphabet and a bit of desperate Googling to find out exactly who REDCROSSE was “tasked by”.

Don’t get me started on the clashing letters. If they’re correct (which I have misgivings about), I’ve no idea what they mean.

My grid fill having resolved into a desperate – what Spensarian words will fit the gaps – any mistakes are perhaps expected, inevitable, and shaken off with a shrug.

But you lot are all better educated than wot I am, I’m sure. 😉 Relieved that you didn’t have to explain all this on Fifteensquared? Well, yes, yes I was.