AsRqTuIaSrTe Solution

The puzzle is dedicated to Samuel Finley Breese Morse, who was a famous painter of miniatures as well as an inventor. The pattern of letters from the long and short words is given by the Morse code sequence of dashes and dots in the code words.


         Square                     Pattern           Code word


 f S i n l A M e U E y L        . -. .. --. -- .-       enigma

 S u n T e R a I s V e E        - .. -.-. -.- . -       ticket

 i n G A s a n D G e E T        ..- -. .. - -.--        unity

 n T A i B n o n L E s T        .-- .-. . .- -.-        wreak

 l e s B s R E E e n S E        ... -. --- ..- -        snout

 A R a n R g i A n N T a        --. . - ..- .--.        getup

 M a n o E i n T I t E R        -. .. -. . - -.--       ninety

 e I D n E A T t o E m b        .-- .- --. . -..        waged

 U s G L e n I o E r R s        -.-- . .- .-. -.        yearn

 E V e E n N t E r D e e        -- . -. - .- .-..       mental

 y e E s S T E m R e S n        ..-. --- .-. - .        forte

 L E T T E a R b s e n t        -- --- .-. ... .        Morse

Clue explanations

An anterisk (*) indicates a transposal; quotes (”) idicate a homophone; square braces ([]) show deletions; (italics) show comments.

*image around N[ile] = enigma / Samuel / Finley
hidden ticket / *verist = strive / unease = un + ease[l]
unity = [F]un [C]ity / *tagged = gadget / *sienna = insane
wreak = “reek” / tablet = *battle / N(in on)S = ninons
sno([Roussea]u)t = snout / breese / lessen = “lesson”
get up = getup / arrant = ar(ran)t / A[e]ngin[e]A = angina
ninety = [e]XC[esses] (Roman numeral) / (re + item) rev. = metier / anoint = [p]ai(no)int
waged = (Dega[s]W) rev. / hidden ideate / entomb = (net mob)*
yearn = year + n. / lie inside rug* = uglier / senors = sen[i]ors
mental, double def. (genial, mental both mean "relating to the chin") / Eve + rev. den = evened / entree, “on tray” & lit.
forte, double def. (clue answer for 7 LONG is METIER) / esters = [trim]esters / yes-men = enemy's*
Morse / letter, double def. (ref. papal bull) / absent = AB + sent

For permissions, apply to the editor.