Thread by @NeilWithers

Watch out world! If I get time today, I'll go through some of the MEGA ELEMENTAL @ChemistryWorld Christmas crossword answers!
Watch this space (I'll aim for 1pm)

@ChemistryWorld RIGHT THEN. Get your puzzles out: chemistryworld.com/culture/decemb…
Eyes down and I'll find a clue to start us off

@ChemistryWorld Let's just go start with
1 across: Dope saps energy from inspirational lady (6 - but only 4 squares/elements!)

@ChemistryWorld Answer: HEROIN... but with which elements?

An inspirational lady is a heroine, which if you take off the E ('sap' the 'energy'), gives you a drug or dope.

BUT WHICH ELEMENTS?!

@ChemistryWorld Only 4 spaces, remember:
I found while doing this that the E's are crucial. So for this one, while you could have He, that leaves the R stranded, so it must be H | Er. Only two more spaces means OIN must be O | In. So it's

H | Er | O | In

@ChemistryWorld Only another 70odd to go!

@ChemistryWorld 3 Across: What Creole rascal converted the polymer pioneer? (7, 9 - but with 10(!) squares)

Back in a few mins

@ChemistryWorld Answer: WALLACE CAROTHERS

Anagram of 'what Creole rascal' ('converted') who is a 'polymer pioneer'.

So how do we fit that in 10 squares? Actually not all that ambiguous...

W | Al | La | Ce || C | Ar | O | Th | Er | S

@ChemistryWorld The C vs Ca is resolved by the R again - must be C | Ar. And I don't think there's another way to the —OTHERS either. No Ot or Rs to go with He.

No other way I can see to do WALLACE either.

@ChemistryWorld Right then, just for @DavePalmerUSask (yes, I do requests!)
68 Across: Supports corporal punishment or just a case of computer typography? (9 - but 7 squares)

A bit groan-worthy, I'll admit

@ChemistryWorld @DavePalmerUSask Answer: BACKSLASH.

I suppose a backslash is more common in computer typography than normal typography (?) and if one supports corporal punishment, one 'backs [the] lash'.

Groan, as I said.

@ChemistryWorld @DavePalmerUSask But how do you do that with elements? Most of it is straightforward, but is it
BaCKSLaSH
OR
BAcKSLaSH

I guess we'll need to do the clue that ends in the 2nd square!

@ChemistryWorld @DavePalmerUSask And that is:
47 Down: Mixed up, copies escort seeing double (12 letter, but 10 elements/squares)

@ChemistryWorld @DavePalmerUSask (Sorry for the delay, apparently I have to do non-crossword work now and then)

Answer: STEREOSCOPIC

Anagram ('mixed up') of 'copies escort', gives word that means 'seeing double'.

So how do we spell it with elements?

@ChemistryWorld @DavePalmerUSask Well, it's got to start S | Te | Re - because of those E's! And that means it goes along with single letters from there:
S | Te | Re | O | S | C | O | P | I | C
[shame as there would have been fun with O/Os/S/Sc/C/Co/O etc]

What does that mean for 68 across??

@ChemistryWorld @DavePalmerUSask Single C at the end, so it's

Ba | C | K | S | La | S | H

And that's the joy of it, eh? (Thank god we didn't have to solve another one to solve 47 down)

I think that concludes the CrOsSWORd* solving for 2018! Join me in January, if I get the time.

@ChemistryWorld @DavePalmerUSask *We know.
Seriously, We. Know.
Don't write letters.