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The print version seems very cramped. A line space problem. I'm working on a more readable version.

Here's a link to a more readable version.

https://genius153.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/genius-153/

He hasn't left many straight clues for us!

I'm sure we can find out pairs by working backwards spotting pairs of word which might be 'correctly paired' to lead to the first set of pairs. There are plenty.

I haven't actually found any yet!

I'm confused so can I clarify my understanding of the instructions?

"Fourteen solutions are derived from seven common word pairs, each having a single letter interchanged".

Does that mean that, having got a pair of answers, a single letter is swapped between the two answers before entering them into the grid? Or is it the 'original' word pairs (from which the solutions are derived) which have their letters interchanged, and the solution words are entered into the grid unchanged?

I almost can't be bothered doing this month's Genius :-(

An example that hopefully makes it clear....

1A Birds not finishing cheese (3) AVE

10A Made sad farewell (4) EDAM

AVE and EDAM are the words entered, the word pair is ADAM and EVE

Thanks for that, ixion. Your example makes it very clear but, nonetheless, I think I'll put it aside for a rainy day ;-)

If it's as sunny where you are as it is in glasgow probably a good decision.

Helpful example, Ixion (except that ave means the opposite of farewell ...) But is it your surmise that the words entered are all real words - and can the exchanged letters come from anywhere in the words?

Ave can mean hail or farewell I think...yes, the words entered are all real words and the exchanged letters can come from anywhere in the words.

ffannie - your print version seems to be missing the clue for 27d,and 24d is shown twice).