Circular Reference

In software architecture, circular references are EVIL. FunctionA and FunctionB invoke each other? Redesign! EntityA and EntityB have bidirectional dependency? Break it!

The reason is that software with circular references is difficult to maintain, understand or use.

So also with crosswords.

Came across this pair of clues with circular reference in today's Guardian 24537. They were the last two to go into the grid. Standalone they might have got solved easily, but calling on each other this way they gave me a hard time!

ACROSS 19: 25 Short of a large cask, brings back a small one (3)
DOWN 25: 19 across, nothing more (4)

The crossing letters made it fairly obvious that the answers were BUT and ONLY. How and why, not so obvious. Putting the annotation up here for the benefit of those who were as confused as I was.

ACROSS 19: BUT [3] This is a triple definition.

Definition 1: 25 = ONLY
Definition 2: Short of a large cask = BUT{-t} (BUTT is a large cask)
Definition 3: Brings back a small one = TUB<- (TUB is a small cask)

DOWN 25: ONLY [CD]

The clue is to be read as 'BUT, nothing more', which gives ONLY.

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Related Posts:
Inter-Grid References
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