The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt: Clue #2

If it's too big to swallow, break it down into morsels.

Sometimes, there are no clever captions [Image: Dall-E 3]

Hello, whoopers!
I hope you had a good Friday and happy celebrations of Diwali and Halloween the day before.

The second clue for The Lamps & Lanterns Hunt is here!

It’s a mishmash of missing Crossword prompts, names, and unsolicited tips.

First things first!

• Missing prompt: 13 Across in the crossword is ’a polymath, a mathematician’

Second, regarding names:

12 Across is a second name,
and so, my friend, is 1 Down.

8 Across is but a first name,
and so, my friend, is 4 Down.

12 Across is a nom de plume,
and so, my friend, is 5 Down.

10 Across is a second name.
This, my friend, is the lowdown.

And lastly (but not least-ly), here are some unsolicited tips:

1. A bitter truth is that despite all the praises we sing of clever, human-knowledge-based approaches to problem-solving, sometimes brute force wins.
   
   You test all possible solutions and see what fits the context instead of solving from it.
   

2. If a problem seems too complicated, break it down into smaller portions. That’s the subtitle of this post, albeit in more practical verbiage.
   
   If it’s too big to swallow, break it down into morsels.

Where do you think these unsolicited tips can be used in the Hunt’s crossword?

Hit me up for clarifications and chatter.

Love,
waveman