Posted by linxit on 23rd August 2007
Solving time 5:44
That was probably the easiest crossword I’ve ever done in the Guardian. Probably the only tricky word was 19ac, but it was an expression I knew from somewhere, so no problem there.
Across
10 C(AS,SAT)A - Italian ice-cream.
13 S,END - what a totally unimaginative clue!
14 EYE,AS,KANCE(a neck)* - As is the chemical symbol for arsenic.
19 SCUD - “in the scud” is Scottish for “in the nude”. I can’t remember where I’d heard the expression before, but I knew it straight away.
24 WATTEAU - “What-oh!”, something Bertie Wooster said all the time.
25 ICEBERG - a calf is one that’s split off from a glacier or ice shelf.
26 DUTCH,CHEESE - “made up an example?” Surely that can only be used in a down clue, unless it’s “up” as an anagram indicator. See recent discussion at the Crossword Centre.
Down
1 CIRCUMNAVIGATED - the clue is part of a quotation from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
2 NOTE,D - surely this should have read “Famous college sent up duke”.
7 SCALES, i.e. Libra, not Pisces.
8 SAPELE (Please*) - the wood they make doors out of, I think.
20 DO,SAGE
23 CREPE - crêpe rubber is rolled in thin crinkly sheets. News to me, but pancake was a giveaway with C?E?E.
Posted in Guardian | 13 Comments »
Posted by Colin Blackburn on 23rd August 2007
The football theme stands out from the clues if not the grid entries, only 9a is a footballing term. I thought that was it then I noticed the letters in the first and final columns: NINA NINA NINA NINA. Is there even more hidden that I’m not seeing? The grid blocking show rugby posts rather than football ones.
The puzzle was generally a delight to solve with some very good clues. I did, though, have to check a couple of words in Chambers and two bits of word play have left me baffled.
* = anagram
< = reversal
CD = cryptic definition
DD = double definition
| Across |
| 5 |
SHAGREEN — SH+AGREE+N — a new word for me, horse or donkey leather. For a while I had ‘new’ = GREEN and missed ‘get on’ = AGREE. |
| 9 |
INSIDE LEFT — INSIDE+(FELT)* — not a football position that is referred to much any more. |
| 10 |
TOPI — CD? — I can see why this is a high hat but is that it? |
| 11 |
NEXT BEST — X in NET+BEST — the first reference to George Best, he crops up in 27a also. |
| 12 |
CARBON — DD — See = C. |
| 13 |
ABET —alphABET — last half of A-to-Z!! |
| 21 |
IDEATE — EAT in IDE — I had to check this one too. |
| 23 |
ALBINONI — N in ALBION+I — West Bromwich Albion. Albinoni was an Italian composer known primarily for a single famous adagio. |
| 26 |
CHAIRWOMEN — AIR in H+W in C+OMEN — good word play combining lots of bits nicely. |
| 28 |
ANTHEA — AN+THE+A — Anthea Turner, TV presenter. Well observed for the word play though. |
|
| Down |
| 2 |
OUNCE — O+UNC(l)E — this crosswording cat appeared in the Times today as well. |
| 3 |
ARISTOTLE — A+RIS+TO+(LET)* — I’m not sure where the RIS or ARIS comes from. Aristotle was tutored by Plato. |
| 5 |
SWEET FANNY ADAMS — FANNY+ADAM in SWEETS — Sweet FA (another footballing Nina?) = very little. |
| 7 |
ROTOR — CD — It’d be nice to see a palindrome clued without reference to both ways! |
| 8 |
EXPLOSIVE — S in EX+PLO+I’VE |
| 14 |
BLINDNESS — CD |
| 16 |
EATING OUT — mOUTh — mouth is eating OUT. |
| 17 |
CIVET CAT — IC< + ETC in VAT — I wrote in TIGER CUB initially and spent a while forcing the rest of the letters into TUB. |
| 22 |
AWOKE — CD — nice cryptic definition to end with. |
Posted in Independent | 11 Comments »
Posted by nmsindy on 23rd August 2007
As indicated eslewhere, the first of a shorter blog on Quixote puzzles. Will try to concentrate on a small number of clues focussing on the trickier ones and those I liked the most. Happy to explain others if asked.
A little harder than normal. Solving time: 29 mins
* = anagram
ACROSS
8 PAR ODIST My favourite clue
12 FIFE My last to go in. that is very loud in short = IE FF (music). (ieff)* with the anagram indicated by ‘nasty’
13 REST HARROW Nice to work out a new word from the wordplay.
17 (BUN) G
20 C (AIM) AN
21 SILENT (listen)* Excellent misleading definition.
DOWN
7 BOUNDERS
Posted in Independent | No Comments »
Posted by neildubya on 23rd August 2007
A nice enough puzzle but a few too many cryptic definitions for my liking. Lots for new solvers to get their 5As stuck into though.
| Across |
| 1 |
WIND-BAG - a cryptic definition with a pun on “waffle”. |
| 5 |
INCISOR - another cryptic definition. Think of the teeth as a food processor. |
| 9 |
(POET PAINE)* - APPOINTEE. |
| 11 |
F,RISKING |
| 14 |
(STABLEMA[-t]E)* - BASE METAL |
| 16 |
EG,A,DA< - “Saw” is a neat trick for catching solvers out although it is becoming a bit well-worn now. Lawyers in crosswords will usually be BAR or DA (District Attorney). |
| 17 |
IN,CUR - more crossword staples for beginners to learn here: “batting” is IN and CUR is always a good choice for “scoundrel” or dog. |
| 19 |
ESCALATOR - another cryptic def but not a very exciting one I thought. |
| 22 |
(SKATER IS)* - you can see the answer to this right next to the closing bracket! |
| 27 |
(CLUE)* in SPATE |
| 28 |
ELECTOR - one more cryptic definition. |
| 29 |
PAPYRUS - and another. |
| |
| Down |
| 1 |
WHARF - the cryptic defs just keep on coming. The use of “tramp” (for tramp steamer - a type of cargo boat) and “loaded” (which can mean drunk) is very neat. |
| 7 |
SATSUMA - I didn’t know that this was a type of Japanese pottery but with S?T?U?A and “sort of orange” in the clue there’s only one answer. |
| 8 |
RACKETEER - can’t decide if this is a cryptic def or a double def or both. |
| 13 |
BLACK SHEEP - a Suffolk is a black-faced sheep. |
| 20 |
THIN AIR - the clue for this is “Balding ‘usband disappeared into…?” and I can’t work out why “‘usband” is there. Is it to indicate the missing H from “thin hair”? H is a valid indicator for “husband” so why not just say “husband disappeared into…”? Or am I missing something? |
| 25 |
TSAR - “tars” are sailors so just move the S up a bit. |
Posted in FT | 1 Comment »
Posted by neildubya on 23rd August 2007
I’m indebted to one of our regular commenters - stan - for this blog as we had a bit of a mix up this week and I assigned a puzzle to a blogger who was away. Normal service should resume today.
Across
10 A (N (A LOG) OUS) - “NOUS” is common sense, “LOG” is a record
12 E (POX) Y - “YE” backwards round POX
13 ABYSS I NIA - AIN backwards is quite cute
14 IMPIETY - II EMPTY *
15 RO ADMA P
18 HAR (DTO) P
20 KEEP NET - cryptic definition
21 W(O)E BE GONE
23 hidden in PunjaBE HARbour
24 ROACH - Naughty drug reference - wouldn’t catch Araucaria doing that
25 ESP ERA (N) TO - E.S.P (the usual spiritual talent) with Erato (the usual Muse)
26 P LATITUD (IN IS) E -
Down
2 PEA SOUPER - sounds like “Pee” “Super”
3 IRON Y - To smooth is to iron, and y is the second most common variable in algebra
4 TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH - Comes easily when you know a “saw” is a tired old cliche and that 62.5% of friars is 5/8th of “BROTHERS”
5 E SSAYER - Dorothy SAYERS with the last letter round the front
6 ROCK S(N)AKE
7 THOR N
9 OSCAR PETERSON - i.e PETER (Ackroyd)’S ON
15 ENTRE* CHAT- The only dance move I’ve even heard of
17 MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK - Best clue of the month - just a glorious cryptic definition
19 PRO JE(C)T - for = “pro” C = carbon
20 KNE (EP)AD
21 E MAIL = E LIAM<
22 BO(R)ON - A “Boon” is a benefit, presumably a grant also
Posted in Guardian | 1 Comment »