Financial Times 12,569 by Bradman
Posted by Pete Maclean on September 22nd, 2007
I believe this is the first Bradman puzzle I have attempted. It took me a while — longer than I would generally want to spend on a daily puzzle — perhaps because I am unused to the style, but I found it satisfying and challenging in parts. I was unable to get one answer (20D), am unsure about a second (27A) and cannot fully explain a third (12A). My favourite clues are 1A, 5A, 1D, 7D and 9D.
Across
1. BAD TASTE - reverse clue for STATE
5. FRESCO - AL FRESCO (outdoors) with AL (a litre) removed. I do not care for removal clues unless they work very well as this one most certainly does.
10. LARAMIE - anagram of ALARM + IE (that is)
11. ESSENCE - C (cold) in ESSENE (ascetic type)
12. GUILD - ???. I am unsure how this clue works but figure the answer must be GUILD. Is there a type of fish that is a homophone for guild? I cannot find one.
13. IN A LATHER - anagram of THEIR ALAN. This was the clue that got me started.
14. CLASSIFIED AD - C (Chelsea’s leading) + LASS (girl) + IF (if) + IE (that is) + DAD (old man)
16. NEUROSCIENCE - anagram of NICE CURE ONES
21. POLITICAL - cryptic definition
23. RACER - ACE (star) in RR (car — Rolls Royce)
24. EL GRECO - ELG[a]R (composer) + E (English) + CO (company). Ah, one of my favourite artists!
25. UTOPIAN - U (University) + TOP (leading) + IAN (bloke).
26. TREPAN - REP (agent) in TAN (brown). Devious but not too difficult because brown often clues tan.
27. NEW STYLE - ???. Or is it? I fancy this refers to a radio station but I am unsure and cannot fathom the wordplay.
Down
1. BELUGA - anagram of A BULGE. A semi &lit. and yummy to boot!
2. DARWIN - R (river) in DAW (bird) + IN (home)
3. ARMADILLO - A (a) + MAD (frenzied) in RILL (stream) + O (duck)
4. THE FIRST CUCKOO - anagram of SHOUT OF CRICKET
6. RASTA - RA (artist) + ST (street) + A (a)
7. SUNSHADE - SUNS (paper’s) + anagram (improvised) of HEAD
8. OVERRIDE - OVER (maiden perhaps) + RIDE (journey)
9. RELATIVE CLAUSE - self-referential cryptic definition. I love this type of clue!
15. INCURIOUS - INCUR (be subject to) + IOUS (notices about debt)
16. ANAPAEST - anagram (broken) of A PEASANT. An anapaest is a metrical foot — I had to look this one up in my dictionary.
17. DUOLOGUE - cryptic definition.
19. ACUITY - U (upper classes) in A (a) + CITY (place like Winchester)
20. _R_N_E - PRINCE??? I cannot satisfy myself about this one.
22. THECA - THEA (girl) catching C (cold). A theca is a biological term meaning the case of a spore or pupa — something that, again, I had to resort to my dictionary to find.
September 22nd, 2007 at 9:00 am
I’m most grateful for this, Pete. Many thanks. Just to clear up those three clues. A fish is ‘gilled’, Prince=N in price (as in what’s the damage?), and New St(reet) is the Brum station to be added to the reverse of our old friend Ely
September 23rd, 2007 at 5:44 pm
Bradman,
I agree with Pete that this was slightly more challenging than a daily puzzle. That combined with the fact that it appeared on Friday made me wait till Sunday to solve it. I was unfamiliar with 16D and 22D answers. Also I think it had slightly more “?” clues than what I care for. Overall a good puzzle and nicely done; I always enjoy the ones which introduce new words to me. Could you please explain 27A again? Why is old friend = Ely?
September 23rd, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Thanks, K. See about = reverse of Ely (a very familiar crossword see = diocese).
September 23rd, 2007 at 8:04 pm
I think I should have got 20D; my father used to use “damage” in the sense of price a lot. On the other hand, I feel comfortable about failing with 27A.