Guardian 24,261 (Sat 15 Dec)/Araucaria - Da Vinci Code
Posted by rightback on 23rd December 2007
Solving time: 18 mins, one mistake (20dn)
This Mona Lisa-themed puzzle might have been straightforward for any art scholars who knew the ten-word phrase at 24ac (anyone?), but I had to work it out painstakingly from the anagram. The rest of the clues were probably a bit easier than usual for Araucaria.
Music: The only song I can think of that mentions the Mona Lisa is ‘Aire and Calder’ by Ultrasound, but sadly I can’t find a recording anywhere online, so here’s I’ll Show You Mine instead.
* = anagram.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | SUP + [h]ERB |
| 4 | AR(MAD)A |
| 9 | BELT (double definition) |
| 11 | VI + KRAM (rev. of MARK) - I think I read somewhere that Vikram Seth is a crossword fan. |
| 12 | G + IO (= ‘10′) + CONDA (= ‘Rice’, as in Condoleeza) - not sure what ‘portions’ is doing in this clue. La Gioconda is the Mona Lisa. I believe the spelling of this answer caught a few people out once in the final of a Times Crossword Championship. |
| 13 | A + S(IAN)PEAR |
| 16 | M(ON)ALI’S + A |
| 17 | A D(HER)ENT’S |
| 21 | WOLF NOTE; rev. of ETON FLOW - a noise that occurs when an instrument resonates - see here. |
| 22 | D + URBAN (= ‘of city’) |
| 24/29/23 10/1dn | SHE IS OLDER THAN THE ROCKS AMONG WHICH SHE SITS; (LEONARDO’S WORK - HIS HIGHEST - MATCHES HITCHENS’S)* - a comment on the Mona Lisa by the essayist Walter Pater (see 2dn). Three quarters of a very good anagram; a pity that ‘Hitchens’ spoils it somewhat, unless I have missed a reference. [And perhaps I have - see comments.] |
| 25 | [saga]CITY |
| 26 | NELSON (triple definition) - referring to Horatio Nelson, the wrestling hold (named after him) and Nelson Mandela. |
| 27 | BYSSHE (hidden) - good job I knew Shelley’s middle name name. Totally inadequate hidden indicators, as here, is one of the things I dislike most about Araucaria’s puzzles. |
| Down | |
|---|---|
| 2 | PATE + R (= ‘for tail’) |
| 3 | RO(AD)MA + P |
| 6 | APHRODITE; (OPRAH TIED)* |
| 7 | AR(CAD)IA |
| 8 | ROUGH-AND-READY; (GHAN[a] + DREAD) in (YOUR)* |
| 14 | ANNA FRIEL; (N + rev. of FAN) in ARIEL |
| 16 | MOO + RHE (= HER*) + N |
| 18 | [b]EL(DER)LY |
| 20 | K.O. + SOV + O - ‘end fight’ is ‘K.O.’ (’knock out’), ‘pound’ is SOV[ereign] and ‘love’ is O. I rushed into ‘Komodo‘ here, which of course isn’t a country - but then, I don’t think Kosovo is, either. |
Posted in Guardian | 5 Comments »