Everyman 3197
Posted by Colin Blackburn on 14th January 2008
The last Everyman blog was back in August. As with some of the other weekend competition puzzles the feedback was low and bloggers wanted to concentrate their efforts on the daily puzzles or the tougher weekend puzzles. Now that I’m limited by electronic access to puzzles I’ve decided to restart the Everyman blog for a few weeks to test the water.
I think the the Everyman is an excellent puzzle, often overlooked by the more accomplished solvers. However, it can provide a good introduction for less experienced solvers for a number of reasons. It is relatively easy. It is very fair, following Ximenean principles. It doesn’t have heavy themes or rely on a single key answer. It is very consistent due to its limited number of setters. And, for all of us, it offers some excellent witty clues.
For this first blog I have provided a full breakdown of all the clue, but I have only commented where I have felt that extra help might be required. If anyone needs further help then post a comment and I’ll be only too happy to answer.
* indicates an anagram.
< indicates a reversal.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | TIFFIN — TIFF+IN |
| 4 | AGLITTER — AG+LITTER |
| 10 | PISTACHIO — (HAITI COPS)* |
| 11 | FRUMP — F+RUM+P(unch) — occasionally the answer is staring you in the face. Here’s a case where the use of one element ‘en claire’ is vital for the surface. |
| 12 | RALLY — R(ailwayman)+ALLY |
| 13 | PEN-PUSHER — PEN + PUSHER |
| 14 | HIGH TREASON — (HEARING SHOT)* — criminal here is part of the wordplay, indicating the anagram, rather than part of the definition. |
| 18 | PASTURES NEW — (UPSET ANSWER)* — possibly is possibly one of the weakest regular anagram indicators. |
| 21 | DISREPAIR — (I’D)< + S+REPAIR |
| 22 | NURSE — N+(SURE)* — sisters can be nuns and nurses as well as siblings. |
| 23 | OSAKA — A in (OAKS)* — look out for the articles being used for more than surface reading. |
| 24 | PIER GLASS — PIER+G + LASS — the word play here is quite convoluted on first reading. The landing, PIER, is standing in front of goo, G, before the girl comes into it. A PIER GLASS is a tall mirror. I’m guessing the term originates from the mirrors found on seaside piers. |
| 25 | TILTYARD — (DRY + LIT AT)* — ‘and’ joins parts of the anagram material. Jousting is also tilting, hence the answer. |
| 26 | ASLEEP — AS + PEEL< |
| Down | |
| 1 | TOPARCHY — (OR PATCH)* + Y(emen) — not an obvious word but clear word play. |
| 2 | FUSELAGE — GALE< in FUSE — northerly here is used to indicate the reversal, grids often being seen in terms of a compass rose. However, the normal meaning of northerly for winds is from the north. A case where you must read past the surface for the word play. |
| 3 | ITALY — I + TAL + (victor)Y — The hardest clue for its wordplay. TAL refers to Mikhail Tal a now deceased 1960-1 chess champion. I felt that this clue was on the tough side though the answer, with checking letters, is unambiguous. |
| 5 | GROUND SQUIRREL — (LORD SQUIRE RUNG)* |
| 6 | INFLUENCE — (FINE UNCLE)* |
| 7 | TOUCHY — C in YOUTH* — C = clubs, the card suit. |
| 8 | REPORT — RE(d) + PORT |
| 9 | WHIPPERSNAPPER — double def. one cryptic |
| 15 | TIPPERARY — R in (PAIR TYPE)* — R = runs, in cricket. |
| 16 | INCREASE — IN+CREASE |
| 17 | SWEETSOP — WEE in (STOPS)* — cuckoo = mad is used to indicate the anagram, pecking indicates the inclusion of WEE. |
| 19 | ADROIT — A+DR+O+IT — support is used here in this down clue to state that OIT is under ADR. |
| 20 | ISRAEL — IS + LEAR< — always worth considering Lear when king is in the clue. |
| 22 | NEGUS — E(spresso) in SNUG* |
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