Financial Times 12,740 by Mudd
Posted by Pete Maclean on April 24th, 2008
This puzzle has no fewer than three clues that I lack a complete understanding of: 26A, 5D and 21D. My copy of the paper did not include the clue for 23D and I retrieved it from the FT web site.
Across
1. EGGHEAD - double definition. Eggcellent!
5. POMPOUS - POM (Englishman abroad) + anagram of OPUS
9. CEDAR - hidden word
10. SEVENTEEN - EVENT (occasion) in SEEN (observed)
11. SCAPEGOAT - S (seconds) + A PEG (a pin) in COAT (jacket)
12. FUNGI - homophone. I have a friend who has used this pun about himself before!
13. WHOOPEE CUSHION - cryptic definition. Not terribly cryptic though.
19. CURRENT ACCOUNT - double definition
20. DEMON - MO (doctor) in DEN (study)
22. TWITTERED - T (model) + WITTERED (waffled on)
24. MENAGERIE - anagram of EMERGE IN A
25. LIMBO - LIMB (arm) + O (love)
26. CROUTON - ???
27. LIAISON - anagram of SAILO[r] IN
Down
1. EXCESS - homophones
2. GODFATHER - D (daughter) in OF (of) all in GATHER (marshal)
3. EYRIE - [af]RI[ca] in EYE (one looks)
4. DISHONEST - DISH (serve) + ONES (one’s) + T (time)
5. PIVOT - PI (good??) + VOT[e] (choice of candidates, short)
6. MANIFESTO - MANIFEST (clear) + O (zero)
7. OCEAN - reverse hidden word
8. SENTIENT - anagram of INTENSE + T (temperature)
14. OVERNIGHT - OVER (finished) + NIGH (near) + [stree]T
15. COCHINEAL - COCHIN (Indian port) + anagram of ALE
16. IGNORAMUS - anagram of ORGANISM around U (pipe bend)
17. ACADEMIC - double definition
19. ADJOIN - A (a) + DJ (record player) + O (nothing) + IN (popular)
21. MANGO - ???
22. TURIN - [Alan] TURIN[g]
23. TULSA - A (a) + SLUT (prostitute) reversed
April 24th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
21D MAN (piece) + GO (be eaten)
26A ROUT (hiding) in CONsomme (no ’somme’ needed)
5D PI + VOT as you have them, PIVOT = spin
23D clue also missing in the US edition, but not hard to guess TULSA!
April 24th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
John, thanks. I still do not quite see 21D. How does “be eaten” clue GO and why the question mark?
May 1st, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Well, if something has been eaten it’s gone. Seemed OK to me. But don’t we always feel peeved at the ones that defeat us? I’m now hoping somebody will explain 21D in 12741. Looks like PREEN (= tidy), by why “… up? No, down!”?
May 1st, 2008 at 6:50 pm
In last line, for “by” read “but”!