Guardian 24374 / Auster Holding things together
Posted by tilsit on April 28th, 2008
Solving time: 12 minutes
Pleasant thematic start to the week, reminiscent of Altair’s puzzles, for those of an age. A nice puzzle for those wanting to find their way into cryptics and themed puzzles. With my purist’s hat on, I have a few reservations.
Hadn’t heard of 8 down before and not keen on 12 across as it part-uses an answer already in the grid. 13 across doesn’t quite work for me, either. Nevertheless, good fun and thanks to Auster for a nice challenge.
Mood music: Bad Penny Blues by the late, wonderful and incomparable Humphrey Lyttelton. RIP Humph.
ACROSS (*) = ANAGRAM - (R) = REVERSAL (CD) = CRYPTIC DEFINITION
1. EMBOSS EM (R) + BOSS (Master)
4 VACANT VA (Virginia) + CANT
9 OPEN O + PEN (How to address the writer!)
10 ACCESSIBLE ACCESS (Gate) = IB (1B) + LE Definition = 9 across
11 CANDID CANDID (ATE)
12 OPEN BOAT OPEN (9) + OB (R) + AT I don’t like to see a word used again in a puzzle.
13 INGENUOUS I presume this is supposed to be INGENIUS with the second “I” replaced by a homophone for “You” (U), but what about the “O”.
15 FREE Double def
16 UNDO Hidden answer - Discovered at just about works for me as a container indicator.
17 ASSASSINS ASS + ASS (Fools) + IN (as in cricket) + S (Start to spinners)
21 STALE AIR ALE inside STAIR
22 SECURE SEE around CUR
24 DAY-TRIPPER (CD)
25 AJAR A + JAR
26 HAS A GO HA(S) + SAGO (Pudding loved by grannies loathed by schoolkids)
27 PATENT PATIENT minus I
DOWN
1 EXPLAIN EX + PLAIN
2 BONED I don’t think this needs explanation!
3 SPANDAU SP (Spanish - NOT in Chambers though!) + AND + AU Prison where Rudolf Hess was held for many years.
5 ANSWER A NSW (There are states outside the USA, you know!) + RE (R)
6 ACID BURNS A C.I.D. + BURNS
7 TILLAGE TILL + AGE
8 OCTOPUS STRAPS OCT + OPUS + STRAPS Never heard of ‘em!
14 ENDPLATES N PEDESTAL (*)
16 UNTEACH U (Turn) + CAN’T HE (*)
18 AUSTRIA AUSTRALIA minus AL (Gore)
19 NOR’EAST SENATOR (*)
20 GAPING GA + PING
21 CRANE RAN inside CE
April 28th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Re. 13 Across
The word for “clever” is INGENIOUS, thus replacing the second I with U provides INGENUOUS meaning uncomplicated, open.
John McDonald
April 28th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Thanks John, he said, with a rather red-face.
April 28th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Lot of familiar stuff in here (assassins clue for example), plus some non-avoidance of root meanings in SI breakdown. Not my kind of puzzle, I guess.
April 28th, 2008 at 11:27 am
OCTOPUS STRAPS are bungee-type ropes, but with several hooked legs coming off a central hoop. Enormously useful on ships, for tying down computer monitors or anything else likely to fall off a bench when the ship rolls. Use them lots, but never thought Id see the phrase used in a crossword!
Enjoyed this puzzle, in a target-practice sort of way. Paul B’s comments are pretty valid, but it didnt spoil it for me.
April 29th, 2008 at 4:41 am
OCTOPUS STRAPS or OCCY STRAPS are pretty commonly known in Oz. More usually they’re a single strap with a hook at each end but Comfy explains where they’ve originated. Every household would have one or two rotting away in the garage waiting for ‘just the right time’.