Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 14, 2013
I found this puzzle challenging and took some time over certain clues, especially 10A and 31A. My favourite is 30A (HELIPORT). I also like 29A (TIRANA) and 23D (PATROL).
ACROSS
1 Second cutie appearing fashionable (6)
MODISH – MO (second) + DISH (cutie)
4 Plant meat right inside item of underwear (8)
SHAMROCK – HAM (meat) + R (right) together in SOCK (item of underwear)
9 Among colonels, one-armed admiral (6)
NELSON – hidden word
10 Gloomy bar’s opening (8)
DOWNBEAT – double definition
12 Tree obscuring match that’s high quality (4-4)
FIVE-STAR – VESTA (match) in FIR (tree)
13 Brave trainee emptied cell (6)
GAMETE – GAME (brave) + T[raine]E
15 Harmless adventure for flier (4)
LARK – double definition
16 Rag unfortunately cutting feature, bringing feeling of disappointment (7)
CHAGRIN – anagram of RAG in CHIN (feature)
20 Habitual preserve in philanderer (7)
ROUTINE – TIN (preserve) in ROUE (philanderer)
21 Wear down stone (4)
JADE – double definition
25 Association given some mileage? (6)
LEAGUE – double definition
26 Change only the top material? (8)
CASHMERE – CASH (change) + MERE (only)
28 Amount of business proving sweet (8)
TURNOVER – double definition
29 Capital of Turkey, country needing a capital (6)
TIRANA – T[urkey] + IRAN (country) + A (a)
30 Transport station offering petrol and 50% off high explosive (8)
HELIPORT – anagram of PETROL HI[gh]
31 Sound thrower in equestrian’s period of play (6)
CHUKKA – homophone (“chucker”). I have come across this word before but I could not bring it to mind.
DOWN
1 I fail to support chap of numerous parts (8)
MANIFOLD – MAN (chap) + I (I) + FOLD (fail)
2 Shop requiring exact articulation (8)
DELIVERY – DELI (shop) + VERY (exact)
3 Steep housing price initially for partner (6)
SPOUSE – P[rice] in SOUSE (steep)
5 Fire won’t start – that’s funny (4)
HOOT – [s]HOOT (fire won’t start)
6 A billion people understand it to be a fruit (8)
MANDARIN – double definition
7 Key batsman? (6)
OPENER – double definition
8 Tackle figure finding the queen’s baby? (6)
KITTEN – KIT (tackle) + TEN (figure)
11 Knife revolutionary, stabbing ally (7)
MACHETE – CHE (revolutionary) in MATE (ally)
14 African caught by thug and annihilated (7)
UGANDAN – hidden word
17 Programme linking medic to American pensioner (8)
DOCUSOAP – DOC (medic) + US (American) + OAP (pensioner)
18 A picnic – or dance (8)
CAKEWALK – double definition
19 Sugar earmarked for distribution, less potassium (8)
DEMERARA – anagram of EARMAR[k]ED
22 Pedal, producing a number of eggs (6)
CLUTCH – double definition
23 Redeploy radical extremists with a top military unit (6)
PATROL – anagram of R[adica]L A TOP
24 Broadcast upset Arab leader (6)
SHEIKH – homophone (“shake”)
27 Give birth to something grizzly, perhaps? (4)
BEAR – double definition
Thanks Pete.
I agree with you on HELIPORT being quiet a clever clue.
Perhaps the best of the lot.
The good news is: Mudd’s puzzles have become harder (in my opinion).
The bad news is: (for me) that is probably because of an increase in double definitions – today I counted 11 of them, 11!!
That’s far too many – Paul would never allow himself to do that.
It’s an easy device for a setter but for a solver like me (who is focused on unravelling constructions) it makes solving harder. And less attractive too, unfortunately.
Still an overall enjoyable crossword.
But.
Yes, that sure was a hefty bunch of double definitions. For me, some were very easy — notably 27D (BEAR) — while others were tough — such as 18D (CAKEWALK).
I agree that Mudd’s puzzles have become harder but in my opinion that is a very bad thing. There are plenty of harder puzzles around but not so many for the less able who like to be in with a sporting chance of finishing them unaided.
I only got 9a and 7d out of the top half.
I am afraid I still need help with
6d Mandarin =fruit I get but I don’t get the billion people bit and http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mandarin isn’t helping.
10a Gloomy =downbeat fine but bar’s opening? Something musical?
Also thought match = vesta was hard.
Ah, the billion people thing refers to the fact that Mandarin (a version of the Chinese language) is spoken by a billion people. As such it has the most speakers of any language in our world. English, by the way, is number two with about three-quarters of a billion. And I feel sorry for those billion because one does not get crossword puzzles in Chinese 🙂
I don’t think I can explain the GLOOMY thing. I am not well up on music.
I agree match = vesta is kind of hard but I have seen it in crosswords before and think its a good one to keep in mind.