Longitude provides this Saturday’s brain-teaser – this is the third Indy puzzle by this relatively new setter, and the first we have blogged.
We were slightly surprised to find this at the easier end of the Saturday puzzle spectrum, with several write-ins. There were some smooth surfaces as in previous puzzles but 17ac was rather clunky in our opinion.
As it is Saturday, we are wondering whether there might be a theme – if so, we have completely missed it.
SHOT (go) G (German) LASS (girl)
A reversal (‘on retirement’) of IF (provided) + VERy missing the last letter (‘limited’)
FF (very loud) PE (exercise) in OAK (wood)
An anagram (‘clumsy’) of SEAMAN round (‘gathering’) I (middle letter of sails)
An anagram (‘eccentric’) of CHEERED MEN and MET
A reversal (‘rejected’) of N I (Northern Ireland) RIM (border) – we’ve never come across this wine before
OVER (concerning) TU (Trade Union) RES (resolution)
We think this must be: RAKER (‘gardener employing pole’) round IN (current) MA (degree) – but, while a rake could be said to have a ‘pole’ as a handle, it is a bit tenuous. We first thought it might be: RAKER (‘gardener’) round (’employing’) N (North – ‘pole’) round (‘holding’) I (current) MA (degree) – but the inclusions are in the wrong order. Any thoughts?
PEPS (livens) I (setter)
CH (church) AM (in the morning) PS (post-script – ‘on top of that’) ELY (cathedral city) SEES (views)
NIT (egg) RATE (speed)
hOT (warm) missing (‘leaving’) ‘h’ (hotel) HELLO (welcome)
A homophone (‘in hearing’) of STILE (‘steps’)
An anagram (‘sick’) of PUPS CURED
S (first letter – ‘top’ – of seam) LOW (down)
IC (integrated circuit – ‘chip’) in OFFER (present)
Hidden (‘eaten by’) in oGRE BEginning
rANKLES (is irritating’) rOCK (stone) both missing (‘losing’) ‘r’ (runs)
KA (‘Ford model’) T in (‘splitting’) SE (southeast)
FINals (3 out of 6 letters – ‘semi’) GER (German) TIP (upset)
VISOR (head guard) round (‘smuggling’) a reversal (‘back’) of TI (note – in sol-fa notation)
An anagram (‘gibberish’) of I REPHRASED
An anagram (‘horrible’) of SINCE AROMA
NA (North America) MEP (‘politician in Europe’) LATE (deceased)
Y (yard) DO (party) OR (other ranks) after EARL. We initially thought that this might be an unusual version of ‘early doors’ – which doesn’t fit the definition. However, apparently the ‘early door’ was a special entrance to a theatre or hall for those who had paid extra to get in ahead of the normal opening time.
IN (home) APT (apartment) + LadY (first and last letters or ‘clothing’)
PEE (‘water’) round (‘covering’) ST (street) L (lake) + D (first letter or ‘beginning’ to drain)
Hidden (‘tucked into’) elEVENSes
An anagram (‘complicated’) of CHEaT missing (‘releasing’) ‘a’ round (‘pressing in’) I (middle letter of stick)
OO (rings) ‘covered’ in HP (sauce)
Comment #1
Thanks Longitude, and Bert&Joyce! I’ve no better idea on RAINMAKER, and had the same thoughts. Had difficulty with some other parsings, too. Never heard of HP sauce or MIRIN.
I think it’s the second of your two explanations for RAINMAKER and I think the setter intends that ‘holding’ means the ‘i’ should precede the ‘n’.
I parsed RAINMAKER as in blog. I don’t feel sofamore’s explanation quite works, especially with the placing of MA. I had to check the meanings of RAINMAKER, MIRIN & EARLY DOOR. I wasn’t sure about the definition for SKATE. I presume the verb for riding a skateboard is ‘to skateboard’ but I’m happy to be corrected.
I had the same parsing as sofamore, but yes not very satisfactory.
Also thought having the full EARL in the clue for 16d and the answer also a bit clunky.
I liked the &littish HOOP and CHAMPS ELYSEES was nicely put together. I am with Sofamore on RAINMAKER, employing and holding indicating two different insertions, but I agree that it’s clumsy.
Thanks for the blog, Bertandjoyce!
Appreciate the discussion about RAINMAKER – I could of course weigh in with my opinion on what the setter intended but why spoil the debate? 🙂
Thanks Longitude – we hope you drop in again a bit later in the day.