The monthly geographically themed puzzle, available to solve online or download and print at ft.com/crossword
The usual preamble:
A cryptic puzzle themed on one particular place in the world. Its name should be inserted at 25. Work out the place by solving the * asterisked clues, all undefined. Their solutions have some relevance to the place, such as famous people, locations and culture
A good fun puzzle as ever from Peto. I’ve spent a lot of time in Liverpool so the themed solutions were all familiar to me, making this a relatively straightforward solve. Thanks, Peto!
Definitions are underlined in the clues below. Thematic clues are marked with an asterisk and have no further definition.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | PIER HEAD |
* Fellow speaking with chief (4,4)
|
| Sounds like (speaking) “PEER” (fellow) + HEAD (chief)
Historic riverside area of Liverpool, location of the THREE GRACES |
||
| 5 | RED RUM |
* Revolutionary spirit (3,3)
|
| RED (revolutionary) + RUM (spirit)
Irish champion racehorse, three times winner of the Grand National, which is held annually at Aintree racecourse in Liverpool, where there is a statue of him |
||
| 9 | CASTLE ST |
* Chuck in case (6,2)
|
| CAST (chuck) + LEST (in case)
Street in central Liverpool, once the centre of the financial district, noted for its Georgian architecture |
||
| 12 | THE CAVERN |
* Potholer getting through after that (3,6)
|
| CAVER (potholer) inserted in (getting through) THEN (after that)
Music venue on Matthew Street, Liverpool, originally a jazz club, later better known for being where the Beatles played regularly in their early years |
||
| 13 | SPEKE |
* Odds against earls arresting king (5)
|
| SP (odds against) + EE (earls) containing (arresting) K (king)
Suburb of Liverpool, best known for John Lennon Airport |
||
| 14 | CLUE |
Reminder to collect large pointer (4)
|
| CUE (reminder) containing (to collect) L (large) | ||
| 16 | SLAVERS |
* The French vicar about to tuck into seconds (7)
|
| LA (the French) + REV (vicar) reversed (about) inserted (to tuck) into SS (seconds)
The International Slavery Museum is part of the Merseyside Maritime Museum on Liverpool’s Albert Dock. Fascinating and well worth a visit |
||
| 19 | EVERTON |
* Right over wearing uniform (7)
|
| R (right) + TO (over) inserted in (wearing) EVEN (uniform)
Suburb of Liverpool, home to one of its two football teams |
||
| 21 | BOSS |
* Nasty smell on ship (4)
|
| BO (nasty smell) + SS (ship)
Liverpool slang meaning ‘very good’ |
||
| 24/10 | THREE GRACES |
* Regret each stupid lawsuit essentially (5,6)
|
| Anagram (stupid) of REGRET EACH + middle letter (essentially) of lawSuit
Three historic landmark buildings in Liverpool – the Cunard building, the Liver building and the Port of Liverpool building |
||
| 25 | LIVERPOOL |
[See Notes] (9)
|
| The place to which the solutions of all asterisked clues are connected | ||
| 27 | THE LA’S |
* Only some with elasticity (3,3)
|
| Only some [of] wiTH ELASticity
The greatest ever Liverpool band, obviously. Not that there are many other contenders from this city not really noted for its music |
||
| 28 | AIGBURTH |
* Difficulty facing soldier over breaking oath? Not at first (8)
|
| RUB (difficulty) + GI (soldier) reversed (over) inserted in (breaking) [o]ATH less its first letter
Suburb of south Liverpool |
||
| 29 | LORD ST |
* Acts in a superior way towards tenor (4,2)
|
| LORDS (acts in a superior way) + T (tenor)
Street in central Liverpool, part of the shopping district |
||
| 30 | PSALTERS |
Books of sacred songs for each sailor on board ship at the start (8)
|
| PER (for each) with SALT (sailor) inserted (on board) + first letter (at the start) of Ship | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | PICOTE |
Pawn diamonds seen around edges of outfit embroidered with loops (6)
|
| P (pawn) + ICE (diamonds) around first and last letters (edges) of OutfiT | ||
| 2 | ENSUED |
Came after petition for stopping completion (6)
|
| SUE (petition) inserted in (for stopping) END (completion) | ||
| 3 | HALMA |
Girl following Hearts’ game (5)
|
| ALMA (girl) following H (hearts)
Strategy board game invented in the 19th century |
||
| 4 | AUSTERE |
Couple of Americans support protecting Republican’s grave (7)
|
| A + US (a couple of Americans) + TEE (support) containing (protecting) R (Republican) | ||
| 6 | ETRUSCANS |
True about examinations of data on members of an ancient civilisation (9)
|
| Anagram (about) of TRUE + SCANS (examinations of data) | ||
| 7 | ROCKETED |
Severely reprimanded to discourage climbing without footwear? Not initially (8)
|
| DETER (to discourage) reversed (climbing) containing (without) [s]OCK less its first letter (not initially) | ||
| 8 | MASSEUSE |
Reflect about fool taking Ecstasy as a pain reliever for instance (8)
|
| MUSE (reflect) containing (about) ASS (fool) + E (ecstasy) | ||
| 11 | ENDS |
Looks after timeless objects (4)
|
| [t]ENDS (looks after) less T (time) | ||
| 15 | LUTHERANS |
Those following a German monk’s line on fluctuation of Earth and Sun (9)
|
| L (line) + anagram (fluctuation) of EARTH and SUN | ||
| 17 | TEETOTAL |
Nameless youngster including all abstaining from alcohol (8)
|
| TEE[n] (youngster) less N (name) + TOTAL (including all) | ||
| 18 | HEAR HEAR |
The mother of the gods entering at this point uttered an exclamation of approval (4,4)
|
| RHEA (the mother of the gods) inserted in (entering) a soundalike (uttered) of “HERE” (at this point) | ||
| 20 | NILE |
Gripped by quarrel involving upcoming runner for example (4)
|
| Contained in (gripped by) quarrEL INvolving reversed (upcoming) | ||
| 21 | BEVVIES |
* Live contests involving hint of voyeurism (7)
|
| BE (live) + VIES (contests) + first letter (hint) of Voyeurism
Liverpool slang for drinks |
||
| 22 | COARSE |
Paddles stored in church? Not fine (6)
|
| OARS (paddles) inserted (stored) in CE (church) | ||
| 23 | ALOHAS |
Sadly admitting an expression of surprise in Hawaiian’s greetings (6)
|
| ALAS (sadly) containing (admitting) OH (expression of surprise) | ||
| 26 | REBEL |
Stumble across British revolutionary (5)
|
| REEL (stumble) containing (across) B (British) |
ETRUSCANS, was my favourite. Worked in Liverpool for a few years so some of them were easy, but being a commuter, wasnt familiar with the suburbs. Thanks to Peto and Wibbersbel
I was familiar with Speke as I think that was the name of the airport, but never heard of Aigburth. Aigburth seems to be bordered by more famous places (Toxteth, Sefton Park) but I can’t see any reason why we might have heard of it.
Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks
I’m from Birkenhead, but a stone’s throw over the Mersey to the Liver building, so I sussed Liverpool from my first solution, and it rather spoiled things, to be honest.
Some odd choices by the setter, perhaps: AIGBURTH….really? Speke, Castle St., and Lord St. Could do better, I think, from the vast treasure trove that Liverpool offers.
“BEVVIES”, not exactly unique to Liverpool , in fact probably an import from Irish dock workers.
Red Rum was bred in Ireland, but never ran there, so “Irish champion” is a bit misleading.
It’s a well-compiled puzzle, with some crafty definitions, and I enjoyed it.
Thanks to Peto & Widdersbel