The original puzzle may be found here.
Paul is playing games with us this morning… card games that is. Most of the clues have some reference to card games, either in the clue or in the solution. I was unable to parse FAR OFF to my satisfaction as it appears to me that the O is part of FARO and OFF without that being indicated in the clue (of course I may be wrong). The key to the puzzle is definitely solving 8 across. Once I worked that one out, many of the other clues fell into place in a way that doesn’t often happen to me when I’m solving a Paul.
Thanks, Paul.
| ACROSS | ||
| 8 | CARD GAME |
Clown prepared for war, perhaps (4,4)
|
| CARD (“clown”) + GAME (“prepared”) | ||
| 9 | PLAICE |
Spot in which I will go fish? (6)
|
| PLACE (“spot”) in which I will go | ||
| 10 | SORE |
Red four from sevens or eights (4)
|
| hidden in [four (letters) from] “sevenS OR Eights” | ||
| 11 | FALSE TEETH |
London school probing death on the wobbly bridge (5,5)
|
| LSE (“London School” of Economics) probing FATE (“death”) on *(the) [anag:wobbly] | ||
| 12 | SEE RED |
Pick up only hearts and diamonds then in snap? (3,3)
|
| SEE (“pick up”) + RED (‘hearts and diamonds” in cards) | ||
| 14 | PASSOVER |
Bridge holiday (8)
|
| PASS OVER (“bridge”) | ||
| 15 | ANAGRAM |
Hopeless at whist, I could get what it is! (7)
|
| *(at whist i) is an ANAGRAM (indicated by “hopeless”) of “what it is” | ||
| 17 | TICKERS |
Hearts, the first discarded by those not twisting? (7)
|
| [the first discarded by] (s)TICKERS (“those not twisting” in e.g. blackjack) | ||
| 20 | SPINSTER |
Old maid and spider? (8)
|
| Double definition, the second being an old word for a spinner | ||
| 22 | FAR OFF |
8 Across blasted, inaccessible? (3-3)
|
| FARO (card game, so “8 across”) + FF | ||
| 23 | BEER GARDEN |
Brag about drinking always, with office in location adjoining pub (4,6)
|
| *(brag) [anag:about] drinking E’ER (“always”) with DEN (“office”) | ||
| 24 | EELS |
A little patience, else fish (4)
|
| Hidden in [a little] “patiencE ELSe” | ||
| 25 | HUSTLE |
Cheat thus toyed with love, heart surrendered (6)
|
| *(thus) [anag:toyed] with L(ov)E with its heart surrendered | ||
| 26 | ELEPHANT |
Solo effort’s last seen by retiring footballer, giant (8)
|
| HAN (Solo) (character in Star Wars) + (effor)T [‘s last] seen by [retiring] <=PELE (“footballer”) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | NAPOLEON |
8 Across I’m excited to take on in general (8)
|
| NAP (“card game, so “8 across”) + OLE (“I’m excited”) to take ON | ||
| 2 | IDLE |
Reportedly, celebrity out of work (4)
|
| Homophone/pun/aural wordplay [reportedly] of IDOL (“celebrity”) | ||
| 3 | FAFFED |
Female agent in support of players’ association was dithering (6)
|
| F (female) + FED (FBI “agent”) in support of FA (Football Association, so “player’s association”) | ||
| 4 | DEWLAPS |
Commentator’s anticipated error – those hanging on by a neck? (7)
|
| Homophone/pun/aural wordplay [commentator’s] DUE (“anticipated”) + LAPSE (“error”) | ||
| 5 | APRES-SKI |
Partying, where piano found in skip? (5-3)
|
| P (piano, in music notation) is found APRES (“after”) SKI in SKI-P | ||
| 6 | CASEWORKER |
A stitch bandaged by beauty, community professional (10)
|
| A + SEW (“stitch”) bandaged by CORKER (“beauty”) | ||
| 7 | SCYTHE |
Tool with key finally locked in dilapidated chest (6)
|
| (ke)Y [finally] locked in *(chest) [anag:dilapidated] | ||
| 13 | REGENERATE |
Eat greener bananas – and heal (10)
|
| *(eat greener) [anag:bananas] | ||
| 16 | ANTEATER |
Budget ultimately invested in a better groomed animal (8)
|
| (budge)T [ultimately] invested in A.NEATER (“better groomed”) | ||
| 18 | RIFFLING |
Preparation for 8 Acrosses, solo and fish (8)
|
| RIFF (“solo”) and LING (“fish”) | ||
| 19 | BRIDLED |
Drained cups free to be checked (7)
|
| BLED (“drained”) cups RID (“free”) | ||
| 21 | PLEXUS |
Benefit introducing former network (6)
|
| PLUS (“benefit”) introducing EX (“former”) | ||
| 22 | FINGER |
Poker face in game, better concealing that (6)
|
| [face in] G(ame) concealed by FINER (“better”) | ||
| 24 | ECHO |
Bounce back in elimination contest, hammering opponent firstly (4)
|
| E(limitation) C(ontest) H(ammering) O(pponent) [firstly] |
Hesitate to suggest, but 22a FF could be ” for f***’s ” as in FFS?
FF is fortissimo = blasted, extremely loud, as in ghetto blaster.
I originally parsed 22a as IanSW did, but agree that Balfour’s parsing is better.
Don’t know why I attempted this — I usually steer clear of Paul’s. Less than half solved. That I’m not into card games didn’t help.
In 22a I blithely accepted that far was a(nother) card game I didn’t know without bothering to check it, but I do like Balfour’s explanation
Far too long to get CARD GAME which slowed the solve down considerably. It was mostly seeing the theme in non-linked clues which led to me twigging it.
Didn’t quite get APRES-SKI or FAR OFF but there wasn’t much else they could be with the checking letters.
Enjoyed FINGER and CASEWORKER.
Thanks Paul and Loonapick
Thanks both. Lots of unknowns for me, although plenty of easier clues to get a toe in. I am sure it exists in a dictionary but I am not convinced re pass over meaning bridge. Overpass (and underpass) would seem more common, pass over meaning to skip or omit. Also re 8a, given the theme, was surprised to see clown not joker. Unusually there seemed a distinct lack of toilet humour.
I enjoyed that. Thank you Paul.
And thanks to loonapick for parsing a few that I couldn’t.
Thought that this was very straightforward for Paul, and had it done and dusted last night. I agree with Balfour @2 on FAR OFF and thought that APRÈS SKI was the standout clue closely followed by ANAGRAM.
Ta Paul & loonapick.
Toughie if you don’t know much about card games like me. DNK NAP, FARO or DEWLAPS.
FALSE TEETH is a fantastic clue. I was very easily distracted by trying to make something of L (London) ETON (school)….
HAN for Solo is genius, loved it.
Missed 1D, not being familiar with the game. But I gather that ‘Nap’ in this context is simply a contraction of ‘Napoleon’, which was the solution (defined here by ‘general’, but capable of being defined by ‘8-across’). If that’s correct, can’t help but feel it detracts from the clue a little? Enjoyed the rest, esp. TICKERS, ELEPHANT and FINGER.
As well as the obvious games there is also “go fish” in the clue to 9a.
Thanks to S&B