The puzzle is available to solve online or download here.
Hi everyone. On this setter’s previous appearance a month ago I predicted it wouldn’t be my last Ringoe puzzle, and here we are again!
Today I had problems in the NW, staring at a blank corner for what felt like an eternity. It was only after I noticed the Easter egg that 1a fell, and from there the rest. In case you didn’t spot it and want to have another look, I’ll wait until the bottom of the blog to reveal all.
My favourite clue was 23d, evoking letters to Santa. It’s a bit early for this warning, but for those with young kids I do want to draw attention of the importance of letter order when addressing these – an unfortunate misplacing of the n could unleash fiery torment …
Thanks Ringo!
Definitions are underlined in the clues below. In the explanations, most quoted indicators are in italics, specified [deletions] are in square brackets, and I’ve capitalised and emboldened letters which appear in the ANSWER. For clarity, I omit most link words and some juxtaposition indicators.
| Across | |
| 1a | Brilliant goddess in wood (4-4) |
| FIVE-STAR — VESTA (goddess) in FIR (wood) | |
| 6a | Slightly opening case from Hastings customs (6) |
| HABITS — A BIT (slightly) going into (opening) the outer letters of (case from) HastingS | |
| 9a | & 28. A bigot rolled with rugger match in disorder (2,5,3,6) |
| AT SIXES AND SEVENS — A + SEXIST (bigot) reversed (rolled) + AND (with) + SEVENS (rugger match) | |
| 10a | Italian poet losing heart in court (4) |
| DATE — DA[n]TE (Italian poet) losing the middle letter (heart) | |
| 11a | Screen hero in Slough works (6) |
| BOGART — BOG (slough) + ART (works) | |
| 12a | Cynical outlook reported in most recent epoch? (8) |
| HOLOCENE — Sounds like (… reported) HOLLOW (cynical) SCENE (outlook) | |
| 13a | & 8. Why blame for Strictly row should be shared? (2,5,3,2,5) |
| IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO — A cryptic definition | |
| 16a | Order parts for ordinary instrument (4) |
| OBOE — OBE (order) has an insertion of (parts for) O (ordinary) | |
| 17a | See 27 |
| 19a | Unique sort against an enemy turned King in with Duke (3,2,1,4) |
| ONE OF A KIND — ON (against) + reversed (… turned) A FOE (an enemy) + K (King) + IN + D (Duke) | |
| 22a | Way through Scots mountains becomes wider (8) |
| BROADENS — ROAD (way) goes into (through) BENS (Scots mountains) | |
| 24a | Quarters affected? Pitch tents (6) |
| ENCAMP — E N (quarters) + CAMP (affected) | |
| 26a | Opponent pawns this occasionally (4) |
| ANTI — Regular letters of (… occasionally) pAwNs ThIs | |
| 27a | & 17. Credit Blenheim for rearranging detailed figures? (5,5,4) |
| THREE BLIND MICE — An anagram of (… for rearranging) CREDIT BLENHEIM | |
| 28a | See 9 |
| 29a | Fish indeed chasing drunken Scots about (4-4) |
| FOUR-EYES — YES (indeed) after (chasing) FOU (drunken Scots – a Scottish word for drunk) and RE (about) | |
| Down | |
| 2d | Anthem: keen on it when rector enters (7) |
| INTROIT — INTO (keen on) plus IT on insertion of (when … enters) R (rector) | |
| 3d | Woman cold in rising river (5) |
| ERICA — C (cold) in AIRE (river) going upwards (rising) | |
| 4d | Dramatic effect in Goethe a treat (7) |
| THEATRE — The answer is in goeTHE A TREat | |
| 5d | Succeed in getting runs singly (5) |
| REACH — R (runs) + EACH (singly) | |
| 6d | Spanish nobleman concealed a large repair (7) |
| HIDALGO — HID (concealed) + A + L (large) + GO (repair. After the morning’s chores I shall head into town and repair to the pub) | |
| 7d | Internal regulator’s lad checking D-Notice? (4,5) |
| BODY CLOCK — BOY (lad) surrounding (checking) D + CLOCK (notice) | |
| 8d | See 13 Across |
| 14d | Poor emaciated in compound (9) |
| ACETAMIDE — An anagram of (poor) EMACIATED | |
| 15d | Away from West for digital process? (3) |
| TOE — TO E (to East: away from West) | |
| 18d | Near enough furious about nationalist’s introduction (2,5) |
| IN RANGE — IN RAGE (furious) around (about) Nationalist’s first letter (introduction) | |
| 19d | Repose in old French art for Greek matricide (7) |
| ORESTES — REST (repose) in O (old) and ES (French art. Ah, setter, thou art using an olde crossword trick) | |
| 20d | German woman holding seance regularly for US poet (7) |
| FRENEAU — FRAU (German woman) holding alternate letters of (… regularly) sEaNcE. Philip Freneau | |
| 21d | No explosive energy in runner (7) |
| NOMINEE — NO + MINE (explosive) + E (energy) | |
| 23d | Something added to letters in sacks sent north (5) |
| SERIF — FIRES (sacks) written upwards (sent north) | |
| 25d | Drop a little lower keeping length in mind (5) |
| CALVE — We are containing (keeping) L (length) in CAVE (mind – beware) | |
Very enjoyable Saturday morning fun. SERIF, BODY CLOCK and clue of the day THREE BLIND MICE make my podium.
Thanks both
Your observations about what might or might not be last encounters are, sadly, quite timely Kitty. As I type this, posts are circulating on social media sharing what setters learned yesterday. That, unless the publication can be persuaded to change its mind, the last Independent crossword will appear on Halloween.
Yes, I also heard about this yesterday, not good news at all. I will support any campaign to keep the Indy crossword alive.
Goddesses are a bit like rivers, I never think of the right one first. A great crossword and blog and very sad to hear about the loss of the Independent crossword.
Enjoyable crossword, altho I’m not sure I completely understood the four-eyed fish? I just stuck a semi-homophone of RAYS after FOU, and hoped for the best… Kitty’s parsing was a lot more elegant news… decent start to Saturday… thanks Kitty and Ringoe
PS. What’s up regarding the continuation of the Indy!!?
Well, I came on to comment on a super crossword, with many smart clues, and a Nina which was just, number-based: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.
( which is the PIN to all my money/ and don’t bother, you’ll be in debt).
Ringoe is, I think, a newish setter, and a jolly good one. 25(d), CALVE, is simply joyous.
So, I am out of the loop on the future for the Indy crossword. It seems like everything good in life, is being cancelled, by bean-counters. Or AI.
Is nothing sacred?
Frankly, this has depressed me, so, enough said.
Sad, but a great crossword and blog, and if others cannot see it, then, we are lost.
Great puzzle, and an example of why if possible the Indy crossword should be rescued. Does anyone know how many people solve the puzzle each day? This would be quite helpful information.
This was a super crossword, although FOUR EYES was a bung and shrug from crossers and indeed = yes – I’ve nho fou = drink nor of four eyes as fish.
I can barely believe the news(?) of the Independent Crossword’s demise. Postmark@1 says it comes from ‘posts on social media’ – are they from feliable sources?
Thanks to Ringoe and Kitty.
Sourdough – yes, unfortunately. As PostMark says, the Indy setters were told yesterday.
NomINEe, sort of has 9 in it, but I can’t spot 8 anywhere. Having seen the theme, it helped with a couple of solutions.
Good fun!
Dreadful news about the Indy crossword. Do we know what their reason is?
The reason given is that there are too few hits on the website which, given it’s a web-only enterprise these days, is a credible criterion. You cannot use the line that while there are only n competition entries there are 100n active solvers here. Your active solvers are those accessing the web for the puzzle.
Given that the other dailies are regularly producing additional dead-tree only puzzle material and have downloadable puzzle newsletters it does seem that this is a move not reflecting trends and demand. But the demand has to be demonstrated.
Ideas are forming and more will be welcome.