A tricky tribute puzzle.
IO always sets a tough challenge. This morning’s grid contains quite a few new terms to me, but I do think they are fairly clued. Many thanks to IO, and well done to anyone who has attempted, or completed this.
And of course, RIP Jeremy Mutch.
ACROSS
NAIF (what’s simplistic) + I DO (wedding vow) blended
I; COP (get) first + LOT (prize)
(PRINT AN ACTOR IS needing [rehearsa]L (close to))* (*sort of) – &lit
SORE< (wounded, <in retreat)
MUCH (a great deal) secures [McCois]T (‘s last)
Double definition
(IN LOVE with ME)* (*suspect)
(A[s] (initially) + OLD and AS)* (*divers)
TO (for) + PICS (the output of paparazzi)
H (hearts) in BEE + MOTH (little creatures)
Cryptic double definition
The grid contains a nina (hidden message) in the rows indicated, and is a woman’s name
A tribute to Jeremy Mutch, who set under the pseudonym Orense for the FT
So the full nina is: RIP Jeremy Mutch, The FT’s Orense
24. Republican impressed by insane plan (5)
R (Republican) impressed by DAFT (insane)
[Northwo]OD, DE[bden]< (connecting between, <on return)
PHOTO (still) + TYPE (make) + SETTER (me say)
TEN + ONE (two numbers) + [togethe]R (at last)
A tenoner is a woodworker that creates joins/tenons
DO[ctors] (first pair of) + TARD[i]S (what gets them round, I (ego) free)
Referring to Dr Who of course, and the time machine called the Tardis
21 referring to the solution of 21 down, plural
(LT (officer, lieutenant) + IN (at) + GPO (old mail service, General Post Office)) stops IN THE MET (working for New Scotland Yard)
[kil]IMA[n]JARO* (*eruption of, missing LINK)
A Latin phrase
DOS (functions) on E (MDMA)
Think ‘do’ in the sense of a party; MDMA and E are names for the drug, ecstasy
REF< (whistleblower, <turning up) with RULE’S (government’s)
COPE (to manage) + CK (fashion house, Calvin Klein)
A copeck is a small coin/monetary unit in Russia; Muscovites being those from Moscow
MR + OS (big, oversize); PRIES (is inquisitive) about
LARD (fat) insulating ANY (some)
Seizing D (day); (E[ngland] (‘s opener) + LEG (on) + RAP (strike)) in HOBART’S* (*compiled)
Telegraph boards were old ways of displaying scores for sports matches
CO (care of) + AC (current) + H-HO (water, think chemical symbol) + RN (service, Royal Navy)
RE (note) + OFF END (where plank-walkers will have to go) – semi &lit
Double definition
A pontoon can be a floating bridge, or a card game that has a total score of 21 as its objective
D (democrat) opening ‘OLSTER (case for ‘andgun)
The apostrophes indicating two dropped ‘h’s – as the setter does so must we
EYE (spot); GRR (that’s annoying) guards
[crudi]TES T[o] (a selection of)
Excellent puzzle. Super blog.
Thanks Io and Oriel.
My faves: IN AID OF, TRANSCRIPTIONAL, LOADSA, TENONER, DOTARDS,
I T M POT, COACH-HORN, REOFFEND and GREYER.
IN AID OF
Isn’t naif ‘simplistic’ instead of ‘what’s simplistic’?
What’s –just a link?
The nina in row 3 is just RIP, requiescat in pace.
Cineraria @2. Yes, of course. That makes much more sense than anywhere I was going. Thank you!
Found this puzzle very difficult. On a small point the wedding vow should not be ‘I DO’, it is ‘I WILL’
Re 30a & 21d: I perhaps flatter myself to think I can be an OLDSTER without necessarily being a DOTARD.
Thanks for the blog , very tricky in parts but a helpful grid giving lots of letters from the easier clues . Do not think I solved Orense puzzles , started the FT later . A MAJORI a neat subtraction for a difficult word , PRIMROSES and GREYER are clever constructions .
It is KOPEK in the novels I have read but there must be several spellings .
I DO can be a wedding vow , they are very flexible and it depends on what is asked – Do you promise to love and cherish …
Tough but fair puzzle. Satisfying solve and lovely tribute. Thanks IO and Oriel.
A real struggle to complete, but just about got through, with a few bunged-in “guesstimates”.
(And, this NINA IS a NINA). ( a nice touch, well said)..
I’m afraid I find IO’s setting style over-worked and not much fun, if any, to plough through.
Answers and wordplays like LOADSA and EDDO, to cite but two, just don’t do it, for me, and the 15-letter jobs were tedious vanity plays.
I will continue to tackle the setter’s challenges, because life is not a bowl of cherries.
Thanks IO & Oriel
After an Io or two where I did quite well, I couldn’t even begin this one. Azed said he would always include a couple of easy clues so that solvers can get started. I wish Io would do the same. It would greatly increase the enjoyment (and popularity) without seriously compromising quality.
Yes, this was tough indeed and I needed several sessions and inspired guesses to cross the line as there were a couple I had no hope of parsing. I tried the ‘start at the end’ trick which just about worked and, as Ros says, there were helpful touches en route. I liked BEHEMOTH but my admiration is mostly directed at the masterful nina.
It was another mauling but thanks, Io, and Oriel for shedding light where it was needed.
5dn: Chambers 2016 p 342 has copeck same as kopeck. This being a transliteration from the Cyrillic alphabet, one can expect alternative forms to be used.
Thanks Oriel for the blog.
I bashed away at this and eventually got everything except LOADSA. Unfortunately I still couldn’t read the hidden message, not being familiar with Orense – I only saw Jeremy and The FT. It was very satisfying to work through this slowly, though. What a nice tribute.
Super puzzle and a lovely tribute. Thanks Io & Oriel
Superb stuff. The only regret is that Orense isn’t here to see it. (Nimrod has actually done brilliant tributes to living setters too. What a service he provides!)