Independent 6432/Virgilius
Posted by Colin Blackburn on May 29th, 2007
A very quick puzzle, for me, helped by the letter patterns of the long across answers and some obvious anagrams. Some very good cluing, as usual, but no noticeable theme.
cd = cryptic def.
dd = double def.
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 6 | BURN YOUR BRIDGES — cd — good cryptic def. |
| 9 | POINT OF NO RETURN — cd — ref. tennis point. This is one of those cryptic defs that might really be a double def depending on how loose a definition one expects for one part. |
| 10 | STAY THE COURSE — (SE ROUTES + YACHT)* — |
| 15 | AITCH — nowHere = aitch — a simple clue but very effective as I pencilled in HERET on my first pass assuming an unknown Hebrew character. |
| 16 | ICE — C in IE — namely = i.e. |
| 17 | PRESS — dd |
| 19/25 | KEEP RIGHT ON TO THE END OF THE ROAD — cd — air here refers to the song. |
| 22 | CROSS THE RUBICON — THE RUB in CROSS+ICON — ref 6 ac. |
| Down | |
| 1 | TRAIN SET — TRAIN+SET |
| 2 | CYST — iCY STream |
| 3 | OUTFITTING — FIT+T in OUTING |
| 4 | EBRO — thE BROads — one of those classic crossword rivers but nicely hidden in a good surface. |
| 5 | PIPES OF PAN — (EP POP FAN IS)* — I thought they were the PAN PIPES but I guess both forms makes sense. |
| 6 | BOPS — dd |
| 7 | GLUER — G+(RULE)* |
| 8 | SIN — I in S+N — South and North make a bridge partnership. |
| 11 | APHORISING — A+P+HO+RISING — very good word play. |
| 12 | ELECTORATE — cd — excellent play on seats and standing. |
| 13 | EASY — E+(SAY)* |
| 14 | RACK — dd |
| 18 | ETON CROP — ETON+CROP — a short haircut |
| 20 | ELOPE — cd |
| 21 | ENID — I in END |
| 22 | CAT — dd — queen = cat. I don’t recall where the other half of the clue comes from, possibly a nursery rhyme or proverb. |
| 23 | HOOD — dd |
| 24 | BREW — BR+E+W — BR = British Railways. |
May 29th, 2007 at 11:49 am
I think the theme was the similarity of all the long across phrases all meaning committing yourself. As always from Virgilius, incredible to fit it all in.
May 29th, 2007 at 11:54 am
Yes, of course. I blame the trees!