Independent 6998/Math (Prize puzzle 21-03-09)
Posted by neildubya on March 27th, 2009
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | (UP DO I)*,M – PODIUM |
| 5 | MOMENT,UM |
| 9 | O,BI – AC/DC is slang for bisexual (BI). |
| 10 | AU FAIT – sounds like “oaf a” (“the first idiot”). Nicely done. |
| 11 | reversed initial letters of “An Inspired Musical And Movie Making Abba’s Music” – MAMMA MIA. Very clever &lit, as MAMMA MIA was indeed a musical and film. |
| 12 | SPAT,(REST)* – TAPSTERS. |
| 13 | REEL< – LEER |
| 15 | RI(N)SES |
| 17 | MAPS,MING – SPAMMING |
| 19 | ALAN in (THIN)* – INHALANT. “Mr Sugar” is ALAN Sugar, founder of technology company Amstrad and star of the BBC programme “The Apprentice”. |
| 21 | MA,NANA |
| 22 | C(L)UE |
| 24 | EN(C)UMBER – “colouring perhaps” is E NUMBER, the name given to various food additives. |
| 27 | (IM LADIES)* – IDEALISM |
| 28 | DICKIE – tough one this. It’s a double def as it can mean a detachable insert for the front of a shirt or a small third seat in the back of an old two-seater car. |
| 30 | AN(TEN)NAL |
| 31 | M(A)OIST |
| Down | |
| 2 | OV(UL)ATION |
| 3 | initial letters of “Islamic Men At Mosques” – IMAM. An &lit you’ve no doubt seen before. |
| 4 | MOTHER’S DAY – “Monday” with the N replaced by THE RS. |
| 5 | MI,MO,SAS – MI is “military intelligence”. |
| 6 | MU,MM |
| 7 | NEARLY MAN |
| 8 | hidden reversed in “rETINUe” |
| 14 | MAD,A CAM RAT (going up) – TARMACADAM, or tarmac for short. |
| 16 | STALE,MATE |
| 18 | (URN SEEN IN)* – NUNNERIES |
| 20 | R in (HAMLET)* – THERMAL |
| 23 | L,ADEN |
| 25 | MA,C,OH (going up) – MACHO |
| 26 | KI(L)N |
March 27th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Brilliant puzzle, with varied treatments, all very well integrated for the day. Really liked MANANA. Saw PATRICIA emerging, looked at the other column and MARGARET suggested itself. My guess tho is that they are two separate people (MA NANA?)
March 27th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Thanks for the blog Neil.
There is one I still don’t fully understand – 6D MUMM.
I remember I didn’t see the definition in the clue – the only MUMM I know is the champagne.
Unfortunately I don’t have a copy of the puzzle with be today so can’t recall the exact clue. After seeing nothing else I did put in MUMM from “Greek letter” and “thousands”.
March 27th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Acting in a play i.e. MUMMING
March 27th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I couldn’t quite work out MUMM either, although I should have guessed it given the theme. The Nina definitely helped.
Otherwise, a top-class puzzle from a setter who is used far too infrequently. More Math please!
March 27th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Hmmm. MIMOSAS in this puzzle, ROMAINE on Wednesday, neither in me edition of Chambers (except Mimosa as a flower). Thank goodness for Google. Have to see about replacing chambers.
Good puzzle nevertheless, though I didn’t spot the nina.