Independent 7077 by Glow-worm
Posted by NealH on June 22nd, 2009
*=anag, []=dropped, <=reversed, hom=homophone, CD=cryptic def, DD=double def
| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vernier: Ernie (Wise, Eric Morecambe’s partner) in VR. |
| 5 | St Paul: (A plus + t[heology])*. |
| 10 | Genetic code: Genet ode around ICC (International Criminal Court). This one held me up for a long time because I was convinced it was Gide around something. |
| 11 | Pub: Ref to the pub name in 1ac. I’m not sure I entirely understand the “one inclined”, though. |
| 12 | Needle and thread: (neaten laddered h[ose])*. |
| 14 | Gin rummy: In + r[aw] in gummy. |
| 15 | Eases: [L]eases. |
| 17 | Sagan: Saga + n – probably referring to Francoise Sagan. |
| 18 | Bar Codes: Cryptic/double def. |
| 21 | Amusement Arcade: (Use men) in tarmac* + hom. of “aid”. |
| 23 | Inn: Inn name in 8 down. |
| 24 | Americanise: (See a minicar)*. Excellent CD – “use gas rather than petrol”. |
| 25 | Keeper: “Evans, maybe, going from Pole to Pole ?” |
| 26 | Knees Up: K[ing] + nee + sup. |
| Down | |
| 1 | Vegans: &lit. Initial letters of “virtuously eschew..”. |
| 2 | Rendering: DD. |
| 3 | Intolerance: (corni[c]e leant)*. |
| 4 | Reclaim: Hom of “reek lame”. |
| 6 | The: Odd letters of “It’s hue”. Also a reference to the fact that the “the” in the pub names is ignored in constructing the other answers. |
| 7 | Ample: [S]ample. |
| 8 | Libidos: I bid in sol<. |
| 9 | Monday: (Many do)*. |
| 13 | Haemorrhage: (Omagh rare he)*. |
| 16 | Scenarios: (So Iran’s)* around CE. |
| 17 | Seasick: (K[ennels] + case is)*. |
| 18 | Beeper: B + [k]eeper. |
| 19 | Rethink: [T]rek around thin. |
| 20 | Beweep: Beep around we. |
| 22 | Ulnae: Even letters of “Rutland area”. |
| 24 | Ale: This may be a word for drained with the initial letter removed, but I can’t think of one. If not, then it must just a CD reference to drinking a pint of ale without the foam head. |
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Hi NealH
The ‘one inclined’ in 11a and 23a refers to the words in italics in 1a and 8d.
25a is a dd, Thomas Godfrey Evans the former England wicket keeper and the metal bar that is put across the poles of a horseshoe magnet when not in use. I needed help with the Evans (thanks Eileen).
24d I thought this was [p]ALE (drained as in pallid)
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
24dn I thought it was ‘pale’, too – and I’ve just realised that’s ale, too!
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I thought 17ac. was more likely to be Carl Sagan
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I went for Francoise because she is generally described as a writer whereas Carl is described as an astronomer, physicist, popularizer of science etc. Obviously he has written books, so it could be either.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
You’re right Neal,
I must admit I’d never heard of Francoise, but Carl wrote about the Cosmos; surely the most “epic” subject?
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I didn’t twig how the pub theme worked until right at the end, after a lot of head-scratching – could there be a pub called “The Seasick Sailor”? “The King’s Libido?” Then I saw BAR CODES and thought the four answers might give coded clues to pubs. That’s what doing too many barred cryptics does to you!
By the way, what’s a VERNIER?
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Mick H
Vernier – a short scale sliding on a graduated scale to give fractional readings; a small auxiliary device that enables a piece of apparatus to be adjusted very accurately (Chambers).
June 22nd, 2009 at 3:02 pm
It’s an extra scale of measurement which sits on top of the normal scale and allows more precise measurements. Invented by Pierre Vernier. It came up a few weeks ago with a clue which punned on the similarity to the writer Jules Verne i.e. Vernier = more Verne-like.
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I’m with the Francoise crowd, definitely. Her Bonjour Tristesse was a worldwide hit, and deservedly so in my view! Not that I would identify with any of her heroines of course, or her own lifestyle.
I don’t get on with Glow Worm all that well when compared with many of the other Indie writers, but I feel this was the best of the offerings I managed to complete to day. Only the Times left, with the Telegraph snobbily I admit ignored, to complete!
Thans to NealH.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:00 pm
This was pretty tough, I thought. I really liked AMERICANISE.
Before the theme became apparent, I’d pencilled in I ON for 23 across, i.e. one inclined …
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Why beeper, rather than bleeper,18d?
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I’m not happy about “existential principles” for GENETIC CODE at all – am I missing something, or being too pedantic about the biology?
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:51 pm
I found this hard but got there in the end but didn’t understand 25A or 4D. Having seen the explanations I think 25A is very obscure but fair (I’m old enough to remember Godfrey Evans, but using Prior or Foster would have given younger solvers a better chance). I think “emitted” as homophone indicator in 4D is very dubious.
I also have problems with 12A, which I don’t think quite works as an & lit. I don’t see any way “They carefully” can work as an anagrind.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:57 am
Very difficult, as I almost always seem to find Glow-worm nowadays. I don’t find the statement (above, under SETTERS) that he is “easy” at all accurate. Many answers that I didn’t understand, that were explained here with varying degrees of convincingness.
Can someone tell me how rendering = exchanging (2dn)?
June 23rd, 2009 at 9:04 am
Chambers gives one of the meanings of render as “to give something in return or exchange.”
June 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 am
Thanks as ever to all bloggers – your responses are much valued.
Eimi’s preferred dictionary is Collins, so I try to limit the use of Chambers and cross-check wherever possible.
However, as I suggested to Eimi this time, a DD clue for KEEPER would not have worked with the limited Collins definitions. Although I offered a revised clue: “He may stump – from Pole to Pole?”, Eimi was kind enough to keep my original clue, with its vague reference to Edgar (the explorer) Evans – as well as to Godfrey.
I live in hopes that, if I seem difficult at times, I’m nonetheless fair….
Regards
Glow-worm
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I don’t know if he counts as well-known enough but using Jack Russell as the wicket keeper would have made for a great surface reading.