Independent 7392 by Phi
Posted by nmsindy on June 25th, 2010
Always have confidence with Phi that I will get there, this puzzle was no exception, solving time 23 mins.
V enjoyable as always.
* = anagram
ACROSS
1 WIDE-ANGLE LENS (leading)* EL (the in Spanish) all contained in (news)*
8 NIPPY NIP PartlY
9 ARTIFICER A (one) (terrific)* A mechanic in the services, ‘naval’ chosen here to go with the anagram indicator ‘at sea’, I guess.
11 STEAM OPEN Cryptic definition. This refers to opening the seals of envelopes using steam (from a kettle) so as to read the letter. The envelope could then be resealed.
12 NOOKS N(new) LOOKS (fashions) less L (length)
13 REALLY Definition: in earnest ER (Monarch) (reversed) ALLY (supporter)
14 SAMIZDAT Underground writing in the former Soviet Union (amazed it’s)* less E = English
17 AVERSION A (acting) VERSION (edition)
19 AFLOAT rear of lilO in A FLAT (puncture). My favourite clue today, showing also they don’t have to be hard to be good.
22 TODDY TODAY (now) with D (a bit of drink) for A (article)
24 SAINTLIKE (in talkies)*
25 ESPLANADE PLAN A (first idea) in (seen)*
26 OSTIA Port of ancient Rome. SO (very much) (reversed) I (one) in TA (soldiers)
27 TAKE A BACK SEAT TAKE ABACK and A (one) in SET
DOWN
1 WINDSOR CASTLE WINDS (turns) (locates r)* R = Queen &lit
2 DEPRECATE DEPRECIATE less I(one)
3 ABYSMAL A BY S MAL(e) A BY S = article from pen of second
4 GRAPPA APP (apparently) in GRA(n) Nan = Gran
5 ESTONIAN EST (French is) ON (working) IAN (Scot)
6 EFFENDI Turkey’s equivalent of Mister as form of address E FF END I
7 SICKO SIC (faithfully reproduced) KO (OK reversed)
10 RISE TO THE BAIT T (tense) in (theories)* B (British) AIT (island)
15 DOOLITTLE This refers to Eliza Doolittle in Shaw’s play ‘Pygmalion’ which became ‘My Fair Lady’. idle (vb) = do little containing O (love)
16 BOTSWANA T = head of tiny SWAN all in BOA (snake)
18 SKYLARK I think the Aussie singer is Kylie Minogue (also an actress) so it’s KYL (ie = that is missing) in SARK, one of the Channel Islands
20 FETLOCK Projection on a horse (ie colt). Hidden reversal in blacK COLT EFfectively
21 CINEMA MEN (rising) in CIA (Agents)
23 DEPOT TOP ED (award-winning journalist) reversed
June 25th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Thanks, nms, for a blog which explained the two or three clues where as usual I had only a vague notion of why the answer was what it was. I know what you mean about Phi: in his Friday Indy spot at least, he’s usually solvable if you persevere and it’s always a pleasing start to the last day of the working week.
I liked TAKE A BACK SEAT today; and TODDY, which had today as its starting point.
I was held up a bit by inexplicably entering WINDSOR PALACE
June 25th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Agree, another lovely puzzle. AFLOAT also my favourite, although I also liked WINDSOR CASTLE. Had to guess SAMIZDAT from the wordplay.
June 25th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
I got there too, NMSindy, but not a thrilling ride! Even so, AFLOAT floated my boat, so not all humdrum and dreary.
June 25th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
Thanks nms.
I always enjoy a puzzle from Phi and this was no exception.A nice mix of clue devices with some nicely worked anagrams.Favourite clues were 18 down and 25 across.
I read 11 across as a partial anagram {at some = steam o + pen (writing)} with an & lit element.
June 25th, 2010 at 9:10 pm
Must admit a similar experience to other solvers: this is quite hard, but I’ll get there. And I did, though how I dredged things like SAMIZDAT and EFFENDI from the old memory banks is a mystery. Well, probably not a mystery…more likely just excellent clueing.
June 25th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
And with apologies to NMS for unnecessarily adding to his inbox, I might mention that with time left over to actually read the paper, today’s issue was ample reminder of why I keep buying it. Quite apart from the excellent crossword, I thought the cover story, Johann Hari’s piece and Robert Skidelsky on Keynes vs. Osborne were excellent, and for good measure an interview with a certain gap-toothed gallic lovely of whom a young Simon H was a huge admirer!
June 25th, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Got to skylark by a way which made me enter the grid the right word but a fluke.
I saw Sky I lark but couldn’t see why I was removed not ie, and was unsure it it was australian anyway.
Really don’t know why deprecate the last to get took me so long though.