Financial Times 13,434 by Mudd
Posted by Pete Maclean on July 22nd, 2010
Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 10
Another strong puzzle from Mudd. My favourite clue here is 8D (TOOTHPICK).
Across
1. SQUAD CAR – QUAD (one of four) in SCAR (trauma)
6. PALATE – AT (at) in PALE (white)
9. REPAIR – REP (salesman) + AIR (strain)
10. IMPRISON – IMP (little terror) + NO (no) + SIR (teacher) backwards
11. NEWS – opposite of OLD + N
12. WISHY-WASHY – double definition
14. LOTHARIO – LOTH (reluctant) + A (a) + RIO (port)
16. DAIS – DAIS[y] (girl in chains almost!)
18. KNOT – double definition. There is a type of sandpiper known as a knot.
19. PILLOCKS – LIP (cheek) backwards + LOCKS (hair)
21. SPACE CADET – ACE (another card) + C (clubs) together in SPADE (card) + T[ricks]
22. IMPI – hidden word
24. VIRGINAL – double definition
26. LAUNCH – A (article) in LUNCH (food)
27. GENTRY – G[ain] + ENTRY (access)
28. YEARLING – NIL (nothing) backwards in anagram of A GREY
Down
2. QUEUE – is this a homophone? (“cue”)
3. ANAESTHETIC – anagram of TEN IS A CHEAT. Is “untrustworthy” a good anagram indicator?
4. CAREWORN – ROWER (oarsman) backwards in CAN (vessel)
5. RAIN STOPPED PLAY – anagram of DIP APPARENTLY SO
6. PAPAYA – PAP (tripe) + A (a) + YA[m]
7. LEI – [a]L[g]E[r]I[a]
8. TOOTHPICK – P[ieces] in TOO THICK (thin…designed incorrectly)
13. AUDIO-VISUAL – anagram of I AVOID USUAL
15. OENOPHILE – anagram of PI[g]EIONHOLE
17. FLOTILLA – LOT (great number) in FILL (stock) + A (a)
20. SCANTY – SCAN (examine) + T[r]Y (essay, not right)
23. PECAN – PE[li]CAN (bird lacking lithium)
25. GUT – TUG (yank) backwards
July 22nd, 2010 at 8:48 am
Yes, a strong puzzle from Mudd.
It looks like Mr Halpern saves some of his better ideas [which he normally puts in Paul crosswords] for his FT alter ego.
The fabulous TOOTHPICK (8d) is a good example [so agree with you, Pete].
But there’s a lot more to enjoy here, especially in some Down clues.
I have no problem with ‘untrustworthy’ as an anagrind, in fact I find “Number Ten is a cheat, untrustworthy” a superb clue for ANAESTHETIC (3d).
And what about that tennis clue (RAIN STOPPED PLAY) – another corker.
Finally, I took QUEUE (2d) as a homophone of the letter Q, which is “a character”.
July 26th, 2010 at 10:55 am
My first attempt at a FT crossword, although I was drawn by the compiler who I enjoy in another daily. However todays by the same compiler is not going so well.
July 26th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
rrc, welcome to the blog and the world of FT puzzles. I have been doing these FT puzzles for well over 20 years now. I hope you come to enjoy them as I do.