| Across | |
|---|---|
| 1 | FORGERY: ER in F ORGY |
| 5 | RUSSIFY: reversed and hidden in rockY FISSURe |
| 10 | VICE: double definition |
| 11 | CARCINOGEN: anagram of CIGaR ONE CAN without an ‘a’ (wanting) |
| 12 | GANNET: ANN in GET |
| 13 | GRUESOME: RUES in GO (game) + ME (setter) |
| 14 | GANGPLANK: GAN (NAG back) + GP + LANK (presumably long and thin, lacking substance, body) |
| 16 | POINT: double definition |
| 19 | CUSTOMISE: anagram of MUSCOvITE withe the ‘v’ (five) replaced by ‘S’ (heart of rusSify) |
| 23 | SCHMALTZ: SC (that is) + MALT in HZ |
| 24 | INDEED: D (gorDius heart) in I NEED |
| 26 | CONTINENCE: C + ONCE around (TINE (spike) + N (point)) |
| 27 | CUSP: C (Claurinet’s first) + USP (unique selling point) |
| 28 | ANARCHY: &Lit |
| 29 | SELLING: EL in SLING |
| Down | |
| 2 | OKINAWA: A WAN I KO, all reversed |
| 3,17 | GREEN GRASS: GREEN (snooker ball) GRASS (pot), refers to song written by Claude Putnam |
| 4 | RECITAL: I in RECTAL |
| 6 | UNIQUE: anagram of QUEUINg without ‘g’ (endlessly) |
| 7 | SNOWSTORM: NOW in SS + TO RM |
| 8 | FREEMAN: FR (friar, brother) + anagram of ENEMA |
| 9 | EROGENOUS ZONE: anagram of O (old) GREEN (3a) + US in OZONE |
| 15 | GASOMETER: SO (thus) in GAMETE + R |
| 18 | RACCOON: CCOO (202, in a kind of a way) in RAN |
| 20 | TRIREME: R (beginning of reveille) in MERIT (reversed) + E (oriental, east) |
| 21 | STETSON: STET (don’t change) + SON |
| 22 | CLINCH: L (learner) in CINCH |
| 25 | DUCAL: C in DUAL |
19 comments on “Guardian 24,509 (Shed)”
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I think 28ac is ARCH (supreme) in A NY (a state)
18dn: I thought this read as “200 and 2 onion heads”, so it’s CC O O, which is a bit of a liberty. Apart from that, a very enjoyable puzzle from Shed, who I don’t think we’ve seen for a while. I suppose some might question the close proximity of rectal prolapses and erogenous zones, not to mention carcinogens and enemas…
Several penny-dropping moments here: I held myself up for a bit by putting in ‘costumier’ for 19ac [yes, I know that gave me an ‘r’ instead of an ‘s’, which I couldn’t account for!] which held me up with 21dn, a great clue, as were so many others. I enjoyed this immensely.
As Andrew says, it’s nice to see Shed back and I agree about 28ac and 19dn.
For the sake of accuracy (or nitpickery), ER is Her Majesty rather than HRH.
Michael – yes, I was surprised by the use of HRH. I couldn’t see any reason not to use “HM” or “Queen” or some such. I suppose the idea is that (some) HRHs are more likely than HM to be reported as involved in noisy orgies, but it’s sacrificing accuracy for the surface reading.
Did the calendar change at some point since Sunday? I just finished writing my post for this one 🙁 I suppose I just misread it, and it’s my own fault for not checking this morning anyway.
I wondered whether more eyebrows would be raised by “(two-hundred) and (two onion heads)”, 4d or 9d…
I’m delighted to discover the name of those huge fuel tanks from this crossword. 🙂 Lots of very cleverly constructed clues in here, and I thought the difficulty level was good for a daily crossword.
I always find Shed very enjoyable but usually too difficult for me. But I got all but a few of today’s clues during my train journey to work, so very satisfying, and some great clues – 24ac made me smile for its surface.
Still don’t fully understand 29ac – I got the solution easily, working back from 27dn (having already got 6 and 16), but why is EL railroad?
And in 23ac, Hz and malt were enough for me to get the solution, but why does SC stand for “that is”?
I got 18dn though, no problem.
Smutchin, an “el” is an elevated railway. “sc.” is an abbreviation of “scilicet”, apparently literally meaning “it is permitted to know”, but commonly used to mean “namely” or “that is”. This comes up in crosswords often enough that I can remember it, but it’s hard not to assume that “that’s” will be the much more common “i.e.” 🙂
Thanks Mhl, I guessed they might be standard crossword abbreviations but I’m not experienced enough at crosswords to have learned them all yet! I also struggle to remember all the valid two-letter words in Scrabble…
Smutchin
More particulary EL is the “underground” in such cites as New York, Chicago.
According to Wikipedia: “In the British monarchy the style of HRH is associated with the rank of prince or princess….”, ergo not to the Queen.
I think Shed must be suffering from something. Apart from Andrew’s list of ailments, (well not Andrew’s ailments, but you know what I mean), there’s also “continence”.
Peter – The El is the elevated trains in Chicago but not NY as they’re mostly overground. El trains are typically above street level.
John – The prolapse, enema and continence references certainly raised a few eyebrows!
Good to have proper clues again after yesterday’s bitty effort. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
There were once ELevated trains in NYC as well.
Does anyone else think that 7 down is unduly wordy, with the words “on board” adding nothing to the clue?
Eileen: I got costumier as well – misled by the fact that tailor is being used as a verb, not a noun.
Bridgesong – nice to know it’s not just me!
Re 7dn: I think ‘on board’ is necessary, the Royal Marines being ‘soldiers on board’.
Enjoyed this one, just failed on 14ac.
19 ac held me up too, thinking tailor was a noun. Tried “costumist” first, which didn’t fit with my tentative 9d, and I wasn’t sure it was a word, and, alas, it’s not even an anagram! Then, thought it must begin “suit…”. When the penny dropped that it was a verb, it was so obvious; ah, well!
Sorry about HRH. I thought it could refer to any member of the royal family including the monarch, but I should have checked.
To be fair, Shed, the sub editor should check that kind of thing.
I was too clever for my own good with 14ac. Having ?a?g?l?n? I was convinced that the ‘doctor’ was galen and ‘horseback’ was e (last in horse) giving me ?a?galene! I must have stared at that for half an hour before turning to the dictionary. I had even thought of gang for the temporary bridge and was disappointed to learn there is no such word as gangalene (there should be, it would make a wonderful word). Sigh . . .