Financial Times 13,050 / Jason

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A collection of flowers, three of each kind.  Fairly easy, as is normal for a Tuesday FT.  I had one question (the definition of CRYOSTAT) and one minor complaint (repeating the use of LORE).

Across
1 CLOVER C (caught) LOVER (mistress)
5 REPUBLIC R (start to “reveal”) + *(BLUE PIC)
9 EPONYMIC *(I COPY MEN)
10 PARODY PAR (play as expected) (b)ODY (group lacking a leader)
11 AMAZON dd
12 CRYOSTAT CRY (scream) + STAT (immediately) after O (duck).  Chambers indicates that a cryostat is an “apparatus” for achieving a low temperature.  Not sure how one gets a “chamber” from that
14 EXACERBATING EX (direct from) ACER (maple) BATING (hawk’s beating of wings).  This last part was a new word for me
18 NON-ABSTAINER d&cd This must be one who refrains from staining [the reputation of] an AB
22 BRACELET B (secondary) RACE (career) followed by LET (allowed)
25 DANUBE N in DAUBE (a meat stew).
26 LITCHI LIT (discovered) CHI (Greek character)
27 SPATULAS *(SALSA PUT)
28 PEKINESE PE (exercise) KIN (family) + leads of Every Schoolkid Enjoying
29 TEASEL T (beginning to topple) EASEL (artist’s stand)
 
Down
2 LIPOMA O (old) MA (mother) below LIP (cheek)
3 VENEZUELA EZ (easy, as heard) in VENUE (arena) + LA (the French).  Not sure what role Sam plays here
4 RUMANIANS *(RUN A MAIN) + S (top of Sardinia)
5 RECYCLE RE (on the matter of) CYCLE (rota)
6 POPPY dd
7 BIRDS R in BIDS (what is offered).  The classic from Aristophanes
8 INDIA INK cd (referring to fountain pens)
13 OVA O (Ohio) + VA (Victoria & Albert Museum).
15 BANK DRAFT BANK (save) D (500) RAFT (a very large amount)
16 TARANTULA *(NATURAL T(error))
17 LORRAINE RAIN (wet weather) in LORE (learning)
19 BEE “live in ecstasy” becomes E (ecstasy) in BE (live)
20 ARTISTE *(I START) + E(ntertainment); &lit
21 ABLAZE A B (black) LAZE (loaf)
23 CACTI C (coloured) ACT (something done) I (independence)
24 LOIRE I (one) in LORE (traditional learning).  I would have preferred not to see the same fodder (LORE) used twice in the same puzzle.

4 comments on “Financial Times 13,050 / Jason”

  1. Hi Agentzero,

    Wikipedia describes CRYOSTAT as a vessel similar to a vacuum flask, so I guess “chilly chamber” is an apt definition.

    Agree with you about LORE.

    3D: “Sam’s easy” is perhaps indicating the American way of pronouncing “Z” in EZ.

  2. My dictionary says cryostat is the device which controls the temperature, like thermostat.

    Also, 14a: exacerbating surely means _making_ worse, not _getting_ worse.

  3. Shuchi, I think you must be right about 3d, thanks. Although I have never seen it used in that sense without the “Uncle.”

    Tony, I think your point is well taken on 14a. “Exacerbating” is a transitive verb.

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