This was a nice straightforward puzzle from Loda, with six members of a group appearing as unclued entries in the grid and two others (not part of the group) appearing as extra words in two clues. Ten across clues and all down clues contained misprints supplying two names and a question & answer.
I have to say that, especially for a Loda puzzle, the clues were pretty easy, and the unclued entries were soon apparent, in my case when I saw WILSON and FRAZER appear (although I’d always assumed it was spelt with an S). We obviously had the members of Dad’s Army here. MAINWARING, JONES, GODFREY and WALKER completed the group, with Hodges (the ARP warden) and Farthing (the vicar) appearing as extra words in two clues. The down clue misprints could then be seen to give the question and answer “Vot is your name?” and “Don’t tell him …” … Pike!!
On completion of the grid, DAD’S ARMY could be found in the second to last row and was to be highlighted. The symmetry of the two authors’ names (both 5,5) was nice, and they were supplied by the misprints and correct letters in the ten across clues: DAVID CROFT & JIMMY PERRY. These two names were to be written under the grid, with WRITTEN BY highlighted above them in the bottom row. Finally (Private Frank) PIKE (played by Ian Lavender), the object of the question and answer, was to be found and highlighted in the main NW-SE diagonal.
All this would no doubt have caused a non-British solver to have to resort to Google, but I suspect 99% of Brits (certainly those over 40) would have known these names and the words immediately. They are probably the two most famous and funny lines in a British sitcom.
Solving time: not even 90 minutes, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Legend:
ABC* = anagram
ABC< = reversal
abCDef = hidden
X = misprints (acrosses show misprint followed by the correct letter, downs show just the correct letter)
| ACROSS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | OUIJA | one aids communication when late (ie dead): OUI + DA (yes in French and German respectively) | |
| 6 | J–D | OAFS | dolts (jolts): SOFA*; the clue is Jolts cane sofa and I think cane is used in the sense of to weave |
| 10 | A–I | ERICK | fine (fane): CIRE< + K (front of Kabala) |
| 11 | V–M | ROUE | dirty old man (van): ROUGE (eg Burgundy, ie red wine) – G (good) |
| WILSON | Dad’s Army Sgt Arthur Wilson, played by John Le Mesurier | ||
| 12 | EEL | fish: (K)EEL (Shakespeare’s cool) | |
| 13 | APSE | recess: in cheAP SEquel; this clue contains the extra word ‘Hodges’ | |
| 14 | I–M | ITEM | dam (Dai) and dad eg (as in ‘they are an item’): [MET I (one)]< |
| 16 | OZEKI | top wrestler (in sumo): OZ (Australian) + EKI (geEKIer essentially) | |
| 17 | STRAP | allow credit for (old word): STRAD (fiddle) with P (new penny) in place of D (old penny); this clue contains the extra word ‘farthing’ | |
| 19 | SEATED | established: SEED (germ) around A (all) T (Thailand) | |
| MAINWARING | Dad’s Army Captain George Mainwaring, played by Arthur Lowe | ||
| 23 | ASIA | large landmass: AS (like) IA (IndiA’s borders) | |
| 25 | Y–D | LAKER | 2 meanings: rod (Roy) might be employed by one & test cricket legend |
| 27 | AREG | places where the sand shifts: GEAR* | |
| 28 | P–C | WHOLEWHEAT | such corn’s (porn’s) very grainy: W (with) HOLE (hollow) W (wife) HEAT (animal excitement) |
| 32 | ROYNES | mutters (Spenser): R (right) + NOSEY* | |
| 35 | R–E | BOARD | committee (committer): BO (American guy) + A + R (rook) + D (ultimately frauD) |
| 37 | LOEWE | composer: LO (see) E (coda from cagE, ie last letter) + WE(T) (tearful) | |
| 39 | CLEF | musical character: CLEF(T) (crack) | |
| 40 | KURT | little Conrad from Germany (a dimiunutive form, apparently): TURK* | |
| 41 | ZEE | Obama’s last letter (ie Z in the US): ZEBEDEE (biblical character) – BEDE (prayer) | |
| 42 | O–R | BAWLER | cry (coy) baby might describe one: BRAWLER (fighter) – R (first of Rucks) |
| 43 | F–R | EDDA | rare (fare) books: [A (one) DD (day after another, ie two of them) + E (end of thE)]< |
| 44 | T–Y | MYOPE | one can’t see way (wat) in the distance: MY (well!) + OPE(N) (frank) |
| 45 | WRIT | legal document: WIT (intelligence) involving R (rule) | |
| 46 | TENBY | resort: T (to) EN (space) BY (at one’s home) | |
| DOWN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | V | LEWISIA | herb living all year: IS in LEW (lukewarm) IA (Iowa) |
| 2 | O | GRITTY | dogged: G (good) + RITT (score) + Y (barbarY’s tail) |
| 3 | T | OILER | tanker: (ROLE I)* |
| 4 | I | IKON | Elvis perhaps: I (in) KO (knockout) N (navy) |
| JONES | Dad’s Army Lance Corporal Jones, played by Clive Dunn, who has just turned 90 | ||
| 5 | S | AXEMEN | ruthless people, they cut costs: A (one) + XEM(A) (gulls, short) + EN (nut) |
| 6 | Y | OVERAWE | daunt by arousing fear: [WE ARE lOVe (unlimited lOVe)]* |
| 7 | O | ALLOT | parcel out: all (everything + OT (books, ie Old Testament) |
| FRAZER | Dad’s Army Private James Frazer, played by John Lawrie | ||
| 8 | U | MUSKONE | this could make hum (ie smell): initials of Make Uri See Key + ONE (individual) |
| 9 | R | WEEING | relieving oneself: WEE (small) + NG (no good) crushing I (ego) |
| 15 | N | MAMA | name for mum: [AM (amateur) + AM (American)]< |
| 18 | A | PALE | wan: P (power) + A + LE (LabouritE gutted) |
| 20 | M | DIRT | muck: RT (right) under DI (copper, ie Detective Inspector) |
| 21 | E | DIOR | scent brand: D (Developed initially) + I (international) OR (gold) |
| 22 | D | ARAB | steed: A (atomic) + BAR< (rod) |
| 24 | O | SHROUDS | covers: SH (hush) + ROU (Uruguay) + DS (centre of puDSey) |
| 26 | N | AWNIEST | most fibrous (with regard to corn: A (Australia) + WINES* + T (the) |
| 27 | T | ATOC | one stinks: AT (in) + OC (only child) |
| GODFREY | Dad’s Army Private Charles Godfrey, played by Arnold Ridley | ||
| WALKER | Dad’s Army Private Joe Walker, played by Jimmy Beck | ||
| 29 | T | LOW-TAR | Players, possibly with filters in (reference to Players cigarettes): TRAWL* catching O (nothing) |
| 30 | E | HEREAT | due to this: EARTH* hiding E (drug) |
| 31 | L | CREEPS | gradually slips: CREE (Indian) + PS (supplement, ie postscript) |
| 33 | L | YEZDI | old Harry’s (ie devil) respected by this sectarian: [YZ (last two caharcters) + DIE]* |
| 34 | H | SABRE | bent arm with hilt: BASE* holding R (take) |
| 36 | I | ALLOY | mix: ALLY (supporter) receiving O (oxygen) |
| 38 | M | DAMN | doom: DAM (restraint) + N (new) |
Hi Dave, yes this was a nice puzzle. I must admit it was my girlfriend who – doesn’t do crosswords – spotted the theme. Wikipedia helped a great deal here ( I wouldn’t of had a clue ) of who is who, I’ve never watched an episode in my life and I’m British! But I’m only 30, so I get off from being punished for being too young.
I managed the rest of the crossword, very enjoyable. Thanks Loda. And Dave for blog.
Nice work, Dave, sounds like an enjoyable EV. (Unfortunately for me, I missed this one, due to being on holiday – and in wifely-imposed ‘crossword purdah’).
I didn’t watch much of Dad’s Army – even though I am an ‘over 40 Brit’ – so might have had to resort to some sort of reference book/search engine.