Financial Times 13,512 by Mudd

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Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 9

I found the top-left corner of this puzzle challenging. Clue 9A (RIPSNORTER) is a difficult one but uses a darned good cryptic definition. Mudd gives us another lovely cryptic definition in 21A (FISHMONGER).

Across
1. ACTING – double definition
4. STATUE – [n]U[mbers] in STATE (report)
8. FIREARM – EAR (organ) in FIRM (hard)
9. ANGUISH – I (one) in ANGUS (Scotsman) + H (hard)
11. RIPSNORTER – double/cryptic definition
12. FOXY – double definition
13. FUNGI – GNU (animal) in IF (poem) all backwards. “If” is a poem by Rudyard Kipling.
14. APPLE PIE – A (a) + P (quiet) + LP (record) reversed + EP (record) + IE (that is)
16. NUTSHELL – anagram of THUS in NELL (little girl)
18. DROLL – [frankfurte]R in DOLL (model)
20. ETNA – hidden word
21. FISHMONGER – cryptic definition
23. DAUPHIN – anagram of U[lna] AND HIP
25. ENOUGH – ONE (number) reversed + UGH (yuk)
26. FRISKY – F (female) + RISKY (dangerous)

Down
1. ALIBI – LIB (party) in AI (perfect, really “A1”)
2. TREASON – anagram of [prisone]R ATONES
3. NARCOTISE – anagram of TO ARSENIC
5. TENOR – TEN (figure) + OR (however). In what context does “however” mean “or”? Or do I have this wrong?
6. TRUFFLE – T[rouble] + RUFFLE (upset)
7. ESSEX GIRL – X (kiss) + G (good) both in anagram of SERIES + L (fifty)
10. STRAPLESS – in other words FREE MORE
13. FRUITCAKE – double definition
15. PEDOMETER – DOME (cupola) in PETER (Vatican saint)
17. SHAMPOO – SHAM (mock) + POO (waste)
19. OMNIBUS – cryptic definition. “Omnibus” is both the title of a television show and can refer generically to a type of radio or TV show.
21. FLING – double definition. I first thought of FLASH for this, as in the movie Flashdance, but FLING works much better.
22. EVERY – E[ach] + VERY (so)

2 comments on “Financial Times 13,512 by Mudd”

  1. Thank you once more, Pete.
    A very good puzzle by Mudd, I thought.
    I have a slightly different look at 10d (STRAPLESS).
    The definition is “As dress may be”.
    And the wordplay: S (back of dress) + TRAP LESS (when you trap less (eg animals), you free more – a bit like double negative being positive, Mudd using “so …. ?” to mark that it’s more or less [ :)] an allusion)

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