Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 11
I am well aware that deadlines can change around the holidays but, until I came to write this blog at my usual time, I failed to notice that the puzzle closed for entries on Monday and that I could have published the blog nearly 24 hours ago. Sorry if anyone was anxiously waiting for it.
Cincinnus gives us some fine clues here, notably for me 6D (ALLIGATOR), 15D (WAGNERIAN), 17D (LAST RITES) and 22D (PHENOL).
Across
1. COBBLERS – triple definition. With one nicely cryptic definition, one that I had to look up (“drinks”) and one that I should have looked up (“moonshine”). I originally took this for a double definition but was corrected — see comments below.
5. JAILED – J (Jack) + AILED (was sick)
9. HABITUAL – BIT (rather) + U (upperclass) both in HAL (prince)
10. BLITHE – B (bishop) + LITHE (moving supply)
12. REACH – R (resistance) + EACH (everyone)
13. INDIGENES – GEN (dope) in INDIES (exotic locations)
14. BLOWER – B[ill] + LOWER (reduced)
16. TITULAR – TIT (bird) + U[nusua]L A[ngula]R (or U[nusual angu]LAR ? — probably not)
19. CRYOGEN – CRY (blubber) + OGEN (melon). An ogen is a small, green-skinned melon that was named after a kibbutz in Israel.
21. MOROSE – R (right) in MOOSE (beast). Are mooses sullen?
23. ULSTERMAN – anagram of MUST LEARN
25. PERTH – PERT (saucy) + H[ussy]
26. SPIRIT – [Blithe] SPIRIT (play)
27. SKELETON – anagram of NOT LEEKS
28. DUGONG – DUG ON (continued making holes) + G (good)
29. PROPOSAL – PROP (support) + O (old) + SAL (girl)
Down
1. COHERE – HE (he) in CORE (centre)
2. BOB MARLEY – BOB (Cratchit) + MARLEY (ghostly visitor)
3. LATCH – hidden word
4. READIER – I (one) in READER (book)
6. ALLIGATOR – anagram of A GIRL A LOT
7. LET ON – L[aw] + ETON (school)
8. DRESSERS – dual definition. One definition refers to those who dress actors and dancers in the theatre; the other, I guess, refers to operating theatres and dressers of wounds.
11. EDIT – EDIT[h] (girl ultimately wanting)
15. WAGNERIAN – anagram of A RING ANEW
17. LAST RITES – TRITE (tired) in LASS (girl)
18. ACCURSED – [lawye]R in ACCUSED (one on trial)
20. NUMB – M (male) in NUB (small lump)
21. MONIKER – anagram of RON MIKE
22. PHENOL – anagram of PHONE + L (left)
24. SWING – double definition
25. PAL UP – A (a) + L (long) both in PUP (little dog)
Not sure if he’s saying they’re sullen (21A) though one might take that from reading the whole clue as a unit. I think it’s just the definition of MOROSE with R in MOOSE as the wordplay – separately.
nmsindy, Thanks for commenting. I have never met a moose but have this picture of them as being rather gloomy and supercilious beasts!
Thanks for another fine blog, Pete.
I read 16ac slightly differently from you: TIT(bird) + U[nusua]L + A[ngula]R.
1ac, I think, is a Triple Definition. For ‘moonshine’, Chambers gives NONSENSE (COBBLERS).
mike04, You must be right about 1ac. I should have looked up moonshine. Thanks for the correction. And the same goes for 16ac. I will edit the blog accordingly.