I had the great pleasure to meet Orlando a few months ago. If you haven’t already seen his “Best for Puzzles” site then it is well worth a look, especially for the comprehensive and up-to-date Crossword Who’s Who of crossword setters, editors, bloggers, solvers and other puzzling people. This puzzle was a joy to solve, and about the difficulty level that a Quiptic should be. I particularly liked the rather poetic 4 down.
Across
1a POSSESS A word meaning to have is a charade of POSSE (sheriff’s helpers) and SS (emptied SaloonS)
5a MOORING Making a boat fast comes from RING (call) after MOO (beastly sound)
9a SCRAP IRON A charade of a fight and a golf club gives something that may be recycled
10a TENON One part of a mortise and tenon joint is created by reversing (backing) a group of nine musicians
11a RUNT An anagram (out) of TURN gives the smallest piggy in the litter
12a AND SO FORTH Cleverly hidden inside hands of orthopaedist is a phrase meaning etc.
14a GEMINI These heavenly twins come from E.G. (for example) reversed and a small car
15a EARLDOM An anagram (what may make) of ME A LORD is defined by the whole of this &Lit clue
16a SAPLING A charade of a SAP (fool) and LING (heather) gives a small tree
18a OPENLY Put ONLY (just) around (outside) PE (gym) to get an adverb meaning for all to see
20a ENTHUSIAST An anagram (re-collected) of HIT TUNES AS gives a fan
21a SNAP A double definition – “I have the same” in the eponymous card game and a photo
24a OUTDO A word meaning to cap is a charade of OUT (old hat / obsolete) and DO (party)
25a LEASTWAYS Split as “least ways” this could mean roads that are not major – it does mean anyhow
26a DEPOSIT A verb meaning to plant is generated by putting IS reversed (put back) inside DEPOT (store)
27a EXPLODE This word meaning to be unable to contain one’s rage is created by putting PC PLOD inside a Devon river
Down
1d POSER A double definition a question that baffles and an artist’s model
2d STRANGE A word meaning rum or unusual is a charade of ST (saint) and RANGE (wander)
3d EXPO Hidden inside (is holding) Middlesex possibly is a trade fair
4d SHRINKING VIOLET If you shrink Violet you get Vi – the definition is one who’s shy
5d MINISTER OF STATE This Politician is an anagram (applying spin) of TRITE MANIFESTOS
6d OUT OF ORDER A sign to say that something is not working loosely describes the letters in the fodder of an anagram
7d IGNORED An anagram (wrong) of GRID ONE gives a word meaning disregarded
8d GINGHAM G(O)ING without O (Oscar in the NATO phonetic alphabet) followed by HAM (a bad actor) gives a type of material
13d RIDICULOUS An anagram (snarled) of LUDICROUS I gives a word meaning ludicrous
16d STEROID An anagram (designer) of EDITOR’S gives a drug which promotes the growth of muscle
17d PIT STOP A charade of a mine and a closure gives the period in a motor race when the mechanics have to work fast
19d LONG AGO A phrase meaning many years since is a charade of to LONG (pine) and A GO (a try)
22d PASTE A double definition – to thrash and to stick with glue
23d STEP A part of a procedure and an allusion to John Buchan’s novel The Thirty-Nine Steps, famously filmed by Alfred Hitchcock
Thanks for a beautifully colourful and explicit post, Dave. My only query has now been cleared up by your photo of a tenon and mortise. I find it hard to think outside the body when it comes to joints, and so wondered where the ‘d’ from ‘tendon’ had gone 🙂
As you say, a particularly elegant and poetic offering from Orlando, which should encourage newcomes to enter this world.
Agreed that this was a joy to solve. The hints aren’t bad either!!
Thanks Orlando and Big Dave.
I eventually got 12 without realising it was a hidden answer (very nice.) I originally thought it must be ‘one so ?????’ with some reference to hands. I wanted 4 to be SCREAMING PIGLET or STRIPPING FILLET, but found those didn’t fit either the clue or 12!
P.S. BIG DAVE – I can’t get your link above (http://bestforpuzzles.com/) to work. Neither does http://www.bestforpuzzles.com seem to connect at the moment. Maybe there is some site maintenance or something.
Yes quite.
Very good.
@ Robi
It works for me. The address is http://bestforpuzzles.com/
@ Big Dave – strange, I still can’t connect. Tried turning off the firewall but it still doesn’t work??
Windows 7 diagnostics say the site is on-line but not responding to connection attempts!!!
I use Windows 7, without problems. Could be your anti-virus software.
Hi Robi and Dave, I have used that site before, and thought I had it bookmarked, but I’ve just tried the link and via Google, and all I get is a blank page.
BTW, I use Windows 7, too
“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice.
I’ve just tried it again and I’m OK with pages I looked at earlier today, which presumably are in the cache, but not for different pages.
Perhaps try again a bit later.
Many thanks, Big Dave. Orlando’s last cryptic a month or so ago was just right, and this one also hit the spot for where a Quiptic should be. MINISTER OF STATE is a fine anagram with a great surface; RIDICULOUS is also very clever, and I also liked the cleverly hidden AND SO FORTH.
Informative and enjoyable blog as well.
Thanks, Dave, for an exemplary blog.
The Best for Puzzles website seems to be back to normal now. I don’t know why it was temporarily unobtainable – unless perhaps there was a huge surge of traffic due to your recommendation 🙂
Really nice illustrations Big Dave. Let’s have more of these. They really make learning to solve far more appealing. Thank you!
Comments from Orlando and Paul!
I am honoured – thanks chaps.
Dave @9, sorry mate, you should believe what an ex-pro tells you, LOL 😀
A wonderful puzzle for a beginner like me.
8d was a favourite while 4d and 24a proved beyond me! Also, I looked past putting IS backwards instead of the name of a plant – another trick to look out for in future!
I am completely new to the world of the cc and find Orlando to be by far the most enjoyable setter – thank you Orlando and thank you the bloggers on this site; it really helps those of us who are new and stupid!