Independent 7,797/Dac

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Glorioius stuff as ever from Dac. Quite a tough bottom half I found, but I got there in the end.

If I have a single criticism – and I’m saying this only becasue I never normally do with Dac – it’s that ‘wanting’ seems a bit superfluous in 25A. But I’m nit-pcking. The rest is great!

Across
1 PATIENCE – AT I(nternational) in PENCE
5 BANTAM – (BATMAN)*
10 A DROP IN THE OCEAN – Double/cryptic def.
11 NEWER – [-inductio]N + EWER
12 IRONED OUT – (ODOUR IN + [ex]ET[er])*
13 COPIER – 1 in COPER
14 SCOURER – Double def.
17 AGELESS – (SEE GALS)*
19 RIFLED – [-superviso]R + I FLED
21 JOB-SHARES – J(udge) + OBS(olete) + HARES
23 CUTIE – CUT I.E.
24 INAPPROPRIATELY – I + APPROPRIATE in N(ew) Y(ork)
25 TUDORS – D(uke) in (TOURS)*
26 PETERSON – E(nglish) T(enor) in PERSON
Down
1 PLAINT – I in PLANT
2 THROWN OVERBOARD – THROWN (puzzled) OVER (about) BOARD (food)
3 EXPERTISE – (PRIEST) * in EX(odus) + pEntateuch
4 CANNIER – ANNIE in C(ollege) R(ight)
6 ALONE – ONE on A L(ine)
7 THE FOUR FEATHERS – Cryptic def.
8 MONITORS – MOTORS crossing NI
9 WHOOPS – WHO (doctor) + OPS (surgical procedures)
15 OFFICIATE – OF + ICI in FATE
16 BANJOIST – BAN (bar) + IS in JOT (a bit)
18 SERMON – R(oo)M in (ONES)*
19 RESERVE – [-p]RESERVE[-d]
20 KENYAN – KEN (knowledge) + YAN[-k]
22 HOPER – OP in HER

12 comments on “Independent 7,797/Dac”

  1. Thanks, Ali. You’re right – as usual, a very good puzzle from Dac. WHOOPS and JOB-SHARES were favourite clues today. THE FOUR FEATHERS I’d never heard of, but with a few crossing letters, the ‘down’ and ‘feathers’ link became apparent, then it couldn’t be much else.

    You need an L for ‘pounds’in your explanation of APPROPRIATELY, I think.

  2. Thanks Dac and Ali. I thought the “wanting” in 25 was a cunning suggestion of misdirection – since it often signals omission rather than inclusion! Certainly had me for a while, until I saw the light . . .

    The one I wonder about is 15, where “all round” seems to say put “fate” round “of ici”. Why the “all”? Anyone else think that’s a bit naughty?

    Nonetheless, most enjoyable.

  3. I wasn’t sure why fate in 15 down was calamitous result. Other than that, it was fairly straightforward. I remember seeing film adaptations of the Four Feathers many years ago, so got that quite easily.

  4. FATE can be ‘a calamituous result’ as Collins confirms, and ‘wanting’ seems fine too. It’s no more than a link word, but it’s clear that what the answer ‘wants’ is the subsidiary indication the clue goes on to provide: we find Dac adding words quite legitimately to assist his surfaces on several occasions passim (e.g. ‘later’ in 16D). 7 I see as d&cd where only four feathers, as opposed to all of them, might be ‘a bit down’. Excellent puzzle.

  6. “Quite a tough bottom half” -agreed got most of the top out but got nowhere in the SE . Hardest Dac for sometime.
    Didn’t like 26a – is he supposed to be well known?

  8. The excellence goes without saying, but I couldn’t understand 24ac: it’s I then (appropriate l) in NY, but the clue is ‘I purloin pounds state’s invested unwisely?’, and I can’t see how that puts the state around something else when it says that the state is invested.

  10. Very enjoyable and a quick finish for me, the qualms of others largely passed me by as they often do when I’m purely solving not blogging, seeing the answer and just putting in the answer. OK I guessed correctly that it was four feathers but couldn’t really be anything else as per PB @4. Still thanks Ali for the blogand Dac as ever for the impeccable clues and surfaces. Hmm does Dac not do themes, ninas etc (well most of the time) just for the surfaces, clues and well known answers.

    Which is the better style? As per Harry Hill, there’s only one way to find out! Fight!

    OK which do you prefer?

  11. Thanks nms. Of course, how weak of me. I often make that mistake, failing to notice that ‘s can mean both has and is.

    I’m simply used to there being no Ninas in a Dac. Better, Flashling@10? I don’t think that word applies: it’s just what he does.

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