Monday Prize Crossword/Mar 19
A typical Dante puzzle , enjoyable as ever.
Definitions are underlined and/or referred to in the blog.
| Across | ||
| 1 | RUSTED | Condition of tank, perhaps, after attack from the air |
| Double definition, perhaps – a tank might be corroded (RUSTED) after, perhaps, being “destroyed by air” (RUSTED, according to Chambers). But the two definitions are very similar, aren’t they? | ||
| 4 | NEUROSIS | Name potentially serious mental problem |
| N (name) + (SERIOUS)* | ||
| 9 | ESCAPE | Manage to avoid a leakage |
| Double definition | ||
| 10 | SHINGLES | Viral disease runs around hospital |
| SINGLES (runs) around H (hospital) | ||
| 12 | ARTERIES | Rate rise for renovating major roads |
| (RATE RISE)* | ||
| 13 | REVERE | Venerate an American patriot |
| Double definition – Paul Revere (1735-1818) was an American patriot who rode from Boston to Lexington to warn others of the approach of British troops. The man was more than 80 years on Planet Earth, quite exceptional in those days(and certainly for a revolutionary). Btw, the first time I came across Paul Revere was in the Sixties: Let Me (1969) | ||
| 15 | TAUT | Tight race to retain gold |
| TT (race, Tourist Trophy) around AU (gold) | ||
| 16 | DECK QUOITS | Pack with no score in even game |
| DECK (pack) + {O (no score, zero) inside QUITS (even)} | ||
| 19 | RESTRAINTS | Takes no action about coach reservations |
| RESTS (takes no action) around TRAIN (coach) | ||
| 20 | NILE | Runner has zero energy |
| NIL (zero) E (energy) – “Runner” being a river here | ||
| 23 | SEDATE | Teased about being placid |
| (TEASED)* | ||
| 25 | ARMS RACE | What gun-runners take part in? |
| Cryptic definition – How true that is! | ||
| 27 | STEP ON IT | Hasten to expose devious nepotist |
| (NEPOTIST)* | ||
| 28 | SCRIBE | There’s copy in the south-east for a writer |
| CRIB (copy, plagiarism) inside SE (south-east) | ||
| 29 | SCOT-FREE | Artful secret of not having to pay |
| (SECRET OF)* | ||
| 30 | PEANUT | Vegetable and fruit producing edible seed |
| PEA (vegetable) + NUT (fruit) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | RE-ENACT | A recent reform put through again |
| (A RECENT)* | ||
| 2 | SECATEURS | When at sea, curses tea clippers |
| (CURSES TEA)* | ||
| 3 | EXPERT | Former forward – one who should know better |
| EX (former) PERT (forward) – the definition is slightly cryptic | ||
| 5 | ECHO | What one said after reflection |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 6 | RUNNER-UP | Just a second |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 7 | SOLVE | Only about five find the solution |
| SOLE (only) around V (five) | ||
| 8 | SISTERS | Members of the family, I stress, are out |
| (I STRESS)* | ||
| 11 | HERETIC | Cite her conversion as a dissenter |
| (CITE HER)* | ||
| 14 | SKATERS | Streaks out on the ice |
| (STREAKS)* | ||
| 17 | IMITATION | Unoriginal form of flattery |
| Cryptic definition – “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” | ||
| 18 | WRITE OFF | Send a letter, but expect nothing to come of it |
| Double definition, the first one slightly cryptic | ||
| 19 | RESISTS | Tries to stop son entering repeated exams |
| S (son) inside RESITS (repeated exams) | ||
| 21 | EVEREST | High spot for woman – an opportunity to relax |
| EVE (woman) + REST (an opportunity to relax) | ||
| 22 | PSYCHE | Around church espy lost soul |
| (ESPY)* around CH (church) | ||
| 24 | DUE TO | It’s caused by an act of duplicity over love |
| DUET (an act of duplicity) + O (love, nothing) | ||
| 26 | LINE | Policy revealed in a short note |
| Double definition | ||
Thanks Sil. I did this in bed last night and found it more difficult than any of yesterday’s other daily puzzles, as is often the case with Dante.
Last in was Rusted, which I read as a very laboured CD. The surface tries to conjure up an image of a military tank being attacked by an aircraft whereas the literal meaning is simply the condition of a metal vessel that has been corroded by exposure to the atmosphere.
Thanks Sil
I agree with you that this was as enjoyable as ever. I love Dante’s style.
Now, I am going to question one of your answers. Instead of ARMS RACE (25A) I would offer PROS RACE. I think gun runners is not cryptic enough. I am taking gun here to mean crack, top notch, which I think is more cryptic. In Australia every Easter we have the Stawell Gift which is a short distance running race open to professionals and the prize money is very good. I imagine you must have something similar in the UK.
cheers
John
Sorry Sil, I meant to write “Arms Race” is not cryptic enough.
I failed on 4a,13a (never heard of him), 20a , 6d & 26d.
I assume line is a musical term for a short note?
Bamberger, I thought LINE to be a ‘short letter (or note)’ [it’s in Chambers, def. #20 ….] as in ‘drop me a line’.