Dante today as is often the case on a Monday, prize puzzle 14027 from 11th June can be found here. As usual it’s a lot of cryptic and double definitions. People generally find Dante/Rufus easy but personally I don’t really like Cryptic/Double Definitions all that much. If anyone can see wordplay I’ve missed please say so as I’m still a little rusty at blogging again. Sorry but I’ve not found a way to include the clues without me typing them in and tyops would only confuse. My biggest problem is how do I explain the DDs without getting into teaching grandmother how to suck eggs – they are DDs. And as for the CDs…
| Across: | ||
| 1 | ASPIRE | PRAISE* |
| 4 | OFF-STAGE | OFF (cricket side) + STAGE(coach) |
| 10 | PORCELAIN | [IN PLACE OR]* |
| 11 | EARTH | Cryptic DD |
| 12 | OHMS | Initial letters of On Her Majesty’s Service |
| 13 | DOWNSTREAM | CD although I put in mainstream initially which held me up a bit |
| 15 | ANNEXES | CD |
| 16 | EXEMPT | CD |
| 19 | TARRED | TRADER* Blackened reputation say. |
| 21 | STRANGE | ST. + RANGE |
| 23 | EVENING OUT | Double definition |
| 25 | ENID | DINE (Back,reversed) |
| 27 | TUTTI | Music instruction for everyone |
| 28 | REPRODUCE | PROCEDURE* |
| 29 | DRAUGHTS | DD |
| 30 | IMPART | IMP + ART |
| Down: | ||
| 1 | APPROVAL | CD, I was convinced for a while it would be something to do with hitch-hiking |
| 2 | PYROMANIA | CD, hmm see my avatar… |
| 3 | REEL | R(iver) + EEL |
| 5 | FINANCE | N in FIANCE |
| 6 | SWEETHEART | [WEATHER SET]* |
| 7 | AGREE | Hidden in gretnA GREEn |
| 8 | EXHUME | CD |
| 9 | WAGONS | ON in WAGS |
| 14 | EXERCISING | ER in EXCISING |
| 17 | PENINSULA | [PLAN IN USE]* |
| 18 | DEAD HEAT | CD although Dead spit=Double |
| 20 | DOGTROT | DOG(tail) + TORT rev. |
| 21 | STUMPS | Method of dismissal and the term for the end of play |
| 22 | SEATED | TEASED* |
| 24 | EXTRA | DD |
| 25 | LOOM | DD |
I couldn’t get
11a stared blankly and couldn’t see it.
15a Ditto
19a Kicking myself
27a Would never have got this -no musical knowledge.
8d Good clue -couldn’t get it.
14d Couldn’t see it
18d Even with ?e?d ?e?t I still couldn’t get it
20d I’ll count that one as too tough for me.
Not a very good result though I did try.
@Bamberger I really struggled at times with this one with a wrong guess at 15 not helping, In my opinion Dante’s style of lengthy double defintions rather than wordplay where wordplay looks likely makes him one of the harder setters for me personally. I’m not really a fan of you’ll get it or it’s impossible clues.