I don’t think I have blogged Styx before. I enjoyed this and although it was straightforward I did not find it easy. The challenge with Styx seems to be interpreting the subtle definitions and misdirections rather than untangling convoluted wordplay.
I am a fan of &lit clues (one where the entire clue is both definition and wordplay). Often the surface readings in &lits can be a bit strained, but here we get three good ones in one puzzle, thank you Styx!
Hold the mouse pointer over any clue number to read the clue.
| Across | ||
| 1 | BRANDISH | DISH (food eaten) following BRAN (health food) |
| 5 | CHAPEL | anagram of PLACE and churcH (last letter of) – definition is &lit |
| 9 | CADAVERS | CAD (swine) A VERSe (piece of work, part of a poem for instance) nearly finished – definition is ‘remains’ |
| 10 | PINION | PIN by I (one, Roman numeral) ON (operating) – to bind by the arms |
| 12 | LICIT | (prICe LIsT)* anagram=reissuing, missing REPS – defintion is ‘honest’ |
| 13 | EQUIPMENT | QUIP (joke) MEN (troops) in greETing (middle of) |
| 14 | COSSET | COS (salad ingredient) SET (prepared) – a hand-reared lamb |
| 16 | APELIKE | A then L (large) I (one) in PEKE (dog) |
| 19 | RESTORE | ORE (valuable resource) following REST (short break) |
| 21 | THEMES | THE MESh (network) not finished (curtailed) |
| 23 | ANTIPASTI | TIP (pour out) ASTI (wine) following AN |
| 25 | MASON | SO (well, conversational opener) in MAN (people in gereral) |
| 26 | STINGY | double definition |
| 27 | PITTANCE | PIT (mine) TAN (brown) CE (cerium, chemical symbol) |
| 28 | PLEASE | P (parking) with (linked to) LEASE (rental agreement) – definition is ‘want’, for example: “if you want…” or “if you please…” |
| 29 | BLUDGEON | BLUDGE (loaf about, Aus.) and ON – definition is ‘strike’ |
| Down | ||
| 1 | BUCKLE | ELK (deer) and CUB (young) all reversed (in retreat) |
| 2 | ABDUCTORS | (BROAD CUTS)* anagram=damaged |
| 3 | DIVOT | VOID* (anagram=hacked) on T (tee, name of the letter) -definition is &lit |
| 4 | SURFEIT | SURF (swell) TIE (match) reversed (held up) |
| 6 | HAIRPIECE | (tHAI RECIPE)* anageam=odd, missing T=time – a switch is a tuft of hair |
| 7 | PRIME | PRIM (formal) E (ecstacy, drugs) – definition is ‘charge’, as of a weapon |
| 8 | LENGTHEN | ENG (England) THEN (immediately) after faiLure (middle letter of) – definition is ‘spin out’ |
| 11 | PUMA | UP reversed (backed up) MAn (shortened) – Los Pumas is the nickname of the Argentinian rugby team |
| 15 | STOPPAGES | PAGE (web file) in (grabbed by) SPOTS (sites) reversed (about) – definition is ‘industrial action’ |
| 17 | IN ESSENCE | a part (factor) of dizzINESS ENCEphalitis – definition is ‘basically’ |
| 18 | BREAKS UP | (A BUSKER)* worked=anagram on P (piano) – definition is ‘parts’ |
| 20 | EAST | fEAST (banquet) not starting – a compass bearing, ships course for example (main=sea). A question mark is required in the clue here? This is an example, not a definition. |
| 21 | TRIVIAL | I (one, Roman numeral) V (versus, opposing) in (interrupting) TRIAL (proceedings in court) |
| 22 | INTERN | sounds like (listened to) “in turn” (one after another) – a junior doctor |
| 24 | TRIPE | shorThorn (stomach=the middle part) RIPE (ready to be eaten) – definition is &lit |
| 25 | MATED | found inside (lodging in) bedrooM ATE Dinner – definition is ‘had sex’ |
*anagram
Thanks for the blog, PeeDee.
A colleague and I normally complete the FT in our 40-50 minute lunchbreak – today we only solved seven clues….
I did like the construction of 12 & 17 – very good.
Although I agree with you that this crossword was technically straightforward, I’m afraid that lamb = cosset, switch = hairpiece, adbuctors = muscles, and bludge = ‘don’t do anything’ were too obscure for us working unaided.