So Grand National day, so is there a horsey theme to today’s puzzle? And if there was would I actually notice it?
Evens
2 – 1
8 – 1
500 – 1 outsider
I have convinced myself that there is no National theme to this crossword. But I’m sure that there is something in it, just no idea what it is.
There are some lovely clues, as I’ve grown to expect from Klingsor.
- My personal favourites for their more unusual constructions – 28ac, 17ac, 13ac and 23dn
- The surfaces of 7dn, 12ac, 20dn and 26ac have ingenious misdirection contained within them
- The imagery of 4dn made me laugh.
It still amuses me that the way to London is always Up, if anyone is wondering why the exclamation marks are below (16dn). The clue is correct, it is just a term I would never use (unless I lived south of the capital).
Many thanks Klingsor, fun as always.
Key:
rev. reverse, * anagram, DD Double definition, Underline is definition
ACROSS
1 Revolutionary socialist’s not the first to sign a petition (7)
(socialist – s (first to sign) – a)* = SOLICIT
5 Battle site obscured by limbs of coniferous tree (7)
cs (limbs of coniferous) around Ypres (Battle site) = CYPRESS
9 Man a happy fellow apparently cut back thicket (9)
Chap(man) + a + rev. (larry (a happy fellow)) – y (cut back) = CHAPARRAL
10 Circuit with safeguard is practical (2,3)
O (circuit) + fuse (safeguard) = OF USE
11 Stay temporarily in spot that’s not special (5)
splodge (spot) – sp (special) = LODGE
12 Wren perhaps could migrate to the Arctic (9)
(the arctic)* = ARCHITECT as in Christopher
13 Dishonest sort who votes twice? (6-7)
DD DOUBLE-CROSSER
17 We among others make joint declaration (13)
Pronoun (we among others) + cement (make joint) = PRONOUNCEMENT
21 Superior fellow’s in trouble after returning books (3-6)
To (rev OT (books)) + f (fellow) in plight (trouble) = TOP-FLIGHT
24 One linked with old school backed latest development in cricket?(5)
I (one) + Rev(o(old) + gam (school)) = IMAGO
25 Seductress, one not having heart to sleep around (5)
Circe (seductress) – e (heart to sleep) + a (one) = CIRCA
26 Stern, for example, and bow would belong to one (9)
DD VIOLINIST (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Stern)
27 One severely criticises alcoholic drink (7)
DD SLAMMER
28 Jerk is one for a start (7)
Cryptic definition Jerk is a synonym for start = SYNONYM
DOWN
1 Implement poorly legislated enactments at first (6)
sick (poorly) + l + e (legislated enactments at first) = SICKLE
2 Plain clothes detective initially residing in dingy Welsh town (9)
llano (plain) around d (detective initially) in dun (dingy) = LLANDUDNO
3 Twice leaves university to find country house (7)
Cha + tea (leaves as in tea) + u (university) = CHATEAU
4 Urinal apt to splash? you need something waterproof (9)
(urinal apt)* = TARPAULIN
5 Officer in command gets unpleasant gut feeling (5)
Col (officer) + ic (in command) = COLIC
6 Volume is in unacceptably poor condition (7)
v(volume) + is in (poor)* = PROVISO
7 Duck starter skipped by kid (5)
Delude(kid) – d (starter) = ELUDE
8 Stress A&E should be involved? You may after whack on the head (3,5)
(stress ae)* = SEE STARS
14 What will interest chemists promoting carbon products (9)
Reactions (interest chemists) promoting C (Carbon) = CREATIONS
15 One gets tense, involved in row largely about state of affairs (9)
Rev(Noise – e (row largely) about I (one) + taut (tense) = SITUATION
16 Move to London by river, by the sound of it (2,6)
Up (to London!!!) + sticks (homonym of Styx) = UP STICKS
18 Old mate shelters in stunted and gnarled lime tree (3,4)
o (old) + pal (mate) in (lime -e)* = OIL PALM
19 Issue decree, one about banning Catholic (7)
edict (decree) – c (catholic) + I (one) + on (about) = EDITION
20 Can German money support Britain? (6)
b (Britain) + Otto (German) + m(money) = BOTTOM (Can is American slang)
22 Chilly, almost needing a coat (5)
Parky(chilly) – y + a = PARKA
23 A new start for organ donor (5)
Liver (Organ) changing start = GIVER
I also liked a lot of the clues, especially DOUBLE CROSSER, CIRCA, CHATEAU, VIOLINIST, OIL PALM, UP STICKS, ELUDE, GIVER & ARCHITECT.
I learnt two new words: parky and splodge’.
I was unable to parse 9a, 2d, 24a, 15d, 14d, 28a & 20d.
I still don’t understand BOTTOM. ‘Can’ is America sang for ‘toilet’? And ‘bottom’ = ‘toilet’ too? (It seems I am no good at anything resembling toilet humour.)
Thanks for the blog, twencelas.
Like Michelle, I had not heard of ‘can’ as American slang for ‘bottom’, so I thought 20d was &lit. Dictionary.com does have ‘can’ as US slang for ‘buttocks’. If an American is said to be sitting on his can, this could lead to confusion.
Muffyword@2
Your post encouraged me to do some research. I found definition #5 for ‘can’ (noun) in Collins: (US & Canadian) a slang word for toilet or buttocks.
So now I understand why the answer to 20d is BOTTOM.
Michelle @3
Re 20d:
I am glad you got to the can of it.
All very fair I thought, but LLANDUDNO was outstandingly brilliant, one of the best clues I’ve seen in a long while – once it had been explained to me! Thanks Klingsor and twenceslas.
Thanks, Klingsor and twencelas. I still don’t know, though, what imago has to do with cricket nor gam with school. Bottom eluded me to, and I’m American.
Hi Ian SW3
Imago is the last or perfect stage of an insect’s development and a cricket is an insect. Gam is a collective noun for whales, also known as a school.
muffyword@4
thanks! that was the biggest laugh I had all day. I will not be able to use the word ‘can’ for a while without thinking of you!
Much to enjoy here I thought, and many thanks for the blog – I missed “Larry” in the parsing of 9a, and like others had never come across Can=Ass=Butt etc etc.
My favourite clue was 17a; I spent a while searching for some convoluted means of parsing it before its beautiful simplicity hit me.