Everyman N° 3,477 (26 May 2013)

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The puzzle may be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/everyman/3477.

The notable feature of this crossword for me was the amount of time that I spent staring at blank spaces in the SE corner, for 25A and 19D. Eventually the penny dropped very satisfyingly for 25A, and I was able to dredge up the archaic word in 19D from somewhere.

Across
1. Doctor in study, a genius (5)
DEMON An envelope (‘in’) of MO (Medical Officer, military ‘doctor’) in DEN (‘study’). A demon (or daemon) is by no means always malign, and the closest correspondence to the definition is perhaps genius loci, the spirit of a place.
4. Finished among a group left behind (9)
ABANDONED An envelope (‘among’) of DONE (‘finished’) in ‘a’ plus BAND (‘group’).
9. Copyright infringers, Irish, filling tapes criminally (7)
PIRATES An envelope (‘filling’) of IR (‘Irish’) in PATES, an anagram (‘criminally’) of ‘tapes’.
10. As is nacre, surprisingly (7)
ARSENIC An anagram (‘surprisingly’) of ‘is nacre’. ‘As’ is the chemical symbol for the element arsenic (and ‘nacre’ is mother-of-pearl). The definition is a  familiar device, but neatly handled here.
11. Most inexperienced , OK, in new sect (9)
CALLOWEST An envelope (‘in’) of ALLOW (‘OK’ as a verb) in CEST, an anagram (‘new’) of ‘sect’.
12. Honours cheque, ultimately (indecently large) (5)
OBESE A charade of OBES (Orders of the British Empire, ‘honours’) plus E (‘chequE, ultimately’).
13,17. Proverb striking one SAS operative – see, mood’s changing (8,2,2,8,4)
HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES DOES A charade of HANDSOME (‘striking’) plus I (‘one’) plus ‘SAS’ plus HAND (‘operative’) plus SOMEDOES, an anagram (‘changing’) of ‘see moods’. Quite elaborate wordplay for Everyman.
17. See 13
– See 13
20. Travel by car from Palermo to Rome (5)
MOTOR An answer hidden (‘from’) in ‘PalerMO TO Rome’.
21. Concession made by Fischer, an eccentric (9)
FRANCHISE An anagram (‘eccentric’) of ‘Fischer an’. The anagrind is a fitting epithet for Bobby Fischer, the chess player.
22. Hermit showing up before child (7)
EREMITE A charade of ERE (‘before’) plus MITE (‘child’).
23. Late extra anticipated (7)
OVERDUE A charade of OVER (‘extra’) plus DUE (‘anticipated’).
24. Type of surgery not required by member (5-4)
SPARE-PART A charade of SPARE (‘not required’) plus PART (‘member’).
25. Two-part book from Henry James, or Edward Lear? (5)
KINGS The clue offers us not two authors but four kings’ names, Henry (England has had eight of them), James (two for England again), Edward (eight, almost), and Lear (the odd man out, legendary king of the Britons, immortalised by Shakespeare. I was surprised to learn that Geoffrey of Monmouth, Shakespeare’s principal source for the play, had Lear restored to his kingship, and succeeded in due course by Cordelia). The definition is the two-part book in the Old Testament.
Down
1. Show abbreviation for European Parliament in concise dictionary (6)
DEPICT An envelope (‘in’) of EP (‘abbreviation for European Parliament’) in DICT (‘concise dictionary’). Very carefully spelled out.
2. Just yours truly on bank (6)
MERELY A charade of ME (‘yours truly’) plus RELY (‘bank’ as a verb).
3. General waiting to give compulsory army training? (8,7)
NATIONAL SERVICE A charade of GENERAL (‘national’) NATIONAL (‘general’) plus SERVICE (‘waiting’).
4. Master at sea heading for Doha, a medium-sized port (9)
AMSTERDAM A charade of AMSTER, an anagram (‘at sea’) of ‘master’, plus D (‘heading for Doha’), plus ‘a’, plus M (‘medium-sized’).
5. Expect a delay (5)
AWAIT A charade of ‘a’ plus WAIT (‘delay’).
6. Determined to examine the result of a move on board (10,5)
DISCOVERED CHECK A charade of DISCOVERED (‘determined’) plus CHECK (‘examine’). The definition references a particular manoeuvre in chess.
7. Two nouns covering love and understanding? Drivel (8)
NONSENSE An envelope (‘covering’) of O (‘love’) in N N (‘two nouns’), plus SENSE (‘understanding’).
8. Reduction in iron? (8)
DECREASE Double definition; DE-CREASE is ‘iron’ as a verb.
14. Method of selection, unusual on isle abroad (3,3,3)
ODD MAN OUT A charade of ODD (‘unusual’) plus MAN (‘isle’) plus OUT (‘abroad’).I am not sure what Everyman had in mind with the word ‘method’ in the definition.
15. Dictionary in judge’s room (8)
CHAMBERS Double definition.
16. Curse song about a capital in Africa (8)
ANATHEMA An envelope (‘about’) of ‘a’ in ANTHEM (‘song’), plus A (‘capital in Africa’ Perhaps the least controversial indication of a single letter).
18. Connected with game, racket (4,2)
TIED IN A charade of TIE (‘game’) plus DIN (‘racket’).
19. Engineers’ former tax break (6)
RECESS A charade of RE (Royal ‘Engineers’) plus CESS (‘former tax’)
21. Norse goddess Jeffrey Archer includes (5)
FREYA An answer hidden (‘includes’) in ‘JefFREY Archer’. She, or her Germanic cousin, corresponds more closely in Wagner’s Ring to Mrs. Fricka Wotan than sister Freia.

5 comments on “Everyman N° 3,477 (26 May 2013)”

  1. I enjoyed this puzzle. My favourites were 25a, 13/17, 4d, 7d, 8d.

    New word for me was ‘cess’.

    Thanks for the blog, PeterO. You have one small typo @ 3d which should read “A charade of NATIONAL (‘general’) plus SERVICE (‘waiting’).

  3. I couldn’t get
    22a -simply never heard of it
    19d Again never heard of cess in this context
    28a I thought it was something to do with the surnames being first names and some word that meant that.

  4. Good Everyman. I particularly liked the HANDSOMEs, KINGS and AMSTERDAM.

    Thanks PeterO; I had never heard of cess in this context. I noticed a nod to Bobby Fischer who no doubt used or threatened DISCOVERED CHECKs.

  5. Thanks, Peter, for a fine blog.

    I stared at KINGS for ages, before I finally twigged what was going on. Must have listened slightly harder than AJK during RE at school. Everyman often throws in some slightly ‘old-fashioned’ phrase, and I must admit I have never come across HANDSOME IS AS HANDSOME DOES. Got there in the end though.

    CESS I only know through crosswords.

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