It was with some trepidation that I approached this puzzle. I don’t always find Pasquale’s puzzles that easy to solve, and what’s more I know that the Don reads blogs on this site. Well, I needn’t have worried on the first count, anyway. With the help of my solving partner Timon, we cracked this in a little over half an hour, except for 26 across which I had to look up afterwards.
The only complication was that there were 4 clues which were described as ‘partial and distinctly uncomplicated’. In the event they proved to be synonyms of “easy” and lived up to their meanings.
| Across | ||
| 1 | See 23 | |
| See 23 | ||
| 5 | DRAWBACK | Recoil brings disadvantage (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 9 | ALTRUISM | Liar must reform to show generosity to others (8) |
| *(LIAR MUST). | ||
| 10 | JESUIT | Religious type? In Paris I’ll go to clubs, maybe! (6) |
| JE SUIT. | ||
| 11 | EALING COMEDY | Grey old cinema somehow not right for classic film? (6,6) |
| *(G(r)EY OLD CINEMA). | ||
| 13 | BARB | Fish counter, Billingsgate’s first (4) |
| BAR B(illingsgate). | ||
| 14 | CONTEMPT | In court, performing secretary maybe shows disdain for legal procedure (8) |
| ON TEMP in CT. | ||
| 17 | ETHEREAL | Misleading tale about this place being heavenly (8) |
| HERE in *TALE. | ||
| 18 | SOAK | Somewhere like Peterborough said to get wet through (4) |
| Sounds like SOKE. | ||
| 20 | WILL-O’-THE-WISP | New pillows, white as seen in a strange night light (4-1-3-4) |
| *(PILLOWS WHITE). | ||
| 23,1 | A PIECE OF CAKE | The last thing a wedding guests expects to eat? (1,5,2,4) |
| The first of the four partial (undefined) clues, and very easy to guess from the enumeration. | ||
| 24 | TAP WATER | See rebel entering spill drink? (3,5) |
| WAT (Tyler) in TAPER. | ||
| 25 | GRANDEUR | Good money? Continental money inadequate for magnificence (8) |
| G(ood) RAND EUR(o). | ||
| 26 | ELYTRA | See beautiful pattern, maybe around insect’s wings (6) |
| ELY, ART(rev). An unfamiliar word, to me, at any rate. | ||
| Down | ||
| 2 | FELL | Deadly stretch of high ground (4) |
| Double definition. | ||
| 3 | AGREEABLE | Almost sick-looking sailor in drink is nice! (9) |
| GREE(n) AB in ALE. | ||
| 4 | ENISLE | To isolate some men is legitimate (6) |
| Hidden in “men is legitimate”. | ||
| 5 | DOMINICAL LETTER | Character involved with Easter arrangement — intellect or a dim lunatic? (9,6) |
| *(INTELLECT OR A DIM). As a bored schoolboy I vaguely remember reading about this method of calculating the date of Easter in the prayer book. | ||
| 6 | ADJACENT | A sort of host with great collection of books next door (8) |
| A DJ ACE NT. | ||
| 7 | BOSOM | Where’s the feeling that could make Maureen cry when upset (5) |
| MO SOB(all rev). | ||
| 8 | CHILD’S PLAY | The non-work element essential to early years development (6,4) |
| The second partial clue has a definition but no wordplay (although the definition is so full it almost qualifies as a cryptic definition). | ||
| 12 | DAY TRIPPER | No case for this person making a short excursion (3,7) |
| Presumably a day tripper doesn’t need a suitcase. | ||
| 15 | EASY-PEASY | Start of exercise, say, repeatedly cavorting round gym (4-5) |
| E(xercise), *SAY (twice) round PE. Another of the undefined clues. | ||
| 16 | AESTHETE | Tease the silly fellow with artistic pretensions (8) |
| *(TEASE THE). | ||
| 19 | SIMPLE | Hollow son kicking daughter out (6) |
| DIMPLE with S for D. The final undefined clue. | ||
| 21 | LIE-IN | Provision for exceptional bedtime story at home (3-2) |
| LIE IN. The definition is “provision for exceptional bedtime”. | ||
| 22 | TEAR | Rush leaves hanging over river (4) |
| TEA R(iver). | ||
Thanks bridgesong. I agree, not too difficult. I had almost finished and was still wondering about definitions for the partial clues before enlightenment dawned.
Really enjoyed this. Thanks.
Thanks to bridgesong for the blog. You explained a couple of cases where I had the right answer without knowing why.
I enjoyed this puzzle a lot even though I only realised what the special instructions meant after I had solved A PIECE OF CAKE, CHILD’S PLAY & EASY-PEASY.
I particularly liked 17a, 10a & 3d and my favourites were 15d EASY-PEASY & 19d SIMPLE.
New words for me were DOMINICAL LETTER, EALING COMEDY, ENISLE, BARB = fish, ELYTRA, SOKE.
Thanks for the blog, bridgesong.
Thanks bridgesong. Yes, this was a doddle, as per the theme – with the exception of penultimate in ELYTRA which needed looking up, and the neat 22d. Hadn’t heard of the 13a fish, only ‘barbel’ but it had to be that.
Many thanks Bridgesong & also Pasquale for a very enjoyable puzzle.
The Don never disappoints!
ELYTRA was new to me, too.
However, it took me ages to recall that WAT TYLER was a rebel.
Managed to solve this last week by the end of Saturday, with the help of my Mum who knew for example the Soke of Peterborough. We could parse nearly all of them too, although I do remember having problems with GRANDEUR.
I, like molongo @ 5, had heard of barbel, but not BARB, the 13a fish, so that was a new species for me.
Having studied entomology I guessed ELYTRA, remembering them as the hardened forewings that cover and protect more delicate hindwings in beetles and some other insects such as earwigs. It did take us a while to realise that I was correct, with my Mum being the one to remember the See of ELY.
Thanks Pasquale and Bridgesong. It was not exactly EASY PEASY (lemon squeezy) for us, but we had a fun time solving.
I enjoyed this one even though, as some of you have noted, it was at the easier end of the spectrum for one of Pasquale’s puzzles. Count me as another who didn’t know ELYTRA, but I decided to trust the wordplay, and the same went for DOMINICAL LETTER.
Thanks bridgesong and Pasquale
Typically neat cluing. Like others I had to check elytra and barb.
I particularly liked 19d and also 6d.
I echo tupu @9’s comments, although I would add DOMINICAL LETTER to the list of look-ups.
Seemed to be a ‘guest(s)’ typo in the clue to 23,1 unless I am mistaken.
I particularly liked AGREEABLE.
Thought ELYTRA and DOMINICAL LETTER were a bit suspect. Good weekend bash-through though, so thanks to Pasquale.
Thanks Bridgesong. An enjoyable puzzle without too much trouble other than the ‘rare’ (to many of us) words noted in several comments, but that’s what makes a good puzzle.
12D seemed unusually weak for a setter of Pasquale’s calibre – apart from the misdirection of “no case”, it’s all definition and lacks a cryptic element.
22 is v neat and, with 26, eluded us on first sitting.
A fairly straightforward puzzle with a couple of obscure words. Too easy for a prize in my opinion.
Timon @12 “the ‘rare’ (to many of us) words noted in several comments, but that’s what makes a good puzzle.”
Surely only if they are well clued? Neither of these were. If you hadn’t heard of the answer both were very difficult to divine without research! (One long anagram and “beuutiful pattern” = ART !!!!! )
Thanks to Bridgesong and Pasquale
Thanks to bridgesong (and Timon).
I’m new here and only expect to visit occasionally – because I usually take all day to do the puzzle!
Missing Uncle Yap!
If you want a rich vein of new (old) words, like “soke” to quarry, then feudal law will keep you busy for a goodly time.
“Frankpledge”, “mortmain”… etc., etc.
All in all a fairly satisfying solve, though.
Thanks all.
Brendan@13,
Fair comment.
Though Bridgesong has an admirable knowledge of many arcane topics (Dominical letters, for example), it is not uncommon for us to have to resort to Chambers for final resolution or confirmation. What is rare is that there isn’t enough in the rest of the clue to narrow down the possibilities considerably. Searching for a fit with some solving database rather defeats the object and you don’t get to come across all those other words you’ve never heard of. Has anyone ever picked up a dictionary and gone straight to the sought-after entry? I suspect not, even the indexing words on page tops usually provide some distraction.