5 weeks on and another duel with Klingsor. And what a pleasure it was.
Well this was full of quirky clues, the type I’ve come to expect from Klingsor and so, so enjoyable. It wasn’t the hardest of crosswords, but managed to use some unusual clue mechanisms.
The down clues 2dn, 7 dn, 8 dn, 15 dn all had lovely misdirected definitions – this type of clue is to me the most satisfying, not overly hard but always raise a smile when the light finally dawns.
In addition:
12 across was short and very sweet.
14ac and 25 ac were lovely cryptic double definitions.
Throw in a number of complex anagram constructions and this was a quite marvellous puzzle – many thanks Klingsor.
ACROSS
1 Reinforce lock with bar for a start (8)
but (bar) + tress (lock) = BUTTRESS
5 Theatrical entertainment completely divides opinion (6)
all (completely) in bet (opinion) = BALLET
9 Staff producing terrific service? That’s ominous! (8)
men (staff) + acing (producing terrific service) = MENACING
10 Am stuck in European country – I missed boat (6)
Spain (European country) – I around am = SAMPAN
12 Grave or the reverse of it (5)
Grave as in the accent – reverse is ACUTE
13 Swimming pool has risk requiring evacuation – get a move on! (4,5)
(pool has rk)* = LOOK SHARP
14 Entertainment during journey or a trip suggested by this? (7,5)
DD Entertainment during journey and (or a trip)* i.e. AIRPORT NOVEL
18 In a manner of speaking Frenchman’s after extravagant clothing (12)
accent (a manner of speaking) around outré (extravagant) + m (Frenchman)) = ACCOUTREMENT
21 Institute involved in what could be life awareness (9)
sentence (what could be life) around I (institute) = SENTIENCE
23 One doesn’t spend much time away from address (5)
Mister (address) – t(time) = MISER
24 Former president finally changes sides to make alliance (6)
Carter (as in Jimmy) changing l for r = CARTEL
25 Request for a lift? This’ll give you one (4-2-2)
DD PICK ME UP
26 Well pond regularly regularly starts to exhibit American plant (6)
wElL pOnD plus e a (starts to exhibit American) = ELODEA
27 For instance, good turn’s providing some food (3,5)
eg (for instance) + g (good) + rolls (turns) = EGG ROLLS
DOWN
1 Runner perhaps takes a short time to grieve (6)
Bean (runner perhaps) around mo (a short time) = BEMOAN
2 Fan’s upset over European Cup starting late to make corrections to pitch (4,2)
Rev (nut – fan) + e (European) + cup – c (starting late) = TUNE UP
3 Cardinal wants Brussels to support Religious instruction given by church to priest (9)
RI (religious instruction) + ch (church) + eli (priest) + eu (Brussels) = RICHELIEU
4 One alone will raise the issue (6,6)
Cryptic definition = SINGLE PARENT
6 Collect is an act of worship (5)
A + mass (act of worship) = AMASS
7 Quiet little woman wears veil, desperate for something to keep the chaps at bay (8)
p (quiet) + Sal (little woman – short for Sally) in (veil)* = LIPSALVE
8 Without hesitation, open letter is circulated – some guys support it (4,4)
(open letter – er)* = TENT POLE
11 To get on in Government seize fitting occasion to make firm decisions (5,7)
Board (to get on) + in g (in government) around Meet (fitting) = BOARD MEETING
15 Regularly make one son exercise – on run he won’t puff (3-6)
(mk + one son)* + r (run) = NON-SMOKER
16 Introduction of speed cameras reduced carnage (8)
(s + cameras)* + MASSACRE
17 Suggested plan of action in Cologne as uprising finishes off (8)
Scent as riot – endings = SCENARIO
19 Old Nick’s skeleton may be this described (6)
o (old) + steal (nick) = OSTEAL
20 “Blimey!” shouts boxing promoter at first
Cries (shouts) around p (promoter at first) = CRIPES
22 Female millionaire needs house (5)
Hidden millionaIRE NEeeds = IRENE
Many thanks, twencelas – indeed, a very good crossword, immaculately clued.
The only one I couldn’t parse was 17d (SCENARIO). I got the idea as such but didn’t ‘translate’ Cologne and uprising into Scent and riot.
I particularly liked OSTEAL (19d) – my last one in.
In your blog you forgot the Frenchman (M) in 18ac.
Also, in 12ac ‘Grave’ should be underlined as it is the definition with the second part referring to the accent.
Good puzzle.
Thanks Klingsor and twencelas. This was a very enjoyable puzzle with the type of clear clueing that I like a lot.
I particularly enjoyed 25a, 11d, 27a, 7d, 21a, 3d, 9a and my favourites were 20d CRIPES, 18a ACCOUTREMENT, 1d BEMOAN 10a SAMPAN.
New word for me was ELODEA.
Like Sil @1, I parsed 18a as ACCENT around [OUTRE + M = Monsieur = Frenchman].
I realise I forgot to parse 17d and I doubt that I would have got it!
Not the most difficult of Klingsor’s puzzles, but very enjoyable.
The SW in general held me up the longest. I took a while to see the excellent ACCOUTREMENT, and the checkers from it then led me to MASSACRE and SCENARIO, although I only saw the parsing for the latter once I had entered the answer and then re-read the clue, and my LOI was ELODEA.
I concur with Andy B that this was not the most difficult of Klingsor’s puzzles, but very enjoyable.
I would add 23ac to your examples of clues that are not overly hard but always raise a smile when the light finally dawns.
Thanks, Klingsor and Twencelas.
As one expects from Klingsor, all very good and worth doing.
Two minor quibbles: Cologne in 17dn is a definition-by-example, which I personally, and I know several other traditionalists, don’t like, and knowing how ‘correct’ Klingsor usually is I’m surprised he included it; and shouldn’t it have been ‘houses’ not ‘house’ in 22dn? ‘house’ just seems wrong.
I think that in 22D what is intended is that ‘millionaire needs’ is two words so plural so they ‘house’ the hidden answer.