Monday Prize Crossword/Mar 3
A Dante crossword with the usual mix of familiar devices but also a puzzle with some really nice surfaces.
In that respect, I particularly liked 10ac but I wasn’t very taken by the various cryptic definitions. However, that is purely my problem as I am more focused on clues based on constructions. Many thanks to Dante!
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | ABSENTEE | A busy worker sent in for a shirker? (8) |
| A + BEE (busy worker) with SENT inside | ||
| 5 | VICTIM | Two men cut down prey (6) |
| VIC (one man) + TIM (and another one) | ||
| Both men are ‘cut down’: VIC[tor] and TIM[othy] | ||
| 9 | STANDS BY | Is ready and gives support (6,2) |
| Double definition | ||
| 10 | SPORTS | Playwright initially types out plays (6) |
| P[laywright] with SORTS (types) outside of it | ||
| Very nice surface that has nothing to do with the solution. | ||
| 12 | SHEER | Absolute quiet always required (5) |
| SH (quiet) + E’ER (always) | ||
| 13 | SALOON BAR | Car ban for those seeking a drink (6,3) |
| SALOON (car) + BAR (ban) | ||
| Another nice surface. | ||
| 14 | PACIFY | If in fast environment, calm down (6) |
| IF inside PACY (fast) | ||
| And another one. | ||
| 16 | TYPISTS | Staff of office (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| This, on the other hand ……. | ||
| 19 | UPDATES | Modernises tap used irregularly (7) |
| (TAP USED)* | ||
| 21 | COUPLE | Left in carriage and pair (6) |
| L (left) inside COUPE (carriage) | ||
| 23 | INTRICATE | Entangled, but certain it can be unravelled (9) |
| (CERTAIN IT)* | ||
| 25 | SEWED | Joined in a Chinese wedding (5) |
| Hidden solution (‘in’): [chine]SE WED[ding] | ||
| 26 | INGRID | A lady well-liked on the network (6) |
| IN (well-liked) + GRID ((the) network) | ||
| 27 | STILETTO | Such a heel may make an impression with the ladies (8) |
| Kind of cryptic definition | ||
| 28 | TITANS | Big fellows I beat in the backstreet (6) |
| {I + TAN (beat)} inside TS (backstreet, ie reversal (‘back’) of ST (street)) | ||
| 29 | TRIMARAN | Vessel manoeuvring in River Tamar (8) |
| (IN + R (river) + TAMAR)* | ||
| Once more a very apt surface, which is always a bonus. | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | ASSESS | Judge gives fools direction (6) |
| ASSES (fools) + S (direction, South) | ||
| 2 | STAGEHAND | One may well have to move flats (9) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| According to Chambers flats can be “flat pieces of scenery slid or lowered onto the stage”. | ||
| 3 | NADIR | Lowest change for a dinar (5) |
| (DINAR)* | ||
| 4 | EMBASSY | Doctor poor essay about foreign mission abroad (7) |
| MB (doctor) with (ESSAY)* around it | ||
| 6 | IMPROMPTU | Ad-lib of prim MP out of sorts (9) |
| (PRIM MP OUT)* | ||
| The word ‘out’ seems to be double duty, part of the fodder and part of the anagram indicator – don’t like that. | ||
| 7 | THROB | Heath Robinson’s heart beat (5) |
| Hidden solution (‘ ’s heart’): [hea]TH ROB[inson] | ||
| 8 | MISTRESS | I’m upset with tension in the teaching profession (8) |
| MI (reversal (‘upset’) of I’M) + STRESS (tension) | ||
| 11 | FLAT | Dull character on the staff (4) |
| Double definition | ||
| The ‘staff’ here is a musical term: the set of lines and spaces on which music is written or printed (Chambers). | ||
| 15 | INTUITION | Sixth sense tells where knowledge is to be sought (9) |
| Knowledge might be sought IN TUITION | ||
| 17 | SALT WATER | Sailor takes drink on the briny (4,5) |
| SALT (sailor) + WATER (drink) | ||
| 18 | PUGILIST | He may stand up for another’s rights (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| ‘Rights’ should be seen as a boxing term: punches with the right hand. | ||
| 20 | SNAG | Soldering tin and silver presents a problem (4) |
| SN (tin, stannum) + AG (silver, argentum) | ||
| 21 | CHESTER | Many a girl in the city (7) |
| C (many, 100) + HESTER (a girl) | ||
| 22 | ADJOIN | Meet Di and Joan when out (6) |
| (DI + JOAN)* | ||
| 24 | TIGHT | Fast affected by drink? (5) |
| Double definition | ||
| 25 | SALEM | US city known for its bad spellers (5) |
| Kind of cryptic definition | ||
| Salem is a city in Massachusetts where in 1692 witchcraft trials took place. | ||
It might be interesting to readers to know that in Tamil Nadu, India, there is a town called Salem. It is about 340km from Chennai (Madras). Near that town is Yercaud, a hill station, located in the Shevaroys range of hills in the Eastern Ghats.
Failed on
10a I don’t really see how plays=sports.
11d I don’t know music
16a Do offices still have typists? I thought the typing pool had long gone.
21d Never come cross Hester for a girl
Thanks Sil. In Impromptu, I think the anagram indicator is “of sorts” so “out” is not doing double duty.