Bradman, yet again for me. And he doesnt disappoint, having served up an interesting and intuitive grid. Quite a few clues where I was scratching my head before coming up with the answer. Loved it, thanks Bradman!!
It had a good mix of clues that I filled in by building the parsing and others were I guessed the answer and then broke down the parsing. Had to use Dr.Google for a couple of the answers to verify. Bradman seems to have a greek thing going today ..
| Across | ||
| 7 | NOUMENON | Sort of word to encapsulate chaps getting old – something not sensed (8) |
| NOUN (sort of word) encapsulating MEN (chaps) O (old) – One of the clues where I constructed the solution from the clue, not having come across this word before. This word has a greek origin and is used in contrast to the word “phenomenon”. | ||
| 8 | MASALA | Dish mum offered with endless healthy stuff? (6) |
| MA (mum) with SALAd (endless healthy stuff). I dont think Masala by itself qualifies as a dish by direct meaning, its just seasoning. However, in slang use, it may be so. | ||
| 11 | OTTER | Animal fashioned by craftsperson without head (5) |
| pOTTER (craftsperson without head) | ||
| 12 | FALDSTOOL | Item of church furniture ruined by last flood (9) |
| Anagram of LAST FLOOD | ||
| 13 | SUPPOSE | Guess attitude will be evident after drink (7) |
| POSE (attitude) after SUP (drink) | ||
| 14 | CALDERA | Big hole in rock article produced by sculptor (7) |
| A (article) by CALDER (sculptor, referring to Alexander Calder, famous for kinetic sculpture, wiki here) – There are two famous ones, in Santorini, Greece and in Deception Island (Antarctica) – I have been lucky enough to visit both. | ||
| 15 | DAME FLORA ROBSON | Female appearing on stage means floorboard may come loose (4,5,6) |
| Anagram of MEANS FLOORBOARD | ||
| 18 | RAMADAN | Fast tram – a danger not all spotted (7) |
| Hidden in tRAM – A DANger (referring to the custom practiced by Muslims, of fasting at a specific time during the year) | ||
| 20 | DISDAIN | Haughtiness that makes one criticise European out loud (7) |
| DIS (criticize) DAIN (sounds like Dane, European) | ||
| 22 | BULLFINCH | Bird group traversing lakes starts to fly inland (9) |
| BUNCH (group) traversing [LL (lakes) FI (starts to fly inland, initial characters)] | ||
| 23 | ARGUS | Guardian contends leader of Egypt must go (5) |
| ARGUeS (contends, without leader of Egypt – ‘e’) – Refers to the 100-eyed giant in Greek Mythology. | ||
| 24 | EUNICE | Woman from French city assigned to organisation based in Brussels (6) |
| NICE (french city) assigned to EU (organization based in Brussels) | ||
| 25 | ATALANTA | A state capital imprisons fast woman (8) |
| ATLANTA (state capital, Georgia in the US) imprisons A – From Greek Mythology yet again. She would challenge potential suitors to a foot race and if she won, she would behead the loser. | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | INCONSIDERABLE | As bore, inclined somehow to be petty (14) |
| Anagram of AS BORE INCLINED | ||
| 2 | BUST UP | Vehicle running over ram creates disturbance (4-2) |
| BUS (vehicle) running over TUP (ram, the animal) | ||
| 3 | TEARS OFF | Good guy enthralling listeners disappears in a hurry (5,3) |
| TOFF (good guy) enthralling EARS (listeners) | ||
| 4 | COFFEE MORNING | Grounds may be abandoned after this social event (6,7) |
| Cryptic clue, grounds here refers to ground coffee powder, that is thrown away after the decoction has been prepared. | ||
| 5 | VASSAL | Land-holder is woman (or man) keeping donkey (6) |
| VAL (woman, short for Valerie) keeping ASS (donkey). I am parsing the “or man” as V. AL. | ||
| 6 | BARONESS | Lady’s block on letter being spelt out (8) |
| BAR (block) ON ESS (‘S’ – letter spelt out) | ||
| 9 | A FLEA IN ONE’S EAR | Lecture that may involve use of otoscope and syringe (1,4,2,4,3) |
| Cryptic clue meaning a sharp rebuke. An otoscope is a device that physicians use to look inside the ear, and a syringe is used to extract any unwanted material inside. | ||
| 10 | BLACK AND WHITE | Straightforward in a way that our crossword isn’t! (5-3-5) |
| Cryptic clue; See Pelham’s comment #5 below. | ||
| 16 | MUMBLING | Muttering when the old woman has tacky jewellery (8) |
| MUM (old woman) BLING (tacky jewellery) | ||
| 17 | OBSTACLE | Scot able to get drunk in bar (8) |
| anagram of SCOT ABLE | ||
| 19 | DEFACE | Two words to indicate fantastic ruin (6) |
| charade of DEF, ACE (two words that mean fantastic) | ||
| 21 | ANGINA | Stories about drink producing medical condition (6) |
| ANA (stories – a collection of memoirs, anecdotes) about GIN (drink) – Derived from the classical greek work “ankho” meaning to strangle. | ||
*anagram
Many thanks Turbolegs & Bradman.
This was very enjoyable.
However, you have a typo in 9d …
EAR should be singular.
Oh yes … It was also nice to meet DAME FLORA ROBSON again.
She used to live in Brighton and I met her on several occasions.
Hi Turbolegs,
Many thanks for the blog. Really enjoyed Bradman’s puzzle.
I thought that it was”Val” in 5 down because it can be a name for a woman or a man (Val Kilmer, Val Doonican). What do you think?
@ Bryan #1 – Thanks for the edit, have done the needful.
@ Jam Jar #3 – I do believe you are right for the parsing with Val (the ‘or a man’ part).
Thanks for the comments guys.
Cheers
TL
Thanks Bradman and Turbolegs
10dn: I think this is a reference to the fact that the FT is printed on pink paper, for those (if any) who are not downloading the online version and printing it on white paper.
I was very distracted today, so couldn’t complete past the NW corner. But gorgeous clues, Bradman. And thanks, Turbolegs, for giving me the vicarious pleasure.
@ Pelham #5 – I hadnt thought of that. When I read the clue the first time (without any cross-refs), I thought it had to be either Black-and-white or quick-and-dirty (not really straightforward but I could force-fit it) and was wondering if it was an allusion to the latter (quick vs. cryptic) before the cross-refs made only the former option possible. Thanks for the input!!
Cheers
TL
Hi Hornbeam – I know what it is like to have such days. I keep having plenty of them ! 🙂 Mostly, I am just thankful that the better solvers get some of the tougher puzzles. 🙂 Have been spared the blushes for a few Fridays now.
Cheers
TL