Guardian 26,262 / Imogen

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We found this a very enjoyable prize puzzle, although a fairly tough one, we thought – it took ages for us to get the theme…

The rubric read:

Eight thematic solutions, forming four pairs, are clued without a definition (sorry!)

The “sorry!” was a nice hint (that we completely missed) that the pairs were games from the long-running Radio 4 “antidote to panel games”, “I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue” – the games were:

  • MORNINGTON CRESCENT
  • SOUND CHARADES
  • PICK UP SONG
  • CHEDDAR GORGE

Anyway, as I said this was a fun solve, with lots of nice penny-dropping moments, I thought.

Across

8. Prominently display constipation cure? (8)
BRANDISH
A DISH of BRAN might be a “constipation cure”, due to bran “keeping you regular” as they say…
Definition: “Prominently display”

9. Shed blood that’s good to drink (5)
GORGE
GORE = “Shed blood” around G = “good” (in the cryptic reading, “that’s” is “that has”)
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of CHEDDAR GORGE

10. Very pale coconuts here (4)
ASHY
A SHY = “coconuts here”, as in a coconut shy
Definition: “Very pale”

11. Does it suggest teacher is boring? That’s criminal conduct (10)
KIDNAPPING
If a KID is NAPPING, that might be because they’re being bored by a teacher
Definition: “criminal conduct”

12. Storm brewing in it? (6)
TEACUP
Cryptic definition – well, sort of cryptic…

14. A sign on six cages (8)
AVIARIES
A followed by ARIES = “sign” on VI = “six”
Definition: “cages”

15. Tour changed to skirt bad street artist (7)
UTRILLO
(TOUR)* around ILL = “bad”
Definition: “street artist”

17. Invite to tango, bumping daughter sideways (7)
ASKANCE
ASK = “Invite” by [d]ANCE = “tango, bumping daughter”
Definition: “sideways”

20. After a month, relative drops in — he’s on target (8)
MARKSMAN
MAR = “a month” followed by K[in]SMAN = “relative drops in”
Definition: “he’s on target”

22. A salad for vocal exponent of 11 (6)
CAESAR
An exponent of “[KIDNAPPING]” might be a “seizer”; “vocal” indicates a homonym
Definition: “A salad”

23. Poetically, east to north (10)
MORNINGTON
MORNING = “Poetically, east” + TO + N = “north”
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of MORNINGTON CRESCENT

24. Alcoholic virtually parking in the bar (4)
SOAP
SOA[k] = “Alcoholic virtually” + P = “parking”
Definition: “the bar” – I think this needs a question mark, at least…

25. The wrong way for Greek character to be buried in the earth (5)
SOUND
“The wrong way for a Greek character” = NU reversed, in SOD = “the earth”
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of SOUND CHARADES

26. Now settled, but exhausted (8)
EXPENDED
If something “pended” it was “awaiting a conclusion”, so if it’s ex-pended, I suppose it’s “Now settled”
Definition: “exhausted”

Down

1. Roughly object to acquiring computer language (8)
CRESCENT
C = “Roughly” + RESENT = “object to” around C = “computer language” – woohoo! a programming-related clue…
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of MORNINGTON CRESCENT

2. Wish one could be like diplomat missing nothing (4)
ENVY
ENV[o]Y = “diplomat missing nothing”
Definition: “Wish one could be like”

3. Dog taken over police station without lead (4,2)
PICK UP
PUP = “Dog” over [n]ICK = “police station without lead”
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of PICK UP SONG

4. Express enthusiasm, not ecstasy, holding tot up (7)
CHEDDAR
CHE[e]R = “Express enthusiasm, not ecstasy” around ADD = “tot” reversed
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of CHEDDAR GORGE

5. Clothes an American soldier’s given up to saint (8)
IGNATIUS
SUIT = “Clothes” + AN + GI = “American soldier” all reversed
Definition: “saint”

6. Pressure on an emperor to move — one should take a capital (6,4)
PROPER NAME
P = “Pressure” + (AN EMPEROR)*
Definition: “one should take a capital”

7. Notice about liberation movement’s spirited meeting (6)
SEANCE
SEE = “Notice” around ANC = “liberation movement”
Definition: “spirited meeting”

13. Lose nerve and smart, energy being put into whip (7,3)
CHICKEN OUT
CHIC = “smart” + E = “energy” in KNOUT = “whip”
Definition: “Lose nerve”

16. Drink number one taken in shelter (8)
LEMONADE
LEE = “shelter” around MONAD = “one” (Chambers gives one definition of monad as: “the number one, a unit”
Definition: “Drink”

18. Hard case needs resolution (8)
CHARADES
(HARD CASE)* – this was our way into the theme…
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of SOUND CHARADES

19. Get this to go away — it’s complicated (7)
KNOTTED
The expression “get knotted!” means “go away!”, more or less…
Definition: “complicated”

21. Stir Up Sunday passed over by a lecher (6)
AROUSE
S = “Sunday” in ROUE = “a lecher”
Definition: “Stir Up”

22. Is wild animal able to bite? (6)
CANAPE
CAN “is […] able to” + APE = “animal”
Definition: “bite”

24. Child has first to grow (4)
SONG
SON = “Child” + G[row] = “first to grow”
Definition: None, thematic solution – part of PICK UP SONG

22 comments on “Guardian 26,262 / Imogen”

  2. Thanks, mhl. A brilliant puzzle that took up a good part of my Saturday morning but I needed to Google MORNINGTON CRESCENT, the only one I knew, to find the (remarkably long) list of game titles. I wonder how many solvers were familiar with all four? That’s in no way a complaint though: this was how “something for the weekend” should be.

    It was only on, I think, Monday that the significance of “sorry” in the preamble finally hit me!

    For what it’s worth, you’ve left the A out of AROUSE.

  4. Thanks mhl,

    This may be what you imply, but I think that the name of the panel game is also being used – in a way – in the special instructions.

    A very nice puzzle.

  5. Many thanks mhl & Imogen. This was very enjoyable but …

    I completely missed the theme and so I made a note to myself: ‘Is Imogen REALLY sorry?’

    I failed with 1d where I settled for PROSPECT which seemed OK at the time.

  6. I completed the grid and still had no idea of what the theme might be. It was only after Googling the undefined clues that I got the answer and realised the significance of (sorry!). One of the handicaps for non UK residents I guess.

    Collins defines EXPEND as DISBURSE which is near enough to SETTLE I think.

  8. Very little in after the first pass and not much idea about the themed unclued answers. I had TEACUP at 12A but was that unclued? (Pairs of things on a table perhaps)

    Then I saw MORNINGTON as a possibility for 23A and the “sorry” in the Special Instructions was explained. I used to listen religiously to ISIHAC so the four themed pairs were soon found. However if one wasn’t a regular listener to the program I feel this puzzle may have been almost impossible. After completing the puzzle I checked and all four “games” in the puzzle are listed on the limited list in the Wiki entry. However over the years there must have been over 400 games and variations. (See the Unofficial ISIHAC page!)

    I’m not sure “the bar” is a decent definition for SOAP in 24A so it’s probably the weakest clue.

    Some nice misdirection and almost no anagrams which was unusual.

    An enjoyable puzzle.

    Thanks to mhl and Imogen

  9. What a great crossword Imogen: thank you. And thanks to mhl for the blog. I absolutely agree with Muffyword @4: “are clued without a definition (sorry!)” and “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue” are pretty synonymous. I actually liked the “the bar” definition in 24a, which I thought was a clever misdirection from the apparent Pub theme. More special instructions for todays Prize. If it is half as much fun as Imogen’s was I will be very happy.

  10. Very difficult puzzle for me but very entertaining.

    Thanks mhl; I got CHEDDAR GORGE early on but then when I thought of CHARADES I imagined it couldn’t possibly be correct to link with the former answer. I think by Googling the combination I eventually found the connection.

    I also found it difficult to believe that the answer to 12 was TEACUP – too obvious and not very cryptic.

    Thanks Imogen for a super puzzle and for the hint which I completely missed. 🙁

  11. I’ve never heard the show but managed to finish the puzzle without resort to aids because the undefined clues were gettable with a little thought. The last two undefined clues I got were SOUND CHARADES and PICK UP SONG. It was only when I googled the related answers post-solve that I saw the connection and realised the significance of Imogen’s preamble. An excellent puzzle.

  12. Thanks for a great blog, mhl – you both obviously enjoyed this, as I did. [ISIHAC is one of my all-time favourite programmes and it would have been hard to bear if puzzle or blog had not done it justice – as both did, and how!]

    CHARADES was my way in, too, but it took a while to prise out the others, which is just as it should be with a Prize puzzle. I had [wisely, as it turned out] decided not to try and rush through it before leaving for the S and B, or take it with me ‘to do on the train’ – only a twenty-minute journey, and I had company, anyway – so it made a very pleasant diversion for when I got home and had time to savour it.

    I didn’t have any problem with 24ac because, for some reason, Rufus’ classic ‘bar of soap? 6,6’ clue popped into my head. [And I had another wry smile when I entered HUMPH as one of my last answers in Rosa Klebb’s excellent FT puzzle yesterday.]

    A really lovely puzzle – thank you so much, Imogen.

  13. They’ve got another “8 have no definition” prize puzzle today. I like this development at the Guardian a lot, making something a bit special of the day when we tend to have more time for solving. ISIHAC seems particularly suitable as a crossword theme (perhaps the Uxbridge English Dictionary round especially) and Imogen delivered admirably.

  14. Thanks for the blog.

    This took me ages to get started and even longer to finish because I put in FINISHED at 26 and CANINE at 22d.

    I have only heard the radio programme a couple of times in passing so the 8 undefined clues seemed completely unrelated until I got MORNINTON and the penny dropped.

    I enjoyed the challenge. Fortunately I had plenty of time to spare last weekend 🙂

  16. My mum was totally stuck on this one, but with the help of your explanation of the themed ones, I got her going again 🙂 not a fan of expended or soap!

  17. Thanks Imogen, what a great puzzle! I didn’t spot the special instructions at first, so found this especially hard, but then MORNINGTON could only mean one thing…
    Thanks mhl for the blog.

  18. Just back from a long wet walk in the Yorkshire Wolds so this is the first chance I’ve had to comment on this one. I really struggled on Saturday morning, getting barely a handful and only SOUND of the themed answers. So having mentioned this to a few people at the S&B event, I was lucky that nobody gave away the theme. I had thought of CRESCENT but wasn’t sure enough to write it in, and as soon as I looked at the puzzle again (on the train back) I saw MORNINGTON and the rest clicked into place. There were still enough complications to need another session on the Sunday morning and CHEDDAR GORGE was the last of the themed ones in. Since I spend a lot of my spare time listening to radio 4 the link wasn’t a problem except that there are rather more than 4 games which could have been used. So in the end this was hugely enjoyable and a candidate for my favourite of the year so far.

    Thanks to Imogen and mhl

  19. although there are some very nicely constructed clues, this crossword would have worked better I think if all the answers had been clued, and then the solver is left to work out the theme. This works well with certain compilers but to choose a niche theme from a quiz programme on an obscure radio station took out all the enjoyment for me

  20. rrc @19 – if you see Radio 4 as an obscure radio station then you’re missing out on a lot of good stuff, and whatever “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue” is, it is definitely not a quiz programme!

  22. Thanks Imogen and mhl

    This is the fourth puzzle of this setter now … and they have all been cracking solves – two themed and two with ninas. Nearly a perfect challenge for a prize that took me both Saturday and Sunday on and off to finally crack.

    Was able to work out the four pairs of words and found that they were games of a sort, but hadn’t heard of the Radio 4 program that linked them all together. It is a credit to the fairness of the clues that I was able to even get that far.

    Finished in the SE corner with SONG, EXPENDED (which I thought was very clever) and SOAP last in and took an age to understand why.

    Left one with a feeling of real accomplishment when it was over!

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