As ever a good puzzle from Dac on a Wednesday
The one entry today that I hadn’t come across before was FIGURANTE at 26 across. Chambers tells me that it relates to a dancer in the background behind a soloist, but I expect it has a similar sort of meaning on the stage where a FIGURANTE has a non-speaking role supporting the main cast members.
My favourite clue today was the excellent TEACHER TRAINING at 5 down where the clue reads so smoothly but has five separate component parts. I also liked the appropriateness of the main anagram fodder and the reference to Sandwich [an Open golf venue] in the other long down entry at 4 down.
I am unlikely to have a broadband connection when this blog is published so I doubt if I will be able to respond to any comments.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Clue | Wordplay | Entry |
|
1
|
Job-seeker apparently in charge in factory (9)
|
AP (apparently) + (I/C [in charge] contained in [in] PLANT [factory]) AP PL (IC) ANT |
APPLICANT (job-seeker)
|
|
6
|
Very loudly talk about places to live (5)
|
GAS (talk) containing (about) FF (fortissimo; very loud) GA (FF) S |
GAFFS (private accommodation, apartments, flats, rooms, etc.)
|
|
9
|
An expression of great joy, with seafood making comeback in Mediterranean location (9)
|
(AN + OLÉ [exclamation of triumph; expression of great joy] + CRAB [seafood]) all reversed (making comeback) (BARC ELO NA)< |
BARCELONA (Spanish city on the Mediterranean coast)
|
|
10
|
During revolution, group of Syrian officers broadcasting (2,3)
|
ON AIR (hidden word [group of] reversed [during revolution] in SYRIAN OFFICERS) (ON AIR)< |
ON AIR (broadcasting)
|
|
11
|
Composing music for recording (7)
|
SCORING (composing music)
|
SCORING (recording) double definition
|
|
12
|
House with steps opposite? (7)
|
HO (house) + STILE (set of steps, built into a wall or fence)
|
HOSTILE (showing angry opposition; opposite)
|
| 13 | Language test tough? René has gone wrong (6,6) |
MOT (Ministry of Transport test for roadworthiness of a vehicle) + an anagram of (has gone wrong) TOUGH RENE MOT HER TONGUE* |
MOTHER TONGUE (native language) |
|
17
|
One unusual thing, holding back gun that’s out of order (12)
|
(I [one] + RARITY [something valued for it’s scarcity; unusual thing]) containing (holding) (LUGER [gun] reversed [back]) I R (REGUL)< ARITY |
IRREGULARITY (something not conforming to rules or regulations; something that’s out of order)
|
|
20
|
Country outlaw held by Trotsky, say (7)
|
BAN (outlaw) contained by (held by) LEON (reference LEON Trotsky; Russian Marxist evolutionary) LE (BAN) ON |
LEBANON (Country in the Middle East)
|
|
21
|
Trendy people sound self-satisfied, wearing topless dress (2-5)
|
CROW (sound self-satisfied) contained in (wearing) (BIND [?] [dress?] excluding the first letter [topless] B) IN (CROW) D |
IN CROWD (trendy people)
|
|
23
|
Scoffs scrambled eggs for starters, along with giant turnover (5)
|
(SE [initial letters of {starters} SCRAMBLED and EGGS] + BIG [giant]) all reversed (turnover) (GIB ES)< |
GIBES (scoffs)
|
|
24
|
High-flier having trouble with map in Kent area? (9)
|
(AIL [be indisposed; having trouble] + PLAN [map]) contained in (in) SE (South East, the area of England that includes Kent) S (AIL PLAN) E |
SAILPLANE (a glider that can rise with an upward current; high-glier)
|
|
25
|
Tom doesn’t have weak voice? (5)
|
SAWYER (reference the fictional character Tom SAWYER) excluding (doesn’t have) W (weak)
|
SAYER (one who speaks; a voice)
|
|
26
|
Great fun! I act and I say little on stage (9)
|
Anagram of (act) GREAT FUN I
|
FIGURANTE (a ballet-dancer, one of those who form a background for the solo dancers; probably extended to cover background actors who do not have speaking parts; I have little to say)
|
| Down | |||
| No. | Clue | Wordplay | Entry |
|
1
|
Attack American president (6)
|
AM (American) + BUSH (US President, take your pick from George H BUSH or George W BUSH)
|
AMBUSH (an attack made after lying in wait to surprise)
|
|
2
|
Dolly knocked back gin before appearing (6)
|
TRAP (gin) reversed (knocked back) + ON (appearing) PART< ON |
PARTON (reference Dolly PARTON, American country & western singer and headliner at Glastonbury this year)
|
|
3
|
Old warriors rising up in part of London (5) |
(IN + EC1 [East Central 1 – the postcode for a part of London]) all reversed (rising up; down clue) (ICE NI)< |
ICENI (an ancient British tribe that, led by Queen Boudicca, rebelled against the Romans in 61AD; old warriors)
|
|
4
|
Like version of nine-hole golf at Sandwich to begin with (5,3,5,2)
|
Anagram of (version of) NINE HOLE GOLF AT and S (first letter of [to begin with] SANDWICH)
|
ALONG THE LINES OF (similar to; like)
|
|
5
|
Get upset about suffering right shower during preparation for the classroom (7,8)
|
Anagram of (upset) GET containing (ACHE [suffering] + RT [right] + RAIN [shower] + IN [during]) TE (ACHE R T RAIN IN) G* |
TEACHER TRAINING (preparation for the classroom)
|
|
6
|
Fine fellow having party over in Hants town (4,5)
|
DO (party) reversed (over) contained in (in) GOSPORT (Hampshire town) GO (OD)< SPORT |
GOOD SPORT (fine fellow)
|
|
7
|
Bird depicted in a sort of porcelain found in Florence (8)
|
(A + MING [type of porcelain]) contained in (depicted in) FLO (Florence) FL (A MING) O |
FLAMINGO (large tropical wading bird)
|
|
8
|
South-Eastern woven, silky material (8)
|
S (South) + an anagram of (woven) EASTERN S ARSENET* |
SARSENET (a thin tissue of fine silk)
|
|
14
|
Administrative expert or a singer, in a way (9)
|
Anagram of (in a way) OR A SINGER
|
ORGANISER (administrative expert)
|
|
15
|
Rifles convict concealed in great quantities (8)
|
LAG (convict) contained in (concealed in) PILES (great quantities) PIL (LAG) ES |
PILLAGES (loots; rifles)
|
|
16
|
For one’s pet project, pounds saved? Highly likely (8)
|
PRO (for) + (BABY [one’s pet project] containing [saved] L [pounds sterling]) PRO BAB [L] Y |
PROBABLY (highly likely)
|
|
18
|
Nirvana singer and half of band in the money (6)
|
BA (first two letters of four [half] in BAND) contained in (in) COIN (money) CO (BA) IN |
COBAIN (reference Kurt COBAIN [1967 – 1994], best known as lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the grunge band Nirvana)
|
|
19
|
Stick small plug in aforementioned place (6)
|
AD (abbreviation [small] for advert [plug]) + HERE (this place; aforementioned place [?])
|
ADHERE (stick)
|
|
22
|
Plebeian headgear put on monarch, for a lark (5)
|
CA (a flat CAP is associated with the working class; Plebeian headgear) + ER (Elizabeth Regina; monarch)
|
CAPER (lark)
|
Another enjoyable puzzle from Dac, although it was unusual for him to include two clues for relatively obscure words that were anagram-based, i.e. those for FIGURANTE and SARSENET, which was my LOI. I entered them as the most likely answers from the anagram fodder but it wouldn’t have surprised me if I had been wrong.
A nice puzzle, thanks, though I slipped up on hostile & Cobain.
There’s a typo above: glier = flier X glider?
Thanks to both.
Thanks Duncan and Dac, figurante and sarsenet were crossword educated guesses. Obviously the blog was so good it didn’t need comments.
Harder than usual for Dac I thought, but the usual glut of excellent clues. The one I had some problem with was the figurante clue, where ‘act’ is the anagram indicator. Very odd isn’t that?