The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3533.
I got the impression in the last several weeks that Everyman was ratcheting up the difficulty level a notch; butI though this one by comparison a pleasant stroll in the park on a fine day., although maybe some may find some of the references obscure (4D SUSPENSE ACCOUNT was new to me).
| Across | |||
| 1. | Affording great opportunities, musical wealthy businessmen produced (3,4) | ||
| FAT CATS | A charade of FAT (‘affording great opportunities’) plus CATS (‘musical’). | ||
| 5. | . . . we also back cowboy film (7) | ||
| WESTERN | A charade of ‘we’ plus STERN (‘back’). | ||
| 9. | Talk about conclusion to bizarre con (5) | ||
| CHEAT | An envelope (about’) of E (‘conclusion to bizarrE‘) in CHAT (‘talk’). | ||
| 10. | Dark planet that is seen around noon (9) | ||
| SATURNINE | A charade of SATURN (‘planet’) plus an envelope (‘seen around’) of N (‘noon’) in I.E. (‘that is’) | ||
| 11. | Play a ragtime piece (3,11) | ||
| THE ENTERTAINER | Double definition: the ‘play’ by John Osborne, and the ‘ragtime piece’ by Scott Joplin. | ||
| 13. | Female film stars bringing agents (7) | ||
| FACTORS | A charade of F (‘femal’) plus ACTORS (‘film stars’). | ||
| 15. | Distinguished conductor from Rome sat nervously (7) | ||
| MAESTRO | An anagram (‘nervously’) of ‘Rome sat’. | ||
| 16. | Reportedly catch a bacterial disease (7) | ||
| CHOLERA | A homophone (‘reportedly’) of COLLAR A (‘catch a’). | ||
| 18. | Article used in part exchange rated badly at one’s place of business (5-2) | ||
| TRADE IN | A charade of TRADE, an anagram (‘badly’) of ‘rated’ plus IN (‘at one’s place of business’, as in “the doctor is in”). | ||
| 20. | A second teaches differently, perhaps, depending on the particular circumstances (2,3,4,3,2) | ||
| AS THE CASE MAY BE | A charade of ‘a’ plus S (‘second’) plus THE CASE, an anagram (‘differently’) of ‘teaches’ plus MAYBE (‘perhaps’). | ||
| 23. | Strip of land shot in pale sun (9) | ||
| PENINSULA | An anagram (‘shot’) of ‘in pale sun’. | ||
| 24. | Not together in a district (5) | ||
| APART | A charade of ‘a’ plus PART (‘district’). | ||
| 25. | Actress, after having stitch in side, returned (3,4) | ||
| MAE WEST | An envelope (‘in’) of SEW (‘stitch’) in TEAM (‘side’), all reversed (‘returned’). | ||
| 26. | Land in Preston I acquired (7) | ||
| ESTONIA | A hidden answer in ‘PrESTON I Acquired’. | ||
Down |
|||
| 1. | View of expert opposite (4,2,4) | ||
| FACE TO FACE | A charade of FACET (‘view’) plus ‘of’ plus ACE (‘expert’). Very neat. | ||
| 2. | Article on extremely miserable topic (5) | ||
| THEME | A charade of THE (‘article’) plus ME (‘extremely MiserablE‘). | ||
| 3. | Against carrying on – old Shakespearean merchant (7) | ||
| ANTONIO | An envelope (‘carrying’) of ‘on’ in ANTI (‘against’) plus O (‘old’), fot the eponymous Merchant of Venice. | ||
| 4. | Where money may be held in cliffhanging tale? (8,7) | ||
| SUSPENSE ACCOUNT | Definition and literal interpretation; a suspense account is a temporary repository for money of doubtful provenance. | ||
| 5. | And the enemy bombed seaport sooner than expected (4,4,2,5) | ||
| WITH TIME TO SPARE | A charade of WITH (‘and’) plus TIME (‘the enemy’) plus TO SPARE, an anagram (bombed’) of ‘seaport’. | ||
| 6. | Short game fish (7) | ||
| SARDINE | Not a particularly inspiring clue, since the game of sardines is named for the fish | ||
| 7. | Repent wildly about glacier where maximum damage may occur (9) | ||
| EPICENTRE | An envelope (‘about’) of ICE (‘grlacier’) in EPNTRE, an anagram (‘wildly’) of ‘repent’, with a definiton which is spot on. | ||
| 8. | Born and died in poverty (4) | ||
| NEED | A charade of NEE (‘born’) plus D (‘died’). | ||
| 12. | House plant in a pot I set out (10) | ||
| POINSETTIA | An angram (‘out’) of ‘a pot i set’. | ||
| 14. | Is working within to copy enamelware (9) | ||
| CLOISONNE | An envelope (‘within’) of ‘is’ plus ON (‘working’) in CLONE (‘copy’). | ||
| 17. | Add to first of eggs? Hen can, conceivably (7) | ||
| ENHANCE | E (‘first of Eggs’) plus NHANCE, an anagram (‘conceivably’) of ‘hen can’. | ||
| 19. | Stinging insect moving many in painting (4,3) | ||
| ARMY ANT | An envelope (‘in’) of MYAN, an anagram (‘moving’) of ‘many’ in ART (‘painting’). | ||
| 21. | Long story about last in clubhouse (5) | ||
| YEARN | An envelope (‘in’) of E (‘last in clubhousE‘) in YARN (‘story’). | ||
| 22. | Brought up plans for junk mail (4) | ||
| SPAM | A reversal (‘brought up’ in a down light) of MAPS (‘plans’). | ||
Thanks, PeterO
I needed your explanation for 1d, even though I’d solved it. It’s obvious when you know!
I’d never seen “in” used as in 18a, and, like you, I’d never heard of a suspense account. Obviously led a sheltered life!
If I’d been a beginner who had been told that Everyman was a good entry crossword, the last few weeks would have put me off . I didn’t think this was any easier. I’d never heard of either versions of the entertainer, saturnine or cloisonne though I did get them at the end by a combination of wordplay, guesswork and going through the alphabet. I just couldn’t get 6d -when I think of games this doesn’t spring to mind.
I hope this week gives us a break.
Thanks Everyman & PeterO.
I also didn’t know SUSPENSE ACCOUNT and failed to parse FACE TO FACE properly – as you say, very neat!
Some nice touches – not often that you see perhaps=maybe. Time=the enemy I hadn’t seen before.
I particularly liked CHEAT, AS THE CASE MAYBE and MAE WEST.
I didn’t think that this one was particularly easier than the last couple either. I finished off with the 6dn/11ac crossers, neither of which were particularly good clues IMHO. As PeterO said in the blog the game “sardines” is named after the fish, and the clue for 11ac was a GK question rather than a cryptic clue.
On the plus side, the clue for MAE WEST was a good spot.
As per usual some clues sprang instantly to mind eg mae west which I wrote on the work page and eventually put in as other letters were confirmed and the explanation-so obvious when you see it-surfaced. Got 4(d) early on with a laugh at at a clever clue and thanks for the full explanation of 1(d) another subtle gem. Again a fun way to start the weekend-now for the chores!
I agree that this was an easier outing even though I hadn’t heard of Saturnine or Cloisonné. Then I got totally stuck on Sardine as I was looking for an s (short) game. Since when was Sardines a short game anyway? I can remember as the youngest in the family spending hours looking all round the house for the rest of the family who were on top of a wardrobe I couldn’t see or behind the linen in the linen cupboard. I’m sure it was character building. Just not sure which part of my character.
Barrie @6
It is of course the word SARDINE[s] which is short of its last letter.
Funny how different people think, I got sardine because it is a short fish! Got stuck on cloisonne, mainly because I forgot Mae was with an e, not a y. A worthy puzzle for a lovely Saturday morning.
Didn’t think this was particularly easy either. Couldn’t get cloisonné or sardine. Spent ages trying to think of the theme music from The Sting, when I knew that was what the answer would be. Used to have a copy of it once. Laughed at Barrie’s memories of playing Sardines.
I failed to solve 1a, 4d, 6d. I had never heard of ‘suspense account’ or the games ‘sardines’.
My favourites were 5d, 25a, 3d, 14d and I needed help to parse 1d.
Thanks Everyman and PeterO.
Peter O @7 yes of course, I realised that driving home from New World (local supermarket here) about two hours later. And you thought it a dull clue! It beat me all ends up.
BTW Hamlet was eponymous but I don’t think Antonio was?
Barrie @12
You are probably quite right. I recall that when writing the blog I was not happy with using the word, but took some comfort from one of the Chambers definitions of eponym as “a character who gives a play etc. its title”, which if you squint hard enough covers the case.
Methinks Antonio is the Title Character. For him to be a eponym ‘twould need to be “Antonio, the Merchant…” Or similar. Wikipedia lists eponymous works by author / playwright and I fear the Merchant isn’t included under the Bard. No matter, extremely minor quibble.