Monday Prize Crossword/Jul 7
When this crossword was published, it was the 7th of July. The day Le Tour missed my house by less than 100 metres, also an event that was over before I could even count to ten. And yet a great excuse for everyone to have fun or drink a glass or two in their front garden. Here in Cambridge it felt like a Bank Holiday Monday, which it wasn’t. Ten days later, we must conclude that Cav had to give up before things really took off, that Zoom Froome’s dream is over too and that Wiggo didn’t go anyway. Now, why such a long introduction? Because I am really surprised that, after all the fuss, we didn’t have a Tour-themed puzzle so far – at least, I didn’t see one. Just like we didn’t have a proper World Cup crossword. Instead, it’s business as usual with a Dante – ever solved a crossword with three double definitions to start with?
Definitions are underlined wherever possible an/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | APPEAL | Beg for a retrial? (6) |
| Double definition #1 | ||
| 4 | COMPOSED | Produced original work that’s collected (8) |
| Double definition #2 | ||
| 9 | AMAZON | Aggressive female banker (6) |
| Double definition #3 | ||
| 10 | ASSAYERS | They test metal for a ship, taking years perhaps (8) |
| A + SS (ship) + (YEARS)* | ||
| 12 | GAINSAID | Obtains help that was denied (8) |
| GAINS (obtains) + AID (help) | ||
| 13 | HAMLET | Radio buff rented small place in the country (6) |
| HAM (radio buff) + LET (rented) | ||
| 15 | MAUD | She’s crazy about university (4) |
| MAD (crazy) around U (university) | ||
| 16 | STITCHED UP | Reduced the rent – having cheated? (8,2) |
| Double / Cryptic definition | ||
| 19 | STEREOTYPE | Cliche of a hi-fi buff (10) |
| A hi-fi buff might be a STEREO TYPE – Stereo? Ah, those were the days! | ||
| 20 | USED | So this is pickled and not allowed to go to waste (4) |
| If added to “so” this (the solution, USED) gives us SOUSED (pickled) | ||
| This was only my LOI as it took some time to parse this clue correctly (as I did, I hope). | ||
| 23 | UPENDS | Tips university to spend freely (6) |
| U (university, once more) + (SPEND)* | ||
| 25 | QUANTITY | Amount to be surveyed? (8) |
| Double / Cryptic definition – there is something like a “quantity surveyor” | ||
| 27 | FLAGPOLE | Jack may have a flutter, given this (8) |
| Cryptic definition – the imagery is clear (Jack = flag) | ||
| 28 | DOSSER | File I left for flophouse resident (6) |
| DOSSIER (file) minus I | ||
| 29 | TADPOLES | Swimmers who leap ahead when detailed (8) |
| Cryptic definition, perhaps | ||
| 30 | WELL UP | We draw back, reduced to tears? (4,2) |
| WE + LLUP (reversal of PULL (draw)) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | AMALGAM | A number in Malaga out to form a union (7) |
| M (a number, 1000) inside (MALAGA)* | ||
| 2 | PLATITUDE | Given freedom at bottom of page – nothing new to say (9) |
| P (page) followed by LATITUDE (freedom) | ||
| 3 | AROUSE | Encourage a king to go on the river (6) |
| A + R (king, Rex) + OUSE (river) | ||
| 5 | OAST | This oven has a ring outside for roasting (4) |
| Putting “ring” around OAST would give us “roasting” | ||
| 6 | PHARAOHS | Their resting places certainly had their points (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 7 | STEAL | Go quietly, as a thief will do? (5) |
| Double definition | ||
| 8 | DESKTOP | Student’s workplace has the best sort of computer (7) |
| DESK (student’s workplace) + TOP (the best) | ||
| 11 | DICTATE | Bid to act as a tyrant (7) |
| Double definition | ||
| 14 | STEPS UP | Accelerates degrees at university (5,2) |
| STEPS (degrees) + UP (at university) | ||
| 17 | DISMISSAL | If you suffer this you won’t be ableto keep your appointment (9) |
| Cryptic definition, punning on two different meanings of ‘appointment’ | ||
| 18 | LEAD UP TO | Senior counsel competent enough to approach the case in stages (4,2,2) |
| LEAD (senior counsel) + UP TO (competent enough) | ||
| 19 | SNUFF IT | Extinguish a candle flame and pass on (5,2) |
| Double definition | ||
| 21 | DAY TRIP | Excursion ending at nightfall (3,4) |
| DAY ((something) ending at night) + TRIP (fall) | ||
| 22 | SNOOZE | Ozone’s remarkably conducive to sleep (6) |
| (OZONE’S)* | ||
| 24 | ELAND | Animal badly laden (5) |
| (LADEN)* | ||
| 26 | FLEE | Left in charge, but desert one’s post (4) |
| L (left) inside FEE (charge) | ||
A very pleasant Dante. And thanks, Sil, for explaining 20ac. I’m still not sure how Bid connects with Dictate (11dn).
Thanks Dante and Sil
Had this one marked as not too many holdups. Finished in the NE corner with PHARAOHS the last one in (because I always forget about the RAOH order!). I did like DISMISSAL.
Parsed USED the same as Sil.
According to Chambers, ‘to bid’ can mean ‘to command’ or ‘to ask for’ but it is, apparently, archaic.
I think, Hornbeam, that answers your query.