Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 19, 2014
I found this to be a splendid Mudd. My star clues are 1a (ON AND OFF), 13a (TURNABOUT), 24a (TACKIER), 16d (SCREWTOP) and 19d (PAELLA) — with 4d (FLOATING VOTERS) being probably the best of the lot.
ACROSS
1 Occasionally switch positions (2,3,3)
ON AND OFF – double definition
5 Crush sign discouraging animals, flipped over (4,2)
STEP ON – NO PETS (discouraging animals) backwards
10 Firms running this way and that with knight on the blower (7)
SIROCCO – SIR (knight) + OC (firm running that [way]) + CO (firm running this way)
11 Five unusual returns in order describing standard delivery? (7)
OVERARM – V (five) + RARE (unusual) backwards together in OM (order, i.e. of merit)
12 A little contraband unnoticed? Search me! (5)
DUNNO – hidden word
13 Change of opinion to make U-boat? (9)
TURNABOUT – TURN ABOUT (reverse anagram)
14 French department translating meatier line about love (5-2-5)
MAINE-ET-LOIRE – O (love) in anagram of MEATIER LINE. I know the names of a couple of departments of France but I had to find a list of them to get this one.
18 Right to be cautious (12)
CONSERVATIVE – double definition
21 Criminal stole a car – a people carrier (9)
ESCALATOR – anagram of STOLE A CAR
23 A party’s shame (5)
ABASH – A (a) + BASH (party)
24 Baked cake, it has roquefort for a start, so more cheesy (7)
TACKIER – anagram of CAKE IT + R[oquefort]
25 Religious text with first word for play (7)
OTHELLO – OT (religious text, i.e. Old Testament) + HELLO (first word)
26 Promise to put first of plates on the shelf (6)
PLEDGE – P[lates] + LEDGE (shelf)
27 Toothless attendee in pieces (8)
EDENTATE – anagram of ATTENDEE
DOWN
1 Leg legally positioned (6)
ONSIDE – double definition (the first from cricket)
2 Perfect group for exposure (6)
AIRING – AI (perfect) + RING (group)
3 Swimmer up to speed a degree (9)
DOCTORATE – COD (swimmer) backwards + TO (to) + RATE (speed)
4 Hapless extremists in Tories fail to govern, electorate yet to be convinced? (8,6)
FLOATING VOTERS – anagram of T[orie]S FAIL TO GOVERN
6 One of twenty-four part-timers (5)
THETA – THE TA (part-timers, i.e. the Territorial Army). Theta is one of 24 Greek letters.
7 Only friendly mountain to climb, a pick-me-up (8)
PLATONIC – ALP (mountain) backwards + TONIC (a pick-me-up)
8 Regardless of mantra, talk about it (2,6)
NO MATTER – OM (mantra) in NATTER (talk)
9 It’s not polite, but could be rude! (4-6,4)
FOUR-LETTER WORD – double/cryptic definition
15 Giant left bedraggled hat in water (9)
LEVIATHAN – L (left) + anagram of HAT in EVIAN (water)
16 Team put in cork where cork unnecessary? (8)
SCREWTOP – CREW (team) in STOP (cork)
17 Relative catching cold, tricky getting over it? (8)
UNICYCLE – ICY (cold) in UNCLE (relative). The definition is a little weak, no?
19 Foreign dish in middle of fall and spring, served up (6)
PAELLA – f[AL]l + LEAP (spring) all backwards
20 Seat cast for audition? (6)
THRONE – homophone (“thrown”)
22 Not to be trusted in bed? (5)
LYING – double definition
I guessed 8d correctly but couldn’t see the wordplay.
I would never had got om as a mantra.
I have to say I am surprised. I reckon om must be one of the best known mantras.
I knew the definition at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mantra as in slogan. Had never come across the other one or heard anyone say “om”.
Thanks Mudd and Pete
Seem to have done quite a few puzzles by Mr Halpern in both his FT and Guardian guises this week. All have been delightful.
I first came across OM in a beautiful part of the Tasmanian wilderness called the Walls of Jerusalem – after walking for several hours we came across an area with a number of cushion plants. Our guide asked us each to sit on one, appreciate the remoteness and beauty, then to shut our eyes as he introduced us to the chant of ‘Om’.
I think that the definition of 17d makes a bit more sense when ‘tricky’ is doing double duty.
perhaps one needs to have been young in the 60s to have come across OM. Wish I’d got sirocco – seems the best of the clues.
Thanks, Pete — I needed your explanation for a couple, but completed nonetheless. As you say, this was Mudd at his best. I had no problem with Om, although I’ve always remembered the full mantra as Om Mane Padme Hum. Thanks, Mudd, looking forward to your next one