Kruger is a prolific Inquisitor setter. The index on this site tells me that he/she already has twenty under his/her belt.
The preamble stated "Each clue contains either wordplay yielding an extra or missing letter or a single letter misprint in the definition. In order, the extra/missing/correct letters give the name of a ‘Wide Boy’, his musically-acclaimed social status and those who promoted him. In the completed grid, solvers must highlight 45 cells, giving his full name, his five closest friends and a rather arresting adversary. Two answers are acronyms"
I built up this puzzle from the NW corner getting ECRU (9 across), GRASP (3 down) and ICE-AGE (2 down) fairly quickly. As I solved the clues, the message took a while to become clear especially as it looked it began TCTH... My penny drop moment came with DIBBLE (40 across) when my memory triggered Officer DIBBLE and TC (Top Cat). I’m old enough to remember the HANNA BARBERA cartoon series when it was first broadcast in 1961. I was probably half way through the puzzle when I was able to deduce the full message as:
TC THE INDISPUTABLE LEADER OF THE GANG HANNA BARBERA
The full message helped a little bit when it came to solving clues that I hadn’t cracked up to that stage.
When the puzzle was completed it was interesting to see that there were 15 clues that had a letter missing from the wordplay, 15 clues with an extra letter in the wordplay and 14 clues with a misprint in the definition. Given that 44 doesn’t divide by 3, I think Kruger has given a very even distribution of the clue types.
The full name of TC can be found in the top row, with his friends and adversary distributed throughout the grid.
TC/TOP CAT is on the left of the image below . His closest friends are beside him and from left to right they are FANCY-FANCY, BENNY the Ball, BRAIN, CHOOCHOO and SPOOK. His arresting adversary was the afore mentioned Officer DIBBLE who is pictured on the far right.
The final grid looked like this;
This was an enjoyable puzzle that I solved over a number of sessions, not because it was too difficult, but because I was away from home with other things to attend to over the weekend.
The title simply describes TOP CAT, an astute or wily person [Wide Boy]
| Across | |||||
| No | Clue | Misprint | Wordplay | Letter | Entry |
|
1
|
Large gent knocked over tense soldier obstructing dance (6, 2 words)
|
gent > tent
|
(T [tense] + GI [American soldier]) reversed (knocked over) contained in (obstructing) BOP (dance) B (IG T)< OP |
T
|
BIG TOP (large tent) |
|
5
|
Sleep briefly starts to alter the bedding in the outback (6)
|
|
AT (first letters of [starts to] ALTER and THE) + NAP (informal Australian term for bedding or bedroll; bedding in the outback)
|
C
|
CATNAP (sleep briefly)
|
|
9
|
Broken cruet is greyish-brown in colour (4)
|
|
Anagram of (broken) CRUET ECRU* |
T
|
ECRU (light greyish-brown colour)
|
|
10
|
Before short Jewish festival, billet oddly prepared Indian food (8)
|
|
BEL (Anagram [prepared] of BLE [letters 1, 3 and 5 {oddly} of BILLET]) + (PURIM [Jewish Feast of Lots held about 1 March] excluding the final letter [shortly] M) BEL* PURI |
H
|
BHELPURI (an Indian dish of puffed rice with onions)
|
|
12
|
Most direct airman recruit captured by gang (7)
|
|
AR (airman recruit) contained in (captured by) NEST (the occupants of a NEST, eg a brood, a swarm, a gang, etc) N (AR) EST |
E
|
NEAREST (most direct) – either E could be the letter omitted in the wordplay
|
|
13
|
Coarser part of the intellect (5)
|
|
BRAN (coarser part of [the ground husks])
|
I
|
BRAIN (the intellect)
|
|
14
|
Its retreating in western Central America not influenced by direction of stimulus (6) |
|
(ITS reversed [retreating]) contained in (in) (CA [Central America] reversed [western]) A (STI)< C< |
N
|
NASTIC ( of plant movement, not related to the direction of the stimulus)
|
|
16
|
European Anti-Fraud Office abandoned Anglo-French (4)
|
|
OLD (abandoned) + AF (Anglo-French)
|
D
|
OLAF (acronym for Office Européen de Lutte Anti-Fraude;, European Anti-Fraud Office)
|
|
17
|
Academician leaves musketeer weapons (4)
|
|
ARAMIS (one of the Three Musketeers) excluding [leaves] A (academician)
|
I
|
ARMS (weapons)
|
|
19
|
Could it have been used to induce air force mistakes as king overcomes leader of traitors? (7)
|
air > sir [???]
|
F (force) + (ERRATA [mistakes] where R [rex; king] replaces [overcomes] T [first letter of {leader of} TRAITORS])
|
S
|
FERRARA (sword blade; the Queen uses a sword to induct/induce some into the knighthood – induce sir [??])
|
|
22
|
Quaker visiting Boston nearly turned back (4)
|
|
ENN (hidden word [visiting] reversed [turned back] in BOSTON NEARLY) ENN< |
P
|
PENN (reference William PENN [1644 – 1718, early member of the Quaker movement)
|
|
23
|
EU once embarrassed by Spain – period! (6)
|
|
EU + an anagram of (embarrassed) ONCE + E (International Vehicle Registration for Spain) EOCEN* E |
U
|
EOCENE (the oldest division of the Tertiary formation; geological period) |
|
25
|
Former president‘s smart circling desert (6)
|
CHIC (smart) containing (circling) RAT (desert) CHI (RA) C |
T
|
CHIRAC (reference Jacques CHIRAC [1932 – date], former President of France)
|
|
|
26
|
Sell learner pick-up truck (4)
|
Sell > Seal
|
L (learner) + UTE (utility truck in Australia and New Zealand; pick-up trick)
|
A
|
LUTE (waterproof seal)
|
|
27
|
In grief, Sabbath’s sanctimonious rite regularly adopted (7)
|
grief > brief
|
S (Sabbath) + (HOLY [sanctimonious] containing [adopted] RT [letters 1 and 3 {regularly} of RITE]) S HO (RT) LY |
B
|
SHORTLY (in brief)
|
|
30
|
In the highlands, spot McDonald’s pluck (4)
|
|
PLOOK (Scottish [highlands] word for a spot on the skin)
|
L
|
POOK (Scottish [McDonald] word for pluck) double definition
|
|
34
|
Pasta served without a hint of sauce? True (4)
|
True > Tree
|
Anagram of (served) PASTA excluding (without) S (first letter of [hint of] SAUCE) ATAP* |
E
|
ATAP (nipa palm; tree)
|
|
35
|
Watery liquids protect coloured part of eyeball (6)
|
|
SERA (watery liquids, plural of SERUM) containing (protect) C (coloured) S (C) ERA |
L
|
SCLERA (the outermost membrane of the eyeball)
|
|
36
|
Husband and I really dislike cymbals (5)
|
|
H (husband) + I + HATE (really dislike)
|
E
|
HIHAT (pair of cymbals on a stand)
|
|
37
|
Those deported may cross this and reach New Orleans in a bad way (7)
|
deported > departed
|
Anagram of (in a bad way) (REACH and NO [New Orleans]) ACHERON* |
A
|
ACHERON (in Greek mythology ACHERON was known as the river of woe, one of five rivers of the Underworld across which the dead [departed] might travel)
|
|
38
|
Jagger‘s title to change (8)
|
Jagger > Dagger
|
Anagram of (change) TITLES TO STILETTO* |
D
|
STILETTO (dagger)
|
|
39
|
Showing signs of life, yak and cow cross reserve (4)
|
|
ZO (a hybrid domestic cattle, a cross between a yak and a cow) + ICE (reserve)
|
E
|
ZOIC (of rocks, containing evidences of life, in the form of fossils)
|
|
40
|
Quickly drop tool in the allotment (6)
|
|
DRIBBLE (drop quickly)
|
R
|
DIBBLE (a pointed tool used for making holes for seeds or plants) double definition
|
|
41
|
Old, excessively weak United Nations deputy losing heart (6)
|
|
W (weak) + UN (United Nations) + DY (first and last letters of omitting the central four letters of [losing heart] DEPUTY)
|
O
|
WOUNDY (archaic [old] word for excessively)
|
| Down | |||||
| No | Clue | Misprint | Wordplay | Letter | Entry |
|
1
|
Amphetamine, originally banned, found in Goan spirit (5)
|
|
B (first letter of [originally] BANNED) + FENNY (an alcoholic spirit produced in Goa from coconuts or cashew nuts)
|
F
|
BENNY (an amphetamine tablet)
|
|
2
|
One of several ancient limes that’s protected by sort of cage? On the contrary (6, 2 words)
|
limes > times
|
Anagram of (sort of) CAGE contained in (protected by) IE (id est; this is; that’s) which is the opposite of [on the contrary] THAT’S contained in SORT OF CAGE I (CE AG*) E |
T |
ICE AGE (one of several ancient times)
|
|
3
|
Fold government file (5)
|
Fold > Hold
|
G (government) + RASP (file)
|
H
|
GRASP (hold)
|
|
4
|
Respectful funeral ceremonies outside hospital (8)
|
|
OBIT (funeral ceremonies) containing (outside) SAN (sanatorium; hospital) OBI (SAN) T |
E
|
OBEISANT (respectful)
|
|
5
|
Catch nude verger looking foolish in ferns (8)
|
|
Anagram of (looking foolish) CATCH and ERGE (the middle letters of, i.e. without clothing by the first and last letters [nude] of VERGER) CETERACH* |
G
|
CETERACH (the scale-fern genus)
|
|
6
|
American visitor’s book in rear of hotel? Wrong (5)
|
|
L (last letter of [rear of] HOTEL) + BUM (wrong)
|
A
|
ALBUM (a visitor’s book in America)
|
|
7
|
Little Fenella played with Laura right away (5)
|
|
Anagram of (played with) LAURA excluding (away) R (right) UALA* |
N
|
NUALA (Irish diminutive [little] name for FENELLA)
|
|
8
|
Italian cirl‘s song entertaining a new knight (7)
|
cirl > girl
|
ARIA (vocal solo; song) containing (entertaining) (A + N [new] + N [knight]) ARI (A N N) A |
G
|
ARIANNA (Italian girl’s name)
|
|
11
|
Childhood enthusiast visits island of Ireland before end of holiday (7)
|
|
(FAN [enthusiast] contained in [visits] INCH [Irish {and Scottish} word for an island) + Y (last letter of [end of] HOLIDAY) IN (FAN) C Y |
H
|
INFANCY (childhood)
|
|
15
|
Stubborn insistence of northerners that almost look revolutionary (6)
|
|
THAT excluding the final letter (almost) T + (PEER [look] reversed [revolutionary]) TH REEP< |
A
|
THREEP (to maintain persistently [Northern English dialect])
|
|
18
|
Comical figure from Ireland accommodated by special friend (6)
|
Comical > Conical
|
IR (Ireland) contained in (accommodated by) (S [special] + PAL [friend]) S P (IR) AL |
N
|
SPIRAL (conical figure)
|
|
19
|
Informally, men laud workers in Egypt (7)
|
laud > land
|
FELLAHS (informal term for men)
|
N
|
FELLAHS (peasants, workers on the land especially in Egypt)
|
|
20
|
Snore horribly and note echo (8)
|
|
Anagram of (horribly) SNORE + TE (note of the tonic sol-fa) RESON* TE |
A
|
RESONATE (sound again; echo)
|
|
21
|
Train canine with whisky? I don’t like that (8)
|
|
C (canine) + HOOCH (whisky) + BOO (expression of dislike)
|
B
|
CHOO-CHOO (child’s word for a railway train)
|
|
24
|
Tool for opening locked doors is out at ironmonger’s primarily getting repaired (7)
|
|
Anagram of (getting repaired) IS OUT AT and I (first letter of [primarily] IRONMONGERS) OUSTITI* |
A
|
OUSTITI (a tool for opening a locked door from the outside)
|
|
28
|
Youth squeezes what gets the attention of family of gulls (6)
|
|
LAD (youth) contains (squeezes) OI (a cry to get someone’s attention) LA (OI) D |
R
|
LAROID (relating to the principle genus of the gull family)
|
|
29
|
Detail of visa hindered European in India (5)
|
SAHI (hidden word in [details of] VISA HINDERED)
|
B
|
SAHIB (a form of address used in India to people of rank and, during the period of British rule, to Europeans)
|
|
|
31
|
Former regulator from Lithuania retired (5)
|
|
OF (from) + (LT [International Vehicle Registration for Lithuania] reversed [retired]) OF TL< |
E
|
OFTEL (Officer of Telecommunications, a former UK industry regulator, now replaced by OFCOM)
|
|
32
|
Bind Superman to last fragment of Krypton (5)
|
Bind > Bird
|
HERO (Superman is an example of a HERO) + N (final letter of [last fragment of] KRYPTON)
|
R
|
HERON (bird)
|
|
33
|
Jock’s coke in cooler on Cyprus (5)
|
coke > cake
|
FAN (cooler) + CY (International Vehicle Registration for Cyprus)
|
A
|
FANCY (Scottish [Jock] word for a FANCY cake)
|
Ah, what a nice puzzle. I grew up on a diet of Hanna Barbera cartoons. I must have first seen TC on Dutch television in 1964 (or so) having been in West Germany at the time. On returning to the UK in 1969, I was a bit surprised to discover that the programme had been renamed as Boss Cat – apparently so that it wouldn’t be deemed to be sponsored by a brand of cat food – go figure!
Now that I see your explanation for 1a, it seems perfectly clear though I seem to remember having real trouble with it at the time of solving. Thanks for a nice clear blog and great picture.
And thanks to Kruger though I know I’m going to have the theme song in my head for the whole day, once again. 😉
We enjoyed this one! We guessed the phrase before we had all the letters and decided a search would be helpful as we had plenty to do that day. Bert thought ithe phrase was familiar but couldn’t place it. When we realised it was TC it brought smiles to our faces!!
We remembered many of the characters – but not sure whether it was from the 60s or from watching reruns with our son.
Thanks Kruger for the nostalgia! Thanks Duncan for the excellent blog!
I thought this was a marvellous puzzle and, like others, once I tumbled the theme I had a smile on my face (and a song in my head) for quite some time. I made things difficult for myself by having the first two ‘T’s of the message and deciding that the letter in between had to be a vowel which stopped me entering ‘catnap’ for quite some time. Grrr.
Many thanks to Kruger for a fun solve and to duncan for the blog (especially for the definition of ‘Ferrara’ which I couldn’t find in any reference book and only just found by googling ‘ferrara sword blade’. Amazing what you learn …)
When I first looked at this I thought “Nah, too much going on, can’t be bothered”. Then I did bother. In the end, less intimidating than it looked, and rather more enjoyable. Especially as the word-search at the end was rather simple, not too much grid-staring. I didn’t see much of TC myself, but my Dad waxes lyrical about it!
BF @3: It is in Chambers – maybe under Andrew Ferrara (for some reason.)
In my paper edition, it’s under Andrew Ferrara
In my CD-rom version, it’s under Andrew Ferrara
In my WordWeb version, it’s under both.
kenmac@5
Ah, thanks for the info. It didn’t occur to me to look further as I didn’t really know what I was looking for in the first place. I entered Ferrara from the wordplay alone and it’s been niggling at me ever since …
If anybody else was baffled by the solution this link will lead you to more information than you wanted to know about ‘Andrea Ferrara’
BF @ 3 and 6
Ferrara also had me completely foxed! (Not in my Chambers and no luck on Google either.) I eventually convinced myself that it was an old medical device (used to induce air) and that the extra letter was the s in “as king” – clue to read “a king overcomes leader of traitors”.
Glad I splashed out on a first class stamp but unlikely to be splashing the bubbly if recent luck holds!
Great fun! Thanks to Kruger and Duncan.
Agree with others that this was a most enjoyable puzzle.
Although I noticed FANCY FANCY in the end column quite early, and half-twigged the Top Cat link, I’d quite forgotten he was one of TC’s buddies. I was never an avid fan to be honest but TC was de rigueur on Saturday teatimes in the 60s.
Just one query: I’m not an avid gardener, I much prefer ‘wild’environments, but when did DIBBLE enter the gardening lexicon ? It sounds like one of those ‘thingumajig’words invented to decribe something indescribable !
Thanks v. much Kruger for the childhod memories, and of course to Duncan for the excellent blog,
I took this on holiday with me so had no dictionaries nor access to the Internet, thus quite a challenge.
I soon had a smattering of letters from INDISPUTABLE so guessed the theme early on from this, but even with a big group of us we struggled to remember the names of the gang. Everyone knew Benny and Dibble (and Rob H, I have a dibble – or broken spade handle to some – in my allotment shed and I’m sure my grandmother had one before me) and Brain seemed to be recognised by most. My wife was convinced there was a Toots but agreed in the end he was probably a ChooChoo. Fancy-Fancy seemed too much of coincidence but none of us recognised it. The one we didn’t get was Spook – I’d guessed Hihat, which seemed to get general approval.
I think I filled it all, though several were only pencilled in, but unfortunately it got recycled before we came home so I can’t check. There were certainly some answers I was uncertain of, particularly FERRARA, but it looks like having access to the Internet would have only added to the frustrations on this one!
A very enjoyable puzzle and the nostalgia is always welcome – I was looking for a nod to Bilko in there, but I can’t see one.
Great fun. I used to love watching Top Cat (in the eighties I think). Difficulty and PDM were spot on for me. Like everyone else I struggled to explain Ferrara, but it was obviously correct from the wordplay/crossings.
Thanks
What a really lovely puzzle which brought back a lot of childhood memories. I can distinctly remember watching TC in the 70s/80s and the voices of the characters came back o me as I started to make my way through the end game.
I made reasonably quick progress for once with the top line and the SW corner both starting to take shape first. I started to make way with the extra letters and noticed that Hanna Barbara was a possible string from the letters I had. After deducing/stumbling across thy early on it was a straightforward finish, though I needed the web for the character names I had forgotten. A below average completion time for me but a really great puzzle. I had a little but of trouble with Ferrara too.
Thanks for another great blog Duncan and Kruger for the welcome nostalgia.
My thanks to Duncan and all who have commented so positively.
I was a great Top Cat fan in my youth – one of the best cartoon series ever made in my opinion.