Guardian 26,398 by Pasquale

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Fun and very tough, this took me ages. Got stuck in the bottom left, and my last ones in were unfamiliar words guessed and checked…

…15ac and 3dn I managed from the wordplay, and 5ac I got wrong as DEBRENT – still not sure how to parse the correct answer. Favourites were 16ac, 20ac, 2dn, 5dn and 22dn. One side effect of the long solve – this is the first time I’ve noticed a pangram while solving.

EDIT: the crossword has since been amended to correct the error in 5ac – I’ve added the parsing for the revised clue.

Across
1 LOCKOUT
Bosses’ exclusion of yob that’s drunk wine, wasting hours (7)
=”Bosses’ exclusion”. LOUT=”yob”, around [h]OCK=German white wine, minus the h[ours]
5 DEBRETT
Old publisher, strange breed never boozing (7)
=”Old publisher” [wiki]. (breed)* plus T[ee]T[otal]=”never boozing”
5 DEBRETT
Old publisher and editor turning on the silly office supervisor (7)
=”Old publisher” [wiki]. ED[itor], reversed (“turning”), plus David BRENT=”silly office supervisor”, or so I thought…
9 WINDINESS
Comes first, eats inside — problem with digestion? (9)
=”problem with digestion”. WINS=”Comes first”, with DINES=”eats” inside
10 EMEND
In the finish this person is correct (5)
=”correct”. END=”finish”, around ME=”this person”
11 SHOP
Be disloyal to work — keep quiet at first (4)
=”Be disloyal to”, to inform on someone. OP=”work”, with SH=”quiet” first
12 MAJOR SCALE
Former PM’s about to have drink, making a series of notes (5,5)
=”a series of notes”. [John] MAJOR’S=”Former PM’s”, plus C[irca]=”about”, ALE=”drink”
14 MERCER
Old trader in posh car going to meet the Queen (6)
=”Old trader”, historic term for a textiles seller. MERC[edes]=”posh car”, plus E[lizabeth] R[egina]=”Queen”
15 BIBELOT
Ornament — spot one to be collected (7)
=”Ornament”. BLOT=”spot”, with I=”one” and BE inside
16 ABSOLVE
What you do when going to a bishop for pardon (7)
=”pardon”. SOLVE=”What you [as the crossword solver] do”, after A B[ishop]
18 BANISH
Party to entertain province’s exile (6)
=”exile”. BASH=”Party” around N[orthern] I[reland]=”province”
20 HURLY-BURLY
Report of model well above size zero brings confusion (5-5)
=”confusion”. HURLY sounds like [Liz] Hurley=”Report of model”, plus BURLY=”well above size zero”
21 SWAN
A bird such as this may be seen in Egyptian city (4)
=”bird”. A SWAN  would make Aswan=”Egyptian city”
24 MENSA
Bright bunch of blokes with a certain sort of appeal (5)
=”Bright bunch”. MEN=”blokes” plus S[ex] A[ppeal]
25 EXTENDING
Getting bigger, no longer needs looking after (9)
=”Getting bigger”. EX=”no longer” plus TENDING=”looking after”
26 DEMESNE
Estate workers catching salmon primarily in river (7)
=”Estate”. MEN=”workers” around S[almon], all inside DEE=”river”
27 SUPPLER
More flexible meal deal finally being introduced (7)
=”More flexible”. SUPPER=”meal”, around [dea]L
Down
1 LEWES
Grounds surrounding West Sussex market town (5)
=”Sussex market town”. LEES=sediment=e.g. coffee “Grounds” around W[est].
2 CANZONE
Where those drinking from tinnies gather for song? (7)
=”song”. CAN ZONE=”Where those drinking from tinnies gather …?”
3 OLIO
Egg and something greasy served up in meat dish (4)
=”meat dish”, a stew. O=”Egg”, plus OIL=”something greasy” reversed (“served up”)
4 THE FAERIE QUEENE
Enquire: “A fee, possibly?” — you once having penned that poem (3,6,6)
=”poem”. (Enquire A fee)*, inside THEE=”you[,] once”
5 DISCOMBOBULATES
Upsets in party — then see a mob bustle about (15)
=”Upsets”. DISCO=”party”, plus (a mob bustle)*
6 BREASTBONE
Wicked stabber may land on one (10)
(stabber)* on ONE, &lit=”Wicked stabber may land on one”
7 EYEBALL
I shout, it is said, and watch closely (7)
=”watch closely”. Sounds like ‘I bawl’=”I shout, it is said”
8 TIDIEST
One girl in exam is neater than all the rest (7)
=”neater than all the rest”. I=”One” plus DI[ana]=”girl” in TEST=”exam”
13 SCALLYWAGS
Excursion transporting a hundred female partners to watch men? Rascals! (10)
=”Rascals”. SALLY=”Excursion”, around C=”a hundred” in Roman numerals, plus W[ives] A[nd] G[irlfriends]S=”female partners to watch men?”
16 ASHAMED
A phoney party leader being sheepish? (7)
=”sheepish”. A plus SHAM=”phoney” plus ED [Miliband]=”party leader”
17 SURINAM
Country fellow’s upset about ancient city, one going under (7)
=”Country”. MAN’S=”fellow’s), reversed (“upset”) and around UR=”ancient city” plus I=”one”
19 SAWBILL
Bird observed on promontory (7)
=”Bird”. SAW=”observed” on BILL=”promontory”
22 NIGER
Name of political leader wanting Right to oust Left in the country (5)
=”country”. NIGE[l] Farage=”political leader”, with R[ight] ousting l[eft]
23 SNAP
Type of biscuit containers in kitchen knocked over (4)
=”Type of biscuit”. PANS=”containers in kitchen”, reversed (“knocked over”)

45 comments on “Guardian 26,398 by Pasquale”

  2. Well I’d never heard of him anyway so it made no difference to me! Started with about five or six write ins which made my heart sink a little, but pride and fall – ground to a halt after that and had to start the hard work. Very enjoyable with plenty of groan moments! Loved 13d. Got 5d from first read of the clue unusually for me as long ones are sometimes my bête noir.

    Thx both

  3. Excellent puzzle from Don. Not being used (still) to the inclusion of living people, I had no clue how HURLY-BURLY worked, so thanks to manehi for that. On the other hand, I am a massive Office fan – even have the scripts for the peerless Series One – and yet managed to put in [David] Brett without blinking an eyelid.

    I have also learned today that although it may be spelt in a host of ways (scallyway, scalawag and scallawag, to name but three), the way I wanted to spell it (‘scalliwag’) is not (yet) included among them. Like almw3, that was my favourite of a cracking bunch, of which BIBELOT was new.

  5. Thanks, manehi.

    I found this less trouble than Rufus’s Monday puzzle. There are often one or two unfamiliar words in a Pasquale crossword (which isn’t a complaint, as I welcome the opportunity to extend my vocab): here OLIO was my LOI as I have never encountered it before.

    6d is not the sharpest of &lits, but the allusive clues to SCALLYWAGS and NIGER are splendid. My favourite was the beautifully formed 16a.

    The SW corner has one MAN and two MENs, which is uncharacteristically inelegant for Pasquale.

  6. Thanks Pasquale and manehi – I didn’t find this too hard, apart from DEBRETT (though like ulaca I put it in without initially noticing the error) and the new-to-me BIBELOT. I liked the &littiness of 24a and 22d.

    Credit to Pasquale for fessing up to the Brett/Brent mistake, but surely this sort of thing should be caught by the editorial process; see also the problem with yesterday’s “Lent”.

  8. Thanks Pasquale and manehi. I’d assumes that Brett was some chap I simply hadn’t heard of.

    Curiously, the pangram element assisted me a little. While considering CANZONE, which was new to me, the possibility of a pangram occurred, but was only possible with a K in 1ac. After which the last few pieces fell into place.

    DISCOMBOBULATES was excellent; I’m probably not the only one who’d tried numerous different combinations of anagram fodder and considered that party = DO rather than DISCO.

    A nice change to not be defeated by Pasquale for once, though.

  11. Thanks Pasquale for an enjoyable solve and for dropping by to explain the error.

    Thanks to manehi for pointing out the pangram. I was thinking of the wrong notes (IOUs etc) in 12 for a long time.

    Yes, SCALLYWAGS was very nice. I was another party=do at the beginning.

  12. Thanks to Pasquale and Manehi

    I’ve never heard of either David Brett or David Brent. Could someone fill me in?

    Cheers

  13. Thanks Pasquale and manehi for a very enjoyable puzzle and helpful blog.

    Loved discombobulates, had used it last night in telling my grandsons the our cat was discombobulated.

  14. I had trouble with the BIBELOT/BREASTBONE crossers. I didn’t like be=be in the clue for the first and I thought the latter a little weak.

  15. Kevin @ 12, David Brent is not exactly in classical crossword territory but has rated a Wikipedia entry:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brent

    For anyone solving online who didn’t spot the note at the top, the clue has now been changed to correct the Brent/Brett error.
    “Old publisher, strange breed never boozing (7)”

  16. Careless, really, for this top-end setter to miss that. Suggests an out-of-touchness not compatible with Guardian grooviness. Some odd words as usual with Pasquale, whom I always find rather daft in his didacticism!

    Nice to see the well-penned clues as ever though, much needed on this page methinks what.

  17. Thank you, Don, first class puzzle. Loved learning BIBELOT – nice word which I shall try to shoe-horn in to conversation as soon as possible!

    Such a pity your open-handed expression of regret re the tiny name slip could not have met with universal acceptance.

    Hey-ho and on we go.

    Nice week, all.

  18. Enjoyed this – certainly a bit more challenging than yesterday, but nothing unfair. Last in and least familiar word was CANZONE – BIBELOT also needed checking. I would have commented on DEBRETT so thanks to Pasquale for the apology/explanation. Liked LOCKOUT, HURLY-BURLY and NIGER, and it’s always nice to see the word DISCOMBOBULATES.

    Thanks to manehi and Pasquale

  19. This was an odd one! I finished it quite quickly and then realised that I didn’t “get”several of the clues and had to work backwards but even then I didn’t know why DEBRETT and HURLY BURLY were correct -well, I suppose the BURLY part was easy. BIBELOT and CANZONE were new to me.
    Thanks Pasquale

  21. Thanks Pasquale and manehi

    Slow start but a quick finish – didn’t spot the pangram, of course. In contrast to manehi, I think I’m more likely to do so if I solve it quickly – a slow solve means that I have forgotten non-crossing letters entered!

    A couple of new meanings for me – OLIO I knew only in the Italian dish of “Spaghetti aglio e olio” (garlic and olive oil), and I knew “canzon” from the Gabrieli brass pieces, but not “canzone”.

    Wouldn’t 17d have been neater as just “Country fellow is upset about ancient city”? Using “is” instead of “‘s” avoids having to get the i from the clumsier last part of the clue.

  22. muffin @ 21

    I thought the last part of the clue was an excellent piece of misdirection – I spent ages trying to make an anagram of SERF plus UR plus A or I – I thought there must be some sort of specialist surfing term, be that of the aquatic or web type.

  23. I did spot the pangram, but only after solving and I didn’t want to mention it for obvious reasons – but it was almost certainly deliberate…

  28. Very enjoyable. Didn’t know CANZONE or BIBELOT so must accept my defeat with good grace as they were fairly clued; on another day I might have worked it out and with a quick check completed the grid. The pangram was another aid I somehow contrived to ignore, so there’s no helping some people.

    Very gracious apology from Pasquale, I thought, to go with an otherwise very good puzzle and blog. Well done, you two.

  29. Among the words I had to check was SURINAM,for the simple reason that I don’t recall it ever being spelt without an E. But I see it can be, so that’s fine.

    The Don’s reputation preceding him, I’m never too worried when I come across unfamiliar words – BIBELOT, OLIO and CANZONE were all there when I needed them. With other setters, I might have been more concerned. Funny that.

    More of a concern is that you can add me to the list who thought ‘ah yes, David Brett of The Office, how very clever’.

  32. I had console for 2 down.
    Cons (convicts) are Australians who drink from tinnies, and ole is a spanish folk dance accompanied by singing.
    The singing would take place around a console – a cabinet for audio equipment.

  33. All correct after much struggle, with ‘Debrett’ just put in from the literal. ‘Olio’, of course, is popular in vowel-hungry US puzzles, and I knew the other obscurities as well.

    Don could have used George Brett, now that would have been tough for UK solvers!

  34. I enjoyed this although I did come to this after the “correction” so no problems with 5A.

    I failed on CANZONE as I’ve never heard of it. (Pasquale does like his esoteric words!!) I knew it was CAN?O?E obviously but I was mislead by the “tinnies” in looking for an Australian connection! (Anyway isn’t a CANZONE a pizza turned into a pasty? 😉 )

    I have mentioned several times recently that the Crossword Editor appears to be on extended “holliers”. (Must be a round the world hitch-hiking trip or something of similar duration.)

    Thanks to manehi and Pasquale.

  38. Dewey @37; ‘shop’ is an informal British term for informing on someone; like ‘grass’ or ‘grass up’ or ‘tell on’. “He shopped his accomplice to the police”.

  39. I am confused over SCALLYWAG….. Though it makes for a nice surface, can anyone explain the point of “to watch men” in wordplay. I’m afraid, for me, such apparent extraneity, spoiled the clue.
    I actually spent longer trying to parse DEBRETT (I do paper version) than whole of rest of puzzle! My pride at fault as I try not to visit 225 until I’ve solved the crossword….!
    Nevertheless, well done to the Don (both for his excellent setting and his very decent apology)

  40. William F P @39 – I parsed it the same way as PeterO, i.e. “to watch men” is part of the definition of WAGS, since the acronym (at least originally) meant footballers’ partners. Agree it’s a bit of a clunky definition by Pasquale’s high standards…

  41. beery hiker – many thanks for your suggestion but still makes no sense to me. Some WAGS (and I well know the acronym) never watch their partners playing football; am I being thick and you’re telling me that a “watch man” is a term for a footballer? Otherwise, I retain my opinion that an otherwise good clue is spoiled. Could you elucidate further?
    Regards

  43. William @43 – if anyone is still reading this I agree with most of what you are saying, but I don’t think there is a better explanation and at least some “WAGs” have occasionally been known to “watch their men”, and that’s how I read it…

  45. Thanks Pasquale and manehi

    Seems that there were a few puzzles around the end of October that I didn’t get to finish. Did complete the remaining SW corner of this one during an insomniacal period last night.

    A pretty typical offering from the Don (except for the uncharacteristic blooper at 5a). A couple of new words – DEBRETT and BIBELOT – along with the pangram in the grid, which I spotted for a change.

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