The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3577.
We have had a few more difficult puzzles from Everyman recently, but, while as sound as expected for the setter, this one I thought distinctly easier.
I had missed the confirmation of the change of Everyman setter (so thanks to AJK @10 below for repeating the information).
| Across | ||
| 1 | TEMPT |
Satisfied, coming back with point for draw (5)
A charade of TEM, a reversal (‘coming back’) of MET (‘satisfied’) plus PT (‘point’). |
| 4 | ABSURD |
Silly sailor with singular language, mostly (6)
A charade of AB (able-bodied ‘sailor’) plus S (‘singular’) plus URD[u] (‘language’) cut short (‘mostly’). |
| 10 | PERPETUAL |
Constant favourite in nation, a leader in legend (9)
An envelope (‘in’) of PET (‘favourite’) in PERU (‘nation’) plus ‘a’ plus L (‘leader in Legend’). |
| 11 | SUPER |
Fantastic agent, American, going west (5)
A reversal (‘going west’) of REP (‘agent’) plus US (‘American’). |
| 12 | SLENDER |
Second mortgage provider perhaps inadequate (7)
A charade of S (‘second’) plus LENDER (‘mortgage provider perhaps’). |
| 13 | INTERIM |
Temporary home with unusual merit (7)
A charade of IN (‘home’) plus TERIM, an anagram (‘unusual’) of ‘merit’. |
| 14 | BEHIND THE TIMES |
Old-fashioned greeting given in turn daily (6,3,5)
An envelope (‘in’) of HI (‘greeting’) in BEND (‘turn’) plus THE TIMES (‘daily’). |
| 16 | CHILLI CON CARNE |
Line in eccentric circle on china dish (6,3,5)
An envelope (‘in’) of L (‘line’) in CHILI CON CARNE, an anagram (‘eccentric’) of ‘circle on china’. The more common name of the dish is without the second L. |
| 19 | BITTERN |
Bird from extremely cold north (7)
A charade of BITTER (‘extremely cold’) plus N (‘north’). |
| 21 | BLESSED |
Happy to a smaller extent inside base (7)
An envelope (‘inside’) of LESS (‘to a smaller extent’) in BED (‘base’). |
| 23 | SKINT |
Time after surface broke (5)
A charade of SKIN (‘surface’) plus T (‘time). |
| 24 | ENDEAVOUR |
Badly need approval, giving up fine enterprise (9)
A charade of ENDE, an anagram (‘badly’) of ‘need’ plus [f]AVOUR (‘approval’) without the F (‘giving up fine’). |
| 25 | HEARTY |
Vigorous technique in call for attention (6)
An envelope (‘in’) of ART (‘technique’) in HEY (‘call for attention’). |
| 26 | KEELE |
Endlessly eager learner beginning to enjoy university (5)
A charade of KEE[n] (‘eager’) cut short (‘endlessly’) plus L (‘learner’) plus E (‘beginning to Enjoy’). Keele University is in Staffordshire, England. |
| Down | ||
| 1 | TYPES |
Characters in party pessimistic (5)
A hidden answer in ‘parTY PESsimistic’. |
| 2 | MARLENE DIETRICH |
Broadcast learned item on prolific actress (7,8)
A charade of MARLENE DIET, an anagram (‘broadcast’) of ‘learned item’ plus RICH (‘prolific’). |
| 3 | TREADMILL |
Philosopher after time studied boring routine (9)
A charade of T (‘time’) plus READ (‘studied’) plus MILL (‘philosopher’; several, John Stuart being the first to come to my mind). |
| 5 | BULLISH |
Confident president covering misfortune up (7)
An envelope (‘covering’) of LLI, a reversal (‘up’ in a down light) of ILL (‘misfortune’) in BUSH (‘president’, your choice). |
| 6 | UPSET |
Tip over unexpected result (5)
Double definition. |
| 7 | DEPARTMENT STORE |
Leave coach, crossing street and beginning to explore large shop (10,5)
An envelope (‘crossing’) of ST (‘street’) in DEPART (‘leave’) plus MENTOR (‘coach’) plus E (‘beginning to Explore’). |
| 8 | PUTRID |
Rotten plonk, free (6)
A charade of PUT (‘plonk’) plus RID (‘free’). |
| 9 | CRUMBS |
Spirit in TV network that surprises me! (6)
An envelope (‘in’) of RUM (‘spirit’) in CBS (American ‘TV network’). |
| 15 | TRADEMARK |
Characteristic conclusion of pundit with comment about commercial (9)
An envelope (‘about’) of AD (‘commercial’) in T (‘conclusion of pundiT‘) plus REMARK (‘comment’). |
| 16 | CUBIST |
Young lion? It’s distracted painter (6)
A charade of CUB (‘young lion’) plus IST, an anagram (‘distracted’) of ‘its’. |
| 17 | CONVERT |
Change name in secret (7)
An envelope (‘in’) of N (‘name’) in COVERT (‘secret’). |
| 18 | NOBODY |
Cipher cracked by don about love (6)
An envelope (‘about’) of O (‘love’) in NBODY, an anagram (‘cracked’) of ‘by don’. |
| 20 | EXTRA |
One in crowd scene, wide? (5)
Double definition – the second, a cricket reference, is an indication by example, hence the question mark. |
| 22 | DIRGE |
Good to interrupt dreadful lament (5)
An envelope (‘to interrupt’) of G (‘good’) in DIRE (‘dreadful’). |
Thank you Everyman and Peter
My favourites were 14a and 9d
New for me was KEELE University.
I agree, PeterO, this seemed an easier puzzle this week.
The clues were pretty standard but I liked 14ac’s surface.
Thanks Everyman and PeterO.
Yes, this seemed a little easier. Last in were HEARTY and CRUMBS, CBS did not come to my mind.
I did like BEHIND THE TIMES, BITTERN, SKINT and TREADMILL.
I thought that a cipher was a code but to my surprise, the dictionary confirms a nobody. How strange to have two different meanings.
Curiously, I’d not found Everyman especially difficult recently, but this puzzle floored me. Which just goes to show: when you know the answer, it’s easy. And when you don’t…
Thanks Everyman and PeterO.
I didn’t find this particularly easy, especially as I misspelt DIETRICH at first. I’m another who didn’t know that cipher=NOBODY. My ODE, which is a good guide to current usage, suggests that that meaning is ‘dated.’
I particularly liked BEHIND THE TIMES & ENDEAVOUR.
Yes Peter, I also found this distinctly easier than recent puzzles although entertaining nonetheless.
MARLENE DIETRICH took a bit of working out and would maybe be impenetrable to younger solvers. I also
liked the surface leading to CONVERT which was simple and effective. I too did not know cipher=nobody
but the wordplay led directly to the answer. Thanks to Everyman.
Pedant’s corner (or is it pedants’ corner?): spelling mistake (‘broadcat’ for ‘broadcast’) in answer for 2D.
The word “cipher” originally meant “zero,” from which the “a nobody” definition is an obvious figurative version. How we got to it being code is a little less obvious; you have to know that zero was a concept that math was slow to embrace. (The zero, and our arithmetic system in general, was invented in India, perfected by the Arabs, and only reached Europe in the middle ages.)
Calculating with zeros, which had a bit of a hocus-pocus look to it if you were used to earlier systems, came to be known as ciphering. Then came “deciphering,” and you can see how “cipher” could evolve from there to “code.”
Ref: The Nothing that Is, which I admit I read a couple decades ago.
“Cipher” to mean “nobody” is common in Shakespeare. Probably the most famous example is from the famous prologue to Henry V: “O pardon! Since a crooked figure may/In little place attest a million/And let us, ciphers to this great accompt/On your imaginary forces work.”
Regarding the puzzle: 1. Surprised to see CBS over there. 2. I agree that Everyman has gotten harder in recent weeks, and that (for me) this one was a touch easier than they had been running.
I think we are all taking time to recalibrate with Mr Gumbrell’s style- the new Everyman. I’m enjoying today’s puzzle, but it is taking longer than normal. Feels like ‘The Times’ on one of it’s easier days.
AJK @10, I have been at it for hours and am really struggling. I think in the future I will have to leave it until the following Sunday so as to have the help of the check button.
John @8
I will join you in your corner, so the apostrophe can be moved to the right. Correction made.
mr penney @9
Thanks for nothing – that is, for the history of cipher. Perhaps like many people with an interest in crosswords, I am fascinated by the origin of words – Arachne has said she is also. I was comfortable enough with cipher as nonentity (possibly from Shakespeare; I cannot remember) that I did not even look the word up in writing the blog, but the rest of the story was new to me. I was particularly taken with the denouncing of zero as “dangerous Saracen magic”.
Just finished today’s. Laboured over it a bit. Good clues though.
I normally solve an Everyman while having a bowl of muesli in front of me, and then found the last bits while having my Sunday morning coffee.
Not anymore, though.
Mr Gumbrell’s style is one that tries to keep to devices that are not too tricky.
Yet, it’s significantly harder than Mr Scott’s approach.
Clues are a bit more ‘layered’ as I call it.
Now, let me make one thing clear.
Personally, I have no problem whatsoever with the style of setting of the new Everyman.
Mr Gumbrell does a good job, the clueing is immaculate.
It’s more The Times than The Guardian but fine.
But is this what the Observer wants?
In the eyes of many, Everyman stood for a kind of entry level.
However, in my opinion, Everyman has become a full blooded Guardian daily equivalent, say a Tuesday one.
I just wonder how those making perhaps their first steps into the wonderful world of crosswords and always treasured the Everyman, will look at the changes.
They must have thought about that at the Guardian/Observer offices.
There’s nothing that bothers me in that sense, I like a challenge.
But perhaps the change does bother a lot of people out there that we don’t always see here at Fifteensquared.
The transparent, lightweight, straightforward, also elegant clueing of Allan Scott may be a hard act to follow.
It’s not easy to write an ‘easy’ crossword.
I am with AJK that we should give the new Everyman a fair chance.
He’s good.
But thus far I am not sure whether his level of difficulty meets the needs of those who are so looking forward to their Sunday pastime called the Everyman.
While I sometimes hope that Rufus would gear up a bit, I think Mr Gumbrell should think about trying to gear down one level.
Or not, of course, if that’s what the Observer wants.
I’d like to belatedly say thanks to Allan Scott: my interest in solving began with the Everyman c.2006, which I found to be an ideal entry-level puzzle. I still attempt it weekly and have gradually progressed to solving a few Inquisitors.
I guess it will take a bit of time to adjust to the new setter’s style.
Everyman is about the only crossword I get chance to attempt and I have been struggling with it in recent weeks.
Nice to see Keele get a mention though.
We love doing the Sunday Crossword(Everyman) but have been completely stumped the last 3 weeks and even the answers are no help so our comment would be can you suggest another crossword to try on a Sunday? The only problem with that is we don’t want to buy another paper, none matches our Observer!
Margaret G @18
Welcome to the blog. From the timing of your comment, I take it that you belong to our New Zealand contingent, in which case your comment may well be directed to others of the same, for a dead tree puzzle, If so, I cannot be of much help. On line, the Quiptic would be the obvious alternative, although its difficulty can vary. However, I would suggest that you persevere with the Everyman; in all probability, a part of your difficulty stems from unfamiliarity with the new setter’s style, and you might do better as time goes by. Also, the Everyman which I shall blog in a couple of days, and which will reach you in three week’s time, is – or at least, I thought it was – distinctly easier; maybe Everyman is listening to his audience.
Either this was a lot easier or I was in the zone as this came together quite quickly. Like others I had to check the meaning of cipher, and I thanked my childhood days on the Thorpeness Meare where there was a boat named Bittern.
I hope other NZers find this a bit more to their liking than recent Everymans.
Thanks Everyman and Peter. For the record, this was in today’s Saturday New Zealand Herald, 30 May.
Hi. Here in New Zealand the Everyman is published on Saturdays in the NZ Herald, an Auckland paper. I used enjoy them, but they’re a bit out of my league now. Would probably not bother with them at all if it wasn’t for this blog, so many thanks!
Managed to do the “Ed Hillary” on this somewhat more quickly than usual so must agree with PeterO that it seemed a little easier than in recent weeks.Yes, perhaps last weeks moans and groans did resonate with the setter – long may it continue!
Yes it was either a bit easier or I am getting more used to Mr Gumbrell’s style. Got all but 3 today which is definitely an improvement. Got Keele though I had never heard of it. Can’t understand the parsing for 1 ac among others. That is my main complaint. Even when I think of the answer I can’t always figure out the parsing. Don’t really enjoy the crosswords at present.
In common with many of the local fraternity I purchase “The Herald” primarily for its puzzle page (there are those that solely buy the Saturday edition) consequently I look forward to the Everyman edition and its stimulating challenge. The distinctly more demanding recent editions have been much more to my own personal liking (sorry Audrey). Even if I find the answers by intuition (about half of today’s puzzle) then I can confirm them by reversing back to the clue as per the above blog which means that I can then be certain I’m correct and proceed with the remainder of the puzzle. I had conceal for 17d but knew that it didn’t fully fit the clue and when hearty fell into place convert followed-my final answer.
Keele University in the Midlands has been going for a long time and would be well-known in the UK as would skint=broke so we hav to keep Everyman’s background in mind.
Thanks Everyman, PeterO and our other contributors. I can only encourage the doubters to persevere and get calibrated into the current style.
Cheers.
I agree with the others. This was much easier than the others of recent times. Having said that I enjoy the more difficult puzzles. I am quite prepared to spend several hours of my weekend just staring at a clue in the hope of solving it!
The only gripe I have with the new setter is some of his definitions are a bit of a stretch e.g. TEMPT = DRAW (1AC) and ART = TECHNIQUE (25ac).
I’m with Audrey, I am not enjoying this new bloke one little bit. However, having said that, when I figure out an answer I am awfully pleased with myself. The puzzles remind me of when I started solving cryptics way back when, and I would do what I could then get the answers and work out why. I shall persevere!
Rats @25
Non-obvious definitions seem to be part of the new Everyman’s style. However, I do not find either of your examples overstretched – in particular TECHNIQUE derives from the Greek tekne, which means art.
what a relief to open the paper and get this one this weekend. Agree with everyone who said this was a lot easier, i had all but one done by saturday evening which is an enormous triumph for me.
Is this the same setter or a different one who imposed the last 2,3 weeks on us ? I dont often read every blog… funny how much was written this week tho some quite pedantic uk contributors!
I never got 9d which was a bit tricky
The synonym tempt for draw was a bit of a stretch but you could say you could draw the cat out of the cage with a treat = tempt. Not a marvellous clue, which is a shame cos I dislike struggling with 1a and 1d . It doesnt feel right when that corner stays empty for too long …
We reckon that when they are as hard as the ones from this setter have been, that any help – electronic or otherwise – is better than giving up and looking up the answers. We got all of this one out – but had to resort to an anagram solver, an online dictionary that lets you substitute question marks for unknown letters to tell you what words fit (onelook.com) and to Google (for example to check that Teele actually is a university).
For 2 down, that “learned” is an anagram for “Darlene”, that we had all the crossing letters for Darlene except for 1 across still blank – and that Google offers quite a few actresses with the first name of Darlene (but with second names that didn’t fit) had us stuck for a while.
We must confess that we hadn’t managed to parse several of the clues though. Agree that some of the actual definition parts of the clues appear a bit stretched.
PeterO @27
I beg to differ, but that’s the beauty of crossies, init? 😉
An irregular NZ contributor, but ardent follower of the blog. Took until Sunday evening to complete and then only with electronic assistance as mentioned by Lindsay & Marion @29.
For me, a continual reliance on envelopes (including regular appearances of reversals) does get a touch tedious.