Monday Prize Crossword / Apr 27, 2015
A Cruxword that will not disappoint his admirers.
The usual mix of Elegance and Adventure, plus a handful of chestnuts and weakish cryptic definitions – overall enjoyable as ever, though.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | SECTIONAL |
Coastline subjected to a battering in parts (9)
(COASTLINE)* [* = subjected to a battering] A familiar anagram to start with. |
| 6 | APPAL |
Shock announcement made by a missionary (5)
Homophone (‘announcement’) of: A PAUL (a missionary, think: New Testament) |
| 9 | APRON |
Its strings restrict one’s independence (5)
Cryptic definition |
| 10 | TUBE TRAIN |
London Transport can receive a tribute, strangely, without it (4,5)
TIN (can) around (A TRIBUTE minus IT)* [* = strangely] Some might argue that the use of ‘receive’ is not Hedgehoggy-proof. |
| 11 | TWELVE-BORE |
We love Bret’s explosive weapon (6-4)
(WE LOVE BRET)* [* = explosive] |
| 12 | FLEA |
Run away, say, to a circus? (4)
Homophone (‘we hear’) of: FLEE (run away) The definition is, of course, just a kind of circus. |
| 14 | EPISTLE |
Writer heard at 6 across may have penned this (7)
The one ‘heard’ at 6 across is Paul – he wrote EPISTLEs (think: The Bible, again) |
| 15 | YOU WAIT |
Order to be patient sounds threatening (3,4)
Double definition |
| 17 | LIE DOWN |
Invention not working? You need to relax (3,4)
LIE (invention) + DOWN (not working) |
| 19 | PIONEER |
Launch one in middle of dock (7)
ONE inside PIER (dock) |
| 20 | MUSH |
Cornmeal said to get dogs moving (4)
Double definition |
| 22 | STATISTICS |
To Disraeli, these data are worse than lies (10)
Cryptic definition – or just general knowledge? “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics“ |
| 25 | SEA URCHIN |
Marine creature, like a scruffy cabin boy? (3,6)
Cryptic, perhaps Double, definition |
| 26 | ALAMO |
Texas mission proudly featured in 16, no doubt (5)
A definition with a cryptic extension, perhaps? The clue is so wordy (‘proudly’, ‘no doubt’) that it looks that there’s more going on. Wasted on me, I fear. |
| 27 | ADMIN |
It’s central to broad-minded management (5)
Hidden (‘it’s [indeed exactly 100% – bravo] central to’) in: [bro]AD MIN[ded] |
| 28 | SASSENACH |
An Englishman to an Irishman or Scotsman, possibly (9)
Cryptic definition Not a very strong one, but then in my opinion this device is not Crux’s forte anyway. |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SMART |
Sting turned out well (5)
Double definition |
| 2 | CARMELITE |
Order lime cocktail in French menu (9)
(LIME)* inside CARTE (menu, in French) [* = cocktail] |
| 3 | INNOVATION |
A pub with good cheer for a change (10)
INN (a pub) + OVATION (good cheer) |
| 4 | NOTABLE |
Well-known incompetent? (7)
NOT ABLE (incompetent) |
| 5 | LIBERTY |
Freedom party English try to reform (7)
LIB (party, Liberals) + E (English) + (TRY)* [* = to reform] |
| 6 | ARTY |
Crafty associate forms a leaderless faction (4)
PARTY (faction) without its ‘leader’ (P) |
| 7 | PEARL |
She has power over a man of nobility (5)
P (power) + EARL (a man of nobility) |
| 8 | LANCASTER |
Ancestral ruin of a royal duke (9)
(ANCESTRAL)* [* = ruin] Another familiar anagram. |
| 13 | OUT OF SHAPE |
How to make heaps? Could be unhealthy (3,2,5)
Reverse anagram: one can make heaps ‘OUT OF SHAPE’ Nice one. |
| 14 | ECLAMPSIA |
Special mixture to contain morning sickness (9)
(SPECIAL)* around AM (morning) [* = mixture] |
| 16 | AMERICANA |
A raving maniac entertains the Queen with US memorabilia (9)
A (MANIAC)* around ER (the Queen) [* = raving] |
| 18 | NOTCHES |
Scores of Nights in Spain being broadcast (7)
Homophone (‘being broadcast’) of: NOCHES (nights, in Spanish) |
| 19 | PATENTS |
Licences – people in hospital need one! (7)
PATIENTS (people in hospital) minus (indicated by ‘need’) I (one |
| 21 | SWARM |
Mob invading starts war maybe (5)
Hidden solution (‘invading’) in: [start]S WAR M[aybe] |
| 23 | SLOTH |
Keep quiet about a man from Sodom’s mortal sin (5)
SH (keep quiet) around LOT (a man from Sodom) |
| 24 | BRAN |
Bargain health food, oddly (4)
Odd selection from: B[a]R[g]A[i]N The word ‘oddly’ is in an odd place, isn’t it? With a bit of good will it can be read the way Crux wants us to, however he could have easily swapped ‘(a) bargain’ and ‘health food’. |
Thanks Crux and Sil
Did this one earlier in the week and found it relatively straightforward, but not easy ! Words like TWELVE BORE and SASSENACH took a bit of prying out.
Last in was OUT OF SHAPE that I thought was quite clever. I also liked YOU WAIT!
Agree that a couple of the cd’s were mediocre, especially ALAMO – unless I’m missing something.
I failed miserably in the SE with only 19a and 28a solved. For 15a I had “you next” which seemed and still seems perfectly plausible but made 16d ungettable as it started with an e for me.
That is why I abhor clues that refer to clues -how can you solve 26a if you don’t have 16d? I can’t see what 26a is on about either.