Monday Prize Crossword / May 4, 2015
One of Dante’s easier crosswords, I thought. Still not easy to finish it without obstacles. The combi 11ac/9d almost defeated me. Almost!
A puzzle full of anagrams and double definitions. Also some things that I would call a bit unsatisfactory (15ac, 20ac, 24ac) but on the whole an enjoyable exercise.
| Across | ||
| 1 | MINE DETECTOR |
It may reveal hidden charges (4,8)
Cryptic definition |
| 10 | ENTRAPS |
Takes parents out (7)
(PARENTS)* [* = out] How a simple clue can be really nice! |
| 11 | SLEEPER |
Ring someone who is out (7)
Double definition I wasn’t familiar with the first definition (an earring) and because the second part could mean anything, it was only after having the crossing letters and some guesswork that I found the solution. |
| 12 | TIGHT |
Parsimonious drunk (5)
Double definition |
| 13 | MANDRILL |
Ape soldier on military exercise (8)
MAN (soldier) + DRILL (military exercise) A pity that this ‘drill’ intersects another one (in 9d), one with a completely different meaning though.
|
| 15 | RARING TO GO |
Got roaring drunk, showing enthusiasm (6,2,2)
(GOT ROARING)* [* = drunk] Not really happy with the raring/roaring similarity. |
| 16 | BASS |
Very low perch (4)
Double definition |
| 18 | KIND |
Generously disposed to the German issue (4)
Double definition Now this is Clue #8 and Double definition #4 (three more to follow ….). KIND is the German word for ‘child’ which explains the second part of the clue. |
| 20 | TAXI-DRIVER |
He drives away his customers (4-6)
Cryptic definition I could hardly believe my eyes that this had to be the solution – ‘drives’/’driver’ spoils it for me. |
| 22 | LETHARGY |
Head initially greatly put out by state of apathy (8)
(H[ead] + GREATLY)* [* = put out] |
| 24 | LARGE |
It’s great to be free – at first (5)
With AT put in front of it (‘at first’) one would get AT LARGE (free) If this is what Dante means, I find the way he formulates the cryptic reading very unsatisfactory. |
| 26 | EXTRACT |
Passage straight from the pamphlet (7)
EX ((straight from (the)) + TRACT (pamphlet) |
| 27 | PONTOON |
Game of bridge (7)
Double definition |
| 28 | DEMONSTRATES |
Shows what the devil declares about right (12)
DEMON (the devil) + {STATES (declares) around R (right)} |
| Down | ||
| 2 | INTEGER |
Being at home, arranged to greet a number (7)
IN ((being) at home) + (GREET)* [* = arranged] Another clue in which the hedgehoggy in me was unhappy – ‘to’ is surely standing in the way, isn’t it? |
| 3 | ENACTING |
Agent in trouble about a number performing (8)
(AGENT IN)* around C (a number, 100) [* = trouble] |
| 4 | EASY |
A piece of cake for a midshipman (4)
Double definition The midshipman here is ‘Mr Midshipman Easy‘, the title of an 1836 novel by Frederick Marryat. It was at least twice turned into a film: a silent movie in 1915 and a British film directed by Carol Reed in 1935. |
| 5 | EAST ANGLIA |
Tales again are going round UK region (4,6)
(TALES AGAIN)* [* = are going round] Smooth and simple anagram clue. |
| 6 | TREAD |
Put one’s foot down when it’s time to study (5)
T (time) + READ (study) |
| 7 | REPLICA |
Copy original recipe, cooking plaice (7)
R[ecipe] + (PLAICE)* [* = cooking] Since ‘recipe’ can also be represented by just R, it is possible to take ‘orginal’ as part of the definition. I didn’t. |
| 8 | HELTER-SKELTER |
A fair example of downward spiral motion (6-7)
Cryptic definition |
| 9 | DRILL SERGEANT |
He gives marching orders to more than one material worker (5,8)
DRILL (a material) + SERGE (another material) + ANT (worker) The ‘sergeant’ bit was clear enough but it took me a while to find the first material. Drill is a strong cotton fabric. My LOI. |
| 14 | STRAIGHTEN |
Adjust rate and things should be different (10)
(RATE + THINGS)* [* = should be different] |
| 17 | SRI LANKA |
Larks in a strange land (3,5)
(LARKS IN A)* [* = strange] It seems that I liked the anagram clues the most today ….. |
| 19 | NOTATED |
Marked down as no fan of one 50’s cult (7)
NOT A TED (no fan of one 50’s cult) |
| 21 | VERBOSE |
Wordy lines about personal problem (7)
VERSE (lines) around BO (personal problem, body odour) |
| 23 | ALARM |
The fear with which many awake to in the morning (5)
Double definition |
| 25 | SPAT |
Slight quarrel with father in the street (4)
PA (father) inside ST ((the) street) |
Thanks Dante and Sil
Very straightforward puzzle with the only slight holdup to determine what sort of SERGEANT we had at 9d.
Had similar misgivings with the crossed DRILLs and the doubled up DRIVER.
Last in was HELTER-SKELTER which I didn’t realise was the name of the fairground slide.