It is Klingsor’s turn to occupy the Thursday slot this week.
I found this a really enjoyable solve, pitched at what I consider to be the appropriate level for a daily cryptic: far from a write-in, but not mind-blowingly difficult either.
I particularly admired Klingsor’s tight, economical clueing today. This is most in evidence at 3, where there is no excess verbiage whatsoever and every word is indispensable, perhaps with the sole exception of “it’s”.
I am not sure about my parsing of 8, since “for one” appears somewhat marooned. I would be interested in other solvers’ thoughts on this. I am equally unsure as to which of the two countries is actually to be entered in the grid at 5, although I believe that the one that I have plumped for is the stronger candidate for grid entry. Furthermore, do we have what is called an indirect anagram at 6? I wasn’t sure that those were “allowed” in daily cryptics ….
My favourite clues today are the & lit. –clues at 2 and 28. I also liked 9, for making “Henry // Wood” straddle the division between definition and wordplay in the clue. And let me not forget the risqué clue and wordplay at 1A, which raised a chuckle or two along the way 😉
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; // separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| Across | ||
| 01 | COARSEST | Scot bared bottom by road? That’s most gross!
<s>CO<t> (“bared” here means first and last letters are “stripped off”, i.e. dropped) + ARSE (=bottom) + ST (=road, i.e. street) |
| 05 | ZAMBIA | One African country or another that’s good for Zulu
Zambia can become Gambia by replacing Z (=Zulu, in radio telecommunications) with G (=good) |
| 09 | ELM | Position of leadership abandoned by Henry Wood
<h>ELM (=position of leadership, as in to be at the helm of an organisation; “abandoned Henry (=H)” means letter “h” is dropped) |
| 10 | HARD AND FAST | Strict dad hasn’t right to go ape about nothing
FA (=nothing, as in sweet FA) in *(DAD HASN’T + R (=right)); “to go ape” is anagram indicator |
| 12 | PERFORMERS | They play an old song at the start
PER (=AN, as in There are 3 trains an hour) + FORMER (=old) + S<ong> (“at the start” means first letter only) |
| 13 | ADAM | Faith possibly shown by a mother
A + DAM (=mother, i.e. horse); the reference is to UK singer Adam Faith (1940-2003) |
| 15 | ARGYLL | Billy Graham keeps backing Scottish region
Reversed (“backing”) and hidden (“keeps”) in “BiLLY GRAham” |
| 16 | OVERRUN | Contributions from bowler and batsman take too long
OVER (=contribution from bowler, in cricket) + RUN (=contribution from batsman) |
| 18 | OFFHAND | Casual worker from France getting precedence
OF (=from) + F (=France) + HAND (=worker, as in farm hand) |
| 20 | TITIAN | Red giant enthrals institute
I (=institute) in TITAN (=giant, from mythology); titian is a striking red colour used by the Venetian painter Titian |
| 23 | SARI | Asian garment is worn by academician from the east
RA (=academician, i.e. Royal Academician) in IS; “from the east” indicates (here full) reversal |
| 24 | EGOISTICAL | Selfish git heading off essential social reforms
*(GIT + E<ssential> + SOCIAL); “heading off” means first letter only; “reforms” is anagram indicator |
| 26 | IN A NUTSHELL | Briefly, where to find something to eat in a Brazil?
Cryptically, the edible part of a Brazil nut is found “in a nutshell” |
| 27 | ALF | Chap bailiff periodically visited
<b>A<i>L<i>F<f>; “periodically visited” means alternate letters only are used |
| 28 | GLOWER | Term for threatening scowl
<threatenin>G (“term for” means last letter only) + LOWER (=scowl); & lit. |
| 29 | AS ONE MAN | When retiring, celebrity’s not getting it all together
NAME (=celebrity) + NO (=not) + SA (=it, i.e. sex appeal); “when retiring” indicates (here full) reversal |
| Down | ||
| 01 | CHEAPO | 50% off price to acquire banger, it being this?
HEAP (=banger, i.e. old car in poor condition) in CO<st> (=price; “50% off” means 2 of 4 letters are dropped) |
| 02 | ADMIRER | Smitten, I dream about Romeo?
R (=Romeo, in radio telecommunications) in *(I DREAM); “smitten” is anagram indicator; & lit. |
| 03 | SCHOOL YEAR | Small children returning can finally pay attention – it’s time to learn
S (=small) + CH (=children) + OOL (loo=can, lav; “returning” indicates reversal) + <pa>Y (“finally” means last letter only) + EAR (=attention) |
| 04 | SCRAMBLED EGGS | Go away, having exhausted urges for some food
SCRAM (=go away, shoo) + BLED (=exhausted) + EGGS (=urges, encourages) |
| 06 | AIDE | Assistant’s preposterous plan
IDEA (=plan); “preposterous” is anagram indicator |
| 07 | BLADDER | Run after black bag
B (=black) + LADDER (=run, in e.g. tights) |
| 08 | ANTIMONY | For one worker, single currency lacks European element
ANT (=worker) + I (=single, one) + MON<e>Y (=currency; “lacks European (=E)” means letter “e” is dropped) |
| 11 | AIRWORTHINESS | Essential quality of e.g. Bomber Harris is new to conflict
*(HARRIS IS NEW TO); “conflict” is anagram indicator |
| 14 | PENTATHLON | Sporting event held in Irish town mostly
PENT (=held in, as in pent-up emotion) + ATHLON<e> (=Irish town; “mostly” means last letter dropped) |
| 17 | BOASTING | Love, it’s bang out of order showing off
*(O (=love) + IT’S BANG); “out of order” is anagram indicator |
| 19 | FARRAGO | A long way back, acquiring recipe for hotchpotch
R (=recipe) in [FAR (=a long way) + AGO (=back, as in 3 weeks back)] |
| 21 | ACCLAIM | A right Charlie’s held in honour
C (=Charlie, in radio telecommunications) in [A + CLAIM (=right)] |
| 22 | OLEFIN | Hydrocarbon could be one if left out
*(ONE IF + L (=left)); “out” is anagram indicator |
| 25 | MUTE | After turnover, energy corporation is silent
E (=energy) + TUM (=corporation, belly); “after turnover” indicates (here full) vertical reversal |
The online version confirms that the “correct” answer to 5A is Gambia. I think that’s odd too, I wrote Zambia. I agree that in 8D Antimony “For one” seems superfluous, but I can’t say I noticed it at the time. 6D Aide may be an indirect anagram but it’s perhaps the easiest one of all! 29A “As one man” was my last answer. I also agree that this pitched just right, a good steady solve with precise clueing, thank you, Klingsor. Kudos to RatkojaRiku, of course!
I had GAMBIA on the grounds that the clue said G for Z, but I can see the potential confusion. I’m always hesitant over clues like that and in this case the doubt is compounded by the fact the letter in question is unchecked.
Nice puzzle and a good blog. I think “for one” at 8 is there to show that “worker” is an example of an ant (there are other sorts). And in 6 I took “preposterous” in its sense of putting the last first. I’ve seen this done before I think.
Thanks all round!
Also entered ZAMBIA, could not get congrats on line; entirely overlooked GAMBIA, but on re-reading agree clue is perfectly fairly worded.
The clue in 26A is slightly more subtle than given in the blog – there is no “a” before Brazil (not on line, anyway).
Thanks to Klingsor and RatkojaRiku.
Easy or not an indirect anagram is still an indirect anagram. The thin end of the wedge?
@6 Like I said, preposterous means “with the last first” as well as ridiculous so only the last letter moves. It’s a variant on “head to tail” and other similar devices. From what I’ve seen of Klingsor’s puzzles he’s not the sort to do indirect anagrams and even if he tried to slip one through, I doubt the editor would allow it.
I agree with @3 about the required meaning of preposterous in the clue for AIDE, and I also think that the wordplay for GAMBIA is reasonably unambiguous.
Did this on paper, having bought an Indie after failing to find my usual Guardian on the way into work this morning. Quite an entertaining challenge. Guessed TITIAN and OLEFIN without being 100% sure of either – I had GAMBIA and thought that had to be right.
Thanks to Klingsor and RR
I initially thought indirect anagram for 6 but then re read the clue, as has been said preposterous is not an anagram indicator but a rather clever device, mind you why are indirect anagrams banned when indirect anything else seems fair play?
On 24a saw the anagram in my head and confidently wrote egotistical except it didn’t fit damnit, I’m sitting in the pub and maybe a tad tired but is there a difference between egoistical and egotistical other than spelling?
egoism n 1 an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality. adj. egoistical.
egotism n 1 the practice of continaully talking about oneself; self-centredness. adj. egotistical.
I think it is time for you to leave the pub.
Maybe cookie but the difference really could not be split by a cigarette paper and yes I’m in a place without my dictionaries, setters have confused this difference rightly and wrongly many times
I found this quite tough and in the end had to resort to e-searches to get anywhere near finishing it. And even when I got the answers, I couldn’t parse them. So thanks for the explanations, but a bit too much of a slog to be really enjoyable.
Thanks Klingsor and RR.
I plumped for GAMBIA at 5a, the clue seems to imply G for Z.
After flashling’s query I am not certain about EGOISTICAL at 24a, perhaps when he has sobered up and looked for himself in the dictionary he will let us know his conclusion – the 2nd meaning given for ‘egoism’ in the OCED is ‘egotism’, all most confusing.
[flashling, thought I would check in ‘Larousse’.
égoïsme n. m. (lat. ego moi). Vice de l’homme qui rapporte tout à soi.
égoïste adj. et n. Qui rappoore tout à soi, qui ne considère que ses intérêts.
égotisme n. m. (angl. egotism; lat. ego). Manie de parler de soi; sentiment exagéré de sa personnalité, de sa valeur.
égotiste adj. et n. Qui fait preuve d’égotisme.
Perhaps this might help in sortng things out, from the French I would conclude that EGOISTICAL fits the clue best.]
Conclusion? An egoist in spite being selfish might not be a braggart, and an egotist in spite of being a braggart could be altruistic.
Another Jewel in the Crown of this excellent setter – my soft soap is already starting to melt a bit ….
Flashling @10: ‘why are indirect anagrams banned when indirect anything else seems fair play?’
Perhaps it is a rhetorical question.
But let’s take “Wild bird (5)”.
It can be quite a few things: drive (DIVER*), louse (OUSEL*), Rhone (HERON*0, even penis (SNIPE)*.
I didn’t take part in the discussion of last Monday’s Rufus in which some posters seem to accept indirect anagrams.
They thought that this was what was going on in “Loathe articles in disorder (4)”, ‘articles’ being A and THE (leading to HATE as the solution).
Jolly Swagman came up with: ‘ … The Listener which proscribes “unobvious indirectness” in anagram fodder feed-in …’.
Next, he boldly said: ‘Those for whom “articles” doesn’t immediately suggest THE and A have maybe chosen the wrong pastime’.
Meanwhile forgetting about the fact that there is a difference between using full and partial indirect anagrams.
Why am I saying this?
Because on more than one occasion I have noticed that Klingsor (just as his alter ego Alberich) very often uses partially indirect anagrams – perhaps, more than any other setter.
Today there were examples in 10ac, 24ac, 17d, 22d.
I think that’s what that Listener quotation is all about, JS.
That is, in my opinion.
Great crossword!