Guardian 26,659 – Nutmeg

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As is often the case with Nutmeg’s puzzles, I found this quite hard to get into, but in retrospect it’s all very clearly and soundly clued, so a satisfying and enjoyable solve. Thanks to Nutmeg.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Across
1. INAPT To snooze in the course of it is unseemly (5)
NAP in IT
4. SCARFACE Gangster seldom seen pocketing note (8)
FA in SCARCE – Scarface is the nickname of Tony Montana (played by Al Pacino) in the film of the same name
8. DRESS REHEARSAL Players’ last practice session covered up (5,9)
Cryptic definition – the “players” are actors and in a dress rehearsal they are “covered up” by their costumes
10. AUTONOMY Many initially opted out in conflict for independence (8)
Anagram of MANY O[pted] OUT
11. ASTHMA Complaint from Queen on street hemmed in by motorists (6)
ST + HM (a change from ER!) in AA (Automobile Association)
12. SOUNDS OFF Kicks up a fuss as channel’s about to go (6,3)
SOUND’S (channel’s) OFF (about to go, as in “I’m off now”)
15. EASEL Skinned bass displayed in fish stand (5)
[B]AS[S] in EEL
17. MAKES Forces join around a thousand in retreat (5)
Reverse of K in SEAM
18. TAXIDERMY Revised dietary mix omitting one type of stuffing (9)
(DIETARY MIX)* less I
19. ENTRAP Catch parent in a flustered state (6)
PARENT*
21. VOLCANIC Book about leaders of note in conurbation like St Helens (8)
Reverse of VOL + CA (circa, about) + initial letters of Note In Conurbation – Mount St Helens is a volcano in Washington State that catastrophically erupted in 1980
24. VANISHING CREAM Cosmetic effect of brain drain? (9,5)
A brain drain might be the VANISHING of the CREAM of a country
25. SPYGLASS It helped Nelson see grand plays produced on board (8)
(G PLAYS)* in SS (Steam Ship)
26. EXIST Are spades imported to make tracks? (5)
S in EXIT (make tracks)
Down
1. INDIAN SUMMER Native American with something to add when success comes late? (6,6)
INDIAN + SUMMER (something to sum, or add)
2. AWESTRUCK Stunned in vehicle after a stitch-up (9)
A + reverse of SEW + TRUCK
3. TYSON Fighter at one time stony broke (5)
STONY* – Mike Tyson, boxer, who retired in 2006, hence “at one time”
4. STEAMBOAT Second eleven cricketer bagging duck — an old 20, perhaps (9)
S + TEAM + O in BAT – it might be a tramp steamer
5. ABED Lying president finally exposed (4)
ABE [Lincoln] + [expose]D
6. FARMSTEAD In fancy, prepares to fight alien over ranch (9)
ARMS (prepares to fight) + reverse of ET, all in FAD
7. COACH Trainer has nothing in reserve — energy’s lacking (5)
O in CACHE less E
9. HALLEY’S COMET Space traveller‘s walks occur amid high tension (7,5)
ALLEYS (walks) COME (occur) in H.T.
13. DESCALING O’Connor, left out of pursuit, removing unwanted coat (9)
DES (O’Connor, entertainer) + CALLING less (one) L
14. FOXHOUNDS I’m surprised about vote cutting money reserved for dogs (9)
X in OHO, in FUNDS
16. SERENGETI Before half-time, still bagging good place for big game (9)
G in SERENE + TI[ME]
20. TRAMP Constituent pinches money raised for march (5)
M in PART, reversed
22. CYCLE Endless succession of agency clerks (5)
Hidden in agenCY CLErks
23. WHOA Stop distress becoming audible (4)
Homophone of “woe”

37 comments on “Guardian 26,659 – Nutmeg”

  1. The epitome of a puzzle of intermediate difficulty. No tricks or convolutions. EXIST and ST HELENS were superb. I’m sure I won’t be the only solver of a certain vintage who was transported to Grandstand in the early 70s with Eddie Waring signing off with another “Back to Frank!”

  2. Thanks Nutmeg and Andrew
    Very similar to you Andrew. For a long time I thought I must be off form or simply not on Nutmeg’s wavelength, though when I had finished I wondered what the problem had been. Favourites were FOI TAXIDERMY, and ENTRAP for the misdirection. SERENGETI appears again, clued totally differently from previous incarnations!

  4. A most enjoyable puzzle, with lovely, smooth surfaces; thank you very much, Nutmeg. Favourite clues were 18 & 24ac, 9d.

    Thanks to Andrew for the blog.

  5. Thank you, Andrew.

    I thought this was wonderful and didn’t want it to end. Lovely surfaces everywhere and nicely concealed defs.

    VANISHING CREAM & STEAMBOAT were belters and I also admired ABED, FOXHOUNDS & SERENGETI.

    As others have said, not at the top of the difficult scale but I, for one, really enjoyed it.

    Many thanks, Nutmeg.

  6. muffin @3 – me too, and I’m embarrassed to say that the penny dropped only after I’d got 7dn.

    William @5 – agree 100%. Not at the top of the difficult scale is right, but like muffin and Andrew (thanks, Andrew) I did spend longer than usual staring at an empty grid. Once in (with TYSON) I made satisfyingly steady progress, with smiles and ahas along the way. Which is what it should be all about, really, isn’t it?

    Many thanks to Nutmeg.

  7. Loved vanishing cream, halley’s comet and steamboat, calling for pursuit not an obvious one for me, could not parse descaling. Thanks Andrew and Nutmeg

  8. Like everyone else I thought this was a fantastic puzzle, although it took me some time to get into it. Some wonderful clues, including STEAMBOAT, SPYGLASS, TAXIDERMY and VANISHING CREAM. Many thanks to Nutmeg and Andrew.

  9. Thanks Nutmeg and Andrew.

    Although I took a time to get started, this turned out to be most enjoyable. I could not parse DESCALING.
    VANISHING CREAM was terrific, as were EXIST, VOLCANIC, SPYGLASS, AWESTRUCK, FOXHOUNDS, SERENGETI…

  10. Thanks to Nutmeg and Andrew. I too much enjoyed this puzzle. DESCALING was last in because 1) my mental list of O’Connors did not include Des and 2) I was initially fixated on a DIS beginning. I also was slowed down by the OHO in FOXHOUNDS but did eventually see the parsing.

  11. Just where I want a puzzle to be on the difficulty scale. So many clues just ‘worked’, both in terms of surface and method. Last in WHOA – never having had to stop a bolting horse, I have clearly laboured under the misapprehension that one pronounces the A.

    If I have a problem, it’s with Native American = INDIAN which I’m sure is not in the Guardian style guide. Clue would work better with an Indian cricketer, Tendulkar perhaps? Aged 40 in his last test; please don’t tell me he’s too obscure.

  14. Nutmeg is wonderful, isn’t she?

    I went away on holiday to Arachne/Eileen, and come back to Nutmeg/Andrew – marvellous!

    Thanks both.

  15. > Why “Reverse” of “vol” at 21 across?

    Blogger’s incompetence! I was probably still thinking of “about” as a reversal indicator. Now corrected: thanks.

  16. Similarly (and I appreciate that this is a real pedant point why is (G PLAYS)* in SS, there is no “in” in the clue, so I took it as the SS followed. Appreciate it gives the same answer.

    BTW I think HH’s account has been hacked.

  17. Thanks, Andrew! I thought it was my incompetence. Many thanks for help with a puzzle I found hard, though enjoyable; and, as JuneG says, “lovely, smooth surfaces” and some clever clues.

  18. Thought this was excellent – a nice medium level of difficulty and plenty of elegance and misdirection. Last in was WHOA. Liked SCARFACE, VOLCANIC, VANISHING CREAM, TYSON and HALLEYS COMET.

    Thanks to Nutmeg and Andrew

  19. Another here who had a slow start but very much enjoyed it once I got going. LOI was AUTONOMY, after I spent a long time trying to parse it as an M (“many initially”) in words for “opted out” and/or “conflict”. Favourites are ASTHMA, TAXIDERMY, VOLCANIC, AWESTRUCK, STEAMBOAT and SERENGETI.

    Thanks to Nutmeg and Andrew.

  20. I agree with Andrew and Nutmeg in that I found this hard going at first but getting progressively easier as I progressed. I really don’t see the problem with INDIAN SUMMER and I got SCARFACE from the nickname-no pun intended- of Al Capone who is surely the most famous gangster of all.
    Liked DESCALING and HALLEYS COMET.
    Thanks Nutmeg.

  23. Thanks, Andrew.

    I’ve spent the day being initiated into a new laptop and Windows 10 by my grandson, who was very patient with this geriatric technophobe.

    I did the puzzle this morning and shared in the general enjoyment – super stuff. I think all my favourite clues have been mentioned. Many thanks to Nutmeg.

  24. Thanks to Nutmeg and Andrew. Was slow going for me but a pleasure nonetheless. Couldn’t parse
    DESCALING because I couldn’t see calling = pursuit. Good one!

    Eileen: does your grandson make housecalls?

    Cheers…

  26. Hi Eileen,

    I don’t know the flight schedules but I will volunteer to pick him up
    at Seattle-Tacoma Airport. Just kidding. There is taxi service
    available at the airport.

  27. Thanks Nutmeg and Andrew

    A “Goldilocks” puzzle for me too – not too hard – not too easy !! For some reason INAPT jumped straight out at 1a, which opened up the top left and so didn’t suffer the same slow start as others. Was only able to grab a few minutes here and there throughout the day to do it, but could keep adding answers until finished with SCARFACE, ABED and STEAMBOAT as the last few in.

    Many good clues and although many of the answers were built in a similar fashion, the clever misdirection of the key word in the clue meant that there was lateral thinking required with many of them.

    Enjoyed it a lot!

  28. Thanks all. Really enjoyed the puzzle, blog and off-topic asides here.

    I relied heavily on crossings, but found a steady, absorbing solve.

  29. This was a very nice workout.

    I started off with a slow start(only about 6 clues in after the first pass) but then made steady progress. Only held up at the end by 10A, 26A and 22D.

    All very elegantly clued as has been said.

    However I am puzzled by some of the comments.

    ulaca @ 1 I’m sure I won’t be the only solver of a certain vintage who was transported to Grandstand in the early 70s with Eddie Waring signing off with another “Back to Frank!”

    and Rog @ 6 …I’m embarrassed to say that the penny dropped only after I’d got 7dn.

    What am I missing? Why Eddie Waring and Frank Bough(with whom I am very familiar) and what penny? !!!!

    Thanks to Andrew and Nutmeg

  30. Eddie Waring used to reel off the Rugby League teams in his bizarre litanies “Leigh, Wigan, St. Helen’s…” ending with ‘ull Kinston Rrrrrovahhhs” as I recall.

  32. I loved this puzzle but I have a problem with 8a. Is this really a Cryptic definition? It seems a bit “Simplex” to me.

    I really liked the misdirection in 17a (probably like most solvers I had the “m” first so I assumed that this was the thousand referred to); I’m puzzled by the lack of love for 3d – I know that it’s not too difficult but I think that it’s extremely clever given Iron Mike’s well-publicised financial woes.

  33. engineerb @32
    I’d call 8a semi-cryptic. “Players” tends to misdirect towards musicians rather actors (well, it initially did for me, at least) and “covered up” is indirect too.

  35. andyk000 @ 16 ‘on board’ is commonly used in puzzles to tell the solver to put an element in the ship, i.e. inside ‘SS’.

  36. Paul B @34 I think you have to imagine a comma in the clue before ‘covered up’. If it were added by the setter it would rather spoil the surface.

  37. Unlike some others, I got off to a speedy start (quicker than a Rufus for the first half), then slowed down.
    Didn’t get WHOA, 🙁 .
    But very enjoyable.

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