Tyrus has given us an interesting and quite challenging puzzle.
It looks like the puzzle is celebrating the WEDDING (19 across) of ANTONIO [unchecked letters in top row] and ELEANOR [unchecked letters of the bottom row]. CONGRATULATIONS [15 across] are given. There are probably some other relevant entries in the puzzle, but without knowing anything about the happy couple it is difficult to know. However, we can speculate. Is ANTONIO from Naples and does he sing O SOLE MIO? Is one of them an ANCHORMAN on a television programme? With a little bit of imagination KINGS College, EXAMS, BOARD GAME, SKITTLE and IBIZA could be woven in a story of courtship. I would hope that HYENA and TABLOID don’t feature too much.
That of course is idle fantasy and probably wide of the mark.
Turning to the puzzle, I enjoy Tyrus’s clues especially where it is not immediately obvious what the definition is. For this puzzle, good examples are ‘deliverer’ [MAILMAN] at 12 across, ‘song’ [CONGRATULATIONS] at 15 across and ‘paper’ [TABLOID] at 22 across.
There were a lot of anagrams in the down clues, but overall there was a good mix of clue types.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Clue | Wordplay | Entry |
|
8
|
Has largely to restrain urge – he might be spotted (5)
|
HA (2 out of 3 [largely] HAS) containing (to restrain) YEN (intense desire; urge) H (YEN) A |
HYENA (a SPOTTED HYENA is an animal (genus Crocuta) resembling a HYENA, that produces a sound like a hysterical laugh)
|
|
9
|
One presenting from Austria and Switzerland in French (9)
|
A (International Vehicle Registration for Austria) + (CH [Confederatio Helvetica; Switzerland] contained in [in] NORMAN [relating to inhabitants of NORMANDY in France; French]) A N (CH) ORMAN |
ANCHORMAN (one who presents a news programme or a discussion on television)
|
|
10
|
Making love with ‘bad’ Marge curious way to pass time (5,4)
|
Anagram of (making … curious) (O [zero; love score in tennis] and BAD MARGE) BOARD GAME* |
BOARD GAME (playing a BOARD GAME is one way to pass time)
|
|
11
|
Old master since put outside – they’ll be asking questions (5)
|
EX (old) + (AS [since] containing [outside] M [master] EX A (M) S |
EXAMS (EXAM papers pose questions)
|
|
12
|
Deliverer from harm – fifty saved by one (7)
|
(L [Roman numeral for 50] contained in [saved by] MAIM [harm]) + AN (one) MAI (L) M AN |
MAILMAN (one who delivers; deliverer)
|
|
13
|
Wickets at regular intervals – let’s hit bowler’s target (7)
|
Anagram of (hit) (IKT [letters 2, 4 and 6 {at regular intervals} of WICKETS ]and LETS) SKITTLE* |
SKITTLE (the target of players in a bowling alley or in a pub)
|
|
15
|
Song and dance about Romeo with troubles (body part out of action) (15)
|
(CONGA [example of a dance] containing [about] R [Romeo is the international communications codeword for the letter R]) + TRIBULATIONS (troubles) excluding (out of action) RIB (body part) CONG *(R) A TULATIONS |
CONGRATULATIONS (title of a song that Cliff Richard sang in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968. It came second, one point behind the winning song from Spain)
|
|
19
|
Union activity in 23 locality (7)
|
WEDDING (a locality in the borough of Mitte, BERLIN [23 down])
|
WEDDING (act of uniting; union activity) double definition
|
|
22
|
Paper clip forbidden? Old invigilator’s beginning to get flustered (7)
|
Take the last letter U off (clip) TABU (forbidden) + an anagram of (get flustered) (OLD and I [first letter of {beginning to} INVIGILATOR}]) TAB LOID* |
TABLOID (paper)
|
|
24
|
Important figures in 10 related stirring tales at the end (5)
|
KIN (related) + GS (last letters [at the end] of each of STIRRING and TALES)
|
KINGS (important figures on a chess board(a BOARD GAME; 10 across])
|
|
25
|
Cut its centre out (9)
|
Anagram of (out) IT’S CENTRE INTERSECT* |
INTERSECT (cut across)
|
|
27
|
Nice behind! Irene’s rear (not small) being wiggled (2,7)
|
Anagram of (being wiggled) IRENE’S REAR excluding (not) S (small) EN ARRIÈRE* |
EN ARRIÈRE (behind or in the rear in French [Nice is a city in France])
|
|
28
|
Short bird worshipped travel guide round holiday hotspot (5)
|
IBIS (reference the sacred IBIS, a bird worshipped by ancient Egyptians) excluding the final letter (short) S + AZ (reference the AZ street atlas of many cities but primarily known for London;; travel guide) reversed (round) IBI ZA< |
IBIZA (holiday hotspot in Spain)
|
| Down | |||
| No. | Clue | Wordplay | Entry |
|
1
|
Ship’s captain that’s good to sailor (4)
|
AH (expressing joy; that’s good) + AB (able seaman; sailor)
|
AHAB (reference Captain AHAB, fictional character in Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick)
|
|
2
|
Number one, 3rd of October, a dope to be raised? Quite the opposite (8)
|
(NO [number] + I [one] + T [third {3rd} letter of OCTOBER] + A + GEN [information; dope]) all reversed (to be raised; down clue) (NEG A T I ON)< |
NEGATION (something that is the opposite)
|
|
3
|
Stand empty bottles together in this (6)
|
TANDEM (hidden word [bottles] in STAND EMPTY)
|
TANDEM (if things are IN TANDEM then they are together)
|
|
4
|
Groups turning up ignore correction by officer (6)
|
(STET [restore after marking for deletion; ignore correction] + CO [Commanding Officer]) all reversed (turning up; down clue) (OC TETS)< |
OCTETS (groups of eight)
|
|
5
|
‘Love isn’t to be trifled with’ (Eliot?) (8)
|
Anagram of (to be trifled with) LOVE ISN’T NOVELIST* |
NOVELIST (reference George ELIOT , pen name of Mary Ann Evans [1819 – 1880], English novelist)
|
|
6
|
Camp it up to make an impression (6)
|
Anagram of (up) CAMP IT IMPACT* |
IMPACT (strong effect; influence; impression)
|
|
7
|
British shunning extra responsibility (4)
|
BONUS (extra) excluding (shunning) B (British)
|
ONUS (responsibility)
|
|
9
|
Con artist’s first sting a blunder (7)
|
A (first letter of [first] ARTIST) + an anagram of (blunder) A STING A GAINST* |
AGAINST (con)
|
|
12
|
Falco,Wham my regulars for playing, I repeat (5)
|
Anagram of (playing) ACWAM (letters 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 [regulars] of FALCO WHAM MY MACAW* |
MACAW (any of the large, long-tailed, brightly-coloured tropical American parrots of the genus Ara or Anodorhynchus. Known for imitating and repeating sounds)
|
|
14
|
Stopped getting caught out – relieved (5)
|
CEASED (stopped) excluding (getting… out) C (caught)
|
EASED (relieved)
|
|
16
|
Recover from check? Of course (8)
|
REIN (check) + SURE (of course)
|
REINSURE (reinstate insurance cover for another year; cover again; re-cover)
|
|
17
|
Loosen belt and tie but don’t get involved (3,2,2)
|
Anagram of (loosen) BELT and TIE LET IT BE* |
LET IT BE (stop interfering; don’t get involved)
|
|
18
|
Neapolitan number 10 after award, one admitted (1,4,3)
|
(SOLE [one] contained in [admitted] OM [Order of Merit; award]) + IO (representation of ten) O (SOLE) M IO |
O SOLE MIO (Neapolitan song [number] written in 1898 and recorded by many performers; translated it means ‘my sunshine’)
|
| 20 | Queued to collect 1 and 2 (6) |
Is the word ‘up’ missing from this clue. If the clue is written ‘Queued up …’ then I can parse it as: LINED (queued) reversed (up; down clue) containing (to collect) A (one) Perhaps queue is synonymous with queue up and we are required to use the second as a definition for the first to get the wordplay. DENI (A) L< |
DENIAL (negation; 2 down) |
|
21
|
Country‘s old money (6)
|
GUINEA (country in Africa)
|
GUINEA (an obsolete British coin, worth £1 1 shilling or £1.05p. Still used in determining some auction prices and is also used in names of horse racers) double definition
|
|
23
|
Composer Liz wears a lot of jewellery (6)
|
ER (Elizabeth Regina; Queen, Head of State of the United Kingdom; Liz) contained in (wearing) BLING (jewellery) excluding the final letter (a lot of) G B (ER) LIN |
BERLIN (reference Irving BERLIN [1888 – 1989], Russian born, Jewish-American composer)
|
|
24
|
Grand – three quarters want to go on bender (4)
|
K (1000; grand) + NEE (North, East, East – quarters of the compass, three of them)
|
KNEE (a joint that bends; bender)
|
|
26
|
Charge to pick up plant (4)
|
TEAR (sounds like [pick up] TARE [vetch {any of various climbing plants of the pea family} of various kinds])
|
TEAR (rush;move quickly; charge)
|
As is often the case with Tyrus, I didn’t get very far with the puzzle, but all best wishes to him and family for today.
I would have preferred “Queue up” but knowing Tyrus it was probably deliberate misdirection.
Unusually for a Tyrus I didn’t find this that difficult, probably because of Phi’s appearance on the wrong day. Can’t say I enjoyed it that much though, I feel it would’ve been better mailed to the wedding guests, not the sort of thing the Indy should indulge in imnsho.
Thanks, Duncan.
I’m with Kathryn’s Dad on this one. I did get 20dn, though – I read it as ‘queued’ = ‘LINED up’, so I had no problem with it.
Thanks, Tyrus, for what I did manage – and all good wishes.
sidey, please be aware that I am the resident grump on this thread. Don’t go trying to knock me off my pedestal, thank you very much.
Good weekend to all. Let’s hope the Ed gives us some easier stuff next week, because apart from Dac, I’ve struggled right through this week.
Thank you, Kathryn’s Dad, for restoring to me a few shreds of self-confidence after what has been, I agree, a difficult week.
Congratulations to Tyrus and his family.
Unlike sidey we have no qualms about the Indy including personal hidden themes as long as you don’t need any inside information during the solve. We’ve had Phi’s cats and Anax with his daughter’s celebration, both of which we enjoyed.
It was however a difficult solve for us with the various intricate anagrams etc and it came at the end of a tricky week.
Thanks to S & B.
Quite enjoyed this, the Nina helping a good deal. Thanks for the wedding explanation, didn’t know the Berlin connection. Thanks tyrus and congrats to the happy couple.
Thanks to Duncan for the blog and to others for their good wishes.
Apologies for the belated reply – long day yesterday.
I rather enjoyed this though I needed two goes to fully solve. Agree with Eileen that queue = line up. Tyrus is a personal favour exactly because I know it won’t all be over in ten minutes so he’s one I typically save for weekend pleasure. Many thanks, Tyrus – and congratulations to Antonio and Eleanor. And, yet again, fantastic blog Duncan. Enjoy the ruddy supermoon – I gather it’s the first for five hundred years!