Monday Prize Crossword / Nov 30, 2015
A welcome Monday visit from Mudd.
As often is the case with this setter (when writing for the FT), quite a few double definitions.
But throughout good and precise clueing – an enjoyable solve.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | SETTER |
Puzzle’s creator in aspic, perhaps? (6)
Double definition |
| 4 | STARKERS |
Those looking to stop king revealing everything (8)
STARERS (those looking) around K (king) |
| 9 | NAILED |
Caught in denial, looking suspicious? (6)
(DENIAL)* [* = looking suspicious] |
| 10 | MAGNETIC |
Mesh in wonderful drawing? (8)
NET (mesh) inside MAGIC (wonderful) |
| 12 | WIPE |
Clean exercises for women’s group? (4)
“Exercises (PE, physical exercise) for women’s group (WI, Women’s Institute)” can be seen as: WI PE |
| 13 | SEVEN |
Figure that’s second, like two? (5)
S (second) + EVEN (like two, i.e. like 2) |
| 14 | SEEN |
Sound view observed (4)
Homophone, indicated by ‘sound’, of: SCENE (view) |
| 17 | CUPBOARD LOVE |
Manipulation by a child feeling closeted? (8,4)
A ‘closet’ is a CUPBOARD and LOVE is a ‘feeling’ – combine the two and we have a kid of cryptic construction |
| 20 | PHOTOMONTAGE |
Still art collection at home has got no potential beyond first of paintings (12)
P[aintings] + (AT HOME + GOT NO)* [* = potential] |
| 23 | ARUM |
Plant needing a drink (4)
A + RUM (drink) |
| 24 | BOUND |
Certain to jump (5)
Double definition |
| 25 | WINO |
Lose everything as an alcoholic (4)
When you ‘lose everything’ you win nothing: WIN + O (nothing) That’s true. On the other hand, when you ‘win nothing’ it doesn’t imply that you ‘lose everything’. |
| 28 | LOTHARIO |
Abandoned harlot I love, being a philanderer (8)
(HARLOT)* + I + O (love) [* = abandoned] |
| 29 | VENICE |
European city extremely (not half) delightful! (6)
VE[ry] (extremely, not half) + NICE (delightful) |
| 30 | THREATEN |
Tether an unruly cow (8)
(TETHER AN)* [* = unruly]
|
| 31 | KOREAN |
Asian religious education cracking Buddhist paradox (6)
RE (Religious Education) inside KOAN (Buddhist paradox) According to Oxford ‘Koan’ is: “a paradoxical anecdote or riddle without a solution, used in Zen Buddhism to demonstrate the inadequacy of logical reasoning and provoke enlightenment”. |
| Down | ||
| 1 | SANDWICH |
Insert links here (8)
Double definition Golf links, of course. |
| 2 | TAILPIPE |
Exhaust Spooner’s albino? (8)
Spoonerism of: PALE TYPE (albino) |
| 3 | EPEE |
Sword cut roof from tent (4)
TEPEE (tent) minus its first letter (‘cut roof from’) |
| 5 | TRACE ELEMENT |
Skill coming up with fish caught by 1 across, a small but vital thing (5,7)
TRA (reversal, indicated by ‘coming up’, of ART (skill)) +{EEL (fish) inside CEMENT (1 across, i.e. ‘setter’)} |
| 6 | RANK |
Dirty position (4)
Double definition |
| 7 | ESTHER |
Book three’s edited (6)
(THREE’S)* [* = edited] |
| 8 | SECOND |
Tick back (6)
Double definition |
| 11 | SECRET POLICE |
Power in spinning circle to see as an unseen force (6,6)
P (power) inside (CIRCLE TO SEE)* [* = spinning] |
| 15 | MOCHA |
Bird long since departed carrying cold and hot coffee (5)
MOA (bird long since departed) around C,H (cold and hot) |
| 16 | EVENT |
End of the opening ceremony, perhaps (5)
[th]E + VENT (opening) |
| 18 | SANITISE |
Clean site, as in a mess (8)
(SITE AS IN)* [* = a mess] I find the anagram indicator a bit uncomfortable. I prefer either ‘in a mess’ or just ‘mess’. |
| 19 | MELODEON |
Something juicy about composition for the organ (8)
MELON (something juicy) around ODE (composition) |
| 21 | HAMLET |
Village tragedy (6)
Double definition |
| 22 | BUTTER |
Put on top of bread, say – is it? (6)
B[read] + UTTER (say) The clue as a whole should be seen as the definition. |
| 26 | SAGA |
Story a pleasing thing to write up (4)
Reversal, indicated by ‘to write up’, of: A GAS (a pleasing thing) |
| 27 | ZERO |
Loser in boozer, ostensibly (4)
Hidden solution, indicated by just ‘in’: [boo]ZER O[stensibly] |
Thanks Sil.
My sense at the time of solving was that this was muddy but not MUDDy – somehow lacking the usual creativity and wit.
Looking back, it’s hard to put my finger on anything other than 17ac which I associate with pets rather than children.
KOAN was a new word for me but was relatively easy to derive – and check – once I had the crossers.
Quite a few missing here 1d,9a, 12a,25a, 29a and 19d . I haven’t heard of melodeon. Agree with your comment on 25a- I often bet in running on Betfair and having backed a horse to win, I’ll lay if it shortens. So if it wins, I win albeit at shorter odds than if I had not layed. If it loses , I win nothing but I’ve lost nothing.
Thanks Mudd and Sil
Actually did this one last week, but only got to the last review and check today. It did take most of the day on and off last Saturday to finish, probably more about fitting it in amongst jobs rather than the difficulty factor.
Finished down in the SE corner with VENICE (after looking for a European with a CY in it for a while – Cypriot kept floating by), MELODEON (a new word for me and beautifully camouflaged) and KOREAN (with the unknown KOAN word causing delays) as the last in. The SANDWICH golf courses remained unfound for longer than they should have as well.
Enjoyed it, as I do most of the work of this setter.