Everyman 3609

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The puzzle may be found at http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/3609.

A film, geographic references, sensible surfaces – It’s beginning to sound like the old days at Everyman. Note the number of envelope clues with a fine variety of container indications to fit the surfaces.

Across
1 SEQUESTRATION
Tips from someone with doubt about traitor leading to seizure (13)

An envelope (‘about’) of RAT (‘traitor’) in SE (‘tips from SomeonE‘) plus QUESTION (‘doubt’).
9 ROAST
Revolutionary ruler retaining old cook (5)

An envelope (‘retaining’) of O (‘old’) in RAST, a reversal (‘revolutionary’) of TSAR (‘ruler’).
10 LAST-DITCH
Survive scrap that’s desperate (4-5)

Definition and literal interpretation.
11 BITUMEN
Roofing material fellows attached to part for all to see (7)

A charade of BIT (‘part’) plus U (British film certification, ‘for all to see’) plus MEN (‘fellows’).
12 MISSILE
Torpedo for instance from ship, one in distance (7)

An envelope (‘in’) of SS (‘ship’) plus I (‘one’) in MILE (‘distance’).
13 IMMORTAL
Memorable time in base (8)

An envelope (‘in’) of T (‘time’) in IMMORAL (‘base’).
15 DIGIT
Appeal following search for figure (5)

A charade of DIG (‘search’) plus IT (sex ‘appeal’).
16 RIFLE
Upset about loud firearm (5)

An envelope (‘about’) of F (forte ‘loud’) in RILE (‘upset’).
17 PEDESTAL
Editor revised tales after quiet support (8)

A charade of P (‘quiet’) plus ED (‘editor’) plus ESTAL, an anagram (‘revised’) of ‘tales’.
19 SHOPPER
Small jumper for customer in store? (7)

A charade of S (‘small’) plus HOPPER (‘jumper’).
21 PERUSAL
Friend keeping positive about examination (7)

An envelope (‘keeping’) of ERUS, a reversal (‘about’) of SURE (‘positive’) in PAL (‘friend’).
22 SWALLOWED
Accepted second wife, lawful (9)

A charade of S (‘second’) plus W (‘wife’) plus ALLOWED (‘lawful’).
23 ICING
Some artistic ingenuity needed for cake decoration? (5)

A hidden answer (‘some’) in ‘artistIC INGenuity’.
24 ENTERTAINMENT
Go into main tent prepared for show (13)

A charade of ENTER (‘go into’) plus TAINMENT, an anagram (‘prepared’) of ‘main tent’.
Down
1 STROBE
Saint put on garment in flashing light (6)

A charade of ST (‘saint’) plus ROBE (‘garment’).
2 QUANTUM OF SOLACE
Lawman initially trapped by criminal can quote famous Bond movie (7,2,6)

An envelope (‘trapped by’) of L (‘Lawman initially’) in QUANTUMOFSOACE, an anagram (‘criminal’) of ‘can quote famous’.
3 EXTEMPORE
Spontaneously pace about after European vote (9)

A charade of E (‘European’) plus X (‘vote’) plus TEMPO (‘pace) plus RE (‘about’).
4 TALON
Claw used in brutal onslaught (5)

A hidden answer (‘used in’) in ‘bruTAL ONslaught’.
5 ASSEMBLED
Put together article on predicament, upset and drained (9)

A charade of A (indefinite ‘article’) plus SSEM, a reversal (‘upset’) of MESS (‘predicament’) plus BLED (‘drained’).
6 INDUS
River popular before twilight, mostly (5)

A charade of IN (‘popular’) plus DUS[k] (‘twilight’) minus its last letter (‘mostly’).
7 NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Roughly right on this name for county (15)

An anagram (‘roughly’) of ‘right on this name’.
8 THREAT
Risk in hospital restricted by nurse (6)

An envelope (‘restricted by’) of H (‘hospital’) in TREAT (‘nurse’).
14 TOP-DRAWER
Lifted prize, prize of highest quality (3-6)

A reversal (‘lifted’) of REWARD (‘prize’) plus POT (‘prize’).
15 DESERTION
Terribly tired, one’s leaving (9)

An anagram (‘terribly’) of ‘tired ones’.
16 RESIST
Stand up to run over development of sites (6)

A charade of R (‘run’) plus ESIST, an anagram (‘development’) of ‘sites’.
18 SLIGHT
Insult lacking in substance (6)

Double definition.
20 PILOT
Guide holy group (5)

A charade of PI (‘holy’) plus LOT (‘group’).
21 PADUA
Gold turning up under stuff in Italian city (5)

A charade of PAD (‘stuff’) plus UA, a reversal (‘turning up’) of AU (chemical symbol, ‘gold’).
completed grid

12 comments on “Everyman 3609”

  1. Thanks Everyman and PeterO,

    I enjoyed this puzzle, the solving was straightforward, but I did Google the James Bond films, QUANTUM OF SOLACE was new to me. The surfaces were very smooth, I particularly liked SEQUESTRATION, IMMORTAL, SWALLOWED, ENTERTAINMENT and TOP-DRAWER.

  2. A nice puzzle, with no particular favourites here.

    I parsed LAST-DITCH as a charade of LAST (“survive”) and DITCH (“scrap”).

    Thanks to Everyman and PeterO.

  4. I enjoyed this and SHOPPER was my favourite.

    I wonder if someone can expand a little on why PI = holy in 20 down for me?

    Thanks

  6. jennyk @2

    Yes, a charade is probably a better description of this particular clue.

    Kevin @4

    PI, when it is used (ass it is occasionally) outside crosswords. generally had a pejorative sense – sanctimonious, making a show of piety.

  8. Kevin @4
    I agree with PeterO @6 that “pi” is usually negative: overly pious, hypocritical and/or holier-than-thou.

  9. We used the term PI at school, that is more than 50 years ago; I thought I would just check pious in the COED and found it gives “2 hypocritically virtuous, sanctimonious”, rather a surprise, I thought the derogatory sense only applied to the abbreviation. Checking further, I find that my older COED only gives “devout, religious” as definitions, that explains my older usage of the word.

  10. Yes, enjoyed this one but wouldn’t have got the movie unaided.

    You could probably describe Emily Nugent on Coro St as being a bit pi.

    Thanks Peter O and Everyman. Shopper made me smile. Quite liked the lifted prize prize too.

  12. By far the best from this setter in my opinion. Extempore proved real tough although got there in the end after staring at it for ages. You are right, it did seem a bit like the old days. Thanks to all.

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