Another delightful box of tricks from Picaroon, brimming with wittily inventive and misdirecting clues, along with brilliant story-telling surfaces – a joy to solve, from beginning to end.
I didn’t have many entries after the first run through but, after that, the puzzle unravelled at a very satisfying and enjoyable rate. Many thanks, as ever, to Picaroon.
Across
1 Dominant media figure like Clarkson is a threat to the country (5,9)
FIFTH COLUMNIST
FIFTH [dominant] + COLUMNIST [media figure like Clarkson]!
9 Retirement cover taken out with anger (9)
NIGHTWEAR
Anagram [which took a ridiculously long time to see, after I had the answer, from the definition and crossers] of WITH ANGER
10 Insist on the formal “you” in French language? (5)
BANTU
Witty cryptic definition: BAN TU [informal “you” in French]
11 Couple finally leaving trendy US tourist site (5)
ALAMO
À LA MO[de] [trendy] minus last two letters [couple finally leaving]
12 Surrey’s opener has wish to boast, intimidating fieldsman (9)
SCARECROW
S[urrey] + CARE [wish] + CROW [boast] – a simple enough charade – but a lovely definition and surface
13 Back from theatre, writing about stage accents (8)
EMPHASES
E [last letter – back] of theatrE + MS [writing] round PHASE [stage]
14 Run through Caucasian’s confession (6)
IMPALE
I’M PALE, confesses Caucasian
17 Azzurri’s capital right back gets a shock (6)
TREMOR
Reversal [back] of ROME [Azzurri’s capital] + RT [right]
19 American’s behind learner in Lincoln after parking OK (8)
PASSABLE
ASS [American’s behind] + L [learner] in ABE [Lincoln] after P [parking]
22 Leader of infantry overcome by lethargy, getting mobile unit (5,4)
LIGHT YEAR
I [first letter – leader – of Infantry] in an anagram [getting mobile] of LETHARGY
24 Artist turned over another’s tapestry (5)
ARRAS
Reversal [turned over] of RA [artist] + RA’S [another artist’s]
25 Film, one as sequel to novel (5)
SHEET
ET [film] as sequel to SHE [novel] – Crosswordland’s favourite film and favourite novel [apart from Emma – perhaps Beery Hiker could supply the statistics 😉 ] in one clue – so why on earth did it take me so long to see it? It was the definition that held me up
26 German or Chinese food not quite hot (9)
FRIEDRICH
FRIED RIC[e] [not quite Chinese food] + H [hot] – a real laugh out loud entry, which must be my top favourite, I think
27 Formed cult with no violence, murder or exaltation? (10,4)
COLLECTIVE NOUN
Anagram [formed] of CULT NO VIOLENCE: murder is the collective noun for crows and exaltation for larks – definition by example, hence the question mark – another favourite
Down
1 What might make you donate millions to nurture a crazy jihadist movement? (14)
FUNDAMENTALISM
FUND [donate] M [millions] round [to nurture] A MENTAL [a crazy] IS [jihadist movement] – this took ages to see: I was sure ‘jihadist movement’ was the definition but couldn’t account for IS or justify ‘to nurture’; when the IS penny finally dropped, I found that I had nothing to underline as the definition, which makes it &lit – brilliant!
2 Light and stylish dandy’s clothing (3,4)
FOG LAMP
FOP [dandy] round [clothing] GLAM [stylish] – I really liked this one
3 Getting stolen primate across America is a delicate matter (3,6)
HOT POTATO
HOT [stolen] + POTTO [primate] round A [America]
4 Master love poetry with a little uncertainty (8)
OVERSEER
O [love] + VERSE [poetry] + ER [a little hesitation]
5 Commotion from leading Republican, one having a row (6)
UPROAR
Up [leading] + R [Republican] + OAR [one having a row]
6 Peer into novel, bonkbuster that’s picked up (5)
NOBLE
Reversed hidden [picked up] in novEL BONkbuster
7 Crooned tune, up for a drink (7)
SANGRIA
SANG [crooned] + a reversal [up] of AIR [tune]
8 Define where USA’s deployed for so long abroad (3,11)
AUF WIEDERSEHEN
Lovely anagram [deployed] of DEFINE WHERE USA’S – and another witty definition
15 Badly treat girl, forgetting second name (9)
MISHANDLE
MIS[s] [girl forgetting s – second] + HANDLE [name]
16 Arab statesman‘s cry of disgust, with damp conditions reported (8)
BAHRAINI
BAH [cry of disgust] + RAINI [sounds like – reported – rainy {damp conditions}]
18 Artist, a noted British artist, wanting area green (2,5)
EL GRECO
ELG[a]R [noted – i.e. composer – British artist] minus a [area] + ECO [green]
20 Bus mostly runs, or it fails to get Mexican’s fare (7)
BURRITO
BU[s]+ R [runs] + an anagram [fails] of OR IT
21 Wilde, if iconoclastic, is essentially divine (6)
DEIFIC
Hidden in wilDE IF IConoclastic
23 Add 1 and 50 together in sum (5)
TOTAL
TOT [add] + A [one] + L [fifty]
I found this somewhat easier than usual for Picaroon. I got the wonderful COLLECTIVE NOUN straight away. No doubt because I remember having to learn lists of these at school. FIFTH COLUMNIST and AUF WIEDERSEHEN quickly followed. I had a bit of trouble parsing El GRECO and ended up doing it from the crossers.
A steady and satisfying solve.
Thanks Picaroon.
Can’t believe I missed the M in FUNDAMENTALISM! Thanks for pointing that out, Eileen!
A pet peeve of mine: Bantu is not a language, so 10 doesn’t quite work. Bantu is a language family. Pity, as otherwise I thought the clue delightfully misleading.
Thanks Eileen. The long ones around the edge were all good and went in quite readily, although dominant=FIFTH in 1A baffled me, and still does. Ditto for the statesman in 16D: I’d only associated the cry with Scrooge. But I did like the fieldsman (12A) and reckon Picaroon did us all proud.
Thanks Eileen and Picaroon . Very enjoyable .
Couldn’t figure out parsing for: Bantu and sheet. Fav 13a
Thanks to Picaroon and Eileen. I got through most of this puzzle quickly though I needed help parsing the “fifth” in FIFTH COLUMNIST and did not know the “potto” for HOT POTATO (in both cases the solution was fairly clear). However, I spent several days worrying about 25ac until at last I saw the She and ET for SHEET (yes, both familiar from crossword-land). Lots of fun.
Hi molonglo @3
Apologies – originally, I had a link for ‘dominant fifth’, which somehow got lost in translation. here it is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominant_(music)
Thanks Eileen. I agree, a very satisfying exercise, or it was when I eventually got there. Am I missing something though, I can’t really see how BAN = INSIST ON THE FORMAL in 10a.
In 1a the dominant is the fifth scale degree of the diatonic scale. I had to look it up.
Please disregard my last. The penny has just dropped.
Great entertainment. 26 in particular.Fantastic surfaces.
Thanks Picaroon and Eileen
Although I finished quite quickly (for a Prize, that is – it took most of the morning), I too spent ages seeing the anagram for NIGHTWEAR and the parsing of 1d – brilliant clue!
One slightly controversial point – there is quite a lot of evidence (Collins online dictionary, for example) that BAHREINI is a valid alternative spelling. As the A/E is unchecked, this is a “double”.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/bahraini
A very well crafted puzzle from “The Pirate”.
This at first looked very intimidating but the precise cluing meant it soon began to unravel.
As each clue gave up its secret the reaction was “Why didn’t I see that instantly?”. The mark of a great setter in my opinion.
The only slight quibble was 10A where I think the definition is “Insist on the formal” to mean “A formal insistence on”. It’s a stretch but I guess it was irrestible to get such a beautiful misleading surface. 🙂 .
Just a pity that it didn’t last any longer.
Thanks to Eileen and Picaroon.
Brendan @11
I don’t understand: ‘insist on’ and ‘ban’ are surely both imperatives – and the definition is ‘language’ [pace muffin @10. 😉 ]
Eileen @12
Surely wordplay is “Insist on the formal” followed by “you in French”
Doesn’t your parsing only work if the clue is
Insist on the informal “you” in French language?
Perhaps it should have been? Or am I having a “senior moment”?
BNTO @13
“Tu” is the informal “you”; “vous” is formal. Hence if you “ban tu” you are insisting on the formal form?
Eileen @12 – I don’t understand your reference to min e@10
Sorry, muffin – I meant Iroquois @2, of course.
And I still don’t understand Brendan’s comment[s]. ‘Insist on the formal you – vous’ = ‘ban the informal you – tu’- or it’s me having the senior moment [but I’m going out now].
Sorry again, muffin – I didn’t realise you’d already made the point: my eye was caught by your second comment and I was in haste to correct myself. [I really am going out now.]
Thanks Picaroon and Eileen.
NIGHTWEAR and SHEET took me ages and I failed to get PASSABLE, COLLECTIVE NOUN and IMPALE! Many brilliant clues and lovely surfaces, SCARECROW, FRIEDRICH, FOG LAMP and AUF WIEDERSEHEN in particular. I am looking forward to the next Picaroon!
muffin @14
Ahaa.
I was locked into the charade which stopped me seeing the CD type wordplay. So it was a senior moment 🙂 Thanks.
I did realise the language structure as I do speak reasonable French (that is when I overcome the “interference” from my semi fluent German!)
Thanks all
Sorry but I have searched but I cannot find an extremely rare and obscure alternative spelling which I might have written into the grid….still I will keep trying!
In 16d, what is the significance of the “statesman” ? Surely a Bahraini is any citizen of that state ? Is it anything to do with Pooh Bah ?
Neil @20
You could read it as “state’s man”?
RCW @19
If you mean “Bahreini”, did you look at the link I posted?
Muffin – you could read it as states man but why is it there ? “Bah” is a cry of disgust without the need for an indicator of what is sounds like.
RCW – I did read your post @19 but I ignored it.
Neil @22
I see what you mean now – the clue would be valid without “statesman” there at all.
muffin et al, I assumed statesman was entered into the clue to cut down the Arab options, Bahrain is a Gulf State.
Cookie @24
Picaroon making it easier for us? Must be a first!
muffin @25, well, ‘Bah’ is not an Arab’s cry of disgust…
I found this quite difficult, though very enjoyable. I filled the SE half first with just a few solutions overlapping into NW, then was stuck for quite a while, though once I got a few more in that area the rest followed fairly smoothly.
Unlike Eileen, I thought FRIEDRICH was one of the least satisfactory clues – such a vague definition, though it is clever and the parsing does tie it down. My own favourites were COLLECTIVE NOUN and FUNDAMENTALISM, among many very good clues.
2Thanks, Picaroon and Eileen.
muffin and Cookie @23-26
I think “statesman” makes it easier in one way but harder in others. Yes, as Cookie wrote, once correctly interpreted it narrows the geographic possibilities, but it first diverted me down other paths, as it could have indicated a particular Arab statesman (Gaddafi, Nasser and so on) or a role/title like “sheik”.
I enjoyed this a lot, and found it straightforward enough to finish on the train fairly quickly. FIFTH COLUMNIST was the one that really opened it up, and I liked that one.
Thanks to Picaroon and Eileen
jennyk @28, “statesman” diverted me too at first. Either way, its inclusion makes for a good surface.
Back now – and I don’t understand the discussion re 16dn: Bahrain is an Arab state, so ‘Arab statesman’, for me = BAHRAINI: I had no problem with that at all.
Eileen @31, I don’t think muffin et al were having a problem with ‘statesman’, they just decided it was not necessary in the clue.
Cookie @32
I think there might have been [mild] protests if it hadn’t been there.
Hi Eileen et al. How about the alternative spelling? I’m sure that BAHRAINI was intended, but you couldn’t say that BAHREINI was incorrect.
muffin @34
I haven’t even commented on the ‘alternative’ Bahreini [which I wasn’t aware of and so wouldn’t have considered – let alone said it was incorrect].
You’re ‘sure that BAHRAINI was intended’, as am I, as indicated in the blog and @31 – I can’t find ‘Bahrein’ as an alternative for Bahrain.
My comment @31 was intended to express – as I’ve been dying to for ages – my frequent exasperation at how a single clue can generate such discussion that it detracts from / discourages discussion of an excellent puzzle.
Hi Eileen
I posted a reply, but it disappeared!
See my original link:
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/bahraini
muffin @36
I’m really only replying because it’s my blog and I get the emails. After a heavy day, I’m ready for bed.
I did follow your original link and thought I’d responded to it.
I just want to reiterate the last paragraph of my comment @35.
Many thanks again to Picaroon.
Eileen, may I ask why you believe that such discussion of a single clue isn’t actually discussion of an excellent puzzle.
It may be that this discussion may not interest you or it may even annoy you. However what people wish to write on the board is beyond your control and dare I say your remit. 😉
“However what people wish to write on the board is beyond your control and dare I say your remit.”
You’re absolutely right, Brendan, of course.
Wish I’d never mentioned it now
A lot of people have been saying that Guardian prize puzzles are not what they used to be – at least for the level of challenge. If a new benchmark is needed this is surely it – and it will rarely be exceeded.
For me this one had it all. Break-inable-to – slow burn – much wit – many PDMs – and something to stretch it (the solve) right out at the end.
Many thanks to setter and blogger.
Thanks Picaroon and Eileen
Agree wholeheartedly with JS@41, this was just a brilliant exercise. Started in an insomniacal moment just after 3am this morning and I am convinced that this ‘witching hour’ produces an opening of the lateral powers, as I was able to finish the puzzle in around 45 minutes (about 2-3 times faster than I can normally complete a crossword set by this fellow).
Having said that, after coming back to the final parsing and checking of it 12 hours later, there is a much richer appreciation as to what he was up to with the clues. Still didn’t fully get the IS M part of 1d until coming here, what a cracker of a clue !! With 1a, I didn’t know the FIFTH = dominant definition and had assumed that it was referring to Jeremy Clarkson as the (ex)host of Top Gear – and that top gear would normally be fifth … and they used to be on a column … hmmm well maybe not !! At least it convinced me that the answer to another great clue was right !
Finished with SHEET which did take a good deal of the total solving time, mainly from the definition of ‘film’ but then was able to construct the answer from SHE and ET … and tipped my hat to Picaroon for the final time of this encounter.
Final comment 0n BAHRAINI – the fact that it was a Prize puzzle makes thus more significant. Were BAHREINI answers excluded? I note that the annotated solution for this one still hasn’t been posted.
I just wanted to add one general comment that is relevant to this crossword and is on a topic that has recently been aired: alternative solutions.
Some people like alternative solutions, or at the very least have no objection to them, but they make the proviso that the ambiguity must be resolvable by a crosser. As it happens I’m not one of those people, but I know for sure from recent discussions that they exist!
It is just unfortunate for Picaroon that the alternative ‘E’ for ‘A’ in the middle of BAHRAINI is not a crosser. He obviously overlooked the genuine alternative and probably believes like I do that the editor should have allowed it.
I don’t tackle Saturday crosswords because I never have the time, and I don’t buy Saturday’s paper just to read 5% of it, so I missed what looks like, and seems like from all the comments, one of the very best. (I still read the blog even if I don’t try the puzzle – it is always interesting.) How lucky you were, Eileen! I’m going to print the puzzle now and keep it for a future treat.
It will be the case, though, that where dubious items appear, or even just ‘apparently dubious’ items appear, there will be a lot of comment about them. Especially in a very good puzzle, where there isn’t much to talk about except the high quality of the clues in general. It must be bloody annoying for the setter, that’s all I can imagine! But as I say, there is much to admire here.
Absolutely, Bill (@45). I don’t think that glitch could have been foreseen, it’s not a big issue, and like you I feel for the setter. Picaroon could be forgiven for just basking in the plaudits for this one and not bothering too much about trivia.
Sympathise with Eileen, but agree with Muffin, though I have much more energy for sympathising with Eileen than I do for agreeing with Muffin. Alan and Bill are right too of course, but: what a great puzzle!
Guardian has many excellent compilers, but Picaroon is either at or perilously near the top of the list for me, and he is now a very consistent purveyor of fine works.
Cheers Eileen and Picaroon.
Thanks Eileen and Picaroon.
This was top notch, all the more so because I was able to complete it during a short flight without the need for any on-line aids.
It took a long time to parse EL GRECO and still needed to come here to properly get the DOMINANT FIFTH element of 1ac – thanks for the wiki link Eileen.
A rewarding puzzle.
Hamish @48 – re dominant=fifth, it is nice to know that a Music O level still has its uses!
Since when is M (a single letter) an acceptable reference for millions (plural)? MM yes but M no. It’s all very well congratulating each other on your clever solving but when the setter or editor allows basic mistakes how are newbies ever expected to get into the groove? There is far too much self congratulation on this site and too little attempt to appeal to new solvers.