Gosh, I found this hard going. Some of the parsings had me scratching my head for ages but I think I got them all in the end. I’ve not come across this compiler before unless it’s an alias for the alias of one of the regulars. If it was a debut, it was very impressive and an excellent mental challenge. The excellence is illustrated by clues like 11 which, while actually having a simple construction, are made more difficult by the skilful writing of the clue. I don’t know if there is a theme but the grid layout looks a little odd.
| Across | |||
| 1. | Turning up in Germany, I got into top saloon(6,5) | ||
| Public House | Up< + Ich in blouse | ||
| 9. | Sort of concert piano Grieg regularly used in composition(4-3) | ||
| Open Air | (Piano + even letters of gRiEg)* | ||
| 10. | One cold coffee is brought over, and a type of pastry(7) | ||
| Lattice | I + c(old) in latte | ||
| 11. | Unblemished English apples, say, turned into pulp(5) | ||
| Puree | Pure + E(nglish) | ||
| 12. | Novel by Mandela, perhaps, found in shop?(9) | ||
| Newsagent | New + S(outh) A(frican) gent (a possible description of Mandela) – I suppose the question mark is because a newsagent might not be a shop. | ||
| 13. | “Roughly speaking, its use is passed on from father to son”, I interjected(6) | ||
| Patois | Pa to s(on) with I inserted | ||
| 14. | Leeds United’s centre-half battles to help secure highest position in years(6) | ||
| Eldest | (Leeds + [uni]t[ed’s])* – an excellent def, I thought, to fit the footballing theme of the clue. | ||
| 15. | Hand around drug at a lavish party(6) | ||
| Fiesta | Fist around E + a | ||
| 17. | Given time, American golfer makes a comeback – it’s a struggle(6) | ||
| Tussle | T + US + Els< (Ernie Els, who of course isn't American) | ||
| 19. | Handicap event in which number is displayed on back(9) | ||
| Hindrance | N in race after hind | ||
| 21. | Clubs or spades in play?(5) | ||
| Irons | (Or S(pades) in)* | ||
| 23. | Plan for aircraft carrier initially welcomed(7) | ||
| Project | Pro(=for) + jet around c[arrier] | ||
| 24. | Hospital department repeatedly on strike, ultimately seeking agreement(7) | ||
| Entente | ENT twice + [strik]e | ||
| 25. | One used to extract water – diviner emptied out the old glass bottles(6-5) | ||
| Tumble dryer | D[ivine]r + ye in tumbler (containment indicated by bottles) | ||
Down |
|||
| 1. | Requiring medication, one gets locked in pound, guarded by sailor(7) | ||
| Placebo | (Ace in LB) in PO (petty officer) | ||
| 2. | Calls in drone, perhaps, getting support from a US/Russian intermediary body(6,3) | ||
| Bering Sea | Rings in bee + a | ||
| 3. | Relative visiting Hollywood sees western being produced(2-3) | ||
| In-law | In(=visiting) + LA (Los Angeles, where Hollywood is located) + W(estern) | ||
| 4. | Writing about movement of bat, one circling overhead(7) | ||
| Hatband | Hand around bat* | ||
| 5. | Couple able to cope with all sorts of ups and downs?(9,5) | ||
| Universal joint | CD – a universal joint is capable of movement at different angles | ||
| 6. | Up before court(5) | ||
| Erect | Ere + ct | ||
| 7. | Cut across old railway line(4) | ||
| Loop | Lop around o(ld) – loop refers to a section of track a train uses to turn around | ||
| 8. | ‘Mess‘ observed in space beginning to explain the big bang, right?(10,4) | ||
| Recreation room | Creation (the big bang) + r(ight) in room | ||
| 14. | So, how does industrialist make it?(9) | ||
| Extremely | Industrialist would become it by taking the extreme letters (i + t) – another brilliant clue | ||
| 16. | Almost certain Lear’s ‘nonsense’ is this(7) | ||
| Surreal | &lit Sur[e] + Lear* | ||
| 18. | Playing partners provided short term solution for anxiety?(7) | ||
| Snifter | S + N + if(=provided) + ter[m] | ||
| 19. | Be off work during strike(3,2) | ||
| Hop it | Op in hit | ||
| 20. | Famous piece of music has depth(5) | ||
| Noted | Note + d(epth) | ||
| 22. | Engine driver leaves a halt(4) | ||
| Stem | Ste[a]m | ||
Hmm, there’s a lot of good stuff here, although there are a lot of superfluous words and some rather odd definitions. I can’t see how LATTICE can be defined by ‘a type of pastry’. Similarly the CD at 5d could describe a simple hinge although the enumeration makes the answer pretty obvious.
I hope we see more from the setter, a very good start, thank you.
I suspect a setter from somewhere else. Respecting Sidey’s view, it seems well-written apart from 14ac and 16dn, so definitely a ringer.
14ac the ‘centre-half’ is supposed to be the T in unITed, but then we get the ‘to help’ which doesn’t need to be there for me. 16dn isn’t an &lit, and I can’t get the parsing to work very well. Not sure on that one, but keep them coming Anglio, you’re obviously very good.
sidey@1, have a pastry.
The cryptic definition of 5d was my last one in.
One that I didn’t like very much (unless I was missing something).
Actually, the only one I didn’t like.
This was a really good crossword!
As you say, Neal, hard going but very rewarding.
About two months ago, Anglio made his debut in the Indy.
I probably did that puzzle but I cannot remember anymore my thoughts about it.
Today’s offering is definitely one that makes me look forward to Anglio’s next.
Top-notch!
Cookie, a) that’s Wikipedia which proves little 😉 and b) it’s not a
type of pastry any more than a lattice is a type of wood or anything else one could be made of.
Hi everyone
Just looking in out of curiosity. I think what bill_taylor@2 was saying re 14ac was that “United’s centre-half” is half of the centre of United = half of IT = T, if that helps to clarify things.
sidey @5, what about a lattice window? It is a type of window. My Collins gives lattice n 2. window so made – then why not pastry so made…
Guess I should also have given Collins lattice n. 1. structure of wood, strips of metal etc. crossing with spaces between – that could include pastry…
Five of the eight posts so far are only dealing with one or two clues.
Three posts saying how good this setter is (plus Neal’s words, of course) are hardly doing justice to Anglio’s marvellous achievement.
Where is everyone today?
We’ve only just finished the puzzle Sil! We normally don’t start until late and this one took a bit longer than normal, especially for a Monday.
Yes, some clever clueing and we needed the blog to parse 1ac although we kicked ourselves afterwards.
Thanks Anglio and NealH.
[Sil, I did not have time yesterday to solve this puzzle after Rufus and Orlando, that is all I can manage in one day, and NealH found it hard going – I did wonder if there was a slight golf theme, it being the first day of the Masters Tournament, suggested by 17a, 19a and 21a, also the strange grid reminded me of the layout of the Augusta course…]