Monday Prize Crossword / Apr 11, 2016
As expected, another Dante to start off another FT week.
I tackled this crossword immediately after Armonie’s puzzle from a day later.
Armonie was so easy that I really had to adjust myself to Dante again.
He is different, however or whatever you think of him.
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | ANACHRONISMS | Untimely errors made by chairman’s son (12) |
| (CHAIRMAN’S SON)* [* = made by …] | ||
| 10 | APRICOT | Almost a full month before bed bears fruit (7) |
| APRI[L] (a full month, almost) + COT (bed) | ||
| 11 | PARRIED | Warded off quiet raider in disguise (7) |
| P (quiet) + (RAIDER)* [* = in disguise] | ||
| 12 | STOUT | A good man dismissed for drink (5) |
| ST ( a good man, saint) + OUT (dismissed) | ||
| 13 | AIR FORCE | Hymn for church service? (3,5) |
| AIR (hymn) + FOR + CE (church) | ||
| 15 | DISTILLERY | It raises the spirit (10) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 16 | ADIT | It needs a key first for opening (4) |
| IT with A + D (key, in music) coming first The solution is the opening of a mine. |
||
| 18 | HOBO | Vagrant who needs nothing more than a warm place (4) |
| HOB (a warm place) + O (nothing) | ||
| 20 | AMANUENSIS | Secretary uses name Susan, I fancy (10) |
| (NAME SUSAN I)* [* = fancy] | ||
| 22 | BRIEFING | Instruction for barristers and aircrew (8) |
| Kind of double definition Aircrew should be seen in a military setting, I think. |
||
| 24 | STORM | Natural outburst (5) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 26 | CRICKET | Just an insect – but a game one (7) |
| Double definition | ||
| 27 | LEG-SPIN | Member starting to pirouette makes the ball change direction (3-4) |
| LEG (member) + SPIN ((to) pirouette) | ||
| 28 | FIRM DECISION | Settlement by a company shows stout resolution (4,8) |
| FIRM (a company) + DECISION (settlement) | ||
| Down | ||
| 2 | NERVOUS | Apprehensive over bursting into sunset (7) |
| (OVER)* inside (SUN)** [* bursting] [** = set] | ||
| 3 | COCKTAIL | Drink to the end of the rooster? (8) |
| The solution might be the TAIL (the end) of a COCK ((the) rooster) | ||
| 4 | RITZ | Luxurious hotel provides legal documents at a hearing (4) |
| Homophone, indicated by ‘at a hearing’, of: WRITS (legal documents) | ||
| 5 | NAPKIN RING | Pink gin ran out, put to use at the table (6,4) |
| (PINK GIN RAN)* [* = out] | ||
| 6 | SERIF | Just one line from a letter (5) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 7 | STIRRED | Moved by a little spooning? (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 8 | PASSED THE BUCK | Circulated counterfeit US money, but shifted responsibility (6,3,4) |
| PASSED (circulated) + THE BUCK (counterfeit US money, one dollar note) | ||
| 9 | ADVERTISEMENT | Could be a circular plug (13) |
| Double definition | ||
| 14 | ELIMINATED | Exultant about Mini repair being cancelled (10) |
| ELATED (exultant) around (MINI)* [*= repair] | ||
| 17 | MESSAGES | Seems upset about flag signals (8) |
| (SEEMS)* around SAG (flag) [* = upset] | ||
| 19 | BAILIFF | A factor in debt-collection (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 21 | SCORPIO | Sign that has a sting in its tail (7) |
| Straightforward definition plus a cryptic extension | ||
| 23 | FAKIR | He takes to his bed – sharpish (5) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 25 | BLOC | State obstruction to an alliance (4) |
| Homophone, indicated by ‘state’, of: BLOCK (obstruction) | ||
*anagram
Thanks Sil and Dante.
The usual mixed bag from Dante. BRIEFING was barely cryptic. I really don’t understand “Just” in the clue for 6dn (have I missed something?), and why is “Counterfeit” in the clue for 8dn? – a buck is just a buck like a quid is a quid (if it was a phoney Buck then that would be a rude spoonerism).
I made things hard for myself by confidently entering BLOOM at 24ac which held me up for a while – the usual Dante Yorker!
But then ANACHRONISMS was excellent.
Despite everything, an enjoyable solve.
22a was a bit flimsy, but I enjoyed this one, so thank you Sil and Dante.
Thanks Dante and Sil
Found this one uncharacteristically hard for a Dante and took the elapsed day to complete. Not quite sure what made it so – perhaps just a wavelength thing.
Hamish, I think that one would try to pass (off) counterfeit money whereas if one was circulating true money it would be more like ‘issue the buck’. As for 24a, I always guessed it was STORM, but didn’t write it I until I had got all of the crossing letters.
Always seem to struggle with that AMANUENSIS word – knew it was an anagram but couldn’t get the spelling till all crossers were in again.
Finished in the SW corner with BAILIFF, BRIEFING and FAKIR (which I finally guessed was one that was lying on a bed of nails) as the last few in.
Thanks Bruce. You’re almost certainly right. Just looked wrong to my untrained eye.