An enjoyable thematic puzzle. Thanks to Picaroon. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
9 Soldier, following wayward line, cracks single car part (3,6)
OIL ENGINE : [ GI(a US soldier) placed after(following) anagram of(wayward) LINE] contained in(cracks) ONE(single).
10 Unabashedly pink party top (5)
OUTDO : OUT(as is someone who is pink;homosexual after unabashedly;openly declaring himself/herself so) + DO(a party;a function). (Is the PC brigade going to make another appearance this week?)
Defn: As a verb, to better.
11 Day’s getting long in desert (5)
DITCH : D(anagram of “day”) plus(getting) ITCH(to long;yearn for).
Defn: As a verb, to abandon, say, your partner.
12 Arctic bird from large country, circling one dry meadow (6,3)
LITTLE AUK : [ L(abbrev. for “large”) + UK(the country) ] containing(circling) [ I(Roman numeral for “one”) + TT(abbrev. for “teetotaller”;one who is dry;abstaining from alcohol) + LEA(a meadow) ].
13 Mechanic about to cut fuel with hesitation (7)
GREASER : RE(with reference to;about) contained in(to cut) GAS(a fuel, in the form of a, well, gas) + ER(a expression of hesitation).
14 Company backs Conservative I state is a bit of a nut (7)
OCCIPUT : Reversal of(… backs) CO(abbrev. for “company”;a commercial concern) + C(abbrev. for a member of the Conservative Party) + I + PUT(to state;to express).
Defn: A part of your head, the latter refered to by the slang “nut”.
17, 1 Trendy article with Low Dutch in 4’s 8 (2,3,4)
IN THE MOOD : IN(trendy;in fashion) + THE(an article in grammar) plus(with) MOO(to low, as a cow does) + D(abbrev. for “Dutch”).
Defn: Song recorded by Glenn Miller(answer to 4 down)’s band.
19 Place to bathe — pee in it (3)
SPA : P(the letter in the alphabet indicated by the syllable “pee”) contained in(in) SA(abbrev. for “sex appeal”;it, as in the It Girls once).
20 Champion in court has, as he’d say, nothing left (5)
NADAL : NADA(nothing in Spanish, as Spaniard Rafael Nadal might say) + L(abbrev. for “left”).
Defn: The aforementioned champion in the tennis court.
21 Ominous spreading out of mould (7)
DOOMFUL : Anagram of(spreading out) OF MOULD.
22 Men on board entertaining Republican bores (7)
PIERCES : PIECES(the men on a chessboard) containing(entertaining) R(abbrev. for a member of the Republican Party).
24 I see fool tucking into lavish meat dish (9)
FRICASSEE : [ I + C(the letter in the alphabet indicated by the syllable “see”) ] contained in(tucking into) FREE(lavish;unbound in say, spending).
26 Pedestrian to block a driver needing a coach (5)
BANAL : BAN(to block;to prohibit) + A + L(the plate displayed by a learner driver, needing an instructor;coach to be with him).
28 Result of 4’s 8 is 4 ÷ 50 (5)
FLOUR : FOUR(the number 4) containing(÷;divided by) L(Roman numeral for 50).
Defn: Product of the work(answer to 8 down) of a miller(answer to 4 down);one who grinds grain.
29 Norway covered in a black ice that’s holding water (9)
ABSORBENT : N(abbrev. for Norway) contained in
(covered in) [A + B(abbrev. for “black”) + SORBET(a water ice;a frozen desert) ].
Down
1 See 17
2 Group wearing famous red dress (6)
CLOTHE : LOT(a group of things or people) containing(wearing) CHE(Guevara, the famous Argentinian Marxist;red)
Defn: …, as a verb.
3 Single focus of drunken egotist may be here (2,3,5)
ON THE SHELF : “on the self”(the single object of focus of an egotist), pronounced ON THE SHELF by someone who’s drunk, even an egotist.
4 He crushes a number in French Resistance (6)
MILLER : MILLE(the number 1000 in French) + R(symbol for electrical resistance in physics).
5, 19 Dash of tea has to fill valley-dweller in 4’s 8 (5,2,1,8)
DEATH OF A SALESMAN : Anagram of(Dash) OF TEA HAS contained in(to fill) DALESMAN(one who presumably dwells in a dale;a valley).
Defn: A play;work(answer to 8 down) by Arthur Miller(answer to 4 down).
6 We’re told sea bird shows a bit of a habit (4)
COWL : Homophone of(We’re told) “sea” + OWL(a nocturnal bird).
Defn: … as worn, by a monk, say.
7 Hastened to grab gin that’s flogged (8)
STRAPPED : SPED(hastened) containing(to grab) TRAP(a gin;a trap for catching birds or small mammals).
Defn: … beaten, with a strap, say.
8 Play? Certainly not! (4)
WORK : Double defn: 1st: An artistic work performed on stage; and 2nd: Antonym of work, the latter being activity with a serious objective.
13 Do 4’s 8 to get good skin (5)
GRIND : G(abbrev. for “good”) + RIND(the skin, of an orange, say).
Defn: The work(answer to 8 down) done by a miller(answer to 4 down) with grain.
15, 16 Edit barely truncates 8 with 4 (10,5)
CANTERBURY TALES : Anagram of(Edit) BARELY TRUNCATES.
Defn: The work by Geoffrey Chaucer consisting of stories told by various pilgrims, including the drunken miller(answer to 4 down), Robin.
16 See 15
18, 23 4’s 8, right to probe issue, can force changes (6,2,6)
TROPIC OF CANCER : R(abbrev. for “right”) contained in(to probe) TOPIC(an issue, under discussion, say) + anagram of(… changes) CAN FORCE.
Defn: Work(answer to 8 down);novel by Henry Miller(answer to 4 down).
19 See 5
22 Eve not very excited with slap and tickle (6)
PLEASE : “Eve” minus(not) “v”(abbrev. for “very”) plus(with) anagram of(excited) SLAP.
Defn: …, as in “to tickle your fancy”.
23 See 18
24 Pipe provided with iron casing (4)
FIFE : IF(provided;on condition) contained in(with … casing) FE(symbol for the chemical element, iron).
25 A pro dropping round in Barnet (4)
AFRO : A + FOR(pro, as in pros and cons;for and against) with “o”(letter with a round shape) dropping to the end of the word.
Defn. A person’s hair, from rhyming slang.
27 Departed from city townspeople vacated (4)
LATE : LA(abbrev. for the city of Los Angeles) + the 1st and last letters of(… vacated) “townspeople “.
Defn: … from the living.
I was helped by the theme of words related to MILLER/WORK but I failed to solve 6d and 25d, never having heard the rhyming slang Barnet fair for hair. I was unable to parse 5d and 10a.
New word for me was OCCIPUT.
Thanks scchua and Picaroon.
Lovely! The clever use of 4 & 8d kept me guessing for a while – I could only think of the playwright at first. Too many good clues to list but I enjoyed 17ac 1d particularly. Didn’t know about an oil engine as a car part, but I do now!
Many thanks to Picaroon & scchua.
Thanks to Picaroon and scchua.
I loved the Miller theme here with all its references and linked clues – the flour miller, Arthur, Henry and Glenn, and “The Canterbury Tale”. A bit distracted at first by filling in 8d as “Tale” instead of WORK, but was happy when the saying “all work and no play” popped into my head. A penny-dropping moment or as others abbreviate it, a PDM.
Speaking of abbreviations, scchua, I think you meant “abbreviation for day” in 11a DITCH, rather than “antonym”.
I was with Michelle@1 on the Barnet reference – hadn’t hear of it and bunged in “acre” for 25d instead of AFRO, thinking it was “ace” around “r” for “round”, so totally off the mark. Also put in “COWL” part of a monk’s habit at 6d without spotting why. OUTDO at 10a was a guess, again without getting it. Thanks for the clarifications, scchua.
I got “SPA” at 19a but again asked myself why; forgot that use of “it” as “sex appeal” even though it has been used a lot in previous crosswords.
Favourites were OCCIPUT at 14a, “IN THE MOOD” at 17a1d, “DEATH OF A SALESMAN” at 5d19d, and “TROPIC OF CANCER” at 18d23d.
Oh how I do love a literature-themed puzzle!
That was wonderful. Thanks to Picaroon and scchua.
I think the definition in 3d is “single”.
Thanks scchua. This was good fun, helped by TALES and SALESMAN answers jumping out promptly from the pattern of words in the clue. Particularly liked the tricky last two in – PLEASE and FLOUR.
Thanks sschua, really enjoyed this.
Once the correct key was inserted this yielded too quickly – I wanted it to last.
I often find theme puzzles clunky and contrived but I really enjoyed this one. With all the Miller-ing about I was sure there’d be a reference to our Crucible setter!
A couple of points, though, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the expression oil engine. Wiki tells me it’s a sort of generic term for an internal combustion engine burning fuel oil, as opposed to one with external combustion such as a steam engine. Hey-ho, you learn something every day.
Also, minor quibble, ignoring the amusing ‘drunken’ gag for a second, isn’t the focus of an egotist simply the self rather than on the self? One sees readily that an egotist focuses on the self but I don’t feel that the grammar quite works.
As I say, a very minor quibble that in no way detracts from this excellent offering by our favourite pirate.
Nice week-end, all.
Super puzzle – many thanks Picaroon and scchua. I got In The Mood early on, and was looking in vain for String of Pearls etc when suddenly the other Millers dawned, a delightful lightbulb moment 🙂
Thanks Picaroon and scchua
I had a lucky start, as I looked at the downs on the LHS to give me some first letters, and saw IN THE MOOD straight away. I knew all the MILLER references, and also the LITTLE AUK, so I finished relatively quickly (for a Picaroon!) Favourites were SPA and ON THE SHELF.
OIL ENGINE I built up from the very fair clue, but I have never heard the term either.
I didn’t parse BANAL (missing the “needing a coach” reference), and was a little surprised at FREE = LAVISH in 24a, though scchua’s example justifies it.
Thanks, scchua.
A wonderful puzzle, which was a delight to solve, from beginning to end. Huge thanks to Picaroon.
An interesting point is that “In the mood” was written by Wingy Manone-same first letter, same number of letters.Little things like that only boost Pickert-power.
This and Punk were best of week for me.
copmus @10 Wasn’t Malone’s version called Tar Paper Stomp? I may be wrong but I have a feeling that the Glen Miller number In The Mood was based on this.
Very enjoyable puzzle – all the clues “worked” – no feelings of deflation at half-hearted definitions etc – a puzzle that could be done in a forward direction, rather than explained retrospectively. More of the same, please!
Thanks to Picaroon and scchua. I got CANTERBURY TALES and then MILLER early on but I too took a while before thinking beyond Arthur M. Lots of terms and links were new to me. I did not know the Barnet-hair link, so AFRO was my last in; I knew the great AUK but not the little one; the OCCIPUT-nut connection eluded me for some time as did DOOMFUL; and I needed help parsing PLEASE and ON THE SHELF (I missed the drunken “h”). No complaints, however, for this puzzle was a very enjoyable challenge.
I parsed AFRO slightly differently – “A PRO” with the round part of the P removed. The “A FOR” parsing makes more sense though.
I think the formatting for “ON THE SHELF” is bit messed up. The definition is simply “single”, as in “unmarried/not in a relationship”.
Maybe picaroon should join AA (abbrev for absurd abbreviations)?
Quality,and fun. Loved being misled into expecting lots of plays:-)
Thanks Picaroon and scchua. A lovely puzzle. Like Judygs I got 1dn before either 4 or 8, wracked my brain for more Glenn Miller, then did the same for Arthur Miller when I got 5dn. Eventually the plethora of millers clicked. Great fun.
I have to take issue with 9a OIL ENGINE. An oil engine is nether a diesel or a petrol engine so is not a part of a car. Apart from that a wonderful puzzle. Thanks Picaroon and Scchua.
Thank you Picaroon and scchua.
Great fun, I was expecting “grist to the mill” somewhere…
This was an excellent start to my Memorial Day weekend (which I’m starting a day early by skipping work today). First in was WORK, then FLOUR, which led easily to MILLER, but that had me thinking too much about millers rather than Millers! But once I figured out what was going on, it was fun finding the various references.
Finished, although AFRO, COWL, and PLEASE were all BIFD for me. Thanks for the explanations.
Easily the best puzzle of a very fine week so far. Too many favourites to list them all. Thought I’d be struggling when IN THE MOOD led to MILLER, as I;d have been struggling to name any other Glenn Miller tunes, but fortunately spotting DEATH OF A SALESMAN opened it up, after which the rest fell fairly smoothly, though not without a few parsing difficulties.
Thanks to Picaroon and scchua
Thanks both. An enjoyable interlude with some very clever clues.
I’m with the sceptics on ‘oil engine’. ‘Car part’ seems to suggest quite a few cars would possess such an item. Casual googling comes up with no instance of a car with an oil engine. Long ago some agricultural tractors ran on paraffin, which I suppose might constitute an oil for these purposes. I’m not aware any cars used paraffin.
Otherwise I enjoyed the various millers and kept looking for a fringe reference to something that Jonathan of that ilk might have done.
Kicking myself for not managing to parse the delightful PLEASE. Otherwise all completed enjoyably, smoothly, etc. Proper Goldilocks puzzle for me. Thanks to setter and blogger both.
Thanks Picaroon and scchua
Ref 9, wikipedia has “An oil engine is an internal combustion engine that is powered by the burning of fuel oil, as opposed to external combustion engines, such as steam engine. The term usually refers to low compression engines, so the diesel engine is usually not included.”, so it seems fair enough to me.
Very ingenious, and good fun throughout. Loved ON THE SHELF. Didn’t spot a couple of parsings, but having come here I’m not sure why (‘sea-owl’ – doh!).
I was a bit surprised by OIL ENGINE, but as I know nothing of the internal goings-on of internal combustion devices, assumed it must work somehow.
I found this lovely and a lot of fun. As a jazz/band fan I was looking for String of Pearls or Little Brown Jug when the Arthur M’s plays appeared. Like a previous blogger I then started looking for Jonathan and the Beyond the Fringe boys. Thanks as always to Picaroon who I love doing.
OIL ENGINES are low compression engines where the oil is ignited by a hot plate. Diesels are high compression engines, the ignition achieved through the heat of compression. Two completely different animals. Oil engines are typically static plant engines. You would never find one in a modern car.
Qed @27 Thanks for that. Clearly not a modern car component then but would one ever have expected to find one in a car?
I read somewhere that Volvo used them in their trucks but not cars, this seems to have stopped early last century.
I’m glad most of you liked this – you convince me it must be an excellent puzzle.
For me this was an unexpectedly dull experience – I always look forward to Picaroon’s puzzles, but this one left me wishing he didn’t work with a theme. I loved working out all the clever constuctions and misdirections in, mainly, the clues unrelated to the theme, but it was quite hard work being restricted to just those clues before the theme showed itself with the help of some clues/answers that had to be guessed before solving.
Yesterday’s themed puzzle seemed to work much better, and not just because it was a bit easier.
I very much look forward to the next Picaroon. If it is a themed one I’m sure I will enjoy it more if the theme is more in the clues than the grid.
Thanks to Picaroon and scchua.
Very tricksy and very good. I got stuck on the NW corner thanks to OIL ENGINE,CLOTHE and- to my shame – IN THE MOOD. All finally solved after a great deal of head scratching. CLOTHE was excellent once I saw it. But I couldn’t fault this. Even better than yesterday’s puzzle.
Thanks Picaroon.
Oh well, amongst all this panegyric someone has to say it: far too hard for me. I got about two clues and chucked it in. Probably just the end of a long tiresome day, delays and cancellations at Euston and so on. Just couldn’t get on Mr Ps wavelength at all.
Old fakir
Sorry you had such a bad day – it’s good of you to be so honest about your experience with the puzzle. I wondered about stopping after four clues, finding the theme too pervasive, but for better or worse I soldiered on.
Better luck with the next one.
Couldn’t do any of this until the penny dropped, Miller and work were first in and when I saw the references all had an apostrophe after the 4, it was just a matter of time. Great puzzle despite the oil engine thingy.
An oil engine can be a general term for an internal combustion engine in which the fuel enters the cylinder as a liquid. This definition would include a diesel engine which I believe is a part of some cars.
BNTO, are there not oil engines of cars that run on peanut, maize, you name it oil, like the first ones Diesel invented? I thought any Diesel engine could run on oil, care of course having to be taken as regards fluidity?
Cookie @36
As I understand it, a diesel engine describes any internal combustion engine in which the fuel (whatever it is) is ignited by compression and not by a spark. That was Diesel’s invention. So yes, any fuel that can do that, including plant products as you say, will count.
‘Diesel’ fuel sold at the pumps (also called DERV, even though that term really applies to a vehicle that has a diesel engine) is a petroleum product.
I hope BNTO doesn’t mind my intervention. I have never heard of an oil engine before – evidently a diesel engine is an example of one.
I think the point that people are missing is that an “oil engine” refers to oil in the sense
” Any of numerous liquids with a smooth sticky feel that are immiscible with water (but miscible with organic solvents), flammable, and chemically neutral”
The “fuel” is injected into the cylinder in liquid form. In the case of a diesel engine the compressed air in the cylnder is hot enough to ignite the liquid to form the gas and the resultant expansion generates the “power” stroke.
In a petrol engine the fuel is injected as a vapour which is ignited by a spark from the spark plug.
The “oil engines” referred to by posters earlier are something more specific and don’t necessarily injected liquid into a cylinder..
Alan Browne @37, yes, I know the diesel fuel sold at the pumps is a petroleum product, but there is also biodiesel fuel made by the transesterification of vegetable oils, these being too viscous for use with the diesel engines in modern cars unless so treated. Diesel originally designed his engines to run on untreated vegetable oil and the Elsbett engine still does; the company sells conversion kits for existing diesel engines to run on vegetable oil.
BNTO @38, I did get your point about “oil engines”, just got side-tracked into biofuels since my interest in life is “tropical” agriculture and the conservation of biodiversity in crop plants.
Thanks Cookie @39
I don’t know much about bio fuels, and I followed your links with interest. I mainly wanted to make clear the association of Diesel with his invention using compression-ignition.
Diesel is often called fuel oil. This is sometimes used for the lettering on the fuel flap on buses, coaches and lorries.
Thanks Picaroon and scchua
Always good to see this setter’s name on the top line. Like some others, I was initially frustrated by not being able to unlock the 4 and 8 mystery for a while … and even then, it looks like I hadn’t parsed MILLER properly – had gone down a I in M’LLE line of thinking! Finally seeing DEATH OF A SALESMAN was the way in.
Things got much better (and faster) after that and thought that the different uses of miller as a number of people, characters or profession was cleverly executed.
Usual mix of clue devices to keep things interesting along the journey. Did think that OIL ENGINE was a bit unusual, but didn’t get hung up by it at all as it was so clearly derived from the word play. Although ABSORBENT wasn’t the hardest in the puzzle, thought that it earnt it’s place purely for the surface reading.
Finished in the SE corner with LATE (which took longer than it should have to spot), PIERCES (after going through every chess piece to insert an R and then seeing it was actually PIECES themselves that needed it) and the tricky AFRO last in.
Thanks scchua and Picaroon.
My way into the theme was IN THE MOOD at 17/1 – and then I was off.
Really liked the NADA L construction at 20. Took me an age to see why COWL was what it was and still couldn’t properly understand AFRO till I came here – how dumb can I be? Obvious when you read it the right way.
Good fun.
Hi Hamish … make sure that you keep it in mind !!! 🙂