To complete the set, here is a blog of Egbert’s puzzle. One that was handed out last Saturday at an enjoyable gathering in Derby. If one still wants to give it a go, the puzzle can be found here: Egbert @ Derby 2016.
There were 6 theme words, two sets of three, in a way linked to Derby (the place where it all happened).
The completed grid can be found at the end of the blog.
How on earth could I miss the nina? [see comment @3]
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | THE OAKS | One of the Dragons gets return of 18d (3,4) |
| THEO (Paphitis, one of the Dragons, in Dragon’s Den) + AKS ( reversal of 18d, i.e. SKA) No definition, hence a theme word, one of three solutions related to horse racing. By the way, The Oaks is also a housing development in Derby. |
||
| 5 | GOLD CUP | Doctor once prescribed universal cold treatment (4,3) |
| GP (doctor) around (U (universal) + COLD)* [* = treatment] Once more no definition, so this must be horse racing solution no 2. |
||
| 8 | LOL | Reading nothing between the lines, reaches an affectionate conclusion (3) |
| O (nothing) inside L,L (lines) | ||
| 9 | PANAMA | Article concludes Cameron typically restricts gossip (6) |
| A (article) after {PM (Cameron, typically) around ANA (gossip)} Again, no definition. This one’s an example of headwear (like Derby is headwear, see 12d). |
||
| 11 | OEDIPAL | Incestuous old dutch takes ecstasy with a friend (7) |
| O (old) and D (Dutch) together around E (ecstasy) + I (a) + PAL (friend) | ||
| 14 | PUB | Local bush trimmed twice (3) |
| PUBES (bush) losing the last two letters (trimmed twice) | ||
| 15 | COSEC | Military leader’s city function cut short (5) |
| CO’S (miltary leader’s) + EC (city, more specifically the City) | ||
| 17 | INN-SIGN | Popular junior officer, 23, found outside 14 (3-4) |
| IN (popular) + [e]NSIGN (junior officer, ‘headless’ (i.e. 23ac)) | ||
| 18 | SEEDIEST | Most mangy spots around fade with time (8) |
| SEES (spots) around DIE (fade), then + T (time) | ||
| 19 | FEDORA | Five extremists turn bar into academy (6) |
| F[iv]E + DOR (reversal of ROD (bar) + A (academy) This is headwear no 2. |
||
| 22 | ADDERS | Board game, left out, provides both definition and solution (6) |
| Snakes and Ladders is the board game, ‘snakes’ is the definition, LADDERS minus L (left) the solution | ||
| 23 | HEADLESS | Leader has not so much as a word for victims of execution (8) |
| HEAD (leader) + LESS (not so much) | ||
| 25 | DWARVES | Cartoon miners draw badly with half of curves missing (7) |
| (DRAW)* + [cur]VES [* = badly] | ||
| 26 | RESTS | Remains on the streets (5) |
| RE (on) + STS (streets, plural of ST) | ||
| 28 | ENS | Being one short for a rubber of bridge? (3) |
| E,N,S are three bridge players, one short to play the game | ||
| 29 | DATA SET | Computer file backed up somewhat inflexibly (4,3) |
| DATA (reversal of A TAD (somewhat)) + SET (inflexibly) | ||
| 31 | HEYDAY | Golden era when colour returns in dried grass (6) |
| EYD (reversal of DYE (colour)) inside HAY (dry grass) | ||
| 32 | SUE | Follow our team, backing European leader (3) |
| SU (reversal of US (our team)) + E (European) | ||
| 34 | PORK PIE | Confusion follows humourless queen’s meeting with king (4,3) |
| PIE (confusion) following {PO (humourless) + R (queen) + K (king)} The final headwear, last thematic solution of a set of three. |
||
| 35 | ST LEGER | Setback overcome by disturbed rest (2,5) |
| LEG (reversal of SET) inside (REST)* [* = disturbed] An annual horse race at Doncaster – a theme word to join 1 and 8 ac. |
||
| Down | ||
| 2 | HIPPO | Henrietta, children’s TV character created by fashionable teletubby? (5) |
| HIP (fashionable) + PO (Teletubby) | ||
| 3 | OWN | Have nothing on when gas escapes (3) |
| O (nothing) + W[he]N (the deleted He being helium, a gas) | ||
| 4 | SLAPDASH | Messy outcome of hit-and-run? (8) |
| SLAP (hit) + DASH (run) | ||
| 5 | GLOBIN | Throw up, intoxicated by drink – bloody typical! |
| LOB (throw up) inside GIN (drink) | ||
| 6 | DEI | Roadside bomb blown up – ye gods! (3) |
| Reversal of IED (roadside bomb, Improvised Explosive Device) | ||
| 7 | PYLON | Supporter of current supplier to failing northern technical college (5) |
| (N (northern) + POLY (technical college))* [* = failing] | ||
| 10 | ARCHITRAVES | Computer systems used in mischievous parties – they surround the entrances (11) |
| IT (computer systems) inside {ARCH (mischievous) + RAVES (parties)} | ||
| 12 | DONKEY DERBY | In this contest, Quixote perhaps has a crucial local tie, while another Indy setter backs the old bowler (6,5) |
| DON (Quixote, perhaps) + KEY (crucial) + DERBY (local tie) Alternatively: DONK (Indy setter, another one – not Quixote) + EY (reversal of YE (the old)) + DERBY (bowler, a hat) |
||
| 13 | PRISONERS | Convicts murderers, no less – that’s about right (9) |
| POISONERS (murderers) minus the first O (indicated by ‘no less’), then around R (right) | ||
| 16 | STEADFAST | Firm dates must be rescheduled pdq (9) |
| (DATES)* + FAST (pdq, pretty damn quick) [* = rescheduled] | ||
| 18 | SKA | Jamaican music – Kingston’s first to be involved in it (3) |
| K[ingston] inside SA (it, sexual appeal) | ||
| 20 | ASS | Buffoon‘s out of date at heart (3) |
| [p]ASS[e] (out of date) | ||
| 21 | REHASHES | Woman’s turning up during man’s modifications (8) |
| REH (reversal of HER (woman’s)) + AS (during) + HE’S (man’s) | ||
| 24 | TSETSE | Group within group arranged to fly (6) |
| SET (group) inside (SET (group))* [* = arranged] | ||
| 25 | DID UP | Upgraded papers needed in political party (3,2) |
| ID (papers) inside DUP (political party, Democratic Unionist Party) | ||
| 27 | THYME | Rosemary’s associate‘s an unknown member in the enclosure (5) |
| Y (unknown) + M (member), together inside THE | ||
| 30 | AUK | A country bird (3) |
| A + UK (country) | ||
| 32 | DYE | Shade found when delicate fringes cover your head (3) |
| D[elicat]E around Y[our] | ||
*anagram indicator
Thanks Sil.
Editors, give this guy a gig. He is better than some who already have one.
Thanks sil and bert without the n joyce for once
I can hardly believe that I did not see the obvious nina.
Rows 6,8,10: Thanks Kathryn’s Father
(the setter even alerted me on beforehand)