Guardian Cryptic 26,913 by Paul

by

Apologies for the delayed blog – a combination of some technical difficulties and much staring at 24ac… given up on the latter for now, but won’t check comments for a while to give myself more time. Enjoyed 10/20, 12ac, 2dn and 13dn. Thanks Paul

Across
1 DISUSE Neglect to finish touring Dixie? (6)
DIE=”finish”, around S[outh] U[nited] S[tates]=”Dixie”
4   See 18
9 FOUR LETTER WORDS Here, Paul pens some rude ones, like damn? (4-6,5)
The clue is made up of FOUR LETTER WORDS
10, 20 CAUGHT NAPPING  Surprised, out and out? (6,7)
CAUGHT=”out” in cricket, plus NAPPING=”out”=asleep
11 UNNEEDED Redundant, not given any work (for dough) did you say? (8)
Sounds like ‘un-kneaded’ or dough that has not been worked
12 FAG BREAK Mixed bag in anomaly, a few minutes of deep inspiration? (3,5)
“inspiration” in the sense of breathing in. (bag)* in FREAK=”anomaly”
14 SPOUSE Soft pickle sandwiches, mate! (6)
P[iano]=”Soft”, sandwiched inside SOUSE=”pickle”
15 GROTTO Circling river, arrived at cave (6)
R[iver] inside GOT TO=”arrived at”
18, 4 LIGHTING UP TIME  For a motorist, the early evening 12? (8-2,4)
the time when cars have to put on their lights. Could also refer to a FAG BREAK
21 CAROUSED Biting flower, character partied (8)
CARD=”character”, around OUSE=”flower”=river
22 UNRIPE Prune, I gathered, not ready to eat (6)
(Prune I)*
24 A PASSAGE TO INDIA Novel, go away, might you say? (1,7,2,5)
 ?
25 YAPPER Agent getting money back for small puppy? (6)
REP=”Agent” plus PAY=”money”, all reversed/”back”
26 PEG LEG Silver, perhaps, Maggie has set in recess (3,3)
Long John Silver, perhaps. PEG=”Maggie”, plus GEL=”set” reversed/”in recess”
Down
1 DIORAMA Ten in play for a little scene (7)
IO=10=”Ten” in DRAMA=”play”
2 SPROG Kid drinking Cinzano, peer group says 13! (5)
BOTTOMS UP of [say]S [grou]P [pee]R [Cinzan]O [drinkin]G
3 SHEATHE Enclose one magazine inside another (7)
HEAT in SHE are the magazines
5 PARENTS Some in relationship aren’t suitable — to become these? (7)
Hidden in [relationshi]P AREN’T S[uitable]
6 IRONED OUT Retaining act, routine reforms resolved (6,3)
(routine)* around DO=”act”
7 ENDLESS Constant going straight — but not to the top? (7)
I think this is [b]END LESS=”going straight” without the top letter
8 STRUCK Small vehicle was in a collision (6)
S[mall] plus TRUCK=”vehicle”
13 BOTTOMS UP Your health is of least importance? Drink! (7,2)
BOTTOM=”of least importance”, plus SUP=”Drink”
16 REAPPLY Again ask for employment to gain work (7)
REAP=”gain” plus PLY=”work”
17 ON STAGE Two legs — where to break one? (2,5)
as in ‘break a leg’ ON STAGE. ON=”leg” side in cricket, STAGE=”leg” of a sporting tie
18 LADDER Don’t open bag — run! (6)
[b]LADDER=”bag” without its opening letter
19 GLUCOSE Stick around island that’s sweet (7)
GLUE=”Stick” around COS=Greek “island”
20   See 10
23 RENAL Describing organs way up under base of liver (5)
LANE=”way” reversed/”up”, and under [live]R

29 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 26,913 by Paul”

  2. Thanks Paul and manehi

    I was hoping for an explanation of the word play for 24a – makes no sense to me either!

    I’ve not seen “biting” as an inclusion indicator before, I think, and I don’t think it’s an appropriate one.

    I did like ON STAGE and (when I eventually saw how it works) SPROG.

  3. One of Paul’s better ones, tricky in places but not too intimidating, and a pleasing mixture of devices. SPROG was last in – liked that, also ticked FOUR LETTER WORDS, PARENTS and ON STAGE.

    Thanks to Paul and manehi

  4. I worked out 24a on the basis of go(ing) away to goa in India. Seems to me to be a pretty clever clue.Some good stuff from Paul as usual.

  5. Thanks blogger and setter and especially Grandpapatee @1. I was as stumped as manehi. I nearly spilled my coffee when I saw the explanation. “Go away” indeed!

  8. Thank you Paul I enjoyed this, and thanks manehi for several moments of enlightenment. Thanks also to Grandpapatee for the explanation of 24. I’m sure you are correct and I would never have got it!! I particularly enjoyed 9a, great fun!!
    As an aside I live in Spain and am a member of the local choir. We are including a piece in our summer concert called “Yo te Dire” (I’ll tell you). The music is credited to a J Halpern. On further research I find he is Jorge Halpern. Paul perhaps you might let us know if he is a relative?

  9. Thanks Paul and manehi

    Great puzzle!

    24 is indeed GOA WAY, ie if you are on a (ship) passage to India you may well go via Goa, or GOA WAY.

  10. Thanks to Paul and manehi. I needed help parsing SPROG, came here for an explanation of 24a, and took a long time before catching on to the four letter words. Very enjoyable.

  11. A little easier than recent Paul’s but tricky in places. I had trouble with A PASSAGE TO INDIA even though it had to be right from the crossers but the rest was lovely. I particularly liked FOUR LETTER WORDS and CAUGHT NAPPING.
    Thanks Paul

  12. Like others (esteemed blogger inc.) I needed to come here to understand 24a. Thanks to Grandpapatee et al for that. And to Paul for an enjoyable, entertaining and exercising puzzle. Good to have organs and four letter words back!

  15. According to wikipedia “As of 2013 Goa was the destination of choice for Indian and foreign tourists…”, which reinforces its place as a primary passage to India.

  16. Highly inventive, with Paul perhaps parodying his reputation at 9 – very clever. Lots more clever clues including FAG BREAK and SPOUSE.

    Needed to come here to check whether my punt on SPROG was right, and if so why. Not just me, I see!

  17. I thought Brendan’s was a hard act to follow, but Paul has done it. This puzzle was right up my street, and I loved the ingenuity in some of the clues.

    I was luckier than you, manehi, with 24A. -N-I- made ‘India’ more likely than anything else, and I saw the other way of reading ‘go away’ pretty much at the same time as getting the answer.

    Of many memorable clues, the following were favourites:
    9A (FOUR-LETTER WORDS), 10A/20D (CAUGHT NAPPING), 12A (FAG BREAK), 14A (SPOUSE), 17D (ON STAGE), 18D (LADDER).

    I liked Trailman’s comment about Paul’s possible self-parody at 9A.

    Many thanks to Paul and manehi.

  19. FOUR LETTER WORD(S) has appeared a number of occasions in the Times and Guardian Crosswords.

    My earliest recollection, and I might be wrong, is some time in the seventies and I think this was from a crossword in the Guardian.

  21. As we have had so many themed puzzles recently when 9a was my FOI and Paul was the setter I thought I knew what to expect. Wrong again.
    15a The Grotto was the name of a pub in Weybridge (and still may be for all I know). Friends who lived nearby some 40 – 50 years ago always referred to it as “The Athlete’s Foot”. No need to explain why in this distinguished company.
    An enjoyable puzzle. Like Alan Browne I solved and parsed 24a just about simultaneously.
    Thanks to Paul and manehi.

  22. When I were a nipper, lighting up time was the time the street lights came on, nothing to do with motorists. I wasn’t aware that it had been reassigned.

  23. Still uncertain about parsing of 7 down. Why ‘but not to the top’? ‘not the top’ maybe. Still lovely crossword. Thanks Paul and all the bloggers for explanation of 24a

  24. Thanks all – I’m another that needed help with 24.

    Muffin@7, “London Road” is generally the road to London.

  25. Phyllida @23
    I had doubts about 7D when I solved it – the blogger likewise judging by his comment “I think this is [b]END LESS …”. I think I would put this down as a slightly loose clue by Paul, who no doubt wanted to adopt, and adapt, the well-known phrase ‘straight to the top’.

  26. I only finished it this morning – well, almost finished it. I didn’t get DISUSE, and couldn’t parse A PASSAGE TO INDIA. I’d now take GOA WAY as in the phrase “I’m heading Goa way”, meaning “heading in the direction of Goa”. I forgot to go back to the parsing of SPROG after I got 13d, but I suspect I might still not have seen it.

    FOUR-LETTER WORDS, UNRIPE, PARENT and, now I understand it, SPROG.

    Thanks, Paul and manehi.

  27. PaulW @19 – since 1999 (which is as far as my methods can take it) it is the fifth occurrence, the others were

    Brummie 24312: Guardian’s line in Truss discussion such as 4,8,22 and 23 down (4-6,5)
    Rufus 24356: Love and hate, for example, can’t be decently expressed (4-6,5)
    Crucible 25088: Rude retorts flow freely in some answers here (4-6,5)
    Picaroon 26128: Will they make smut, rude bits, blue gags, even some vile oath that isn’t very nice? (4-6,5)

  28. Thanks manehi and Paul.

    I had worked out Goa Way but was stumped on 2dn so thanks for that.

    Really enjoyed 9ac, 12ac and 24ac.

    So creative!

  29. Thanks Paul and manehi

    Late to do this one and thoroughly enjoyed it when I did !

    Seen the FOUR-LETTER clue before but it’s a goodie. Just a great variety of tricks and treats used throughout. Seem to have parsed most of the ones that gave others issues, but didn’t see the workings of ENDLESS and REAP PLY.

    Finished in the NW corner with SHEATHE, the clever FAG BREAK and DISUSE the last in. Thought SPROG was the best of a very good lot.

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