This is a fairly typical Phi puzzle
I solved the first two clues immediately and after solving 1 across, ST MAGNUS, I thought of ORKNEY and after that came up at 2, I then thought of Peter Maxwell Davies [1934 – 2016], English composer who lived in ORKNEY for many years.
If you study the grid, there are a number of reference to the works of MAXWELL DAVIES. Theme words, apart from the geographic scene setting at 1 and 2 across include allusions to an ORKNEY WEDDING with SUNRISE (orchestral piece, 2, 9 and 10 across), the MARTYRDOM of ST MAGNUS (chamber piece, 15 down, 1 across). the LIGHTHOUSE (chamber opera, 13 down), the Two FIDDLERs (opera, 26 across)
As Maxwell Davies died this year, perhaps PETER OUT (29 across) and AT REST (20 down) are also thematic.
It was possible to solve this puzzle without any knowledge of the theme which I always feel is a bonus.
| Across | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Clue | Wordplay | Entry |
|
1
|
Scottish religious figure, male, adopting Mass by Sunday, after reflection (2,6) |
(STAG [male] containing [adopting] M [mass]) + (SUN [Sunday] reversed [on reflection]) ST (M) AG NUS< |
ST MAGNUS (SainT MAGNUS Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney, sometimes known as MAGNUS the Martyr, was Earl of Orkney from 1106 to about 1115)
|
|
5
|
One heading off into New York, location of 1’s cathedral (6)
|
(ONE excluding the first letter [heading off]) O contained in (into) an anagram of (new) YORK ORK (NE) Y* |
ORKNEY (ST MAGNUS [1 across] Cathedral is located in Kirkwall, the largest town in and capital of the ORKNEY Islands) |
|
9
|
Slight shift of character in gardening work union (7)
|
WEEDING (gardening work) with the second occurrence of the letter E [character] changed to a D [effect of slight shift of the letters in the alphabet from the fifth letter to the fourth letter) WEDDING |
WEDDING (union)
|
|
10
|
Knight returning with another, coming in to go to court first thing (7)
|
(SIR [title of a knight] + N [letter denoting a knight in chess]) all reversed (returning) and contained in (coming in) SUE (go to court) SU (N RIS)< E |
SUNRISE (first thing)
|
|
11
|
Spots cunning in abandoning force without apparent thought (10)
|
FRECKLES (spots) excluding (abandoning) F (force) + SLY (cunning)
|
RECKLESSLY (without apparent thought)
|
|
12
|
A crook won’t take closure of delicatessen lying down (4)
|
A + (BEND [crook] excluding [won’t take] N [last letter of {closure of} DELICATESSEN])
|
ABED (in BED, lying down)
|
|
14
|
Avoid old US educational establishment (4)
|
O (old) + MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology; American educational establishment)
|
OMIT (avoid)
|
|
16
|
Not skilled and untested regarding sport (9)
|
BAD (not skilled) + MINT (untested) + ON (regarding)
|
BADMINTON (sport)
|
|
18
|
Hard debates about article prompting long speeches (9)
|
H (hard, as in description of a pencil lead) + (ARGUES [debates] containing (about) AN ([indefinite article]) H AR (AN) GUES |
HARANGUES (wordy addresses; long speeches)
|
|
19
|
Instrument tuned high, though not at first (4|)
|
SHARP (tuned high) excluding the first letter (not at first) S
|
HARP ([musical] instrument)
|
|
21
|
April 30, by implication, in Irish county (4)
|
April 30 is the day before MAY 1, so could be considered as MAY O
|
MAYO (Irish county)
|
|
22
|
Phantom wreck overlooked by radio programme (6,4)
|
SCOTCH (put an end to; wreck) + MIST (sounds like [on radio] MISSED [overlooked])
|
SCOTCH MIST (something that is hard to find or doesn’t exist; phantom)
|
|
26
|
Crab last to scoff head from small fish (7)
|
F (final letter of [last to] SCOFF) + (TIDDLER [small fish] excluding the first letter [head] T)
|
FIDDLER (small crab of the genus Uca or Gelasimus)
|
|
27
|
Bar story not mentioning a bus at the airport? (7)
|
SHUT (bar) + (TALE [story] excluding [not mentioning] A)
|
SHUTTLE (for example, a bus at an airport moving passengers between terminals
|
|
28
|
Priests welcoming millions in religious festival (6)
|
LAMAS (Buddhist priests) containing (welcoming) M (millions) LAM (M) AS |
LAMMAS (old feast-day celebrating the first fruits of the harvest; religious festival)
|
|
29
|
Sign of disaffection about ruined tree is to diminish (5,3)
|
POUT (sign of disaffection) containing (about) an anagram of (ruined) TREE P (ETER*) OUT |
PETER OUT (diminish) |
| Down | |||
|
1
|
Is critical of flushing potassium in drains (6)
|
SKEWERS (is critical of) excluding (flushing) K (chemical symbol for potassium)
|
SEWERS (drains)
|
|
2
|
Spy chief with cipher picked up in part of France (5)
|
M (spy chief in the James Bond novels) + (CODE [cipher] reversed [picked up; down clue]) M EDOC< |
MEDOC (region of France, particularly known for wines)
|
|
3
|
Craftiness will trap large number in place of execution (10)
|
GUILE (craftiness) containing (will trap) (LOT [large number] + IN) GUIL (LOT IN) E |
GUILLOTINE (instrument for beheading people with a descending heavy angled blade, adopted during the French Revolution)
|
|
4
|
Persuades first son to leave waves (5)
|
SURGES (waves) excluding (to leave) the first occurrence of (first) S (son)
|
URGES (persuades)
|
|
6
|
Character provided by computer’s fifth operation? (4)
|
RUN (complete execution of a computer program; operation?) + E (the fifth occurrence, start normally at A)
|
RUNE (any of the letters of the ancient Germanic alphabet; also a mystic symbol; character)
|
|
7
|
Brilliant playing – with energy – but losing line in tense moment (4-5)
|
Anagram of (playing) BRILLIANT and (with) E (energy) but excluding (losing) L (line) NAIL BITER* |
NAIL BITER (tense moment)
|
|
8
|
County finally away from the crease, dismissing opener and conceding (8)
|
Y (last letter of [finally] COUNTY) + (FIELDING [not batting, therefore away from the crease {cricket terminology}] excluding [dismissing] the first letter [opener] F)
|
YIELDING (conceding)
|
|
10
|
Oblique American supporting firm (7)
|
SOLID (firm) + US (United States; American) – this is a down entry so the letters US are supporting the letters SOLID
|
SOLIDUS (stroke, oblique or slash [/])
|
|
13
|
It will guide ships around isle (though flickering) (10)
|
Anagram of (flickering) ISLE THOUGH LIGHTHOUSE* |
LIGHTHOUSE (building with a powerful light to guide or give warning to ships)
|
|
15
|
Year mediating between market and cathedral – endless torment (9)
|
YR (year) contained in (mediating between) (MART [market] + DOME [cathedral] excluding the final letter [endlessly] E) MART (YR) DOM |
MARTYRDOM (torment)
|
|
16
|
Old rail company carrying lightweight delivery (7)
|
BR (British Rail [old rail company]) containing (carrying OUNCE [a light weight]) B (OUNCE) R |
BOUNCER (a ball bowled [delivery] in cricket)
|
|
17
|
Artificial fuel unfortunately well below expectations? (8)
|
SHAM (artificial) + an anagram of (unfortunately) FUEL SHAM EFUL* |
SHAMEFUL (disgraceful; well below expectations)
|
|
20
|
A very French finale from Bizet, not moving (2,4)
|
A + TRES (very in French) + T (last letter of [finale from] BIZET)
|
AT REST (not moving)
|
|
23
|
Discrimination some reject as terrible (5)
|
TASTE (hidden word [some] in REJECT AS TERRIBLE)
|
TASTE (discrimination)
|
|
24
|
Keen on including right overture (5)
|
INTO (keen on) containing (including) R (right) INT (R) O |
INTRO (introduction, especially of a musical piece; overture)
|
|
25
|
Pee, and pee endlessly – what’s the excuse (4)
|
P (pee [the letter P]) + LEAK (;urinate; pee) excluding the final letter (endlessly)
|
PLEA (excuse)
|
I am really getting to like the weekly Phi.And thanks for blog.
Unusually for me the theme became obvious almost from the start, although I have to admit I didn’t pick up all the thematic references. A pleasant coffee-time solve, and a fine tribute to a great man. Too many great clues to nominate a CoD.
Thanks, Phi and Duncan.
Got ST MAGNUS and ORKNEY very quickly and immediately thought of Max, but then was too busy solving the rest to notice the themed entries.
We’ve only just completed the puzzle. Orkney was our LOI.
We wondered what the theme would be and had visions of someone getting married at sunrise somewhat recklessly on Orkney, with a harp and a fiddle playing in the scotch mist!
Thanks Phi and Duncan.