Guardian 26,951 – Rufus

by

Only a couple of double definitions today, but otherwise a fairly standard Rufus, with eight cryptic definitions. I found it very easy even by his standards. Thanks to Rufus.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Across
1. MISAPPPROPRIATES Steals fitting in error (15)
APPPROPRIATE in MISS
9. DEBUTANTE Be taunted about a young socialite (9)
(BE TAUNTED)*
10. IBIZA Some find a bikini bizarre in Spanish resort (5)
Hidden in bikinI BIZArre
11. TURMOIL It’s hard work imbibing rum cocktail in storm (7)
RUM* in TOIL
12. CALLOUS A summons? Nothing to us, being hardened (7)
CALL + O + US
13. EKE Part of the Weekend supplement? (3)
Hidden in weEKEnd
14. INBREED Multiply without going forth (7)
Cryptic definition
17. SESSION A parliamentary term? (7)
Cryptic definition
19. GATHERS Collects the rags for recycling (7)
(THE RAGS)*
22. BRIDGES Poet that people come across (7)
Double definition, the poet being Robert Bridges
24. EVA Welcome return for a girl (3)
Return of AVE (Latin “hail” or “welcome”)
25. CHORIST Vocal stallholder (7)
Cryptic definition – one who sits in a choir stall
26. RUSTLER Thief starts right but gets wrong result (7)
R + RESULT*
28. ENSUE Result of unseen incomplete — result to follow (5)
Anagram of UNSEE[n]
29. RUNNERS-UP Blues, perhaps, at university, who never get a first (7-2)
RUNNERS – an example of sportspeople, who may be blues at Oxford and Cambridge (and elsewhere) – + UP (at university)
30. REPRESENTATIONS Formal protests about gifts (15)
RE (about) + PRESENTATIONS (gifts)
Down
1. MADE THINGS CLEAR Explained what spectacles did (4,6,5)
Double definition
2. SOBER Like a judge with robes in disarray (5)
ROBES* – referring to the expression “sober as a judge”
3. POTHOLE Depression felt by motorists? (7)
Cryptic definition
4. RANKLED Annoyed when rating took the helm? (7)
RANK (rating) + LED
5. PIERCES Goes into new recipes (7)
RECIPES*
6. ICICLES They hang about in the cold (7)
Cryptic definition
7. TAILORING They have to make cuts in this business (9)
Cryptic definition
8. STARS AND STRIPES Spartan dress, it’s becoming standard (5,3,7)
(SPARTAN DRESS ITS)*
15. BOTTOMS UP Last drink cheers (7,2)
BOTTOM (last) + SUP
16. ERR Slip of a girl losing head on river (3)
[h]ER + R
18. EAR One hasn’t been taught to play by it (3)
Cryptic definition – untaught musicians play by ear
20. EVIL EYE One taking a bad view of everything? (4,3)
Cryptic definition
21. SET FREE Loose dentures for nothing! (3,4)
SET (dentures) + FREE (for nothing)
22. BARONET Scholar raised voice — “Sir!” (7)
BA (scholar) + reverse of TENOR
23. INSPECT Study in group including, leading politician (7)
IN + P (“leading politician”) in SECT. The comma is presumably just a typo
27. LASSO See someone stupid caught up in a rope (5)
ASS in LO

18 comments on “Guardian 26,951 – Rufus”

  1. Thanks Andrew, yes that was a pretty gentle Rufus – I found the quiptic a bit tougher. In 28 is “result” the anagram indicator? And, if so, which one – is one superfluous?

  3. matrixmania @1

    A good question! I would take the first ‘result’ as the anag ind. The second ‘result’ is what we get when the anag has been done!

  5. Thank you Rufus and Andrew.

    I seem to be the only person today to have found Rufus harder than the Quiptic.

    Favourite clue was the one for BARONET.

  6. This is my partner’s first full cryptic attempt and she has done about 50% in an hour, so while this is on the easy side for many of us, it presents a real challenge for some less experienced solvers.

  7. Thanks Rufus and Andrew. I found this a gentle start to the week. I know Rufus is not to everyone’s taste, but I do admire the elegance of his clueing – 22ac,26ac,8dn, 22dn for example.

  8. Yes, pretty easy but I wasn’t at all sure about CHORIST. Still, its Monday!
    Thanks Rufus.

  9. All pretty straightforward as you say. Just to show that I’m paying attention, I spotted a typo – there are too many Ps in MISAPPROPRIATES (and in APPROPRIATE)

    Thanks to Rufus and Andrew

  10. Thanks all
    Very easy except I was convinced 7 down was something connected to hairdressing, so it was much the last in.

  11. Of course, it was very easy, and as usual, a couple of the cryptic definitions are barely cryptic. Parliamentary term = SESSION, for example.

    I wonder how many sports teams there are worldwide that go by “the Blues” (or the equivalent in the local language). Must number in the hundreds.

  12. I’ll echo Gillian @#4, as I rarely finish completely and quickly. However, I filled in 30 from crossers and wordplay without truly understanding the definition. I assume this is due to a chasm between American and British English, but in what way is a representation a formal protest? I’m only familiar with its being a symbol, image, description, or possibly the act of giving (or showing) something a second time.

  14. I found this easier than usual, with quite a few write-is, but still enjoyable. As Marienkaefer said @7, there are some very elegant clues.

    Thanks, Rufus and Andrew.

  15. Thanks Rufus and Andrew.

    Assisted by spotting the long words 1a MISAPPROPRIATES and 30a REPRESENTATIONS reasonably early.

    I did enjoy 1d MADE THINGS CLEAR, 2d SOBER and 15d BOTTOMS UP.

  17. Thanks Rufus and Andrew.

    Started off thinking this would be Rufus at his best with 1, 9, and 11 across all excellent clues.

    But then downhill from there with some pretty loose cryptic definitions producing “could be” answers which could only be verified by a slew of “could be” crossers.

    16 was one of those that could be quite different – my first thought was Ash (river) derived from Sash without it’s head.

    So as usual it was best to use a pencil!

    The short-form CHORIST was new to me and my last in so I did learn something.

    A pleasant enough diversion.

  18. Thanks Rufus and Andrew

    A pretty easy solve where I enjoyed getting the long ones around the perimeter. The only holdup was going through the different anagrams of ‘Learn tap’ at 17d – was in a dense frame of mind going through PATERNAL and PARENTAL before finally hitting on the correct PRENATAL !!!

    Finished in the SW corner after finally resolving 17d with RUBBISH, OBEDIENT and NUDGE as the last few in.

Comments are closed.