Unfortunately, we didn’t really enjoy this offering from Phi today. When this happens, regardless of the setter, we both try and analyse why – perhaps today it was the fact that some of the surfaces were not as smooth as we would have expected. There’s also one clue that we really can’t parse adequately (9d) – any thoughts out there? Having said all that, there were some clues we did like – 14ac and 6d for example.
There were also some odd choices of entries here, which suggests that one of Phi’s more obscure themes may be at play – we certainly can’t find it if there is one!
We’re out and about in the Scillies today, with limited internet access – so we won’t be able to respond to any comments until this evening.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | Refuse to dismiss right to sleep (4) | |
| DOSS | D |
|
| 4 | That fellow, mostly disappointed in law, turning capricious (9) | |
| WHIMSICAL | HIM (that fellow) SIC |
|
| 10 | Impose infantry? Right to see off introduction of infantry (7) | |
| INFLICT | INF (infantry) + LIC |
|
| 11 | Very busy working as a group, we hear (7) | |
| TEEMING | Homophone (‘we hear’) of TEAMING (working as a group) | |
| 12 | Some distance on the el is like Metro travelling (9) | |
| KILOMETER | An anagram of LIKE METRO (anagrind is ‘travelling’) – the American spelling indicated by the reference to the ‘el’ | |
| 14 | Soldier‘s trip in sports car (5) | |
| GRUNT | RUN (trip) in GT (sports car) | |
| 15 | Basic cotton pants – from this vendor? (11) | |
| TOBACCONIST | An anagram of BASIC COTTON – anagrind is ‘pants’ | |
| 17 | Woman’s present finally withdrawn (3) | |
| HER | HER |
|
| 18 | Time zone trimmed after reflection (3) | |
| ERA | ARE |
|
| 19 | Hard work – revolutionary work? Pop music’s source of hard work in the ballet field (11) | |
| CHOREOGRAPH | CHORE (hard work) + GO (work) reversed or ‘revolutionary’ + RAP (pop music) + H (first letter or ‘source’ of ‘hard’) | |
| 21 | In the lead and prepared for a shock result (5) | |
| UPSET | UP (in the lead) SET (prepared) | |
| 22 | Reverse of smart guy, one probing obscene material in China (9) | |
| PORCELAIN | ALEC (‘smart guy’ as in ‘smart Alec’) reversed + I (one) in or ‘probing’ PORN (obscene material) | |
| 24 | Vocal activity in bar just as expected in drunken rake (7) | |
| KARAOKE | AOK (just as expected) in an anagram of RAKE – anagrind is ‘drunken’ | |
| 25 | Respectful address? The last thing to appear in Fife rioting (7) | |
| EFFENDI | END (the last thing) ‘appearing’ in an anagram of FIFE – anagrind is ‘rioting’ | |
| 26 | Last one million invested in river processing (9) | |
| TREATMENT | This took some figuring out – it’s EAT (‘last one’, i.e. 25d – last clue) M (million) ‘invested’ in TRENT (river) | |
| 27 | Line subsequently encountered again in Australia? That’s funny (4) | |
| LOLZ | L (line) + L (line again, ‘subsequently encountered’) in OZ (Australia) – a new word for us. We thought it was the plural of LOL but apparently it is the plural noun to describe amusement derived from mischievous or provocative behaviour on the internet. So many other words could have fitted in here, that we felt that this must a thematic reference ….. if there was a theme. | |
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | Lights, say, not working? Almost completely (5) | |
| OFFAL | OFF (not working) + AL |
|
| 3 | Is interrupting half college, producing great upheaval (7) | |
| SEISMIC | IS ‘interrupting’ SEMI (half) C (college) | |
| 4 | Departed, abandoning number in the rain (3) | |
| WET | WE |
|
| 5 | Trial re: nine crooks, following much reading of texts? (11) | |
| INTERLINEAR | An anagram of TRIAL RE NINE – anagrind is ‘crooks’ – another new word for us, and a not-very-helpful definition – ‘written between lines’ is the Chambers definition | |
| 6 | Unfortunate appearance limiting the French magician’s skill (7) | |
| SLEIGHT | SIGHT (unfortunate appearance) round or ‘limiting’ LE (‘the’ in French) | |
| 7 | Cross lines, failing to engage with dancing dog (9) | |
| CHIHUAHUA | CHI (the Greek letter whose symbol is ‘X’ – cross) + HU |
|
| 8 | Excitedly ran height trial, having ability to float (7-4-3) | |
| LIGHTER-THAN-AIR | An anagram of RAN HEIGHT TRIAL – anagrind is ‘excitedly’ | |
| 9 | Passes on changes to indoor toilet? (5,3,6) | |
| KICKS THE BUCKET (?) | We’re really not happy with this, but can’t think that it is anything else – to KICK THE BUCKET is to die or ‘pass on’, but we can only imagine that it might also be a phrase used in the Antipodes, where perhaps a bucket is an inside toilet? But would you then kick it to change it? | |
| 13 | Transfigured prophet rose – in this? (11) | |
| TROPOSPHERE | Cryptic definition – an anagram of PROPHET ROSE – anagrind is ‘transfigured’ | |
| 16 | Restaurant supports most of a sequence of events (9) | |
| BRASSERIE | BRAS (supporters) + SERIE |
|
| 19 | Sailing vessel at edge of briny, covered in quantity of paint (7) | |
| CATBOAT | AT B (first letter or ‘edge’ of ‘briny’) ‘covered’ in COAT (quantity of paint) – another new word for us | |
| 20 | Elevated sensation carried into ear with joy (7) | |
| GLEEFUL | FEEL (sensation) ‘carried’ in LUG (ear) all reversed or ‘elevated’ | |
| 23 | Cancel apostle heading off to gather names (5) | |
| ANNUL | ||
| 25 | Take in American in Spielberg film (3) | |
| EAT | A (American) in ET (Spielberg film) | |
This was a quick solve for me but thanks for sorting out the parsing of 10a and 26a, which had defeated me. For 9d, I take it a bucket is what you might use when you don’t have an indoor toilet. When you change to an indoor toilet (from this less salubrious arrangement), you get rid of it (‘kick’ as in ‘kick the habit’). Maybe not the most convincing clue but humorous. Lolz!
Thanks Phi and B&J. I liked this one just as much as usual, particularly the shorter clues for the shorter words. My only niggle is that “distance on the el” is surely in miles rather than kilometres, but I got the idea.
Well I liked it-only theme or thread I could see was a bit scientific ( I expect Turgenev to be involved somewhere)-only hint of a nina was the Gunners’ goalie.Sorry you didnt enjoy it-good blog all the same.
I thought this was the usual good Phi puzzle. I didn’t really get slapped in the face by any rough surfaces, but on re-reading the clues, I can see a bit what you mean.
I liked KICKS THE BUCKET. It’s a bit whimsical, but it made me smile. LOLZ was new to me.
Theme? You’re asking the wrong person. Thanks to Phi for the first Indy puzzle I’ve been able to finish since Tuesday, and to B&J in the Scillies. I shall listen out on tomorrow morning’s shipping bulletin to see if you’ve been blown away.
Good weekend to all.