Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 7, 2016
I raced through this puzzle rather surprising myself by how on form and fast I was. As usual with Alberich it has a number of clever clues. My clue of the week is 1a (DROP A CLANGER) and honourable mentions go to 11a (TRAMPLE), 15a (RUMPY-PUMPY), 26a (SWINDLE), 6d (GRAND) and 23d (VIDEO).
| Across | ||
| 1 | DROP A CLANGER | Do a stupid thing and prang old English car when sloshed (4,1,7) |
| Anagram (when sloshed) of PRANG OLD E[nglish] CAR | ||
| 10 | INSURED | Used shelters close to bypass and took cover (7) |
| [bypas]S in INURED (used) | ||
| 11 | TRAMPLE | Oddly tyre has more than enough tread (7) |
| T[y]R[e] + AMPLE (more than enough) | ||
| 12 | HIRER | One lets out hot rage, right? (5) |
| H (hot) + IRE (rage) + R (right) | ||
| 13 | GRADIENT | Inclination to cut out housing allowance? The contrary (8) |
| DIE (cut out) in (housing) GRANT (allowance) | ||
| 15 | RUMPY-PUMPY | It could be my puppy barking after a drink (5-5) |
| RUM (a drink) + anagram (barking) of MY PUPPY | ||
| 16 | DELI | In recession I was in charge of shop (4) |
| I (I) + LED (was in charge of) all backwards (in recession) | ||
| 18 | EASY | Take part in debate as you’re relaxed (4) |
| Hidden word | ||
| 20 | OBLITERATE | Old drunk interrupts to scold and strike out (10) |
| O (old) + LIT (drunk) in BERATE (scold) | ||
| 22 | THIEVERY | Husband in bind’s really taking offence (8) |
| H (husband) in TIE (bind) + VERY (really). With a nice cryptic definition. | ||
| 24 | DRAFT | Man on board recited sketch (5) |
| Homophone of “draught” (man on board) | ||
| 26 | SWINDLE | Special drink’s about 500 quid? That’s a rip-off (7) |
| S (special) + DL (500 quid) in WINE (drink) | ||
| 27 | POPULAR | What a bestseller is, or a pulp novel (7) |
| Anagram (novel) of OR A PULP | ||
| 28 | STOCK-IN-TRADE | Italian team lacking energy in defence? It’s basic stuff (5-2-5) |
| INT[e]R (Italian team lacking energy) in STOCKADE (defence) | ||
| Down | ||
| 2 | ROSTRUM | Where maestro stands or rises to play the guitar? (7) |
| OR (or) backwards + STRUM (to play the guitar) | ||
| 3 | PORTRAYS | Side gets level, according to commentary, and draws (8) |
| PORT (side) + RAYS (homophone of “raze”) | ||
| 4 | CODA | Conclusion reached by medic upset one (4) |
| DOC (medic) backwards (upset) + A (one) | ||
| 5 | ANTHROPOID | Casually drop a hint about love for ape (10) |
| O (love) in anagram (casually) of DROP A HINT | ||
| 6 | GRAND | Terrific piano, £1,000 overall (5) |
| Quadruple (!!!!) definition | ||
| 7 | REPLETE | Runs on empty, not having first filled up (7) |
| R (runs) + [d]EPLETE (empty not having first) | ||
| 8 | HIGH PRIESTESS | One gaining hierarchical power, primarily in rites she’s involved? (4,9) |
| Anagram (involved) of G[aining] H[ierarchical] P[ower] IN RITES SHE. Almost an &lit. ‘Almost’ because, as far as I can see, ‘one’ plays no part in the wordplay. | ||
| 9 | WEST SIDE STORY | Extra floor said to accommodate new sets for musical (4,4,5) |
| Anagram (new) of SETS in WIDE STORY (homophone of “wide storey”) | ||
| 14 | RUBBERNECK | Stare at one polishing brass (10) |
| RUBBER (one polishing) + NECK (brass) | ||
| 17 | FELDSPAR | Mineral I extracted from ground needs box (8) |
| F[i]ELD (I extracted from ground) + SPAR (box) | ||
| 19 | SPIRITS | Sputters, having swallowed Irish whiskey and gin? (7) |
| IR (Irish) in SPITS (sputters) | ||
| 21 | AVAILED | Took advantage of a very backward woman (7) |
| A (a) + V (very) + DELIA (woman) backwards | ||
| 23 | VIDEO | Half of capital’s spent making film (5) |
| [monte]VIDEO (half of capital) | ||
| 25 | SPIN | Square leg drive (4) |
| S (square) + PIN (leg) | ||
Got almost nowhere with this one. Less than half solved, but I did get 15ac. The definition, very vague i know, is “after a drink”. One meets the partner, both have a drink, or several, and then go to bed for the sex (rumpy-pumpy). Well that’s my best effort.
IT is a euphemism for rumpy-pumpy as in “did you get it last night?”
Thanks Alberich and Pete
I think the definition in 22 is ‘taking offence’, as there are many other offences besides theft.
Ah, I am used to ‘it’ being used to clue sex appeal but I think this is the first time I have come across it cluing simply sex. Thank you, cruciverbophile.
And thank you, Simon S. You are certainly right about ‘taking offence’.
Thanks Alberich and Pete
Like you, I found this a little easier than normal for this setter when I did it last weekend. Started off with that impressive quadruple at 6d and the rest unfolding steadily after that.
I admire the subtle way that he camouflages the definition – and one needs to be on one’s toes to appreciate them – the best being that ‘taking offence’, where it clearly articulated the crime itself whilst leading one away in the sense of ‘being offended’ – brilliant. He does that throughout the puzzle.
RUMPY-PUMPY was a new term for me and WEST SIDE STORY took a bit longer than it needed.
Ended up in the SW corner with VIDEO (always forget which Sth American country it is the capital of), the clever THIEVERY and SPIRITS (after finally seeing IR instead of I for Irish) as the last few in.
I’m with Malcolm on this and solved 15 out of the 28. I just don’t seem to be on Alberich’s wavelength.
I find a need to get used to any new setter but maybe there is a particularly high threshold one needs to crest with Alberich before one falls into his way of thinking. Then again maybe I will struggle with his next one while Malcolm and Bamberger dash it off.
Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay, a country I am keen to visit.
Came here for help with my DNF’s. I liked the cleverness of what I did get, we shall see how Alberich treats me in the future… Thanks Pete & A!