Guardian 27,131 – Rufus

February 27, 2017 at 7:15 am by Andrew

This was a puzzle of two halves for me today – the top half was pretty much a write-in, with the bottom taking a bit longer, probably because of the preponderance of cryptic and double definitions in the later downs.Thanks to Rufus.

Across
1.	ACRYLIC	Bill and Cyril worked to produce fibre (7) AC (account, bill) + CYRIL*
5.	STIPEND	Wages and gratuity in post (7) TIP in SEND
9.	LIMBS	Fifty-one doctors appear to be members (5) LI (51) + M.B.S
10.	REALISTIC	Article is made true to life (9) (ARTICLE IS)*
11.	WATERTIGHT	Certain to get drunk on Adam’s ale (10) WATER (Adam’s Ale) + TIGHT (drunk)
12.	LAIR	Look on pound as an animal refuge (4) L (pound) + AIR = look (noun)
14.	SEE STRAIGHT	Sounds like narrow waters but don’t be confused (3,8) Homophone of “sea strait”
18.	HIBERNATING	Breathing in irregularly when asleep in winter (11) (BREATHING IN)*
21.	NUTS	Stagger back, deprived of one’s wits (4) Reverse of STUN
22.	DISTILLERY	It raises the spirit (10) Cryptic definition
25.	HEARTFELT	Courage perceived to be genuine (9) HEART + FELT
26.	DWARF	Overshadow Snow White’s friend (5) Double definition
27.	ISTHMUS	This difficult sum recalled Panama, perhaps (7) THIS* + reverse of SUM
28.	PURCELL	Cruel fluctuation in pence and pound for composer (7) CRUEL in P + L (pound, again)
Down
1.	ALLOWS	Grants permits (6) Double definition (just about)
2.	REMOTE	Distant meteor disintegrates (6) METEOR*
3.	LAST RESORT	No choice for this holiday destination? (4,6) Cryptic defiinition, or perhaps defiinition + hint
4.	CORGI	Canine tooth one has right in the centre (5) R in the centre of COG I
5.	SPAGHETTI	You may wind up eating it (9) Cryptic definition, referring to the technique of winding spaghetti round a fork
6.	IRIS	Girl puts one over teacher being sent up (4) I + reverse of SIR
7.	ESTRANGE	Split up and set off with compass (8) SET* + RANGE (compass)
8.	DECORATE	Give one an order to paint? (8) Double definition
13.	HANG-GLIDER	Powerless person in the air (4-6) Cryptic definition
15.	EXAMINEES	They may pass on what they know (9) Cryptic definition (not EXAMINERS, as I carelessly put at first)
16.	SHANGHAI	Take-away Chinese place? (8) Double definition
17.	ABSTRACT	Summary is merely theoretical (8) Double definition
19.	DEBATE	Be up in time for a parliamentary occasion (6) Reverse of BE in DATE
20.	EYEFUL	Beauty that totally occupies the viewer (6) Double definition
23.	TOTUP	Get child out of bed to do sums (3,2) The TOT is UP
24.	STEM	Stop! It’s a hold-up! (4) Double definition – a stem holds up a flower of leaf

41 comments on “Guardian 27,131 – Rufus”

Fohan

#1 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 08:06

A very pleasant breakfast solve. Now back to Paul’s on Saturday.

Thanks Rufus and Andrew
drofle

#2 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 08:10

A write-in for me also except for getting stuck on EXANINEES as I had carelessly put in SET STRAIGHT instead of SEE STRAIGHT. But an enjoyable Rufus as ever. Favourites were ACRYLIC and SHANGHAI. Thanks to R & A.
appino

#3 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 08:22

Thanks, Rufus and Andrew. That might have been a P.B. for me, if not it was close (I don’t actually keep records).

Surely EXAMINEES are more likely to pass on what they *don’t* know? Although I admit that would make the surface a little gnomic.
appino

#4 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 08:24

Oh hang on I realised it meant “pass” as in achieved a passing grade, not as in declined to answer. Whoops.

B- for me this morning…
Roger

#5 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 08:37

Thanks Rufus and Andrew.
In self-defence, I’ll make a case for EXAMINERS, who pass (award passing marks to) candidates on the basis of their, the examiners’, expert knowledge, without which they wouldn’t get to be examiners capable of making a judgement. Luckily the ambiguous E/R wasn’t a crosser.
WhiteKing

#6 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 08:49

Straightforward and enjoyable – a great crossword for new solvers to build their confidence, as was yesterday’s Everyman. Thank you Rufus and Andrew.
beery hiker

#7 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 08:55

I was going to say it was all pleasant and straightforward, but I see I got EXAMINEES wrong too…

Thanks to Rufus and Andrew
muffin

#8 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 09:19

Thanks Rufus and Andrew

I liked REALISTIC, WATERTIGHT and SHANGHAI. I didn’t like LAST RESORT, EYEFUL (Beauty? Why?) or NUTS (Guardian style-guide?), and as for ALLOWS…..
William

#9 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 09:50

Morning, all, and thank you, Andrew.

Another SET STRAIGHT here (pure carelessness brought on by solving at high speed).

I ticked the same ones as Muffin and would only add a comment on HIBERNATING: what a shame to squander such an excellent anagram on a definition as blindingly obvious “asleep in winter”? A tragedy!

Other than that, a pleasant start to the week.

Nice week, all.
Hammer

#10 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 10:11

Thanks Andrew and Rufus. My first write in! Loved it.
Trismegistus

#11 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 10:19

I really wasn’t sure about 21a. How can “stagger” mean “stun”? When the penny dropped, I was staggered.

Maybe too easy, but as others have pointed out, it’s always good to encourage new solvers. And people like me, who are trying to get back into old habits after a few years.

Thanks, Rufus and Andrew.
Rewolf

#12 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 10:32

Fohan above refers to Paul on Saturday. That was a very curious Paul , and almost Rufusish in its setting. And a prize puzzle. Odd all round.
Robi

#13 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 10:33

Thanks Rufus and Andrew.

Good start to the week, although the number of cd and dd meant crossers were desperately needed. I wondered for a moment why METS meant hold! I thought of baked beans for 5d but it didn’t fit in.

As well as Muffin’s faves, I liked DISTILLERY.
Trailman

#14 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 10:42

Snow White didn’t just have one friend who was a DWARF, she had lots of friends who were dwarves. Sorry to be nit-picky, just feel I should pick on something, for it was all over so quickly.
Cookie

#15 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 11:02

Thank you Rufus and Andrew.

Loved all of it, even muffin’s dislikes, especially LAST RESORT – COED gives for EYEFUL “a visually striking person or thing”, people sometimes say “Get an eyeful of that”.
Stuart

#16 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 11:33

Thank you Rufus and Andrew.

All good today, as was yesterday’s Everyman, but Saturday’s prize was a complete washout.
Alan B

#17 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 12:35

I’ve experienced two ‘write-ins’ this year, both of them by Rufus, but this wasn’t one of them! It was straightforward, though, and I see that muffin (@8) wrote my list of favourites for me (REALISTIC, SHANGHAI and WATERTIGHT).

1d ALLOWS was a bit weak – what I would call a single entendre, which is much the same as what you said, Andrew.

As for 15d EXAMINEES, I tossed a coin, and the right answer came up. (There is a case, albeit weaker, for EXAMINERS, I feel.)

Thanks to Rufus, that grand old man of cryptic crosswords, whose puzzles were again the subject of discussion on a recent thread. I used to be too critical of Rufus and his output, but on the basis that I never waste my time trying to complete a crossword that I don’t enjoy, irrespective of who compiled it, I can only be positive towards this unique setter.

Thanks also to Andrew for his blog.
Crossbencher

#18 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 12:59

Agree. Examiners seemed the obvious reply to me.
dutch

#19 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 13:27

I also had SET STRAIGHT, causing some delay with EXAMINEES. Apart from that, oh and apart from trying to justify WATERPROOF at first, all went swimmingly – many thanks Rufus
Tyngewick

#20 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 13:29

Thanks both.

I liked LAIR and DEBATE which were almost as if Rufus was toying with us by setting an un rufus-like clue. It’s a shame this wasn’t a bit harder, as I’m planning on giving up crosswords for Lent, except the Saturday prize.
bobloblaw

#21 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 13:33

so nearly there today but held up by 16d which I still don’t get – can anyone elaborate the relevance of ‘take-away’ in the clue?

27a was a new word to me too
Cookie

#22 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 13:42

Inside No 9 – 28/2/17

Posted by Admin on 27th February 2017

Admin.
I have received the following from Alan Conner (the blue italics are my additions):

“A quick heads-up to say that there’s a programme on BBC Two tomorrow (28/2/17 at 10pm) which I suspect will be of interest to all people 225. It’s a one-off episode of Inside No 9 (a 30 minute dark comedy): the lead character is a cryptic setter (Professor Squires) who is visited by a woman called Nina, and the whole thing is based around a puzzle. (Disclosure: I feature briefly and needlessly in the credits as “crossword consultant” or similar.)”

Some of you might not have seen this announcement.
Keith

#23 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 13:48

Shame to see “tot up” and “abstract” again so soon.
Dermo

#24 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 13:51

I like Rufus, partly because his are almost the only Guardian cryptics I can fully complete (though not always with total accuracy – I put in EXAMINERS rather than the, in hindsight, obviouly more fitting EXAMINEES). My only quibble today is with 24d. STEM=hold up. I accept Andrew’s parsing but the clue is a bit subpar for Rufus.
Cookie

#25 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 13:58

bobloblaw @21; to SHANGHAI someone is to force them to be a sailor on a ship by using drugs or other trickery or, in the past, to snatch them off the Bund, the waterfront of Shanghai, on to a boat.
ACD

#26 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 14:16

Thanks to Rufus and Andrew. I too finished quickly with a pause over EXAMINER/E. Lots of fun as usual.
bobloblaw

#27 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 14:24

thanks Coookie @25.
Steve Tomlin

#28 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 14:51

I’m only a month in to these, have been doing past Rufus puzzles and feel like I’m getting his style. I missed 15, 24 or 25 today and only got 21 because of the other letters but pleased with my progress.
Can you recommend other setters for a keen novice?
Peter Aspinwall

#29 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 14:58

Rufus as usual! A quick solve which would have been even quicker had it not been for me opting for SET STRAIGHT. EXAMINEES put paid to that! Liked ISTHMUS.
Thanks Rufus.
drofle

#30 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 15:23

Steve Tomlin @ 28 – Try Chifonie, who occasionally substitutes for Rufus on Mondays. Good luck!
Simon S

#31 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 15:45

Steve @ 28

I wouldn’t suggest limiting yourself to the ‘easier’ setters. Assuming you’re approaching things in the pirit of exploration and learning, have a go at any and all of them. You may find it disheartening at first, but if you persevere and use resources such as this site, you will start to appreciate the wide range of devices the setters use, and also gain a better understanding of parsing. When I first first started (I’ve done crosswords in distinct phases in my life) I was rubbish, lucky to get a handful of clues, but gradually improved over time.

If you adopt a similar approach I believe your learning will be faster and your sense of progress as your solving expands will be that much greater. You’ll soon recognise that some setters are goign to cause you immense grief, but just remember that they are human too and had to start somewhere.

The other tack you could try is to look at the ‘setters’ page on this site, where you’ll see the different aliases setters use in different papers, so for instance if you see Dante in the FT you’ll know it’s Rufus in disguise. The guardian FT & Indy are all available free online, though the latter’s website is a particularly gruesome affair to navigate. And don’t forget Everyman in the Observer on Sundays – has has his knotty ones but is generally at the easier end of the scale.

Above all, stick at it, and you’ll soon realise you’ve become addicted.

hth
John E

#32 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 16:33

Steve @28 — that widely distributed freesheet the Metro has a quite satisfying crossword in its print edition.
Anonymous

#33 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 18:15

I had NECROMANCY at 22ac until the crossers ruled it out, but maybe that’s just me.
Pleased to learn that a cog can be the tooth on the wheel as well as the whole wheel (and a tenon as well).
Thanks to setter and blogger.
Paul (not that one)

#34 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 18:42

Oh good. I thought it was just me.
laerkuh

#35 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 19:56

Thank you Andrew and Rufus

Too straightforward: some puzzles retain their mystique as the grid fills (eg Saturday Prize). This one didn’t so consequently I suffered from premature completion, leaving me empty and hollow.

Two reasons is has to be EXAMINEE in 15d: 1) the two occurrences of ‘they’ would by default have the same antecedent, and 2) EXAMINERS don’t pass on what they know. The other possibility is that ‘pass on’ might mean ‘refrain’ (I’m gong to pass on a second helping), which is obviously not applicable.
ezzie

#36 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 20:08

I rather enjoyed this despite a brain freeze moment when I put chip shop instead of Shanghai well they are called takeaways. Realised mistake pretty quickly. I also put examiners. Favourites Shanghai and debate. Thank you Rufus and Andrew.
Steve Tomlin

#37 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 20:19

Thanks to drofle, Simon S & John for ideas and encouragement. Thanks also to all the bloggers here who are helping me learn.
psmith

#38 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 20:50

Thanks Rufus & Andrew.
8 down contains five definitions of decorate:
Give one an order;
An order to paint;
Order to paint;
To paint;
Paint.
Admittedly, some of the definitions overlap, but perhaps that justifies the question mark in the clue.
Pino

#39 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 21:27

Thanks to Rufus and Andrew. Fewer smiles than usual but still Rufus’s clear surfaces.
Paul at the weekend seems to have divided opinion. I thought it was OK though I completed it more quickly than this one.
Julie in Australia

#40 - Mon 27th Feb 17, 23:12

Thanks to Rufus and Andrew.

Not a write-in for me either, due to similar errors to others – e.g. trying to “SET STRAIGHT” rather than “SEE STRAIGHT” at 14a.

I liked LAST RESORT at 3d but Rufus puzzles often elicit divided opinions.

Quite enjoyable. Thanks to all contributors for an interesting forum response.
michelle

#41 - Tue 28th Feb 17, 11:13

I loved this puzzle. My favourites were see straight, debate, estrange, stipend, nuts.

Thank you Rufus and blogger.

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