Guardian Cryptic 27,137 by Rufus

by

Double definitions galore.

If you’re a fan of double definitions and barely disguised anagrams, this is the puzzle for you.

If not, you might find this a bit dull, as I did.

Thanks, Rufus.

Across
9 HEAVY Overweight actor playing the villain? (5)
  Double definition
10 ECONOMICS Coins come into this field of study (9)
  *(coins come)
11 FORGOTTEN Do without lost tent that’s been left behind (9)
  FORGO (do without) + *(tent)
12 COCOA Come out with me more than once to have a drink (5)
  CO(me) + CO(me) + A
13 TEACAKE One or two items on the afternoon menu? (7)
  TEACAKE is one item, TEA and CAKE two items.
15 CLEARED Brightened up, when found not guilty (7)
  Double definition
17 SWELL Splendid organ effect (5)
  Double definition
18 ELF Little fellow not de­pressed, just confused (3)
  *(fel) (“fellow” without “low”, i.e. “not depressed”)

Fellow is doing double duty here?
20 TRITE After time, ceremony becomes commonplace (5)
  T(ime) + RITE (ceremony)
22 ANOTHER One more metamor­phosis on earth (7)
  *(another)
25 REREDOS Red rose embroidered for church screen (7)
  *(red rose)
26 DATES Fruit goes out of fashion (5)
  Double definition
27 SACRED COW Scared, possibly by bully — one given undue respect (6,3)
  *(scared) + COW (bully)
30 ARMAMENTS Munitions produced by man and master (9)
  *(man master)
31 PANEL Penal reform board (5)
  *(penal)
Down
1 CHEF French master responsible for courses (4)
  Double definition
2 CARRIAGE Bearing the cost of transport (8)
  Double definition
3 TYRO Learner — one from a part of Austria? (4)
  TYRO(l)
4 AESTHETE He appreciates the exquisite tea these provide (8)
  *(tea these)
5 COGNAC Drink, when cold, can go the wrong way (6)
  C(old) + *(can go)
6 DORCHESTER Records the development of Wessex town (10)
  *(records the)
7 PINCER Prince demolished part of a king crab (6)
  *(prince)
8 ASIA Part of the Burma-Siam landmass (4)
  Hidden in “BurmA-SIAm”
13 TESSA She has the advantage, when climbing (5)
  <+ASSET (advantage)
14 ALL THE SAME There’s a lack of variety, still (3,3,4)
  Double definition, just about
16 DRESS Suit oneself (5)
  Cryptic definition
19 FORECAST Expect warning shout to players (8)
  FORE (warning shout) + CAST (players)
21 INDECENT Disenchanted, dash out upset, it’s lewd. (8)
  *(diencnte) (“disenchanted” without “dash”)
23 OPTIMA Choose one mother — the best! (6)
  OPT + 1 + MA
24 RISING Mounting a revolt (6)
  Double definition
26 DRAB Rather dull sailor put under the doctor (4)
  A(ble) B(odied) (sailor) “put under” Dr.
28 ESPY Yes, about to include parking spot (4)
  *(spy) “about “P(arking)
29 WOLF A pack animal? (4)
  Cryptic definition

*anagram

41 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 27,137 by Rufus”

  1. I didn’t mind this puzzle because I solved it quickly and wanted to come on the forum to see whether it was working properly again. And yes!!!! My cached iPad link is back to normal. So all is well in my world, but it was good to be reminded that I shouldn’t just take fifteensquared for granted, and a lesson in the enjoyment I derive from these online connections.

    I enjoyed “tea” and “cake” – TEACAKE – ar 13a. SACRED COW at 27a was my favourite.

    I thought 29a WOLF, was weakly clued and not very cryptic.

    Nevertheless, thanks to Rufus for the setting and Loonapick for the blogging.

  2. Like Julie in Oz, I also thought WOLF was more of a quick than cryptic clue, but overall I enjoyed having a light start to the week thanks to Rufus’ unique style. I raised an eyebrow at ECONOMICS where I can’t see an anagram indicator – ‘into’ doesn’t seem right. Thanks, Loonapick and Rufus.

  3. Thought this was Rufus upping the ante after the last couple – or maybe that’s my brain after the weekend – NW corner waited for a while for completion. Agree about “pack animal” – the misdirection was less obvious than the answer. Good fun for a Monday morning though.

    Thanks Rufus and loonapick

  4. I didn’t really mind the lack of anagrind in 10ac ECONOMICS – as it sort of works as an &lit – (perhaps a question-mark would have been in order instead)?

    I’m still puzzled by 29a WOLF – can’t quite how it works as a cryptic definition, rather than a straight definition – (but Rufus can often be more subtle than first appears, so maybe there’s something more to this one)

  5. Thanks Rufus and loonapick

    I found this a lot harder than a typical Rufus – the NW in particular – and, not unusually, the “Check” button was much in use for the “cryptic definitions”. I liked ECONOMICS, which is at least an “extended definition”, and SACRED COW.

    I don’t quite see how we are instructed to remove “me” from “come” twice to give COCOA, though that is surely the intention? “Mounting” doesn’t mean “rising” in any context I can think of – similar but not interchangeable.

    pedrox @4
    We are supposed to think of mules etc. for “pack animals”, but wolves live in packs.

  6. Thanks loonapick and, as ever, Rufus

    A quick solve but plenty to like. TEACAKE also one of my favourites.

    I read 2ac as – Coins come (the fodder) into this (the indicator) field of study (the definition).

  10. An easy but pleasant start to the week. Most done at first run through. Muffin – come “out with me” (more than once) We really liked that clue.

  13. I also got a bit stuck when I first looked at the NW corner so did that last, but it was usual Rufus fare and I enjoyed it. Favourites were TEACAKE, AESTHETE and CARRIAGE for the clever surface. Thanks to R and L.

  14. Thanks, loonapick.

    I agree with Hammer at both 6 and 7. I read 2ac exactly as s/he did and thought it was a great clue.

    And, like, Applegranny, I liked COCOA. – thanks, Rufus. 😉

    loonapick, in 28 dn, YES is the anagram fodder.

  15. I was expecting to look at the archive and fine previous occurrences of the “coins come” anagram, but no – at least not in the Guardian since 1999. All pretty much what we have come to expect from Rufus, so no complaints.

    Thanks to Rufus and loonapick

  18. Thanks both.

    Pleasant enough solve, if a little on the dry side for Rufus.

    The double duty of fellow in the ELF clue is a bit odd as is the inexplicably uncryptic WOLF.

    Muffin @5 I went for “A situation of rising/mounting tension” and thought it was close enough.

    Ticked COGNAC, ECONOMICS, & CARRIAGE and was surprised that my spelling of forego is not the only one.

    Not his best perhaps but it gets us started well enough.

    Nice week, all.

  19. Thanks Rufus and loonapick.

    I was another leaving the NW quadrant until last.

    I wasn’t particularly bothered about the double duty of fellow in ELF; it was easy enough to solve anyway. As muffin @5 said, for pack animal we were supposed to think of llama, mules etc.

    I liked TEA CAKE, COCOA and SACRED COW.

  20. Thanks to Rufus and loonapick for a fine and gentle start to the week!! Say what you like about Rufus (and we on 225 do tend to discuss his crosswords at length), his surfaces are always impeccable, as I’m sure Eileen would affirm! Personally I have been very pleased with the last few weeks’ offerings – yes even the Sphinx – so I am confident of another fine set of tests to come.

  21. A pleasant and straightforward start to the week – in fairly sharp contrast to what was a stiff test on Saturday. I really liked COCOA though it wasn’t until after I solved it that I understood the cluing. Thanks to Rufus for the puzzle and to loonapick for the blog.

  23. Thank you Rufus and loonapick.

    A pleasant start to the week. I was rather confused by the parsing of FORGOTTEN, kept trying to get the TTEN from ‘losT TENt’, the definition given seems strange. Favourites were COCOA, TEACAKE, CARRIAGE and SACRED COW,

  24. Anyone else notice the rogue full stop in 21d? With other setters it might have had significance.

  25. Having that 10 begins with E, I was misled into putting ETYMOLOGY, thinking of coins as being neologisms.

  26. Thanks to Rufus and loonapick. I enjoyed this gentle stroll at the beginning of the week.

    As usual some delightful surfaces (10ac, 6dn) and some more or less straight definitions (29dn).

    Swatty @ 11: there are lots of double entendres round (ahem)organ playing. I sing in a church choir so I have heard most of them.

  27. I suppose WOLF was a bit naff and the puzzle was quite easy,but I did enjoy it and didn’t find it boring. We know what we’re going to get with Rufus and this was more of the same. I liked TEACAKE,ECONOMICS and SACRED COW -and I didn’t notice any rudery in 17 ac. Perhaps I’m slipping.
    Thanks Rufus.

  29. Is there any significance to the “king” in 7 down? Don’t all crabs have pincers, albeit possibly more commonly referred to as claws?

  30. Thanks to Rufus and loonapick. Nothing to add, other than to echo muffin@5 that I too sometimes resort to the Check button with Rufus puzzles for his CDs (could this answer be correct?). Still, I do enjoy these Monday outings.

  31. Gentle stroll with Rufus as always. It gets us off to a steady start from which things can only get worse. Thanks to everyone.

  33. Quite enjoyed this, for TEACAKE and COCOA in particular, and the joy of ‘metamorphosis’ as an anagrind. Yes, we had to put up with WOLF as well, but for some solvers that would have been a much-needed way in.

  34. Muffin @5 “out with” (or more commonly “outwith”) is a variation of “without” – probably more common in Northern parts of the British Isles.

    I found this relatively difficult for a Rufus, although I’m pleased to say 25a was not a problem. I probably visit too many churches in a tourist capacity (and not enough in any other mode of being…)

    29d was disappointing, I agree. Also questioned the doubling-up of “fellow” in 18a.

    Some typos in loonapick’s otherwise excellent guide:

    22a is *(on earth), of course
    28d is *(yes), not *(spy)

    – but as no-one else has commented, I’m sure you all picked up on them.

  36. I found this a tougher Rufus and like others NW was the last corner. Plenty to enjoy and the odd quibble but much more of the former for me. I think Rufus offers a very distinct type of puzzle and it doesn’t use some of the more esoteric cluing devices is often more of a workout by having to think of different whole meanings rather than being able to construct the answer from piecing together bits of the clue to get the answer.
    Muffin @5 – I took “Mounting a revolt” to be “Mounting” = “Rising” and “a revolt” = “(a)rising”. I don’t know what you’d call this type of clue.
    Thanks Rufus and loonapick.

  38. minor point but surely 5d is C + (CAN GO reversed) rather than merely an anagram of CAN GO.

  39. Perhaps this is obvious to everyone, but just in case …

    The phrase “pack animal” generally refers to a beast of burden such as a donkey, so using to mean “an animal who travels in packs” is arguably cryptic. But I agree that this is toward the lower end of crypticness (crypticity?).

  40. Magor @29: Perhaps the setter specified a “king crab” in a (not especially effective) effort to make the solver read “Prince demolished part of a king” with “crab” as the definition.

  41. I agree with Ted that a “pack animal” is an animal that carries packs like a donkey and not one that lives in packs like a wolf. Hence the question mark.
    As someone moving on from Quiptic to Cryptic, I usually find Rufus very accessible but this one was a bit harder than usual.

Comments are closed.