An excellent puzzle from Crucible, I though. The theme was …
… planets of the solar system. Each of the themed clues (without definition) is one of the planets (not including Pluto, which somewhat controversially is no longer classified as a planet), which gives us: MERCURY, VENUS, EARTH, MARS, JUPITER, SATURN, URANUS and NEPTUNE. I thought after getting a few of these and the long middle across clue (THE PLANETS SUITE) that the planets would be those in Holst’s work, but that doesn’t include EARTH.
Anyway, there was lots of enjoyable cluing here and I liked the theme.
Across
9. Family members have to run dynamo (9)
GENERATOR
GENERA = “Family members” (referring to the hierarchy of Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species – GENERA is the plural of Genus) + TO + R = “run”
Definition: “dynamo”
10. Insect maturing and going off at first? (5)
IMAGO
The first letters of I[nsect] M[aturing] A[nd] G[oing] O[ff]
Definition: the whole clue – a nice &lit.
11. Pity about European container train (7)
RETINUE
RUE = “Pity” around E = “European” + TIN = “container”
Definition: “train”
12. Sister Elizabeth drinks English port (7)
NEPTUNE
NUN = “Sister” + E = “Elizabeth” around E = “English” + PT = “port”
Definition: [themed clue]
13. Like blood as it enters the ear? (5)
VENUS
Sounds like “venous” – blood does relate to the veins
Definition: [themed clue]
14. Works in gallery, longing to welcome one school (9)
PAINTINGS
PANTING = “longing” around I = “one” followed by S = “school”. Many thanks to my colleague Abi for parsing this one – I got hung up on thinking “longing” must be “pining” or “pangs” which led nowhere.
Definition: “Works in gallery”
16. US pentathlete is getting revised score (3,7,5)
THE PLANETS SUITE
(US PENTATHLETE IS)*
Definition: “score” – this is a nice clue suggesting the theme, right across the middle of the grid
19. Daughter lives with farmer, a rye producer (9)
DISTILLER
D = “Daughter” + IS = “lives” + TILLER = “farmer”
Definition: “a rye producer”
21. Chap recalled collecting 14 (5)
EARTH
HE = “Chap” reversed around ART = “[PAINTINGS]”
Definition: [themed clue]
22. Exceptionally huge (7)
MERCURY
Alternate letters of H[u]G[e] give you “Hg”, the chemical symbol for Mercury. I don’t really like “Exceptionally” for indicating taking alternating letters – it’s not nearly so specific as “alternately”, “oddly”, etc.
Definition: [themed clue]
23. Nice setter right to carry up PCs etc (7)
JUPITER
“Nice setter” = JE (“I” (the setter) in French – “Nice” here is the French town) + R = “right” around UP + IT = “PCs etc” (referring to Information Technology)
Definition: [themed clue]
24. Fellow breaks needle and arm (5)
RIFLE
F = “Fellow” in RILE = “needle”
Definition: “arm”
25. Fiat’s big guns touring Italy (9)
ORDINANCE
ORDNANCE = “big guns” around I = “Italy”
Definition: “Fiat” (as in a decree)
Down
1. Put out a horse adjudged to have secured a victory (10)
AGGRAVATED
A + GG = “horse” + RATED =”adjudged” around A + V = “victory”
Definition: “Put out”
2. Popular view, for example (8)
INSTANCE
IN = “Popular” + STANCE = “view”
Definition: “example”
3. Superior American guards took flight (6)
URANUS
U = “Superior” (as in U and non-U) + US = “American” around RAN = “took flight”
Definition: [themed clue]
4. Viewer’s complaint occupied middle of last year (4)
STYE
Hidden in [la]ST YE[ar]
Definition: “Viewer’s complaint” (the “eye” being a “viewer”)
5. Old radio stations broadcast over river Rhine, primarily (10)
TRANSISTOR
(STATIONS)* around R = “river” followed by R[hine] = “Rhine, primarily”
Definition: “Old radio”
6. Girl’s set drugs in rows (8)
DISPUTES
DI’S = “Girl’s” + PUT = “set” + Es = “drugs”
Definition: D
7. Ace goes back to top (6)
SATURN
A = “Ace” + TURNS = “goes” (in a game, say) with the last letter put first (“back to top”)
Definition: [themed clue]
8. Soldier grabs 5 for 23 (4)
JOVE
JOE = “Soldier” around V = “5”
Definition: “23” = “[JUPITER]” – Jove is another name for the God Jupiter
14. Divers here aplenty, when analysed on TV (7,3)
PENALTY BOX
(APLENTY)* + BOX = “TV”
Definition: “Divers here” referring to football players diving (i.e. faking being tripped, etc. by another player) – it’s a lovely surface reading since this is often exposed when replayed on the TV
15. Worked with crook: sped off with deer and two horses (10)
SHEPHERDED
(SPED DEER H H)*
Definition: “Worked with crook”
17. Unhurried one bound to block light (8)
LEISURED
I = “one” + SURE = “bound” in LED = “light” (as in “Light Emitting Diode”)
Definition: “Unhurried”
18. Bother Irish girl not on vacation (8)
IRRITANT
IR = “Irish” + RITA = “girl” + N[o]T = “not on vacation” as in “after it’s been vacated”
Definition: “Bother” (as in “it’s a bother”)
20. Way to start widespread conflict (6)
STRIFE
ST = “Way” + RIFE = “widespread”
Definition: “conflict”
21. Ten cut disc and show growth (6)
EXPAND
EP = “disc” (an Extended Player) around X = “Ten” + AND
Definition: “show growth”
22. Dams releasing energy (4)
MARS
MARES = “Dams” (as in the female parent of an animal) without E = “energy”
Definition: [themed clue]
23. Sport owed money to auditor (4)
JUDO
Sounds like “due dough” = “owed money”
Definition: “Sport”
Thanks to Crucible and mhl. I got NEPTUNE early on, so that (unusually for me) everything fell into place for a quick solve. I needed help parsing MERCURY, but otherwise I finished quickly as opposed to several of the puzzles this past week. Much fun.
Much fun here — when I finally twigged the parsing for MERCURY (in the middle of the night) it was a real tea-tray moment. That and other clues this week inspired the following:
Constant, exceptionally friendly (5)
Thanks to setter and blogger.
Thank you to Crucible and mhl.
I liked this a lot and particularly enjoyed the theme.
However the parsing of NEPTUNE, MERCURY, JUPITER and SATURN all eluded me, so I only solved them from the theme and not the word play. Now that I know the explanations, I feel like I was being a bit obtuse. (I know have seen that “nice device” before to clue French words, for instance.) Mind you, MERCURY was particularly hard I thought. I was with you mhl, not having seen “exceptionally” used in that way before.
Glad I had more success with this puzzle than with some of the ones during the week!
[Sorry Gonzo@2, can’t see the solution to your clue. Doesn’t seem to follow the “Exceptionally huge” pattern of 22a. I keep thinking PLUTO but can’t see why it would be that?]
Meant “Nice device” with a capital “N”.
This was a complete contrast to last weeks Prize, which I felt needed a theme with the ‘special instructions’ clues so that you knew when you had the correct answer to write in. Here once I had the conjunction of Venus with Uranus the others were write ins, although I did’t properly parse Mercury and I did like The Planets Suite
Thanks Crucible and mhl
Two “tricksy” Prizes in a row, though this was a lot easier than last week’s once THE PLANETS SUITE had given the theme. I enjoyed solving this.
One quibble – a setter uses homophone clues at his peril, as always someone will say “it isn’t a homophone for me”. In this case, “ju” and “due” aren’t for me, as I pronounce the latter like “dew”.
Raced through this once the theme made itself known. But nowhere close tk parsing Mercury or Jupiter. And not cultured enough to realise Earth not part of Holst’Suite. (I knew Pluto, not yet discoverd at the time, was not there).
Thanks Crucible abd mhl for fun and explanation respectively.
Thanks all
Enjoyable, mercury especially impressive.
The not part in 22d plus the verb/noun switch gave me food for thought.
A nice puzzle from Crucible. One of his better ones IMHO.
Muffin @6
I know I’ve banged on about “alleged homophones” endlessly and have been apparently universally ignored. However here I go again.
23. Sport owed money to auditor (4) really doesn’t indicate a homophone. It is one of the many clues that suggest something that is heard. (i.e. auditor, on the radio, caught etc etc etc )
Hearing is what the “hearer” perceives NOT the actual sound or scientific frequencies which have been produced. This is affected by local sound pollution, the quality of the receiver’s hearing, the quaulity of the speaker’s vocalisation etc etc etc. All these clues indicate a word that could possibly be heard by the hearer and not the exact word which was intended although of course this is a possibility. They indicate “sounds like” not “is exactly the same pronunciation as” which would have to be clued in a much stricter way!
So “judo” and “due dough” certainly fit this rather loose criteria.
BNTO @9
So what you are saying is a “sounds like” clue actually means “sounds vaguely like”?
Like others things moved apace once the theme became clear, although my start point was EARTH. I didn’t parse JUPITER, but think it’s fair enough when I saw the parsing here. This is crossword land not the real world after all so setters can stretch the boundaries as they see fit and we can choose to like them or not. Yesterday’s Enigmatist was a good example of boundary stretching and whilst I didn’t (or couldn’t be bothered) to parse several of them I enjoyed solving the puzzle – although I have to admit I wouldn’t have succeeded if it had been a prize with no check the hunch facility available.
Thanks to Crucible and mhl for this one and to Enigmatist, PeterO and the check button for yesterday.
Thank you Crucible and mhl.
I enjoyed this, such a relief after last Saturday. Twigging on to THE PLANETS SUITE helped me fill in the grid, but I failed to parse MERCURY, JUPITER and SATURN. I also failed to understand PENALTY BOX – how I hate ‘footy’.
This was rather nice- and much easier than yesterday’s Enigmatist. I must admit that, once I’d established the theme, I tended to do some of the parsing after the event! I did like JUDO.
Thanks Crucible.
I got into the theme via 13a, VENUS (having checks at V and N). I guessed early on that “score” in 16a was a musical score and an anagram of “US pentathlete is”, but my poor knowledge of classical music meant I left it for a long time and the penny dropped with a most musical ring when I finally got it.
Luckily 23d, JUDO, was a perfect homophone for me, though it took a while to get.
Maybe it’s pedantry, but I think “two horses” in 15d, SHEPHERDED, was iffy. As I understand it, “horse” can stand for H because both are slang for heroin — but “two heroins” barely makes sense (two varieties of the drug, perhaps?). Maybe “sped off with deer and horse twice” would have been better technically, though clunkier as a surface.
@Mhl I think you meant to write the definition of 6d, DISPUTES, is “row”. In 18d, IRRITANT, “(up)on being vacated” is a closer “translation” of “on vacation”.
GONZO @2 (and Julie in Australia)
I don’t get it either.
Gonzo @2 and others.
Got it. PALLY.
Tony @ 14
I believe H as HORSE is used in equestrian circles, so ‘two horses’ for H H is valid.
hth
Simon S (1 above)
I clearly move in the wrong circles! (As does “Mr Chambers” though, I note — or did, in 1988).
Alan B (2 above)
Aha! Yes: PI, except I, on ALLY. Nice one, GONZO.
Me (4 above): *rows*
I’m with the majority here in saying how good and how enjoyable this crossword was.
23d JUDO was ok for me, as an exact homophone is not indicated. (Of course, it never is!) I note that the dictionaries give different pronunciations (in RP, presumably) for DUE and JU [the first syllable of JUDO], but there is no question in my mind that the sounds are alike in most if not all speech variants.
Like others, I couldn’t find a satisfactory reason for removing the two vowels from ‘Huge’ to make ‘Hg’. That’s the only quibble I had. (I could have said ‘alternate letters’, but that’s the point – there is no indication.)
JUPITER and SATURN were tricky to parse, but I got there eventually and thought that JUPITER was one of the best clues.
I was shamefully slow to get the long phrase going across the middle. I know the work, can hum bits of it and knew it was by Holst, but I had to have some crossers to help me.
Thanks to Crucible and mhl.
Light but enjoyable.
I had to wait until MARS for my first themer, but then the rest tumbled easily. This was bound to be a problem with such a short list for a theme. I liked parsing them anyway. Favourite was ORDINANCE. Thanks to the blog, I now see how good PENALTY BOX is.
Re: MERCURY, I wonder if Crucible considered “Not even huge”. That works for me (since it is the smallest), but perhaps “even” instead of “evenly” is not kosher?
A pleasant stroll for a Saturday morning.
Thanks, Crucible and mhl
Alan B @19
As an excuse, I’m prejudiced against the “jue” pronunciation – to me it’s lazy and about as appealing as the glottal stop or the dropped consonants at the ends of words 🙂
muffin @21
I presume you mean the “jue” pronunciation of “due”. The trouble is, it’s impractical to generalise this (or be prescriptive). For example, how would you say “Is it due?” I think I say it as “Is itjue?” But I do say “in due course”, not “in jue course”, and I would agree that the sound of the latter is not as pleasant.
phitonelly @20
I think your alternative clue for MERCURY works perfectly (using ‘even’ rather than ‘evenly’ for a better surface).
I can only wonder what the setter had in mind with the clue as published, as it seems to have mystified everybody. Crucible might have thought of your clue (or ‘Oddly huge’) but dismissed it as being too easy. Or perhaps there was some editorial influence.
“Is it dew”? I see no excuse for “jue”!
muffin @24
Oh dear! I think my time is dew.
Teacher:Give me a sentence with the word “judicious” in it.
Child, brought up on 1960s washing up liquid commercials, ” Hands that judicious can be soft as your face with mild green Fairy Liquid”. An even less convincing homophone. We always substituted “soft as your head”.
Right on! It’s a similar argument to the recent one about synonyms and antonyms. If we’re going to allow this level of slack clueing we might as well give up the whole thing. Let’s face it – a really skillful clue should be hard enough. Please, setters everywhere, don’t fall into this easy get-out.
[Tony. I’ve belatedly seen and responded to your post of 8 May on the General Discussion thread.]
[Alan
Thanks for reminding me]
[Muffin @21
Are you saying I don’t talk proper?! (The linguists say I can talk like I want)]
[Pino @26
Teacher:Give me a sentence with the word “horticulture” in it.
Pupil: You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think.]
This was all quite enjoyable, though to some extent the inevitability of the themers meant that you could place them first and parse them later, which definitely helped with MERCURY, MARS and SATURN. Much less frustrating than the previous week’s prize.
Thanks to Crucible and mhl
Another “in” puzzle, completely incomprehensible to the casual solver. Reading the solution there were so many contrived clues that I gave up. I’ve given up on a crossword before but this is a first: giving up on the solution. In disgust.