Well, this was certainly a puzzle to get your teeth into! Some easy entry clues but then others that required quite a bit of unpicking. My last parse (4dn) didn’t come until I was writing this preamble when I returned to the clue to see if I could remove the ??? that I had entered while writing the analysis.
In places a tough, but enjoyable and entertaining, puzzle so thanks Paul.
Across
1 Confidence in start of story, happy tale we hear? (7)
SWAGGER – S[tory] (start of story) WAGGER (happy tale we hear {happy tail})
5 Just like that, country on the Horn of Africa? (7)
SOMALIA – SO (just like that) MALI (country) A[frica] (Horn of Africa)
9 Period where beer without head knocked back (5)
RETRO – [p]ORTER (beer without head) reversed (knocked back)
10 Latest war criminal, marine (9)
SALTWATER – an anagram (criminal) of LATEST WAR
11 Strength among others, nothing in sarcastic characters (5,5)
TAROT CARDS – O (nothing) in TART (sarcastic) CARDS (characters) – if, like me, you know nothing about this pack have a read of this section of a Wikipedia article where you will find that ‘strength’ is the name of one of the cards.
12 Hit any number into net (4)
BANG – N (any number) in BAG (net)
14 Game played when up against difficult case, meaning one may be tied up at work? (12)
ESCAPOLOGIST – POLO (game played) after (when up against) an anagram (difficult) of CASE plus GIST (meaning)
18 Wicked thing, very strong plan I’m formulating in pursuit of soldier (8,4)
PARAFFIN LAMP – FF (very strong) plus an anagram (formulating) of PLAN I’M after (in pursuit of) PARA (soldier) – did you do as I did and start thinking about candles when you saw ‘wicked thing’?
21 Port — what’s in it? (4)
CORK – double/cryptic def. – the port in Ireland and what would be in a bottle of port.
22 Make some noise as cricket result tad surprising, India’s opener caught (10)
STRIDULATE – an anagram (surprising) of RESULT TAD around (caught) I[ndia] (India’s opener)
25,2 No party suggested one must accept an unpalatable solution (3,4,2,1,5)
ANY PORT IN A STORM – ‘no party’ is an anagram (IN A STORM) of ANY PORT – one of those reverse anagrams (right term?) indicated by ‘suggested’.
26 Top politician’s back as PM (5)
BROWN – BROW (top) [politicia]N (politician’s back) – perhaps a fairer definition would have been ‘former PM’.
27 General bursting balloon (7)
ENLARGE – an anagram (bursting) of GENERAL
28 Stream or river to cross (7)
TORRENT – TRENT (river) around (to cross) OR
Down
1 Bags of gentlemen actors in play (6)
SCROTA – an anagram (in play) of ACTORS
3 Going, possibly, to leave food, toast lacking a spread (4,2,4)
GOOD TO SOFT – GO (to leave) plus an anagram (spread) of FOOD TO[a]ST (food, toast lacking a) – a term familiar to those who follow horse racing.
4 Right away? A cult member (5)
RASTA – R (right) A ST (way) A – one of those devious ‘split a word’ clues and my last parse after writing this blog and initially having ???
5 Container boy from Johannesburg, say, has to deliver (5,4)
SALAD BOWL – SA LAD (boy from Johannesburg, say) BOWL (to deliver {cricket})
6 Feline calls for stable development (4)
MEWS – double def.
7 Topless goddess captivating Romeo in perfect Don Juan (8)
LOTHARIO – [c]LOTHO (topless goddess {one of the Fates}) around (captivating) R (Romeo) in AI (perfect)
8 Get rid of a relative scandal? (8)
ABROGATE – A BRO (relative) GATE (scandal) – it appears so often that ‘scandal’ must be the first word that comes into a setter’s mind when s/he is cluing a word that ends in GATE.
13 Asian country turned up with hollow base for cakes that’s light and spongy (4,6)
FOAM RUBBER – FOR around (cakes) BURMA reversed (turned up) B[as]E (hollow base)
15 Philosopher‘s noble title, that’s not it! (9)
ARISTOTLE – ARISTO (noble) T[it]LE (title, that’s not it)
16 Modern resort, ecstasy in prison (5-3)
SPACE-AGE – SPA (resort) plus E (ecstasy) in CAGE (prison)
17 House erected in old sea for old ship (3,5)
ARK ROYAL – YORK (house) reversed (erected) in ARAL (old sea) – take your pick of five ships with this name, all now decommissioned, but I would go for the earliest because the other four are all preceded by HMS.
19 Cloak in luggage to pack up (6)
CAPOTE – hidden (in) reversal (up) in ‘luggagE TO PACk’
20 Raise money for dairy substance (6)
RENNET – TENNER (money) reversed (raise)
23 I’m looking for confirmation in fool (5)
INNIT – IN NIT (fool)
24 Hundred and two, closing or opening (4)
DOOR – [hundre]D [tw]O (hundred and two, closing) OR
Thanks, Gaufrid, and congratulations on parsing RASTA, LOTHARIO and SOMALIA!
Thanks Paul and Gaufrid
I’m not generally a Paul fan, but I liked some of the misleading definitions in this one = for instance “happy tale, we hear”, “wicked thing”, “bags of gentlemen” and “Going”.
There is some difference of opinion whether the Fates were “goddesses”. The balance seems to be that they were “above” gods and goddesses.
26A “PM” is perfectly fair clueing for a former prime minister — I usually look for EDEN when I see “PM” in a clue.
This is the same as if the clue contained “queen” to be ANNE, “boxer” to be ALI, etc;
or any clue, in fact, for a historical character! (all of which are “former” whatevers)
Thank you Paul and Gaufrid.
Quite tricky but fun. My last in were TAROT CARDS, of which I only know the names of a few, and GOOD TO SOFT, something to do with ‘turf’ conditions I presume. I failed to parse RASTA and as for the “wicked thing” I am so slow that the ‘wick’ implication did not occur to me until after I had filled in the answer from the crossers.
Even by Paul’s high standards the surfaces were superb today – 4d had me stumped for the parsing as well, and 19d was new to me but obviously gettable. 1d was a personal favourite – I saw the parsing right away and was scratching my brain for fashion accessories until the penny finally dropped…
As ever with Paul, a testing, witty, enjoyable journey. Highlights were SWAGGER, ESCAPOLOGIST, STRIDULATE and – chuckling as I entered it to complete the puzzle – SCROTA.
Thanks, Paul and Gaufrid.
Thanks both. Tough but fair, with slight pedantic quibble with 13d as Burma has been renamed
Apparently Burma became Myanmar in 1989 – 28 years ago
Lots of Pauline fun as usual. Favourites were SWAGGER, FOAM RUBBER, PARAFFIN LAMP and SALTWATER. Many thanks to Paul and Gaufrid (for parsing LOTHARIO – never heard of Clotho).
thanks Paul, Gaufrid
I found this hard, having particular trouble with DOOR and GOOD TO SOFT, which were both very misleading.
Feel a bit stupid for not getting CAPOTE at the end. I quite often fail to get one which is left at the end, which I would normally expect to get. I think it’s a bit like getting nervous on match point. Anyone else suffer from crossword choking?
Nearly impossible for me. But curiously I remembered Ark Royal as one of the ships that chased Bismarck in WW II, right in the first scan. But could not parse the clue, did not find confirming crossers, could not believe an obscure (to me) ship would be the solution. so I let it slide.
I like things like wicked things meaning candles and oil lamps.
Very entertaining puzzle from Paul. Good to see SCROTA today after CASTRATE yesterday. Lovely allusive definitions – 22a possibly my favourite, leading to a word I didn’t know, though I wouldn’t have got TAROT CARDS from its definition in a thousand years. It’s so sad that ‘old sea’ can be used to clue ARAL: it’s still there, just about, but part of its floor is now desert.
Shirl @8
[Yes Burma did become Myanmar, but according to my work colleague from Myanmar, the people still call themselves Burmese]
I thought this was very enjoyable and challenging. The NW corner was where I ended up and struggled for a while, with eventually TAROT CARDS, SCROTA and RASTA going in, in that order, all three great penny-dropping moments.
Muffin @2: I too initially wondered whether the Fates were strictly goddesses. The excellent Penguin Book of Classical Myths by Jenny March however refers to them as “the goddesses who assigned individual destinies to mortals at birth… Even the gods were subject to the decrees of the Fates.” That’s good enough for me.
Trailman @12: in my ignorance I wondered why ARAL was an “old” sea. Having looked it up on Wikipedia I share your feelings. A fascinating story.
Tough going but well worth the effort as clues such as ‘Bags of gentleman’ and ‘Going, possibly’ finally went in. Missed the reverse hidden for CAPOTE (yes, James@10, I know what you mean by ‘crossword choking’) and couldn’t parse RASTA. Lots of very complicated parsing, original defs and a few obscure words – can’t remember when I last casually dropped STRIDULATE into everyday conversation – so definitely a feeling of accomplishment even though I was a a DNF.
A big thanks to Paul and to Gaufrid for explaining everything so clearly.
26a – I wouldn’t put in the word ‘former’: it would make nonsense of the surface. “PM” is OK. I spent a long time trying to parse BEVIN and BEVAN.
18a – I have an ancient Tilley Lamp, and I can assure you it is not ‘wicked’. Instead it has a little ring-shaped receptacle into which you pour some meths, then set light to it; once the column is hot you give the pump a few strokes and lo! the mantle bursts into a blaze! Wonderful things they were!
About 1d – ouch! Isn’t it bad enough we had CASTRATE yesterday! Any actors on here must be going nuts (pun intended)!
Thanks to Paul for the excellent crossword and to Gaufrid for the parsing of RASTA and ARK ROYAL, both of which I got from the crossers but couldn’t parse.
Best clue of the week for me – so far – is 1 down.
Thanks to PAUL and Gaufrid. Very tough “going” for me. I did get RASTA and knew Clotho but missed the “wick-ed” for PARAFFIN LAMP and did not know STRIDULATE (rejected by my spell-checker), CAPOTE as cloak (though I eventually spotted the reversal), GOOD TO SOFT, and ARK ROYAL. I did parse INNIT without fully understanding the expression.
18a – as a wartime evacuee at my grandma’s I remember the nightly routine of adjusting the wicks when lighting the oil lamps so they did not smoke. (There was no electricity, so the wireless was battery-powered – and the water was hand-pumped from the well.)
Thanks both,
This confirmed Paul’s standing as my favourite setter – a very versatile crossword. Although 1d was good it wasn’t as good as the clue for proctology earlier in the week, which is my ‘clue of the year’ so far.
Probably the toughest Paul for a while, but in retrospect all quite fair so no complaints. Must admit to using the check button a bit to finish this. Liked the definitions of PARAFFIN LAMP and SCROTA…
Thanks to Paul and Gaufrid
Really tough going (as opposed to “good to soft”) and almost finished it, extremely rare for me with Paul. Couldn’t see “innit” till it was explained.
Many thanks to Paul and Gaufrid.
IMHO Paul is the best after the late Reverend. Never a write-in and with references to gentlemen bags always a bit naughty. Maybe he should try a rhyming jigsaw after the old master.
Excellent puzzle and, as always, a great blog.
We got stuck on innit. Hated it with a passion when we checked the blog. Other than that another great Paul offering. Thanks to everyone.
Very enjoyable puzzle.
I thought ANY PORT IN A STORM was brilliant – such a topical surface. Also liked ESCAPOLOGIST, PARAFFIN LAMP and FOAM RUBBER.
One quibble – “Strength among other” in 11 suggests TAROT CARD (singular) to me.\
Anyone else try HULL for 21?
Thanks, Paul and Gaufrid
@FirmlyDirac
If you’re putting meths in it, it’s not a paraffin lamp, Shirley?
Why is Rastafarianism a cult and Christianity a religion? Would a clue for, say, “Welby” contain the phrase “cult member”? Or “Elizabeth” the phrase “cult leader”?
Just asking.
Very enjoyable and innovative.
@FD
I have now genned up on Tilley lamps
This was a bit of a struggle but well worthwhile. The clue for PARAFFIN LAMP being worth the price of administration alone, and then there was SCROTA and SWAGGER. In the end one of Paul’s best!
I’m not going to reminisce about Tilley lamps. Nasty, smelly things as I remember.
Thanks Paul.
phitonelly @ 25
One quibble – “Strength among other” in 11 suggests TAROT CARD (singular) to me.
It’s “others” in both paper and on line versions.
No one else object to ‘cakes that’s light and spongy’?
James @26
I’m not familiar with Tilley lamps, but if they work like primus stoves you use the meths to pre-heat the burner before pumping the paraffin through. (Meths is much easier to light than paraffin is.)
jeceris@31
I know that. I made a simple typo in my post. I think “Strength among others” is akin to “Strength for example” and still implies the singular answer.
James @29. I was just about to launch into a long explanation of the workings of the Tilley lamp, but I see you’ve forestalled me :-). Yes, one put paraffin in the main reservoir at the bottom, and a little meths (only a teaspoonful or two) in the igniter below the mantle – just to start the thing off.
OK there may be other sorts of paraffin lamp than the time-honoured Tilley, but they’d have been before my time. Certainly they wouldn’t have thrown as good a light as a Tilley, which at full throttle gave the equivalent of several 100W bulbs!
Great puzzle, ultimately defeated by 24d Door – and I still don’t get it?
umpire46 @36
“… ultimately defeated by 24d Door – and I still don’t get it?”
It is simply the last letters (indicated by ‘closing’) of hundreD and twO followed by OR.
umpire46@36: D and O are the ‘closing’ letters of Hundre[d] and tw[o]; plus OR.
Xjpotter @32: I think it’s the base for the cakes that’s light and spongy.
phitonelly @34: I see what you mean – “Strength among others” could mean “Strength for example”. But I think it could also mean “Strength and others” which would lead to a plural answer.
Hello all, and thanks to Paul and Gaufrid.
A most enjoyable puzzle. Favourite clue was 25,2 – for its inventive construction and topical surface.
In the blog for 14, I think POLO isn’t just a “game played”, it’s a “game played when up” (as in riding).
Sean Dimly @40
“In the blog for 14, I think POLO isn’t just a “game played”, it’s a “game played when up” (as in riding).”
That’s how I read it when solving, but I forgot to include the ‘when up’ when writing the blog. Mea culpa.
Defeated by most of the NW but had fun anyway. Thanks Paul and thanks to Gaufrid for the enlightenment. The blog made for an enjoyable and interesting read.
I loved STRIDULATE 22a (what a super-sounding word!). Also liked cracking ESCAPOLOGIST 14a and ABROGATE 8d. And if course as a sailor I appreciated 25a 2d ANY PORT IN A STORM and 17d ARK ROYAL.
If – after probably having written thousands of crosswords – you can still write an inspiring puzzle like this, then you are a very good setter.
Paul is.
Lots to enjoy – SWAGGER, PARAFFIN LAMP and GOOD TO SOFT – stood out for me; several I didn’t parse so thanks to Gaufrid for help here; and one or two where the parsing is too convoluted for my taste – ESCAPOLOGIST especially. I do resort to the check button most often with Paul as the answer seems right but it’s too much like hard work trying to figure it out if it turns out you’re wrong!
JinA – thank you for your welcome back yesterday- it’s nice to be missed :-).
Thanks to Paul for the entertainment.
STRIDULATE was my favourite, I word I didn’t know that I knew, until it bobbed up from the depths of my brain. SCROTA made me spit some tea out. Great toughie from Paul, many thanks to Gaufrid for an enlightening blog.
As does my Kiwi friend’s Burmese mother- seems to depend on your politics.