Another typical Sunday offering from Everyman. Carefully constructed and accessible clues, and a chance for me to chunter on about two misuses of my mother tongue.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Tips for safety connected with worry about second tree
SYCAMORE
A charade of SY for the outside letters of ‘safety’ and MO for ‘second’ inserted in CARE for ‘worry’.
5 Exclude bishop for hurtful remark
BARB
Another charade: of BAR and B.
10 Affair created by mail, for instance, right away
AMOUR
‘Mail’ could be ARMOUR, so it’s A[R]MOUR.
11 State sources, including name, with love and thanks
MINNESOTA
An insertion of N in MINES followed by O and TA.
12 Situation? Summit’s opening, amid enmity, without delay
POST-HASTE
A charade of POST and S for the first letter of ‘summit’ in HATE.
14 Walk miles in westward region
TRAMP
An insertion of M in PART reversed.
15 Drama with end ruined by writing that’s undistinguished
NONDESCRIPT
A charade of NO, (END)* and SCRIPT. A NO (or NOH) is a Japanese play, a fact I only know from solving and blogging cryptic crosswords.
18 Small orchestra‘s wavering tone is faint
SINFONIETTA
‘Wavering’ is the anagrind, telling you it’s (TONE IS FAINT)*
21 Revise measure in printing last section
EMEND
A charade of EM for the printer’s ‘measure’ and END. New to cryptics? Keep an eye out for EM: it often crops up.
22 Article university issues discounting English tests
AUDITIONS
A charade of A, U and [E]DITIONS.
23 Flawed rascal, free, in trouble with court
IMPERFECT
A multi-part clue: it’s IMP plus (FREE)* plus CT. The anagrind is ‘in trouble’.
25 Deduce sign of fear, odd characters having fled
INFER
The even letters of sIgN oF fEaR. Please don’t confuse INFER and IMPLY in my presence. It upsets me.
26 Helpful style
KIND
A dd.
27 Excited by spoils, perhaps
POSSIBLY
(BY SPOILS)* ‘Perhaps’ is usually an anagrind, or an indication of definition by example, but here it’s the definition.
Down
1 Smart agent inhibiting rest
SNAPPY
Everyman is asking you to insert NAP in SPY.
2 Vote for champs vocally
CHOOSE
‘Vocally’ is telling you that it’s a homophone: here it’s of CHEWS as a synonym for ‘champs’.
3 Feature with good system, being covered by damages for dismissal
MARCHING ORDERS
An insertion of CHIN for ‘feature’, G and ORDER in MARS. The insertion indicator is ‘covered by’.
4 Odd unverified reports, not ours
RUM
RUM[OURS]
6 Old artist up above rival endlessly capturing one with fragrant quality
AROMATIC
Everyman is fond of his multi-part clues. This one is O and RA for ‘artist’ reversed (‘up’, since it’s a down clue), then I inserted into MATC[H].
7 Actor in hole after day gripped by horror
BRAD PITT
An insertion of D and PIT in BRAT. ‘You little horror/brat.’ I remember him from Thelma and Louise, but he’s been in lots of other stuff.
8 Partisan, popular, challenged about religious education
INTERESTED
A charade of IN and RE in TESTED. ‘Unpartisan’ would be DISINTERESTED. Don’t say UNINTERESTED when you mean DISINTERESTED, because that upsets me as well.
9 Changing topic at tea, list names for pieces of shortbread
PETTICOAT TAILS
(TOPIC AT TEA LIST)* I’m not a fan of biscuits and suchlike, so my way into this was to hazard a guess with a few crossers that the first bit must be PETTICOAT and go from there with the anagram.
13 Associations with strange days in sect
SYNDICATES
(DAYS IN SECT)*
16 Short of time, savour chance to be a star
ASTERISK
A charade of [T]ASTE and RISK gives you one of these stars: *
17 Support stirring dinner up
UNDERPIN
(DINNER UP)* Everyman may give you some tricky multi-parters, but he’ll always give you a few easyish anagrams to help you start filling the grid.
19 Fool with fantastic gossip
CONFAB
A charade of CON and FAB.
20 Off course since attempt to skirt area
ASTRAY
A charade of AS and A inserted in TRY. ‘As/since you’re clever, you’ll quickly get to grips with cryptic crosswords.’
24 Number aboard slow train upset
TWO
Hidden reversed in slOW Train. ‘Aboard’ is telling you that the solution is inserted; ‘upset’ is telling you that it’s hidden reversed.
Many thanks to Everyman for this morning’s Sunday puzzle. I solved and blogged this one during a delightful long weekend in Northumberland with old friends, two of whom I’ve now persuaded to progress from quick crosswords to cryptic ones. And the rack of local lamb is cooking gently in the oven as I press the Publish button. Result.
Thanks for the blog, Pierre. I hope the lamb was good! I also got PETTICOAT TAILS by anaguess. Only a couple of tricky parts for me here: SNAPPY held me up awhile as I was determined to insert rep into ??REP? And it also took me awhile to amend AMEND to EMEND.
Thanks Pierre
“Disinterested” when “uninterested” is the meaning seems a much more common error than the way round you mention. I had a teaching colleague who always used it of pupils, and it grated every time.
Come to think of it, he used “infer” when he meant “imply” too…
Thank you Everyman for yet another enjoyable puzzle and Pierre for the blog, glad you had a pleasant weekend in Northumberland.
Yes, a crossword of “English tests”. I remember that I was held up by a few of the clues, but have now forgotten which ones. I particularly liked the clues for BARB, SINFONIETTA and UNDISTINGUISHED.
[I’m concerned about your rack of lamb, Pierre; it only needs about half an hour in a hot oven. Lamb shanks, on the other hand (or foot!)…]
I should perhaps point out, as an ex Computer Science student, that “inference” and “deduction” are quite different logical processes, and it upsets me when people treat them as synonyms. But only mildly.
I always enjoy a relaxing Sunday Everyman, so thanks to the setter. And thanks to Pierre for an interesting blog.
Glad others enjoyed it. Language changes, but I’ll keep fighting the fight for now on the ones I mentioned. I’ve given up on ICONIC (everything’s ICONIC these days), and my copy of the weekend i has Andrew Johnson, who should know better, saying that ‘The German media has delivered a coruscating verdict on Britain’s Brexit strategy.’ ‘Media’ in the singular is fine; but ‘coruscating’ doesn’t mean ‘scathing’. It means ‘sparkling’. I need to get out more.
The lamb was beautiful, btw (I wasn’t responsible for the cooking, muffin – only the eating …)
hmm, could be, they are at this moment defusing a huge WWII bomb in the Frankfurt suburb where the country’s central bank is, $70bn in gold reserves are stored there…
About average difficulty for Everyman I thought. Both 9d and 18ac were new to me, and I was pleasantly surprised to have got the anagram fodder in the right order without recourse to a dictionary.
While doing this crossword I found that SINFONIETTA is an anagram of INFESTATION. Which would have probably been too straightforward.
Hi guys
As first Kiwiw of the rank this morning, saying thanks for good puzzle. Alk solved with er indoors bit had to look up or his for amour.
Election day today – first sunny day for weeks – must be a change of government on its way.
Took me a while today but very enjoyable. I haven’t heard of 9 down either, and thought it must be Petticoat Thins, but found the answer by looking it up, and noticed that they don’t ship to New Zealand. So I expect there’ll be other Kiwis who haven’t heard of them either.
Yes it’s a lovely day today and must remember to put the clocks forward tonight.
A new Government? Wait and see. I think it will be close.
Another enjoyable solve, especially 1, 1, 4, 7 and 24.
I’m with you Pierre. Add in its and it’s (not to mention his and her’s) and your and you’re and there and their and principle and principal and advice and advise and lose and loose and is comprised of and much sort after and chomping at the bit and getting a new lease on life.
Anyone yet to read Bill Bryson’s Troublesome Words should do so – trouble is the only ones likely to are those who probably don’t need to. Same with Eats Shoots and Leaves.
So, crossword done, time to stir my stumps and head off to the polls. Shame the outcome is likely to be drawn out.
God, I am sounding like a grumpy old man today. Wherefore, I wonder? Oh, I know, probable onset of the Peters Principle playing out ad nauseam.
Barrie, there is no problem with being a grumpy old man. I have made it my modus operandi since I was in my twenties. Here is one to make you smile (you’ll have seen it already, no doubt):
I handed her the flowers.
“You shouldn’t of!” she said.
I took them back.
“Have,” I whispered.
Well this one had me stumped and I only gave up 5 minutes ago. Didn’t finish 16d, 21ac and 26ac. Was always leaning towards AMEND for 21ac but couldn’t parse it. I would have to politely disagree with Pierre here. I’ve been doing crossies for nigh on 20 years and that was the first time I can recall seeing EM as a measure.
16ac was a very good clue and I would have been pretty happy had I figured that one out.
Found this quite tricky ( after the amend mistake ) . Became stuck in SW corner and didn’t get Asterisk , Amour or Choose. I must be losing my touch !