Monday Prize Crossword / Sep 11, 2017
Dante with a clean and undemanding crossword that even his criticasters might like.
So, not many comments in maroon this time!
Definitions are underlined wherever possible and/or appropriate.
| Across | ||
| 1 | LOCATE | Discover and pass back a note (6) |
| Reversal [back] of COL (pass) + A + TE (note) | ||
| 4 | DOVETAIL | Joint vote cast in Irish parliament (8) |
| (VOTE)* inside DAIL (Irish parliament) [* = cast] | ||
| 9 | SKIERS | Sportsmen on mountains, right in their heaven (6) |
| R (right) inside SKIES ((their) heaven) | ||
| 10 | GEORGIAN | Former Russian, American or English architecture (8) |
| Triple definition | ||
| 11 | EMBODY | Incorporate dome by reconstruction (6) |
| (DOME BY)* [* = reconstruction] | ||
| 12 | BANKRUPT | By no means on one’s uppers (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 13 | KEY | Operator of a lock and harbour, say (3) |
| Homophone [say] of QUAY (harbour) | ||
| 14 | ARROWS | New wars or old weapons (6) |
| (WARS OR)* [* = new] | ||
| 17 | NOTEPAD | Used for jotting down music? (7) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 21 | JERBOA | Ear job operation for rodent (6) |
| (EAR JOB)* [* = operation] New word to me. |
||
| 25 | RIB | Tease about Eve’s origins? (3) |
| Double definition | ||
| 26 | ALPHABET | Every letter is written in it (8) |
| Cryptic definition Yep, A to Z. |
||
| 27 | EDITOR | He’s in charge but often has a leader (6) |
| The (newspaper) editor might produce an editorial leader | ||
| 28 | CRACKPOT | Prize joke comes first – it’s laughable (8) |
| POT (prize) preceded by CRACK (joke) | ||
| 29 | MANAGE | Run a horse in Maine (6) |
| A + NAG (horse), together inside ME (Maine) | ||
| 30 | SWEEPING | Extensive cleaning operation (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 31 | FLUTES | Instruments still playable without their heads (6) |
| FLUTES minus F would be LUTES which are also instruments | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | LAS VEGAS | Star embraced by girl in entertainment centre (3,5) |
| VEGA (star) inside LASS (girl) | ||
| 2 | CLIMBERS | Those who enjoy getting high? (8) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 3 | TURN DOWN | Refuse to fold over the sheet (4,4) |
| Double definition | ||
| 5 | ONE-WAY | A singular method of dealing with a traffic problem (3-3) |
| ONE (a/singular) + WAY (method) | ||
| 6 | EUREKA | I’ve found it in a Greek dictionary (6) |
| EUREKA means “I’ve found it” in the Greek language, so it’s probably in the dictionary there It was, of course, Archimedes who reportedly ran naked through the streets of Syracuse after having a bath! Unfortunately, he was killed during the Roman siege of the city (214-212 BC). |
||
| 7 | ANIMUS | I am included in an American’s hostility (6) |
| I’M (I am) inside {AN + US (American)} | ||
| 8 | LENGTH | The long version lacks nothing in measurement (6) |
| (THE LONG)* minus O (nothing) [* = version] | ||
| 12 | BENEFIT | Be born healthy, getting an advantage (7) |
| BE + NE (born) + FIT (healthy) | ||
| 15 | SOS | The appeal of love on board ship (3) |
| O (love) inside SS (‘on board’ ship) Bit odd to use ‘the’ at the start of the clue. |
||
| 16 | RAJ | Drink up for Indian government (3) |
| Reversal [up] of JAR (drink, e.g. a glass of beer) | ||
| 18 | DEAD-BALL | Finished dance when the playing stops (4-4) |
| DEAD (finished) + BALL (dance) | ||
| 19 | ABSTRACT | Withdraw Jack’s pamphlet (8) |
| AB’S (Jack’s, sailor’s) + TRACT (pamphlet) | ||
| 20 | CARRIERS | Naval vessels which should be quarantined? (8) |
| Double definition The second definition refers to creatures (including human beings) who may carry things that transmit diseases like viruses. |
||
| 22 | CAUCUS | Party when out of range of Russia (6) |
| CAUCASUS ((mountain) range in Russia) minus AS (when) | ||
| 23 | UPTAKE | Clever people are quick on it (6) |
| When you’re quick on the uptake, you may perhaps be clever | ||
| 24 | BACK UP | Support in reverse (4,2) |
| Double definition | ||
| 25 | RENOWN | Fame secure now? No question about it (6) |
| Hidden answer [… about it]: secure now no question | ||
*anagram
Thanks Dante and Sil
Finding a word to fit _E_R_I_N in 10ac was a little tricky but, for me, the exercise
was compounded by two rather iffy, if not unfair, elements in the clue itself.
Georgia was in the former USSR but I wouldn’t describe a Georgian as a ‘Former Russian’.
I read online that about 6% of the people in present-day Georgia are ethnic Russians.
The architectural style was adopted in Britain during the Georgian period, 1714-1820,
so surely it should be described as British – not English.
Robert Adam and his three brothers would probably agree …
No complaints about the American!
Thanks Dante and Sil
In contrast to a fortnight ago, this was one of the best puzzles by this setter that I’ve done in ages. It applied all of the subtle nuances in a more sophisticated way here. He lured me into BAREFOOT rather than BANKRUPT initially and DEAD REEL instead of DEAD BALL as well. Crossers managed to save me both times.
Unlike mike@1, GEORGIAN jumped out at me and I thought that it was one of the clever clues. JERBOA was a known rodent to me (only in crosswords) and was one of the early entries.
Finished in the SW corner with CRACKPOT and SWEEPING the last couple in a slightly longer and most enjoyable solve.