Second Sunday on the trot for Hoskins. I’ve got no problem with that, very enjoyable puzzles they are. Thank you Hoskins.
| Across | ||
| 1 | BRANDY | Spirit shown by bishop in the mood for it (6) |
| B (bishop) and RANDY (in the mood for it) | ||
| 4 | PAIRED UP | Got a partner changing diaper? Winning! (6,2) |
| anagram (changing) of DIAPER then UP (winning) | ||
| 10 | CONFRERES | Colleagues criminal releases without right (9) |
| CON (criminal) then FREES (releases) containing (without, going outside) R (right) | ||
| 11 | DEBUT | TV drama’s earliest part reviewed as such? (5) |
| TUBE (TV) and Drama (first letter, earliest part) reversed (reviewed) | ||
| 12 | DITTY | Simple song Dutch cat cut originally (5) |
| D (Dutch) then kITTY (cat) missing forst letter (cut originally) | ||
| 13 | NARRATIVE | A pair of reports going into local story (9) |
| A RR (report, pair of) in NATIVE (local) | ||
| 14 | WHOOPEE | Sex? Hell yeah! (7) |
| double definition | ||
| 16 | LIME | Unlimited gin punches left Hoskins green (4) |
| gIn (unlimited, no outside letters) inside (punches) L (left) then ME (Hoskins) | ||
| 19 | HILL | Fell sick with Scotch finally going to head (4) |
| ILL (sick) following (with…going to head) scotcH (final letter of) | ||
| 21 | SINCERE | Genuine (because wine almost finished) (7) |
| SINCE (because) then REd (wine, almost finished) | ||
| 24 | EXALTEDLY | Telex lady sent off in a dignified way (9) |
| anagram (sent off) of TELEX LADY | ||
| 25 | FLASH | Briefly show yourself to be ostentatious (5) |
| double definition | ||
| 26 | TEMPO | It seems plod regularly takes speed (5) |
| every other letter (regularly taken) of iT sEeMs PlOd | ||
| 27 | THE REAPER | New pear tree sliced by hard scytheman (3,6) |
| anagram (new) of PEAR TREE contains (sliced by) H (hard) | ||
| 28 | RARITIES | Is a trier mixed up in unusual things? (8) |
| anagram (mixed up) of IS A TRIER | ||
| 29 | STODGE | Slice of spotted dick unfinished? It’s filling stuff! (6) |
| Slice (first letter, slice of) then TODGEr (dick, unfinished) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | BACK DOWN | Support taking depressed chicken out? (4,4) |
| BACK (support) with DOWN (depressed) | ||
| 2 | AGNATION | Line of male descent corrupted – not again! (8) |
| anagram (corrupted) of NOT AGAIN | ||
| 3 | DIRTY | Free up time, having yen to get X-rated (5) |
| RID (free) reversed (up) then T (time) with Y (yen) | ||
| 5 | AUSTRAL | Southern area with ultras all over the place (7) |
| A (area) with anagram (all over the place) of ULTRAS | ||
| 6 | RED SALMON | Swimmer embarrassed (singular shrunken nut) (3,6) |
| RED (emnbarrassed) S (singular) then ALMONd (nut, shrunken) | ||
| 7 | DEBBIE | Girl that’s after revolutionary British futon? (6) |
| IE (that is) following (after) B (British) BED (futon) reversed (revolutionary) | ||
| 8 | POTTER | A bit much to be hugged by a pool player? (6) |
| OTT (a bit too much) inside (to be hugged by) PER (a, sixpence a bag) | ||
| 9 | PRINCE | Cost to bury northern singer (deceased) (6) |
| PRICE (cost) contains (to bury) N (northern) | ||
| 15 | POINTS OUT | Terrible options heartless unit identifies (6,3) |
| anagram (terrible) of OPTIONS then UniT (heartless, no middle letters) | ||
| 17 | REVAMPED | Grass-skirted femme fatale given a makeover (8) |
| VAMP (femme fatale) inside (skirted by) REED (grass) | ||
| 18 | SEAHORSE | Swimmer heading for airboat in Kent bay? (8) |
| Airboat(first letter, heading for) in SE (the South East, Kent perhaps) HORSE (bay) | ||
| 20 | LADETTE | Lager lass and editor upended into coffee (7) |
| ED (editor) reversed (upended) in LATTE (coffee) | ||
| 21 | STYLES | Swine dwelling on The French fashions (6) |
| STY (swine dwelling) on LES (the, French) | ||
| 22 | SETTER | You might say yours truly is a dog (6) |
| yours truly in this case is the setter of the puzzle | ||
| 23 | PALMER | Pilgrim papal mercifulness has saved (6) |
| found inside (saved by) paPAL MERcifulness | ||
| 25 | FLEET | Having gone over time, run off quick (5) |
| FLEE (run off) on (having gone over) T (time) | ||
definitions are underlined
I write these posts to help people get started with cryptic crosswords. If there is something here you do not understand ask a question; there are probably others wondering the same thing.
Nice idea Harry. The puzzle contains a fair few Harrys; Prince, Styles, Flash etc…..
The very cunning AGNATION was my LOI.
Shall I just stop moaning about LATTE(Italian for milk) = coffee?
Thanks to Hoskins and PeeDee
A quick but enjoyable solve with DEBUT as LOI. Didn’t know CONFRÈRES or PALMER but both were easy to get. 6d was favourite but the combo at 16a,19a were close runners up. Didn’t spot the Harry theme – very good.
The clue to 12a reminds me of Richard Whiteley telling the joke about spotting a rare Amsterdam cat in a pet store and going in to ask “How Dutch is that moggy in the window?”.
Missed the theme, even though it looked as though there must be something going on with all those names. Ten Harrys by my count. Good to be reminded of a few including Harry Palmer – great Michael Caine role.
Pick of the day for me was the misleading 25a. I doubt I was alone in jumping in and confidently entering ‘showy’ which I was sure just had to be right.
Thanks to Hoskins and PeeDee
Since posting@2, I came across the YouTube link below. Worth a look even when you know the joke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFbumvpcvuw
Just what I needed. Thanks to Harry for the crossword, to PeeDee for the blog, and to Hovis for the joke and clip. Loved it.
A couple of new words for me, but nothing that forced me to look anything up ahead of time.
Didn’t spot the Harrys (it’s possible that one is quite enough!) so thanks to Baerchen too.
Thank you bearchen for pointing out the HARRY connection. It completely passed be by.
Personally I’m glad that latte now means coffee. I remember years ago chatting with a Danish* systems analyst about the difficulty of reading documents in English. He came form a culture where there was one word for everything, why would you need more? If we got rid of every word in the English that is redundant and used to mean something else then we would have to get rid of half the dictionary and how would we have cryptic crosswords then? How to find a synonym for coffee if the only word in the dictionary that means coffee is, er… coffee? I’m sure you know all of this already 😉
*He might have been Swedish, I can’t recall.
Thanks, Baerchen, I’d missed the Harry theme as well, although there was plenty of ‘our’ Harry in evidence in the likes of 1,14,25&29a!
Had a complete blank over the ‘TV’ synonym for quite a while and the pilgrim was new to me.
Many thanks to the currently prolific Hoskins (obviously Mrs J is keeping you well topped up!) and to Peedee for the blog.
Just right for the IoS slot. For me, a gentle enough stroll with the usual smiles along the way. The Harry theme passed me by, which means it was successful: if you saw it you could decide whether it was helpful/interesting/clever/pointless or none of the above; if you didn’t see it then it was still a good crossword.
To baerchen @1 and the question about LATTE: yes. Refocus your fire on those who insist on ordering (or even worse, writing) EXPRESSO.
Thanks to our Harry and to PeeDee for the usual clear blog.
Ah, but K’s D, as I expect you know, in France an espresso is ‘un express’.
OTOH, what you said about the blog and the puzzle.
Many thanks, both.
A bit late to the party today: I’ve been in and out all day but managed to solve – and muchly enjoy – the puzzle in between.
Missed the theme [what K’s D said] but was tickled when it was pointed out.
Wordplodder @3 – I’ve found nine Harrys: are you counting SETTER? If not, would you name them, please?
Only one new word for me – neither of those mentioned before [it’s my sheltered upbringing]. I knew PALMER from Chaucer in A Level English.
Nothing to do with the puzzle but I’m even more exercised about the pronunciation of LATTE. [I think I may have mentioned this before.]
(@K’s D
For barista jargon, it’s hard to beat a “skinny decaf latte” (a decaffeinated coffee made with skimmed milk) which in the trade is known as a “why bother?”)
Lots to enjoy even without spotting the Harry theme.
Having had the theme pointed out we are even more impressed. Bert loved 29ac – Joyce has led a more sheltered life obviously!
On the coffee theme – we remember our first encounter with a long list of options. We stoood there non-plussed for quite a while before saying that we just wanted a coffee. We still do!
Thanks Harry and PeeDee.
Many thanks to PeeDee for the super blog and to all who solved and especially those who commented.
Glad the crossie hit the Sunday spot and for Eileen @10 here be the themesters:
16a: Harry Lime – Orson Welles character
19a: Harry Hill – Comedian
25a: Flash Harry – Two crossworders, one wide boy
3d: Dirty Harry – Clint Eastwood character
7d: Debbie Harry – singer
8d: Harry Potter – Wizard
9d: Prince Harry – Lovable idiot
21d: Harry Styles – Popular ‘singer’
22d: Harry Hoskins – My badself
23d: Harry Palmer – Michael Caine character
… and, as a loose nod to the theme, confreres at 10a.
With regards the ‘latte question’, I drink nothing other then water in the daytime and booze in the evenings so went from the dictionaries and what I reckon is common use.
Now, with all that out of the way and having had a couple of weeks off from the continuing adventures of Mrs Jalopy (the keeper of the Fabled Fifteen Squared drinks trolley) I think it’s time we had an update on her activities …
… or is it? The thing is Mrs Jalopy has been embroiled in a court case these last few weeks and so has had to take a few weeks off of work to appear in The Old Bailey daily. However, this reporter has stumbled across – and when I say stumbled I mean stolen – a transcript of proceedings and so now can, as long as you don’t spread it about on the internet or anything, share it with yourselves.
Plaintiff vs Mrs Jalopy of 13 Thrungstrom Crescent, London, SW1
Judge Flosspot presiding
JF: I take it the defendant has been sworn in, Bailiff Jones?
BJ: Yes, your Honour. Sworn in before you were seated and the problems started.
JF: And she is aware that drinking is not allowed in cour–
MJ: –if I may interrupt your majesty, I’ve not been drinking meself – but it’s in my nature to libate folk and a few of these here people looked awful thirsty so, having a couple of bottles of the good stuff off my trolley with me I thought I’d–
JF: –my turn to interrupt, Mrs Jalopy. Firstly, I am not a Majesty – there is no other Majesty than our gracious head of state in this courtroom and, indeed, land. Secondly, I will not have whatever sparkling concoction of alcoholic nastiness you gave to Ms Hooper – this case’s original stenographer – and to Mr Coxcroft – this court’s replacement stenographer – or indeed any of those who were formerly in the gallery prior to their forcible removal by Bailiff Jones. At the risk of finding you in contempt of court I insist you desist from libating others here as I will not have people as drunk as a lord in my courtroom!
MJ: Sorry, M’lud.
JF: Your Honour!
MJ: Well that’s personal, but seeing as I’m under oath I should say I kept it until March or April 1973. Back of a Ford Cortina in the Co-op car park with, I’d like to stress for the record, the current Mr Jalopy.
JF: I think you’ve rather misunderstood me, Mrs Jalopy. Perfectly acceptable to be somewhat confused as I see from your charge sheet this is your first time in court, is it not?
MJ: First time in an English court, yes. There was that time in Thailand with the drugs in the–
JF: –Mrs Jalopy! Courts outside of this country do not count here and I beg of you to avoid colouring your own character with statements such as that which could result in a costly and time-consuming mistrial, something I am beginning to dread already.
MJ: Sorry, your highness, when I get nervous I tend to talk too much.
JF: Quite. What say you we move on to the matter at hand, eh?
MJ: I’d say that was a good thing as I have a shipment a Babycham to pick up down the docks later.
JF: It is charged that you, Mrs Jalopy of 13 Thrungstrom Crescent, London, SW1, did in a premeditated fashion on the 7th of November 2017 commit an act of ‘mischievous vandalism’ to the personage of the plaintiff – name redacted – of – street address redacted – Anglesey Wales by painting a, what’s it called? – oh yes, by painting, and I quote from the police statement here, a ‘fancy French waiter moustache’ in permanent marker on the face of said plaintiff after getting her helplessly drunk on several gift sets of Babycham. How do you plead in this matter?
MJ: I plead extenuating circumstances, your loveliness.
JF: Ahem … but you don’t deny the act of moustaching, in the fashion of a fancy French waiter, the plaintiff?
MJ: I don’t not M’bewigged one
JF: Well I do suppose we’d better hear about these extenuating circumstances sometime before luncheon, eh?
MJ: Thank you. It all started at The Times Crossword Championships–
JF: –The Times Crossword Championships?!
MJ: Yes, a yearly gathering in which crossword finaglers and finaglees turn up and some compete to solve The Times Crossword in the fastest time and with the most accuracy.
JF: People actually do that?
MJ: Only the strangest of them, yes.
JF: And what is the outcome of the competition?
MJ: Well, everyone turns up and some compete and some partake of the golden nectar in the pub and at the end of it all Mark Goodliffe wins.
JF: Enlightening indeed, Mrs Jalopy, but I fear my curiosity has drawn us away from the case. Please, briefly as you can, explain the extenuating circumstances which have led you here to my courtroom.
MJ: Simple preservation of business, M’lud. It came to me attention the other day that the plaintiff had been trying to muscle in on my business at The Times Crossword Championship by serving up the Babycham to the crossworld community. Obviously, something had to be done as the Babycham business is the only darned thing I can do what with me feet and what little of a brain the good lord has granted me.
JF: I see. And might I ask in what universe you thought you’d stop this ‘muscling in’ on your business with a ‘fancy French moustache’?
MJ: Well I’d have thought that obvious, Judge.
JF: Please, treat me as if I had the understanding of a Tory policy maker, Mrs Jalopy.
MJ: The good stuff I serve, and the good stuff plaintiff was using to take over my buisness by seducing my best customer, a Mr Harry Hoskins of 38 Nowheresvilles, Greater-Never-Heard-Of-It, Norfolk, was the Babycham business. It is well-known in most circles that the French, what with their love of the sophisticated beverages of the wine-growing regions, would never serve a drink such as Babycham!
JF: Hmmm, let me see if I have this right. You gave the plaintiff a fancy French moustache in permanent marker with the idea that should she approach your customers with Babycham for sale they would not buy from her as no Frenchman in his right mind would deign to sell the stuff?
MJ: Yes, your honour
JF: Well I never. I thought I’d heard it all after the case of Serpent against People Who Pronounce Things Any Way He Thinks Is Wrong, but evidently not. Judgement is that you, Mrs Jalopy, shall be bound over to keep the peace for 12 months, be banned from visiting any stationers that sells permanent markers for 6 months, and attend a mandatory course in anger management. Case dismissed.
Phew! As ever, my posts just seem to get shorter and shorter and so it only remains for me to say thanks to all for visiting today. Hopefully I’ll see you next time around, which, if you can stand it, should be this Wednesday with a somewhat tougher korma puzzle, but more likely I’ll see you on the morrow where the cracking Crosophile will kick off our new Indy week in his inimitable style.
Cheers and chin chin to all. 🙂
Thank you Hoskins for the interesting post which I’m sure Gaufrid will class as “information tangential to the puzzle in question”. I am only an occasional Indy solver and being naturally shy rarely attend any of the Sloggers gatherings so I had never heard of Mrs Jalopy and her trolley. I looked up a few back-issues and find her life story fascinating. I wonder if she has ever appeared or will be appearing in any puzzles at all? Not The Times obviously as she is still a living person.
Pleasure, PeeDee – always something interesting going on in the life of Mrs Jalopy and Indy puzzles as a whole. Not appeared in any puzzles as yet, and she’s staunch Indy so would only ever appear here … watch this space.
Oh, and belated apologies to Gaufrid for talk on above and around crosswords … again. 🙂
Did this after midnight Sunday, after an afternoon at an open mic session followed by the son-in law’s birthday party, so it took a bit longer than usual, but I did eventually get there. Missed the Harry Theme, but enjoyed the puzzle. I didn’t get a solved notice when I thought I’d finished, but a proof read showed I’d entered AGNITION instead of AGNATION. Both unknown words, but a more careful look at the anagram fodder showed me the error of my ways. It wouldn’t be a Hoskins without 1a and 29a! Thanks Harry and PeeDee.