As usual at this season, we have a themed Christmas Crossword set by Gozo. And unusually, if I remember correctly, we have a Christmas Crossword with a number.
The themes are famous cats and famous dogs, including both real and fictional ones in each case. There are 14 cats including 6 from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (later recycled into the musical Cats). The Practical Cats are Mungojerrie, Rum Tum Tugger, Macavity, Rumpelteazer, Mr. Mistoffelees, and Rumpus Cat. The other cats are Foss, Garfield, Jess, Bagpuss, Top Cat, Tom Kitten, Mehitabel and Charley. The 13 dogs are Maida, Dash, Boye, Geist, Luath, Hamlet, Gelert, Hodge, Mathe, Diamond, Giallo, Toby and Bran.
I knew all the cats except two (Foss and Charley) but only one of the dogs (Toby). This made solving the puzzle more of a chore than I like. I am always ready to learn new words and other useful things when I do crosswords but having to google prospective names for obscure dogs was something I found neither edifying nor enjoyable. There is also the confusion that Charley could well be either a cat or a dog. The fact that the dogs are listed in Brewer (Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable) did help; the book is available as a free download in various e-formats.
ACROSS
1 Sick tabby starts to act like kittens – going gaga? (8)
BABYTALK – anagram (sick) of TABBY A[ct] L[ike] K[ittens]
5 Scrutinises creepy-crawlies consuming tip of proboscis (8)
INSPECTS – P[roboscis] in (consuming) INSECTS (creepy-crawlies)
10 Fraudster’s regular cunning plan (4)
[f]R[a]U[d]S[t]E[r]
14 Cobble together outfit at university (3,2)
RIG UP – RIG (outfit) + UP (at university)
15 Explorer Park with Jagger’s Hall, we’re told (11)
MUNGOJERRIE – MUNGO (explorer Park) + JERRIE (Jagger’s Hall). Mungojerrie is one of T.S. Eliot’s practical cats.
16 Mozart’s first opera (5)
M[ozart] + AIDA (opera). Maida was a deerhound belonging to Sir Walter Scott, reported to be his favourite dog. It was named after the Battle of Maida.
17 Gouda’s served with herb filling for short-legged pet (7,3)
SAUSAGE DOG – SAGE (herb) in (filling) in anagram (served) of GOUDAS
18 Sign of hesitation upsetting mutt during game (12)
RUMTUMTUGGER – UM (sign of hesitation) in anagram (upsetting) of MUTT in (during) RUGGER (game). This is another of T.S. Eliot’s practical cats. I believe the enumeration should be (3,3,6) since the name is properly given as (The) Rum Tum Tugger.
20 Large castle with central section removed (4)
FOSS – FO[rtre]SS (large castle with central section removed). Foss was Edward Lear’s cat.
21 Government plan involving peewit and tailless harpy (5,5)
WHITE PAPER – anagram of PEEWIT HARP[y]
22 It demands a four-in-hand at the hangman’s party (7)
NECKTIE – a four-in-hand is a knot used for tying ties. I am unsure exactly how “at the hangman’s party” is supposed to work.
25 Mother’s dental problem (8)
MACAVITY – MA (mother) + CAVITY (dental problem). Macavity is one of the Practical Cats.
28 Greeting that’s short on the boundaries of society (6)
CURTSY – CURT (short) on S[ociet]Y
30 Young lad’s theme (4)
TOMS – young lad’s
34 Covered first of lyrics in period penned by poet (8)
OVERLAID – L[yrics] in (in) ERA (period) in (penned by) OVID (poet)
35 Sort of farmland surrounding German university? That’s open to
question (8)
ARGUABLE – G (German) + U (university) together in ARABLE (sort of farmland)
37 The main fact about ecstasy (5)
GEIST – E (ecstasy) in GIST (the main fact). Geist was one of Matthew Arnold’s dachshunds. Arnold wrote the poem Geist’s Grave in memory of him.
39 Corn from monarch reigning from 1714 (5)
GRIST – G[eorge] R[ex] IST (first)
40 One red flag waving (8)
GARFIELD – anagram (waving) of I (one) RED FLAG
41 Weapon, badly lit, during fight (8)
STILETTO – anagram (badly) of LIT in SET TO (fight)
42 From Ireland, a shillelagh (4)
DASH – hidden word. According to Brewer, Dash was the dog of Charles Lamb, the essayist. Another Dash was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel owned by Queen Victoria.
44 Very small amount of time? (6)
MINUTE – double definition
45 Burning, doing menial work (8)
CHARRING – double definition
49 Housework remains on the nettle tree (4,3)
HOOP ASH – HO (house…) + OP (…work) + ASH (remains). The Hoop Ash is a tree so-called because its wood is very bendable and therefore good for making hoops and barrels.
50 Discrimination quarrel (10)
DIFFERENCE – double definition
52 Extra duck consumed (4)
BOYE – O (duck) in (consumed) BYE (extra, as in cricket). Boye was a celebrated and iconic white hunting poodle belonging to Prince Rupert of the Rhine in the 17th century.
55 Wrinkle problem spoken of (12)
RUMPELTEAZER – homophones (spoken of) of “rumple” (wrinkle) and “teaser” (problem). Rumpelteazer is one of the Practical Cats.
57 Society ruler embracing almost sublime sport (4,6)
SKIN DIVING – S (society) + DIVIN[e] (almost sublime) in (embracing) KING (ruler)
59 John seen from Lostwithiel to Newquay (5)
ELTON – hidden word
60 Scientific investigation that is involved with shore-crab (3-8)
BIO-RESEARCH – anagram (involved) of IE (that is) SHORE CRAB
61 Making Laura itch regularly (5)
LUATH – L[a]U[r]A[i]T[c]H. According to Brewer, Luath was Cuchullain’s hound, Cuchillain being an Irish mythological hero. Robert Burns also had a favourite dog named Luath.
62 Just enough salmon sandwiches for starters (4)
JESS – J[ess] E[nough] S[almon] S[andwiches]. Jess is Postman Pat’s cat.
63 Guiding light around almost all Dorset (8)
LODESTAR – anagram (around) of AL[l] DORSET
64 Coaxing a little woman in embrace (8)
CAJOLING – A (a) + JO (a little woman) together in (in) CLING (embrace). Jo is one of the main characters in the novel Little Women.
DOWN
1 Rabbie leaving, uses up his energy (5,3)
BURNS OFF – BURNS (Rabbie) + OFF (leaving)
2 Lots of fluid inside (7)
BAGPUSS – PUS (fluid) in BAGS (lots). Bagpuss is the main feline character in a British children’s television series of the same name.
3 Copper enters exactly (3,3)
TOP CAT – PC (copper) in (enters) TO-A -T (exactly). Top Cat was the name of a television cartoon series of the 196os and its main character. I enjoyed it as a child and remember it well. It was based on another, live-action comedy The Phil Silvers Show (a.k.a. Sergeant Bilko) that was a favourite of my father’s.
4 Young animal on the new walk (7)
LAMBETH – LAMB (young animal) + anagram (new) of THE. Lambeth Walk is a street in Lambeth, London, and The Lambeth Walk is both a song from the 1937 musical Me and My Girl and the name of a 1939 film.
6 Time is up too! (4)
NOON – palindrome
7 Taking it upon oneself – like before a fine meal, it seems (14)
PRESUMPTUOUSLY – PRE (before) + SUMPTUOUSLY (like a fine meal) as it might seem
8 Artistic director or metal assessor, reportedly (7)
CURATOR – CU (metal, i.e. copper) + homophone of “rater” (assessor)
9 Wimbledon favourite’s purse forms capital to set up a project (4,5)
SEED MONEY – SEED (Wimbledon favourite) + MONEY (purse)
10 Strange but heartless colloquial themeword (9)
RUMPUS CAT – RUM (strange) + PUS[s]CAT (heartless colloquial themeword). Another Practical Cat and another clue that I believe has an incorrect enumeration — should be (6,3).
11 Popstar’s trap to catch criminals (5)
STING – double definition
12 Not fit to run – why bother? (8)
UNWORTHY – anagram (bother) of TO RUN WHY
13 Hardly protection from the rain (7)
HAIRNET – anagram (from) THE RAIN
19, 47 Saved torn drapes (6)
SPARED – anagram (torn) of DRAPES
23 For king with glove on (3,6)
TOM KITTEN – TO (for) + K (king) in (with..on) MITTEN (glove). Tom Kitten is one of Beatrix Potter’s characters.
24 Radio operator getting hired (6)
HAMLET – HAM (radio operator) + LET (hired). Hamlet was a black greyhound belonging to Sir Walter Scott. I also found that the name is given to the residential cat in New York City’s famous Algonquin Hotel. The Algonquin has been home to a residential cat since the 1920’s; all females assuming the position have been named Matilda and all males Hamlet.
26 Oceanarium, not posh, serving coffee (9)
AMERICANO – anagram (serving) of OCEANARI[u]M
27 Hearing me celebrate the decoration (5)
ICING – homophone (hearing) of “I sing” (me celebrate)
29 Beside beside (4)
TOBY – TO (beside) + BY (beside). Toby was Punch’s famous dog (as in Punch and Judy). Another Toby was a dog used by Sherlock Holmes. I found it hard to see how ‘beside’ could clue TO and am grateful to Hugh for suggesting in a comment below that in the phrase “shoulder to shoulder”, it works.
31 Wandering goatherd lost rat (5)
HODGE – anagram (wandering) of GO[at]HE[r]D. Hodge was one of Samuel Johnson’s cats, immortalised in a characteristically whimsical passage in James Boswell’s Life of Johnson.
32 Marine first leaving during brawls (2,12)
MR MISTOFFELEES – RM (marine) + IST (first) + OFF (leaving) all in MELEES (brawls). Mr. Mistoffelees is another Practical Cat.
33 Drinks upset brings bad mood (5)
STROP – PORTS (drinks) backwards (upset). ‘Strop’ can be an informal British word for a funk.
36 Special edition appearing in crowd scene (5)
EXTRA – double definition
37 Some imminent relegation is upsetting (6)
GELERT – reverse hidden word. Gelert was Llewelyn’s dog in Welsh legend.
38 Subsidiary office lacking central heating (4)
BRAN – BRAN[ch] (subsidiary office lacking C[entral] H[eating]). Bran was Fingal’s dog in Irish legends.
43 “Wrinkles and furrowed brow” – news summary (9)
HEADLINES – double definition
44 L’Abîme – the new version (9)
MEHITABEL – anagram (new version) of LABIME THE. Mehitabel was a cat in an early 20th-century comic strip named Archie and Mehitabel.
45 Suggesting both game or PM’s residence (8)
CHECKERS – double definition
46 Top cyclist on motorbike (7)
CHARLEY – C[yclist] + HARLEY (motorbike). Charley was an animated cat in a series of very short cartoon public-information films for children called Charley Says, produced by the British government and broadcast in the U.K. in the 1970s and 1980s. As ub points out in a comment below, there is also a famous dog of the same name that belonged to John Steinbeck and featured in his 1962 book Travels with Charley: In Search of America.
47 See 19
48 Nocturnal activist’s boundary take over (8)
HEDGEHOG – HEDGE (boundary) + HOG (take over)
50 Cleaner turned up on top of deck (7)
DIAMOND – MAID (cleaner) backwards (turned up) + ON (on) + D[eck]. Diamond was a little dog belonging to Sir Isaac Newton.
51 Spooner’s lean prophet and girl (7)
CYNTHIA – spoonerism of “thin seer” (lean prophet)
53 Paperwork from French friend after social security cheque upset (7)
ORIGAMI – GIRO (social security cheque) backwards (upset) + AMI (French friend)
54 The scores are level, during game (6)
GIALLO – I ALL (the scores are level, i.e. one-all) in GO (game). Giallo was a dog belonging to the writer and poet William Savage Landor.
56 Graduate’s discourse cut in half (5)
MATHE – MA (graduate) + THE[sis] (discourse cut in half). Mathe was Richard II’s greyhound.
58 Some crude variation in Roman Chester (4)
DEVA – hidden word. Deva was the Roman name for Chester.
I have little doubt now that 52A “boye” is the way to go, but I talked myself into “mre” (military meals eaten regularly) are consumed and when they eat duck you get “more.” It was my last one in and I already had counted a full quota of cats and dogs. But I had Charley as either/or ( a dog from Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charley” before I found the cat as well) and counted Checkers as Richard Nixon’s family dog (to which he supposedly alluded in a 1952 speech that became known as the Checkers speech) even though the clue is a DD. Paralysis by analysis at the end for me. But wonderful job on the blog and puzzle.
Also, I keep counting 14 dogs in your list, Pete.
14 isn’t RUN UP, which I suspect is a typo on your part, Pete, because it would clash with BAGPUSS, but RIG UP, where RIG = “outfit”. (After dealing with this nightmare puzzle, you can certainly be excused a typo!)
2d, BAGPUSS, is surely “pus” in “bags”. And in 32, the way I parse it, the first M is the first letter of MELEES and therefore RM is the correct way round.
Thanks, Peter. I completely missed how BAGPUSS worked and was somehow blind about the RM element of 32.
Now (I (think) I see that perhaps “Griet” is a stray dog, so to speak, in preamble list.
Shoulder “to” shoulder might be a use if to meaning “by”.
Excuse me. Beside not by.
A stray dog! Yes, indeed. Thank you, ub. My first answer to 37ac was GRIET. Which happened to demonstrate to me that one can come up with almost any readable collection of letters and someone, somewhere, at some time had a dog with that name. And of course I neglected to remove it from the list at the top after I found the right answer, GEIST.
More than a chore, it was a bore. I gave up, which I rarely do.
Thanks Gozo and Pete
Agree that this was probably more hard work than good fun, but having said that it did use up a lot of holiday time taking an elapsed 5-6 days to chip away at it. I latched on to the ‘cat’ theme quite early after finding JESS and GARFIELD and must say that when I got the ‘dog’ theme after having getting MATHE and HAMLET were in fact dogs, I had the ‘doh moment’. Most of the theme words were pretty gettable from the word play so that the ‘chore’ was to look them up and confirm that they actually were a cat or dog.
I actually calculated 14 dogs (MATHE, HAMLET, BRAN, DASH, LUATH, BOYE, GELERT, GEIST, CHECKERS, MAIDA, DIAMOND, TOBY, GIALLO and CHARLEY) and 14 cats (TOP CAT, GARFIELD, HODGE, JESS, MACAVITY, MUNGOJERRIE, BAGPUSS, MR MISTOFFELEES, RUM TUM TUGGER, RUMPLETEAZER, MEHITABEL, TOM KITTEN, FOSS and RUMPUS CAT).
Finished in the NE corner with the four-in-hand NECKTIE (that I had not heard of before – knowing it more as a schoolboy knot) and the improbable HAIRNET as the last one in.
I agree with Bart Maguire. Better things to enjoy.
Well it certainly occupied the long hours flying to and from Perth, Australia.
I missed the dog theme, being lead astray with Elton, Sting and Mungojerrie, so I was chasing popular music bands and artists.
Agree with Bart Maguire@10 and Karen@12. I never got that it was both cats and dogs. Thought it was just pets for one of the themes, until it overflowed, then I couldn’t think what the other theme was. Gave up as it seemed one kept coming up with totally crazy words which were in fact correct.
And I’ve never heard the word ‘pusscat’, something that was necessary for 10dn.
Wil Ransome @ 14
But you will have heard the word “pussycat”, which would also fit the clue.
Yes psmith of course you’re quite right and I suspect this may be what Gozo intended. Pusscat is not in Collins or Chambers. Perhaps the word is only used in the USA.
Confused about 49a. There is indeed a tree called the Hoop Ash, and there is also a tree called the Nettle Tree, but they aren’t the same.
Bob, Thank you very much for your comment. I did spend a little time attempting to find out if the Hoop Ash and the Nettle Tree were in fact the same. This did not appear to be a determination easily to be made so I gave up. Now we have it on record that they are not the same.