Guardian 27,534 – Vlad

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As usual with Vlad, there are a few easy clues to soften us up for the rigours to come: no walkover, but perhaps the impaling was less severe than with some of his work. Thanks to Vlad.

There seems to be a bit of a sporty theme here, with TENNIS, BADMINTON and SQUASH making an appearance, along with some horsey references, and Sir Mo Farah gets a mention in 23d.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Across
1. ACHING Desperately wanting a 25% reduction in schoolwork (6)
[TE]ACHING
4. PHOBOS Moon an afterthought, Tramp admitted (6)
HOBO (tramp) in PS – Phobos is one of the two moons of Mars
9. STARVATION WAGES Rewards of little value to the consumer (10,5)
Just a (not particularly) cryptic definition, unless I’m missing something
10. ANGELA Orange ladies include her (6)
Hidden in orANGE LAdies
11. PROLIFIC Constantly reproducing, much like anti-abortionists, I see (8)
PRO-LIF[E] + I C
12. TOP BRASS What those in authority earn? (3,5)
Double/cryptic definition (brass = money)
15. SADDOS Pop’s rejected about 500 — these people are pathetic (6)
D (500) in reverse of SODA’S
18. ROMANIAN No wild enthusiasm amongst sailors for Vlad? (8)
0 MANIA in R[oyal] N[avy]. Depending on who you believe, Vlad the Impaler was born in either Wallachia or Transylvania, both parts of modern Romania, though he lived long before that country existed
21. AFFIRMED Maintained an agent to guard stable (8)
FIRM (stable) in A FED (FBI agent)
22. TIMBER Doctor has row about building material (6)
M.B. in TIER
24. BUTTERNUT SQUASH Fruit spread off your trolley? Question remains (9,6)
BUTTER (spread) + NUTS (off your trolley, crazy) + QU + ASH (remains) – one of those cases where what is botanically a fruit is considered a vegetable for culinary purposes
25,26. TONSIL TENNIS Kissing isn’t silent? No worries (6,6)
(ISN’T SILENT NO)* – slang for French kissing
Down
1. ANTONIO American not in play at the Globe (Merchant of Venice) (7)
A[merican] + (NOT IN)* + O (globe) – as all good pub quizzers know, the eponymous merchant is Antonio, not Shylock as some suppose
3. NIAGARA Falls over a painter — get up! (7)
Reverse of A RA (artist, painter) GAIN (to get)
5. HANG OUT Spend time together in Chinese — stomach’s empty (4.3)
HAN (Chinese) + GUT with 0 in, i.e. “empty”
6. BRAZILIAN Refuse to accommodate one woman over style not normally seen in public (9)
Reverse of A LIZA in BRAN (refuse) – removal of pubic hair (usually by waxing) so a “style not seen in public”!
7. SPECIAL Particular place is affected (7)
(PLACE IS)*
8. HIPPOS That chap’s very quiet round caged beasts (6)
PP O in (“caged” by) HIS (that chap’s)
13,2,14. BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS Animals bred, in short, to run in sporting event (9,5,6)
(ANIMALS BRED IN SHORT TO)* – knowing little of this event I guessed this might be a topical reference, but in fact the Trials took place at the beginning of May
16. AT FAULT Cheers about Queen’s error — that’s wrong (2,5)
Reverse of TA (thank you, cheers) + FAULT (an “error” I tennis – e.g. at the Queen’s Club)
17. SAMURAI Weird when retiring perfectly fit fighters (7)
Reverse of RUM AS + A1 (perfectly fit, e.g. for military service)
18. RED RUM Sporting legend about to get beat (3,3)
Reverse of MURDER Thanks to cryptor for the correction: it’s RE (about) + DRUM
19. MATISSE Artist‘s model turned up in same shot (7)
Reverse of SIT (model) in SAME*
20. AGEISTS Don’t they like to see people getting on? (7)
Cryptic definition
23. MOURN Keen runner has easy run (5)
MO [Farah, runner] + RUN*

52 comments on “Guardian 27,534 – Vlad”

  1. For 18d, I read it as “RE” (about) + DRUM (beat).

    For 9a, isn’t the cryptic part the reference to “consumer” being someone who eats (who would find little value in starvation wages!).

    The woman in 6d is obviously LIZA, not LISA!

    Cheers to Vlad & Andrew!

  3. Thanks Vlad and Andrew

    I was about to make exactly the points that cryptor has @1. I don’t see how “about to get beat” can be “murder”.

    “Easy” was a new anagram indicator for me (in 23d).

    Favourite was MATISSE. I knew “tonsil hockey”, but TONSIL TENNIS was new to me – another nice one.

    Oh, what has happened to the real Vlad?

  4. Thanks cryptor, you are of course right about RED RUM – I thought the wording of the clue was a little odd, but  I’m so familiar with RED RUM as a reversal of MURDER that I wrote that without looking further (and thought of “beat” as synonymous with “murder”, as in games, perhaps).

    I’ve also corrected LISA – I must have been thinking of the Portuguese spelling of “BRASIL” 🙂

  5. A struggle this morning with the lower half more challenging. Several guesses from the crossers and then some work needed to unpick them : butternut squash, Brazilian and samurai for example. Really liked prolific and Red Rum….whether murder or re drum.
    Thanks Vlad and Andrew.

  6. Thanks Andrew and Vlad. I agree that there were enough sporting references to make it a theme, rather than mere coincidences.Talking of which, I was just about to roast a 24, to use in my odd recipe for brownies.

  7. This was the first Vlad I have finished before reaching the office, so he was definitely gentler than usual today. All of the characteristic wit and invention remains – a fine puzzle.

    Thanks to Vlad and Andrew

  9. Loved this, especially the BRAZILIAN 6d and 25,26a TONSIL TENNIS.
    Filling in STARVATION DIETS at 9a held me up for some time, until I got SPECIAL at 7d which meant I had to have a rethink. Fortunate that 13d,2d, 14a was an anagram – I got HORSE TRAILS/TRIALS and had to google the rest of the scramble to find BADMINTON referenced an event with which I was unfamiliar.
    I felt we had discussed BUTTERNUT SQUASH (24a) before – here in Oz, it is a vegetable, so thanks Andrew for the culinary reference. I also only knew RED RUM (18d) from a previous puzzle, because I recall looking up the story via a link provided and learning of the horse’s tragic fate.
    I did like the self-referencing clue, ROMANIAN (18a).
    Many thanks Vlad and Andrew (although I didn’t spot the themes – perhaps if I had checked my work and reflected on the overall grid before coming here to clarify some parsing I might have). Possibly less painful than the usual impaling.

  11. Sorry I am clearly “getting on”, 20d. On checking I found that it was some other famous horse from over your way whose name now eludes me, that was kidnapped for a ransom and killed, not RED RUM. I found Red Rum lived to a good age and is buried in a lovely plot at AINTREE Racecourse (ref a recent puzzle)

  12. Thanks, Andrew and, of course, Vlad [yes, a bit gentler than usual but still as enjoyable].

    I fell into the RED RUM trap, too. [JinA, it was Shergar.]

    Favourites today were PROLIFIC ROMANIAN and MOURN, for the misdirection.

  13. Yes, a somewhat easier Vlad than usual but some great clues (e.g. TONSIL TENNIS, PHOBOS, ROMANIAN). I’m yet another who thought it was Red Rum. Many thanks to V & A.

  14. First time I have (almost) enjoyed a Vlad. Thanks to setter and blogger, especially for explaining AT FAULT, and SADDOS – I was trying to include DA’S for Pop’s, but not getting anywhere with it.

     

    What a pity STYLE doesn’t equate to L, which would have made “style not seen in public” even more interesting!

     

  15. I’ve only heard TONSIL *HOCKEY before but the clue was clear enough to get the right sport. Can anyone explain how “easy” indicates an anagram in 23? Many thanks to Andrew for the blog and Vlad for a (for him) slightly easier but still very enjoyable puzzle.

  16. Possibly 21 continues the sporting theme. AFFIRMED won the Triple Crown of American thoroughbred racing in 1978, becoming the eleventh horse to do so. (Following Justify’s win in the Belmont last week, there are now thirteen.)

    Like matrixmania, I fail to see how “easy” indicates an anagram.

  17. matrixmania @15 and vinnyD @16

    I commented on “easy” too (@3). “Free” (or “bad”, even) would have been more mainstream.

  19. I failed 9a – guessed at STARVATION but never thought of WAGES even though I had all the crossers.

    Thanks Vlad and Andrew

  21. Thank you Vlad and Andrew.  Not too painful today, except for 6d, but I needed help with some of the parsing.

  23. Thanks to Vlad and Andrew. Most of this went in slowly but steadily, but then got held up on the last couple. They were saddos and Brazilian. However both eventually clicked and pleased to have finished a Vlad, even though possibly not as tough as usual. I particular liked at fault and ageists and thanks again to Vlad and Andrew.

  24. A day to mark on the calendar in that I don’t agree with Eileen

    I found it just as tricky as ‘usual ‘ Vlad, I didn’t fall into the Red Rum trap either.

    Lots to enjoy so thank you to Vlad and Andrew

  25. Shouldn’t “I see” be identified as a homophone?
    And would like to know how “refuse”gives BRAN.
    Otherwise straightforward for a Vlad.
    Thanks V & Al

  26. jeceris: “see” is the name of the letter C, so no homophone indicator is needed,

    Bran is refuse (stressed on the first syllable, with a short “e”) in the sense of what’s left over after removing the flour.

  27. Thanks to Vlad and Andrew.  I’ve recently felt that I’m tuning in more and more to Vlad’s wavelength and thought today was further evidence, but many found just an easier offering.  All the more enjoyable for that. I was stumped eventually by ROMANIAN (for reasons mentioned by Andrew) and thence BRAZILIAN (particularly annoyed by this one as I had the puzzle marked as a possible pangram – but I take consolation from there being places even my mind won’t wander towards in the course of cryptomusement).  I didn’t make an easy jump from M.B. to doctor – is there an equivalence?

    JinA@22 – oh I get it now. Nice one Cookie!

  28. Alphalpha @27

    MB – Bachelor of Medicine (as MD is Doctor of Medicine)

    When I was up at Cambridge, only medics with doctorates could call themselves “Doctor”; the rest were just “Mister”. I’ve never understood why surgeons elsewhere often insist on “Mister” too.

  29. Muffin@28  Once upon a time it was lowly barbers, not doctors, who did surgery, and who were therefore called Mr and not Dr.  Now when surgeons are so exalted, the distinction exists in the reverse direction.

  30. I forgot to say that in the US it is lumber, not timber, that’s a building material.  Timber is trees that are still standing, lumber is ones that have been cut up into boards.

    And thank you Vlad and Andrew.

  32. Thanks to Vlad and Andrew. Unlike most of you, I had the usual difficulty with this setter, for there were several terms new to me: RED RUM (though I did parse it correctly and did know Shergar), TONSIL TENNIS, BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS, and others that I struggled with.

  33. Thanks Andrew @26.
    I didn’t know all letters had spellings.
    To me bran isn’t refuse since it is used in various ways on baking and cooking.

  34. Quite right jeceris @33 – my only problem with this typically good Vlad.

    OTOH Araucaria always used ‘rubbish’ when barn was part of the word play, and I objected to that too.

    I speak as one for whom oat bran forms part of my daily breakfast. 🙂

  36. I thought this was quite an agreeable puzzle, perhaps easier than the usual Vlad, as I finished it more quickly than usual! Admittedly, I stared at it for some time before starting but then I got BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS and this got me going. I was really pleased to get PHOBOS more as a result of remembering the Martian moon from the science fiction comics of my youth. LOI was RED RUM.
    Thanks Vlad.

  37. Too tough for me – DNF. Really enjoyed those I did. Maybe ACHING is a common sort of clue, given no one seems to have mentioned it. But it was new to me and a delight to solve. A bit like the art philistine, I may not know about clues but I know what I like… 🙂

     

    Thanks Vlad and Andrew.

  38. Muffin@28: thanks for that and it was somewhere in the back of the shed thanks mainly, I think, to a long-ago crossword usage which still rankles somehow.  Can I call myself a doctor once in possession of an MB?  I just don’t know – crosswordland has its own rules, but there should be some parallel with reality.

  40. What a fun puzzle today!  I had many marked as favorites, including ANTONIO, HANGOUT, BRAZILIAN, BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS, MATISSE AND PROLIFIC, and co-CotDs for me were BUTTERNUT SQUASH and TONSIL TENNIS.  I had to circle back on Google to confirm/learn why MO = runner, why Queen’s = tennis, and why BADMINTON (the only possible word given the crossers and the remaining anagram fodder) was connected to HORSE (as opposed to birdie!) TRIALS.

    I originally thought there was a horsey theme only, based on HORSE, HIPPOS, AFFIRMED, RED RUM, BRAZILIAN (which is a horse breed used in equestrian events, I believe), and even NIAGARA (because of the famous Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side – by far the better side for viewing).  But then I completed the lower half of the puzzle, and saw that BADMINTON (which I already had) was joined by TENNIS and SQUASH and FAULT, and then I thought there was a second, mini-theme of racket/racquet sports going on.  However, I never put the two themes together and thought of it as an overall sporty theme.

    I couldn’t see RED RUM without immediately thinking of this.

    Many thanks to Vlad and Andrew and the other commenters.

  41. Keyser@37: That type of clue is, in my experience anyway, a reasonably new format. I’m not sure they should be encouraged – they may lead to hoas and onfusio.

  42. I was lucky enough to test-solve this. I thought it was superb. The clue for BADMINTON HORSE TRIALS is particularly brilliant. I failed to spot the mini racket-sport theme.

  43. I’m with crypticsue@24 and ACD@32 in finding this as tough as any Vlad. My first pass yielded nothing and then Mrs W said “12a must be TOP something” and the O led to ANTONIO and I slowly chipped away to finish it apart from the WAGES bit of 9a (like michelle@19). There were lots of nice clues along the way with SADDOS, NIAGARA BRAZILIAN and AGEISTS being my top picks. I’ve never heard of TONSIL TENNIS (or hockey) but it was a fun anagram to extract.
    Thanks to Andrew for the blog and the parsing of AT FAULT and to Vlad for the puzzle.

  44. Was feeling quite pleased with myself for finishing earlier than usual today.  Then I saw it’s STARVATION WAGES.   I had  STARVATION RATES.  Doh!  Luckily it didn’t affect any of the crossing clues.

  45. Unusually, I didn’t see this Vlad puzzle through to completion, and I stopped with the last 5 across clues and the last 6 down clues unsolved. (I really wanted to get BUTTERNUT SQUASH, but with only one crosser – the T – the answer eluded me, no doubt partly because I allowed myself to be misled by ‘fruit’.)
    I very much enjoyed the long anagram at 13,2,14 as well as PHOBOS, PROLIFIC, SADDOS and BRAZILIAN, but I didn’t enjoy STARVATION WAGES, ACHING or NIAGARA so much, and I found myself short of ideas on how to solve most of the bottom half. However, I thought the clue to BUTTERNUT SQUASH was excellent, and I wish I had managed to work it out!
    Thanks to Vlad and Andrew.

  46. Thanks both,

    I didn’t struggle with this as much as some Vlad’s and there were some fun clues. I don’t see how the clue gets rid of the e in prolife for 11a.

  48. Tyngewick @46 and muffin @47

    I think one needs ‘like anti-abortionists’ to get PROLIF[e], which leaves ‘much’ (of) for the curtailment.

  49. PeterO @48

    It’s not a big deal, but I read it the other way round – PROLIFE (an actual group, not just a description) are anti-abortionists, leaving the “much like” for the curtailment. Each to his own…

  52. Months later in Toronto………

    re: 18d.  Red Rum/murder.  For what it’s worth, in the Ireland of 70 years ago if your mother told you your father would murder you when he got home from work you knew you were in for a beating.  We got the right answer for the wrong reason.

    Thanks to all the setters and bloggers.  Very often we’d be lost without you.

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