Slormgorm is a recent contributor to the FT, but I think not a fledgling setter.
Pants and euphemisms are a bit of a mini theme here. I think that some of the definitions might be seen as tenuous but in the context of the theme they work fine. The style is a bit reminiscent of Paul/Mudd’s schoolboy humour. Thank you Slormgorm, and absolutely no offence intended!
| Across | ||
| 1 | MOCK-UP | Take the mickey out of leading model (4-2) |
| MOCK (take the mickey out of) and UP (leading) | ||
| 4 | OCTAGONS | Shapes of tailored coats go with necklaces primarily (8) |
| anagram (tailored) of GOATS GO with Necklaces (primarily, first letter of) | ||
| 10 | DEMEANOUR | Belittle yours and my appearance (9) |
| DEMEAN (belittle) OUR (yours and my) | ||
| 11 | TRAIL | Detective crossing Republican’s path (5) |
| TAIL (detective) contains (crossing) R (republican) – I’m not convinced a tail is a detectective | ||
| 12 | COOL | Chilly prison cell Her Majesty escapes (4) |
| COOLer (prison cell) missing (escapes) ER (Elizabeth Regina, her majesty) | ||
| 13 | RESOLUTION | Concerning answer to a problem decision (10) |
| RE (regarding, concerning) SOLUTION (answer to a problem) | ||
| 15 | TOILERS | Hard workers heading for Tunbridge Wells (7) |
| Tunbridge (heading for, first letter) then OILERS (wells) – very nice! | ||
| 16 | FIDDLE | Female with central part, but not lead, in play (6) |
| F (female) with mIDDLE (central part, but not leading letter) | ||
| 19 | ENGELS | Socialist theatre backers making a turn irate ultimately (6) |
| aNGELS (theatre backers) with A made into E (last letter, ultimately, of iratE) | ||
| 21 | CONFUSE | Puzzle put together by firm close to London (7) |
| FUSE (put together) following (by) CO (firm) and londoN (last letter, close to) | ||
| 23 | ENORMOUSLY | Your melons wobbled around to a huge extent (10) |
| anagram (wobbled around) of YOUR MELONS | ||
| 25 | ASTI | Slormgorm put on a stone, having this? (4) |
| I (slormgorm) following (put on) A ST (stone) – drinking too much Asti wine will make you fat | ||
| 27 | KLEIN | Small German chap in pants (5) |
| Calvin Klein is an underwear manufacturer (a chap in pants) | ||
| 28 | COME AGAIN | What did you say? Egomaniac needs a beating? (4,5) |
| anagram (needs a beating) of EGOMANIAC | ||
| 29 | PLEASANT | Nice drop of lager drunk by country labourer (8) |
| Lager (first letter, a drop of) inside (drunk by) PEASANT (labourer) | ||
| 30 | AT EASE | Relaxed kid on end of sofa (2,4) |
| TEASE (kid) following (on) sofA (end letter of) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | MEDICATE | Give drugs to referee full of cold (8) |
| MEDIATE (referee) containing (full of) C (cold) | ||
| 2 | COMMOTION | Maiden blocking joint proposal creates a stir (9) |
| M (maiden) inside (blocking) CO (joint) MOTION (proposal) | ||
| 3 | UTAH | State leaders to unite, then abolish hanging (4) |
| leading letters from Unite Then Abolish Hanging | ||
| 5 | CART OFF | Forcibly remove aristocrat’s vehicle at summit (4,3) |
| TOFF (aristocrat) underneath (with…at summit) CAR (vehicle) | ||
| 6 | ASTOUNDING | Amazing outings and trips (10) |
| anagram (trips) of OUTINGS AND | ||
| 7 | OMANI | Old fellow, one from Muscat? (5) |
| O (old) MAN (fellow) I (one) – Muscat is the capital city of Oman, the question mark acknowledges that Muscat is only one possible origin for something from Oman | ||
| 8 | SO LONG | Tune incorporating final parts of Hello Goodbye (2,4) |
| SONG (tune) contains (incorporating) helLO (final parts of) | ||
| 9 | BOXERS | People who fight dogs (6) |
| (double definition) | ||
| 14 | DETERMINES | Decides merits need to be redistributed (10) |
| anagram (to be redistributed) of MERITS NEEDS | ||
| 17 | LOUISIANA | I must feed a soul in a terrible state (9) |
| I inside (must feed) anagram (terrible) of A SOUL IN A | ||
| 18 | DEFIANCE | Male intended to support contrary editor’s challenge (8) |
| FIANCE (male intended) following (underneath in a down solution, to support) ED (editor) reversed (contrary) | ||
| 20 | SOUPCON | A little conservative to have starter first (7) |
| CON (conservative) following (to have…first) SOUP (a starter) | ||
| 21 | COLUMN | Post regular feature by a correspondant (6) |
| double definition | ||
| 22 | PERK UP | Become more excited for every tournament broadcast (4,2) |
| sounds like (broadcast) “per cup” (for every tournament) | ||
| 24 | OBESE | Porky old boy sent up son gripped by drugs (5) |
| OB (old boy) |
||
| 26 | PANT | Undies with bottom cut out can make you this (4) |
| PANTs (undies) missing last letter (bottom cut out) – you can guess the type of undies slormgorm is talking about here… | ||
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.
Thanks Slormgorm and PeeDee
This is the third puzzle of this setter that I have done and this one was pretty straightforward with no hold ups at all. Was a little surprised to see this type of humour in an FT crossword – have seen it before in Guardian puzzles.
Wasn’t enamoured by the clues (or the definition part of them, anyway) of 25a and 26d, but did like 15a and 19a which were my last two in.
Thanks PeeDee
In 24dn the OB isn’t reversed (sent up) in the solution, if it was the entry would be BOESE. A faulty clue, IMO, unless the ‘sent up’ is indicating an unnecessary reversal of ESE.
@PeeDee
As was revealed in the comments below his FT debut, Slormgorm = Hoskins (Indy) + various other aliases etc.
regards, Rob
Like bruce@1, I wasn’t too keen on 25a, but was ok with 26d. Thought this was much better than his previous 2 outings. It has been said that SLORMGORM is the same as Hoskins from the Independent and certainly the clueing here reflects that – even the reference to her maj at 12a (a Hoskins staple).
I didn’t mind 24 suggesting a reversal of ESE since it works and gives a better surface. It is unusual though.
My favourite was the un-pc clue 23a.
Thanks to SLORMGORM and PeeDee.
Gaufrid – you are quite right. I must have been typing on autopilot there.
I wouldnt have recognised Harry on the last Slormgorm but this one reminded me of a tip off.
I liked 23 also. VEry silly.
Thanks
HarrySlormgorm and Pee Dee.See bo(3) for 24D. It works OK then.
Thanks to Slormgorn and PeeDee. I had trouble with ENGELS and KLEIN but did make my way through.