Guardian Cryptic 27,682 by Chifonie

by

The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27682.

A mixture of mostly straightforward anagrams, charades and envelopes, with occasional combinations. A good fit for the Monday slot, with enough substance to make it worthwhile, and only the odd niggle.

Across
1 OEDIPUS Edward the First interrupted work of a patricide (7)
An envelope (‘interrupted’) of ED (‘Edward’) plus I (‘the first’) in OPUS (‘work’). A complex clue to start off with.
5 ABASHED One remains in bed, being embarrassed (7)
A charade of A (‘one’) plus BASHED, an envelope (‘in’) of ASH (‘remains’) in ‘bed’.
9 LATER Broke bread in both hands in time (5)
An envelope (‘in’) of ATE (‘broke bread’) in L R (left and right, ‘bot,h hands’).The second ‘in’ could be included in the definirion.
10 EXTREMIST Fanatic makes setter mix cocktail (9)
An anagram (‘cocktail’) of ‘setter mix’.
11 TIN OPENERS Can first ones in get kitchen utensils? (3,7)
A charade of TIN (‘can’) plus OPENERS (‘first ones in’ eg. cricket).
12 RHEA Bird featured in banner headline (4)
A hidden (‘featured in’) answer in ‘banneR HEAdline’.

Rhea americana in the former Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park (photo by Arpingstone)
14 ENCHANTMENT Sing to fellows in hospital department in delight (11)
An envelope (‘in’) of CHANT (‘sing’) plus MEN (‘fellows’) in ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat, ‘hospital department’).
18 ULTRAMODERN Ruler to damn building that’s avant-garde (11)
An anagram (‘building’) of ‘ruler to damn’.
21 PEAR Fruit and veg recipe (4)
A charade of PEA (‘veg’, although the part generally eaten is a fruit or part of it) plus R (‘recipe’; someone generally needs to know that the Rx which used to head doctors’ prescriptions is actually R, for the Latin word recipe, take).
22 CELLOPHANE Wrap instrument and start to hand through the window (10)
A charade of CELLO (‘instrument’) plus PHANE, an envelope (‘through’) of H (‘start to Hand’) in PANE (‘the window’). ‘Wrap’ as a noun.
25 CONSTRAIN Force prisoners to study (9)
A charade of CONS (‘prisoners’) plus TRAIN (‘study’).
26 IDIOT Number one detective books clown (5)
A charade of I (‘number one’) plus DI (‘detective’ inspector) plus OT (Old Testament, ‘books’).
27 STRANGE Road rage grips Pole? That’s awkward! (7)
An envelope (‘grips’) of N (North ‘Pole’) in ST(street, ‘road’) plus ‘rage’.
28 SETTLER Gun dog bites hand of pioneer (7)
An envelope (‘bites’) of L (left ‘hand’) in SETTER (‘gun dog’).
Down
1 OBLATE Religious devotee died but not in time (6)
A charade of OB (obiit, ‘died’) plus LATE (‘not in time’).
2 DOTING Fond of a spot in government (6)
A charade of DOT (‘a spot’) plus ‘in’ plus G (‘government’).
3 PERIPHERAL Fairy meets goddess in place that’s unimportant (10)
A charade of PERI (Persian ‘fairy’) plus PHERAL, an envelope (‘in’) of HERA (Greek ‘goddess’) in PL (‘place’).
4 SHEEN Lustre noticed when touring hotel (5)
An envelope (‘when touring’) of H (‘hotel’) in SEEN (‘noticed’).
5 ALTERNATE Winger in a last-minute switch (9)
An envelope (‘in’) of TERN (‘winger’) in ‘a’ plus LATE (‘last-minute’).
6 APEX Top copy marked with a kiss (4)
A charade of APE (‘copy’) plus X (‘marked with a kiss’).
7 HEIGHTEN Number taken in by flighty female is to increase (8)
An envelope (‘taken in’) of EIGHT (‘number’) in HEN (‘flighty female’).
8 DETRACTS Began turning up carrying cargo, initially of spoils (8)
An envelope (‘carrying’) of C (‘Cargo initially’) in DETRATS, a reversal (‘turning up’ in a down light) of STARTED (‘began’).
13 STANDPOINT Cope with Spike’s perspective (10)
A charade of STAND (‘cope with’) plus POINT (‘spike’).
15 COOPERATE Help senior officer to function (9)
A charade of CO (Commanding Officer, ‘senior officer’) plus OPERATE (‘function’).
16 AUSPICES Patronage put life into Australia (8)
An envelope (‘put … into’) of SPICE (‘life’) in AUS (‘Australia’).
17 STRAINER Filter surprisingly isn’t rare (8)
An anagram (‘surprisingly’) of ‘isn’t rare’.
19 DANIEL Lion-tamer is an idle outcast (6)
An anagram (‘outcast’) of ‘an idle’, with the definition referring to the Biblical story of Daniel in the lions’ den.
20 HECTOR Trojan bully (6)
I suppose this is intended as a double definition, but it is essentiall a single one.
23 LINES Mark’s punishment (5)
Double definition.
24 STUN Overcome by today’s leader in newspaper (4)
An envelope (‘in’) of T (‘Today’s leader’) in SUN (‘newspaper’).
completed grid

35 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 27,682 by Chifonie”

  1. Stupidly bunged in plan at 21a, d’oh! Otherwise as PeterO says, Mondayish but not a write-in, finishing in the NW…slow to twig Oedipus, ditto ‘peri’ for fairy tho almost a chestnut, and only dimly recognised oblate. Also slow to remember lines as punishment…wrote a few, but more than half a century ago. Wondered about the ‘of’ in both 1a and 8d, but only fleetingly.

    Thanks P&C.

  2. A bit awkward to have LATE(r) featuring three times: 5d, 1d and (intersecting) 9a. cf also the intersection of 17d and 25a, involving STRAIN. Or is this not a problem? Overall a neat instance of the Monday starter, a slot where Chifonie is becoming a welcome regular, though not I think as regular as Vulcan.

  3. Thanks to Chifonie and Peter O. I really enjoyed this puzzle. Not too tricky but some to pull one up and give a little brain tease. Amongst the best I liked were HEIGHTEN for its flighty female… PERIPHERAL for its cleverness. Although I knew Peri, I knew nothing of the Greek goddess Hera , but luckily letters seemed to fall into place.Same with Auspices. Cellophane was hard to get, just couldn’t find that instrument! Also liked Tin opener.. Although “late”crosses at 1d and 9a., this seems fine to me. It just put doubt in my mind when it shouldn’t have. All adding to the spice of this puzzle. Only question I have is Avant garde means ultra modern.I always think it just means a bit left field….

  4. Incidentally, I got “carted” as carrying cargo the first part of detracts, plus an extra “t” from turned up. But then it does leave the “s’ rather adrift I guess . Oh well.

  5. Thanks Chifonie and PeterO

    Nice puzzle. I liked ULTRAMODERN (a sly reference to the future King Charles III?) and DANIEL. I thought HECTOR works as a verb “to bully”, though I suppose it does derive from the Trojan.

  6. Yes, a very nice puzzle. I made a mess of HECTOR, putting in BELTER. Like others I liked PERIPHERAL, OEDIPUS – and also OBLATE. Chifonie’s smooth surfaces ran throughout. Thanks to C & P.

  7. Good fun for a Monday morning – fewer (not so) cryptic definitions and more classical techniques such as envelopes, charades and anagrams, albeit more clearly telegraphed than in harder puzzles, which seems fair to me. Although the etymology of the verb “to hector” is clearly from the Trojan princely character, I doubt many would know that off-hand and either way there’s around three thousand years between Hector the character and hector the verb so I think it counts as a double definition. With Daniel, Hera and Oedipus we had a classical mini-theme going on I thought.

    I liked ultramodern which clicked into place with a couple of crossers, and cellophane (putting me in  mind of the song from Chicago which I first heard performed by Nigel Planer). A few other ticks but also thought the multiple “lates” was a little unfortunate.

    Thanks chifonie for the elegant crossword, and PeterO for the blog.

  8. Thanks PeterO.

    Not my cup of tea as a puzzle but no complaints either.

    Did not know the nounal OBLATE, only the flattened sphere.

    Thanks, Chifonie, nice week, all.

  9. I always wondered why R was apparently legitimately used for Recipe so thank you PeterO for the explanation at 21a.

  10. Enjoyable Monday fare – and thanks for the explanation of Pear… I had incorrectly parsed it as a recipe/anagram of rape, as in rapeseed! Also, the abbreviation “PL” for place was new to me, hence peripheral being my LOI… another one to store away for next time 🙂

  11. Thanks to Chifonie and PeterO. I thought this was an enjoyable start to the week. Not too difficult but certainly not a write in. I liked cellophane and idiot and thanks again to Chifonie and PeterO.

  12. Thanks to Chifonie and PeterO. Enjoyable. I vaguely remembered OBLATE as a noun and had no qualms about HECTOR. HERA has been turning up regularly in crossword-land (maybe she is the new goddess of choice). My LOI was LINES as a form of punishment.

  13. Breezed through this mainly because of the imaginative surfaces – kept the interest and thereby the momentum. 22 ac the best of these for me. Oh and DROFLE…a classic hero called Belter would be fab. Certainly wouldn’t forget that in an exam room.

  15. Thanks both,
    I thought the anagram in 18a was very good and the level of difficulty for a Monday just right.

  16. Quite an easy puzzle but fine for a Monday.

    Wasn’t too happy with ‘marks’ LINES – a rather sloppy definition.

    Thanks to Chiffonie

  17. Very enjoyable. My comments have already been made by others.

    One minor clarification. Writing repeated lines in detention is or was, of course, common this side of the Atlantic (USA). However, referring to these as LINES as a punishment seems to be unknown or at least very uncommon.

    Thanks Chifonie and PeterO.

  18. Found this a little tougher than Chifonie usually is, and consequently enjoyed it more.

    Thanks to Chifonie and PeterO

  19. Thank you Chifonie for an interesting puzzle and PeterO for the illustrated blog.

    Anna @16, the COED gives “mark 6 a line etc. indicating a position”, the clue made “on your marks, get set, go!” come to my mind…

  20. … and Attila @17 the COED gives “line 11 (in pl.) a specified amount of text etc. to be written out as a school punishment”.

  21. Thanks Chifonie and PeterO.  An enjoyable puzzle.

    I thought 20d HECTOR was fine as a double definition.  I don’t see how it could be a single definition, PeterO, because as far as I’m aware the original Hector was not a bully.  I don’t know how the word came to have its later derogatory meaning – can anyone shed light on this?

    Peri, in 3d, is one of those words that I’ve only ever come across in crosswords.

  22. Cookie @20. You seem to be confirming that a person educated in the US would only be able to find this meaning with reference to a British dictionary. As an ex-pat Brit, I am familiar with lines as punishment. Btw it\’s \”line 25\” in my ancient version of the Concise Oxford. It\’s not in Webster. It\’s also only in the British section of dictionary.com.

  24. I didn’t find this as easy as most of you did although,looking at the completed grid, I’m not sure why I had any trouble with it. I didn’t parse TIN OPENERS until seeing the blog and the sound you hear is me kicking myself! I liked AUSPICES and HECTOR.
    Thanks Chifonie.

  27. Like Lord Jim @21, this started me wondering how the word “hector” came to have its current meaning, as the mythological Hector was not particularly noted for being a bully. On the contrary, although it’s been many years since I read it, I recall Hector being one of the most sympathetic characters in the Iliad. There’s a quite touching scene of him saying goodbye to his young son before he goes off to battle. The boy is frightened at the sight of his father in his helmet.

    The OED says this, regarding the “bully” meaning of the word (as a noun, not a verb):

    Frequent in the second half of the 17th cent.; applied spec. to a set of disorderly young men who infested the streets of London.

  28. Thanks to setter and blogger. Better than average Monday fare. Interesting to note that the independent has “detracts” clued similarly.

  29. “oblate” also appeared in today’s Scotsman cryptic. Had to look it up as, like William, I only knew it from O-level Geography as in “the earth is an oblate spheroid”. Does anyone else do the Scotsman cryptic?

  31. I read through the comments expecting someone to comment on the SUN being considered a newspaper! Though in retrospect, maybe this has been commented on too many times before.  I only have the Canadian SUN tabloids as reference, they are clearly not newspapers, except insofar as they are printed on paper.  It reminded me of Yes Minister: https://youtu.be/MoAGqV7cvqY which we used to get in Toronto via PBS in Buffalo.  Thanks to PeterO and Chifonie …

  32. thezed @7 & Lord Jim @21

    Ok, you win; 20DD HECTOR goes down as a double definition. I might have made my intention clearer by writing “one definition twice over” rather than “a single one”. I do not like “double definitions” which are different senses of the same word; Rufus came up with these fairly regularly, and I do not think I am alone in finding it one of the less admirable features of his output. However, in this case, as you point out, the two senses are so divergent – indeed at odds with one another – that it is quite acceptable to me.
    As for the reason that the word took on the meaning it has, I have little to add to Ted @27 with his quote from the OED. Maybe the tearaways called themselves that, or others used the term ironically?

  33. It did cross my mind to comment, paulus….does your link go to “they don’t care who runs the country as long as they have big…..”?

  35. Thanks to Chifonie and PeterO.
    Usual excellent surfaces from Chifonie but not so much wit, I thought.
    Not sure about “broke bread” = “ate” or “later” = ” time” or “in time” at 9a.

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