Gozo’s instructions for this puzzle are hard to understand before one identifies the theme but, before that point, no such understanding is needed. However his use of the term ‘light’ makes it a bit hard to understand what he means even after knowing the theme.
I was perhaps lucky in that I guessed the theme almost immediately. My first-in was 28ac (CLEO) which is probably the easiest clue in the puzzle. That made me suspect that “Carry On Cleo” was involved and I confirmed that by solving 48ac (UP THE KHYBER). “CARRY ON” fitted in the red-coloured spaces in the grid and the theme is indeed the “Carry On” series of movies.
There were 30 Carry On movies made between 1958 and 1978 and a 31st in 1992. As a boy I loved them and saw several. It was only while solving this puzzle however that I learned of their full number and history. A good resource for the puzzle turned out to be Wikipedia’s entry on the franchise . It also mentions 9 Carry On titles that were mooted but never made. By the way, there are only three stars of the series still with us: Barbara Windsor, Jim Dale and Leslie Phillips — living treasures, all of them. And talking of living treasures, I must also note that the incomparable June Whitfield who died this very week appeared in Carry On Girls and Carry On Abroad.
I happened to be in England when this crossword was published and had taken the opportunity just a few days before to watch Carry On Spying on the Film4 television channel. This nice coincidence was the first time I had seen a Carry On film in close to 50 years!
So, back to the puzzle. The instructions are intended to indicate that there are 13 clues that lack definitions but lead to titles of the form “Carry On _______”. Then there are 9 clues without definitions that produce names of stars of the series.
Here is the completed grid. I have coloured the names of the stars in green, the titles in salmon, and left the theme letters in red. Some names and titles intersect so the highlighting is not perfect.
The film titles are, in alphabetical order: Carry On Cleo, Carry On Columbus, Carry On Constable, Carry On Cowboy, Carry On Emmannuelle, Carry On England, Carry On Henry, Carry On Jack, Carry On Nurse, Carry On Regardless, Carry On Sergeant, Carry On Teacher and Carry On Up The Khyber.
The stars are: Bernard Bresslaw, Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques, Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor.
Gozo must have toiled hard and long to produce this puzzle: to cram in so many titles and names; to fit the theme letters in appropriately; and to come up with some great clues as well. Top of the heap is the adorable 42dn (AMERICA) which is certainly the clue of the week and maybe of the year. Other gems are 10dn (ANGEL), 32dn (I SAY) and 39dn (COLUMBUS). He was also clever in getting dual usage out of 24dn (KENNETH) and 26dn (JACK). Thank you, Gozo, for a great theme and a splendid puzzle!
ACROSS
1 See 53
4, 26 Actor Gyllenhaal’s reportedly after a couple of things to wear (6,7)
HATTIE JACQUES – HAT TIE (a couple of things to wear) + homophone (reportedly) of “Jake’s” (actor Gyllenhaal’s)
7 See 24
12 Novelist runs to Checkpoint Charlie, say (7)
BARRIER – BARRIE (novelist, that is James Barrie) + R (runs)
13 Old railwaymen by the points (5)
NURSE – NUR (old railwaymen) + SE (points). The National Union of Railway workers (NUR) was a powerful trade union in Britain until it was dissolved in 1990.
15 West End stage-hand will make things happen (7)
TRIGGER – [wes]T + RIGGER (stage-hand)
16 Miss out after having nothing during short month (4,4)
JOAN SIMS – O (nothing) in (during) JAN (short month) + anagram (out) of MISS
17 Non-flier embraces novelist and model (11)
EMMANNUELLE – MANN (novelist) in EMU (non-flier) + ELLE (model)
19 Two successive monarchs are more impressive (7)
GRANDER – GR AND ER (two successive monarchs)
22 Team turned around court orders (6)
EDICTS – CT (court) in SIDE (team) backwards (turned around)
23 One with name on donkey jacket (6)
JERKIN – JERK (donkey) + I (one) + N (name)
26 See 4 across
28 Extract from Calderon oddly (4)
CLEO – C[a]L[d]E[r]O[n]
29 Most of the East Anglian marshes are around the edge of Brigg (7)
ENGLAND – [brig]G in (are around) [f]ENLAND (most of the East Anglian marshes). I was unable to figure out this wordplay and have PG to thank for helping me.
33 Cleaners – 51 separately join in game (10)
CHARLADIES – L and I (51 separately) in (join in) CHARADES (game)
34 Look smaller (10)
REGARDLESS – REGARD (look) + LESS (smaller)
36, 37 First of the chickens moulting as programmes finish (7,4)
CLOSING DOWN – C[hickens] + LOSING DOWN (moulting)
38 Illumination coming in through home country (7)
BLIGHTY – LIGHT (illumination) in BY (through)
41 Legendary poet’s love verses finally given to Welsh lass (6)
OSSIAN – O (love) + [verse]S + SIAN (Welsh lass). Ossian was a legendary Irish warrior and bard, whose name became well known in 1760–63 when the Scottish poet James Macpherson (1736–96) published his own verse as an alleged translation of 3rd-century Gaelic tales.
43 See 24
44 Pen letter, we hear, showing acquiescence (5,2)
RIGHT OH – RIGHT (homophone of “write” (pen)) + OH (letter)
48 Phuket destroyed and Bryher too almost (2,3,6)
UP THE KHYBER – anagram of PHUKET BRYHE[r]
50 See 31
54 Gold signs overlap (7)
BULLION – BULL + LION (signs, i.e. Taurus and Leo, merged)
55 Rowdy Yankee loves taking books (5)
YOBBO – Y (yankee, in the phonetic alphabet) + BB(books) in OO (loves)
56 See 2
57 One Jock in the identical surroundings, for starters (3,5)
SID JAMES – I (one) + DJ (jock) in SAME (identical) + S[urroundings]
58 Oxbridge working in harmony (6)
UNISON – UNIS (Oxbridge) + ON (working)
59 Chap by river in the Big Apple (5)
HENRY – HE (chap) + R (river) in (in) NY (the Big Apple)
DOWN
1 Belch goes to jail, charged with drink (4,3)
TOBY JUG – TOBY (Belch) + JUG (jail). Sir Toby Belch is a character in William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
2, 56 Two horses, both heading up without a Royal Grey (7,7)
BARBARA WINDSOR – ARAB [a]RAB (two horses..without a) backwards (heading up) + WINDSOR (royal grey)
3 Charged over small transgressions (5)
EVILS – LIVE (charged) backwards (over) + S (small)
4 Group of wives run to Gozo’s neighbour (5)
HAREM – HARE (run) + M (Gozo’s neighbour). I am guessing that “Gozo’s neighbour” is cluing Malta and that Malta is somewhere identified by ‘M’.
5 Banker featuring in the County News (4)
TYNE – hidden word with a cryptic definition
6 Jacobean tribesmen (10)
ISRAELITES – cryptic definition referring to the Jacob of the Bible
8 Engrossed at the Big Top? (6)
INTENT – double definition
9 In France the one certain time for relaxation (7)
LEISURE – LE (in France the) + I (one) + SURE (certain)
10 Messenger on the Tube? (5)
ANGEL – I am unsure how to classify this clue but ‘Angel’ is one of the stations on the London Underground (“the Tube”)
11 Material on one set of books (8)
SERGEANT – SERGE (material) + A (one) + NT (set of books, i.e. the New Testament)
14 Cornish visitors encountered by German river (6)
EMMETS – MET (encountered) in (by) EMS (German river). The original meaning of the word ’emmet’ is ant but the Cornish have come to use it as a pejorative nickname for outsiders. The Ems is a river in north-western Germany. Would, “Cornish visitors encountered in German river” not be better???
18 Brew that’s expensive in Nice (7)
TEACHER – TEA (brew) + CHER (expensive in Nice, i.e. French word for ‘expensive’)
20 See 26 down
21 Occupant’s monthly payment includes the players (8)
RESIDENT – SIDE (the players) in (includes) RENT (monthly payment)
24, 7 Brewed new Helsinki malt (7,8)
KENNETH WILLIAMS – anagram (brewed) NEW HELSINKI MALT
24, 43 Wiltshire river, both hot and cold, with respect to half the land (7,6)
KENNETH CONNOR – KENNET (Wiltshire river) + H C (both hot and cold) + ON (with respect to) + NOR[way] (half the land)
25 A new name on US pergola in Michigan state university town (3,5)
ANN ARBOR – A (a) + N (new) + N (name) + ARBOR (US pergola)
26 Jabberwock’s outer parts (4)
JACK – JA[bberwo]CK
26, 20 Agreement from German contralto – ask Gould round (4,7)
JACK DOUGLAS – JA (agreement from German) + C (contralto) + anagram (round) of ASK GOULD
27, 46 Shelter and archway demolished (7,7)
CHARLES HAWTREY – anagram (demolished) of SHELTER ARCHWAY
30 Accommodation that’s being fixed (7)
LODGING – double definition
31, 50 Support service in deserted railway around South Wales (7,8)
BERNARD BRESSLAW – RN (service, i.e. Royal Navy) in (in) BEAR (support) + D (deserted) + BR (railway, i.e. British Rail) + anagram (around) of S WALES. Do I have this right? It seems a bit awkward with the insertion indicator oddly placed. Using ‘deserted’ to clue ‘D’ is something I believe I have never seen before and I am told that it is a military abbreviation (thank you, Simon S — see comments).
32 Crikey! The Queen of the Hebrides has no loch (1,3)
I SAY – ISLAY (the Queen of the Hebrides) with the ‘L’ removed (has no loch)
35 Fat boy’s petition (5,5)
ROUND ROBIN – ROUND (fat) + ROBIN (boy)
39 A pair of unfinished sculptures (8)
COLUMBUS – COLUM[n] BUS[t] (a pair of unfinished sculptures)
40 Overawe? Wow! (6)
COWBOY – COW (overawe) + BOY (wow)
42 Morning, Heather! Where’s Virginia? (7)
AMERICA – AM (morning) + ERICA (heather)
45 Reports bad behaviour of Swiss archer and his lad (5,2)
TELLS ON – TELL (Swiss Archer, i.e. William Tell) + SON (his lad)
46 See 27
47 Fortune from part of church left out (6)
CHANCE – CHANCE[l] (part of church left out)
49 Worked half-heartedly, with a glazed look (5)
TILED – TILLED (worked) with one ‘L’ removed (half-heartedly). I originally parsed this as TOILED with the ‘O’ removed — which did not really work. I am now satisfied that ‘worked’ clues TILLED and thank Pelham Barton for pointing this out (see comment number 3).
51 Horse circling wide tree (5)
ROWAN – W (wide) in (circling) ROAN (horse)
52 Soundly decline to work at the same time (5)
SYNCH – homophone (soundly) of “sink” (decline)
53, 1 across Scam firm (9)
CONSTABLE – CON (scam) + STABLE (firm)
Thanks Gozo and Pete (for a very comprehensive blog)
A very good holiday puzzle which I started on Christmas Eve and finished late on Christmas night after a big day of eating / drinking festive goodies. My entry into the theme was with UP THE KHYBER, followed by JACK after looking up the ‘Carry On’ films.
Although, I can vaguely remember watching one or two of these television movies, I didn’t recall the details, didn’t realise that there were so many of them and knew none of the characters apart from SID JAMES. It did become a bit of having the Wikipedia page open and depending on my determination level – check to see if the wordplay was in fact a theme movie / character or conversely look at the list and see where it might fit in.
A couple of your queries – at 4d – M is the international car rego for Malta (a standard crossword abbreviation used), at 10d – had it as a definition (messenger from God / station on London tube), 14d – agree and 49 – agree, but hadn’t noticed prior to you pointing it out.
Finished after a pretty long time with I SAY (clever), ENGLAND (which I was able to parse) and ANN ARBOR (which was a new US city for me).
Much preferred this to the Guardian’s offering. Didn’t finish though, failing on a few in the bottom left, namely COLUMBUS, BULLION & COWBOY. Ok, I could have looked up carry on films and found 2 of these and, presumably, then finished.
I echo many of your criticisms though. I was reluctant to enter TILED as the clue does not work for me and gave up trying to parse BERNARD BRESSLAW. Hope there is a better parsing than the one in the blog. Also agree that clue for EMMETS does not work.
Couldn’t see where M came from in HAREM and, seeing the blog, I am not surprised. Assumed the parsing of ANGEL referred to a tube station but was only aware of ANGEL ISLINGTON rather than ANGEL on its own.
So thanks to Gozo for a well executed theme (for the main part) and to Pete for the thorough blog.
Thanks Gozo and Pete
57ac: I read this as “the identical” giving SAME and “surroundings, for starters” giving the final S.
49dn: I took “worked” to give TILLED rather than TOILED.
Pelham, Thank you for the corrections. With 57ac I just made a mistake when writing the blog but TILLED for 49dn is something I did not see at all.
Pete – on the clue for BERNARD BRESSLAW, d is given as an abbreviation for “deserted” in Chambers, so I think your parsing is right.
Thanks to Gozo and Pete. Faced with two Gozo-Maskarade prize puzzles I quickly gave up on the Guardian (after all I had never succeeded with one of his challenges) and almost did so with this one, but after I got several answers (including CLEO) I decided it was worth a try. Surprisingly, the breakthrough came with CHARLES HAWTREY, clearly an anagram of SHELTER ARCHWAY, a name that meant nothing to me, but a Google search revealed the Carry On connection (and I had in place three of the letters for the theme). I’ve not seen any of the films and don’t know the actors, so “solving” became a research project (BERNARD BRESSLAW was the LOI) so that in the long run the problem became piecing out and parsing the non-thematic clues – e.g., HAREM. I was slowed down considerably by the size of my printout in which the numbers were barely visible making the actors’ names hard to track. Thanks again for the blog.
Thanks PB@3 for the tilled/toiled issue. Went straight to the latter which, as previously stated, doesn’t work. Never thought of tilled at all.
RichardCV22, Thank you very much for confirming that for us. I have to say that I cannot think why anyone would need an abbreviation for ‘deserted’ though!
Thanks, Pete, for all the hard work. I’m so old, and such a Philistine, that as soon as I captured UP THE KHYBER as my FOI the job was virtually done. And I didn’t use Wikipedia. I thought this was the Platonic ideal of a crossword — thanks, Gozo, for a couple of most enjoyable hours.
Hornbeam, That is very good to hear. Thank you!
Pete @ 8: D for ‘deserted’ is a military abbreviation referring to someone’s departure from armed forces, along the lines of KIA, MIA etc.
hth
Simon S, Thank you for that. I think it ties up the last loose-end.
Quick comment on 51d: it’s the other way round; the horse is roan and the tree is rowan
Fluffikins, D’oh! Thank you very much for pointing this out. I have corrected the explanation.