Guardian Cryptic 27,711 by Vulcan

by

The puzzle may be found at https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27711.

I’m on the Vulcan beat again. This one is even more than usually stuffed with cryptic definitions and double definitions – particularly the latter, with variations.

Across
9 COMMON ERA These days, answer to no lord (6,3)
Definition and literal reference.
10 ACUTE A clever sort of angle (5)
A charade of ‘a’ plus CUTE (‘clever’). A double definition might be an alternative description.
11 AGROUND Touching a bottom (7)
Cryptic definition – or, again, a charade?
12 FLATTER Soft soap is smoother (7)
Double definition (‘soft soap’ as a verb).
13 MILNE He wrote in Tamil? Never (5)
A hidden answer in ‘TaMIL NEver’
14 PETROLEUM Sort of jelly prepared in our temple (9)
An anagram (‘prepared’) of ‘our temple’. ‘In’ does not sit too happily in the construction.
16 TEAR ONES HAIR OUT Be very annoyed, getting oneself distressed? (4,4,4,3)
A cryptic reference to ‘dis-tressed’.
19 LEFT FIELD Walked out of game? In the US that would be bizarre (4,5)
Definition and literal interpretation.
21 SOLAR To some extent very large and sunny (5)
SO LAR[ge] (‘to some extent very large’).
22 FISHNET Sort of stockings an old trout could get into? (7)
Definition and … something?
23 SPECTRA Colour ranges for new carpets (7)
An anagram (‘new’) of ‘carpets’.
24 SIEVE Riddle one’s spun the previous day (5)
A charade of SI, a reversal (‘spun’) of I (‘one’) plus S (from one’s’) plus EVE (‘the previous day’).
25 AIR TRAVEL On the surface, it’s no way to proceed (3,6)
Cryptic definition.
Down
1 SCRAP METAL Smart place to recycle — this? (5,5)
An anagram (‘to recycle’) of ‘smart place’, with a definition extended as far as ‘recycle’.
2 UMBRELLA One may be up for a shower (8)
Cryptic definition.
3 VOLUME Book‘s bulk (6)
Double definition.
4 WEED Unwanted plant went (4)
Double definition.
5 FAR-FETCHED Very unlikely to be imported from across the world (3-7)
Definition and literal interpretation.
6 MACARONI Something to eat in the Tube (8)
Cryptic definition.
7 LUSTRE Splendour of remarkable result (6)
An anagram (‘remarkable’) of ‘result’.
8 BEAR Give birth to animal (4)
Double definition.
14 PRESENT DAY Christmas now? (7,3)
Double definition.
15 MATERIALLY State parting two friends to a significant degree (10)
An envelope (‘parting’) of RI (Rhode Island, ‘state’) in MATE and ALLY (‘two friends’).
17 OFFENDED Leaving, having finished with hurt feelings (8)
A charade of OFF (‘leaving’) plus ENDED (‘finished’).
18 OIL STOVE So Violet ordered a heater (3,5)
An anagram (‘ordered’) of ‘so Violet’.
20 FASTER Hurry — I’ve nothing to eat (6)
Double definition.
21 SHERRY Nervous, swallowing wrong drink (6)
An envelope (‘swallowing’) of ERR (‘wrong’ – the right general area, but I cannot see an exact equivalence) in SHY (‘nervous’).
22 FUSE Join together in fine employment (4)
A charade of F (‘fine’) plus USE (’employment’).
23 SPRY Agile agent crossing river (4)
An envelope (‘crossing’) of R (‘river’) in SPY (‘agent’).
completed grid

48 comments on “Guardian Cryptic 27,711 by Vulcan”

  1. I could not parse 12a – very clever! I failed to solve 8d BEAR and also 10a ACUTE. I put RIGATONI @ 6d which of course did not help me solve 10a.

    I liked the humour of FISHNET and WEED.

    Thanks Peter and Vulcan.

  2. Thanks, PeterO. I agree with your comment about ERR: it means DO WRONG. I also share your feeling that some clues, while straightforward to get, are not that easily categorizable. For example, in 11a, AGROUND means for a boat “touching a bottom” (suggesting cryptic definition) but is also constructed as “a” plus synonym-of-bottom. But where is the corresponding other use of “touching”? I remember reading in a book or article by one of the old masters that this kind of clue is to be avoided. But I’m sure some will say, if it’s easy enough to solve, where’s the harm? One man’s meat …

  3. Thanks to Vulcan and PeterO. Lots to like here including 12a FLATTER, 14a PETROLEUM (despite the placement of “in” as mentioned by PeterO, it was a smooth surface), 16a TEAR ONE’S HAIR OUT, 22a FISHNET, 4d WEED (latter two amusing, as already highlighted by Michelle@1), 5d FAR-FETCHED and 7d LUSTRE.
    Dr Whatson@2, I actually didn’t mind AGROUND (11a) though maybe today I was easily pleased. Re SHERRY@21, PeterO, in a strange coincidence, I was just on the phone and speculating on someone who drinks too much in company, seemingly to overcome nerves, and I said, I think he is actually very shy. Seems to me in that context that “shy” and “nervous” can be similar.

  4. [Oh sorry PeterO, I just realised that it was the ERR part was what you and Dr Whatson were commenting on in SHERRY, not the SHY part. My bad for not reading comments closely enough, and apologies to all for the totally irrelevant story.]

  6. Thanks Trovatore, just realisied I hadn’t parsed common era at all, it’s quite clever. Umbrella is so ‘waiting room magazine’ that it had me foxed, looking for something subtler. Quite liked aground and flatter in an easy Monday stroll. Thanks Vulcan and PeterO.

  7. Thanks Vulcan and PeterO

    I enjoyed this, though there seems to be an epidemic of errant “ins” today “(even more in the Quiptic). The “in” in FUSE seems unfortunate too.

    Favourites were FLATTER and the long one.

    I tried SAUSAGES first for 6d – after all, they are made in one tube, then divided.

    You might catch a trout in a fishnet. The “old” was added to make a human possibility.

    Thanks for explaining COMMON ERA, trovatore – I was worried about that one.

  8. Some 5d definitions here I thought such as 19a and 25a which just dont seem right to me.

    I couldn’t see COMMOM ERA either so thanks Trovatore

  10. Like JinA and muffin I enjoyed this straightforward puzzle. While SCRAP METAL was an easy anagram I liked it for the surface and definition. I also ticked WEED (Vulcan channelling his inner Paul?) and PRESENT DAY – although it’s probably been done like this before. Loi was SIEVE as the alternative meaning of RIDDLE didn’t occur to me untilall the crossers were in. Crossers were also needed to decide whether 16a was ONE’S or YOUR.
    Thanks to Vulcan and PeterO.

  11. Thanks Vulcan and PeterO

    I think there’s also a hidden definition in 9A: “answer to no lord” can be read as AN NO DOMINI (just about).

  12. Many thanks Vulcan and PeterO. Have had a Christmas+New Year break from xword-solving but am pleased to see the regular contributors sturdily doing their/your stuff. Have a good week, all.

  13. With SHERRY I read wrong and err both in the verbal sense and therefore though it OK.

    On the other hand, some shaky stuff here such as AIR TRAVEL and AGROUND, and BEAR could just as easily be REAR and be as uncryptic as some others.

    Enjoyed FLATTER though and the FISHNET tights made me chuckle.

    FAR-FETCHED and UMBRELLA are both hoary old chestnuts.

    Many thanks both, nice week, all.

  15. WhiteKing @10:  I can’t remember which setter (Beery might pop in and remind me) but I recall DEEP in a down light clued as Went north, far from the surface.

  16. A coffee-break solve – thanks, Vulcan – and it is good once a week to have a crossword where you really don’t need to look anything up as there are no unusual words or niche usages. I think 9 ac is an enjoyable clue; well done, Trovatore, for pointing out the clever word play – but I don’t think we have a term for a clue which works on these two levels (definition + literal reference as pointed out by PeterO, and definition + word play as Trovatore says). Any suggestions?

  17. Thanks to Vulcan and PeterO. As others have said a nice Monday stroll, but still some nice clues. NW last in for me for reasons already discussed. I am another who liked fishnet and flatter, and thanks again to Vulcan and PeterO.

  18. I’m a 61 year old bluff Yorkshireman with a proclivity for vocab which would terrify a Billingsgate porter but should we really be seeing an allusion to an old trout putting on stockings in 2019 in the Graun?

  19. A very satisfying Monday puzzle, slightly harder that the usual first workout of the week, though I must admit I’m grateful to Trovatore for the explanation for 9 across which I’d written in but wasn’t sure about the parsing…

  20. Right on the wavelength today, apparently, as this is the first 15×15 cryptic I’ve managed to solve in under a quarter of an hour, coming in at 14 minutes and some unknown change (I’m not normally fast enough for seconds to matter!) An unexpected bonus to start the week…

  21. Hear, hear, Baerchen @18. I was disappointed to see the use of “old trout” too. I expect better of the Guardian.

  22. ‘young salmon’ just wouldn’t sound right.

    If you try hard enough, anything can be taken out of context and non PC. By singling an innocent phrase out as offensive, is in itself being offensive.

     

  24. No sooner have we cleared away Xmas, when along comes 14 down and a bunch of clues that seem like they’ve been recycled from Christmas crackers! Jolly punnery right, left and centre. Good fun but 2dn is a chestnut too far. Thanks Vulcan and PeterO

  25. Bayleaf, baerchen and pex:  “Old trout” means “an unpleasant or unattractive old woman.”  It’s one of many words — harridan, bitch and battleaxe come to mind — which have no male equivalent, because being a woman is part of what’s wrong with the person being objected to.  That makes it sexist and offensive in my book.

    I thought TEAR ONE’S HAIR OUT meant “be desperately worried.”  Is that just American?

  27. Quick but enjoyable. I struggled to get a foothold to start with then worked steadily through the LH side. The RH side was more akin to a write-in, in parts. Not a complaint – on the few occasions that has ever happened to me, it’s been a bit of a rush (as in a thrill).

    Valentine @25: this side of the pond it is more often used to mean annoyed frustration (in my experience – others may disagree): “the children were a nightmare this morning; I was tearing my hair out”.

    Thanks to Vulcan and PeterO.

  28. I always overthink puzzles like this I should remember that it’s Monday and this is Vulcan. Consequently clues like FASTER and FLATTER take much longer than they should. Once I took the line of least resistance,things speeded up considerably and the puzzle become most enjoyable. Lots to like. I liked PRESENT DAY and I can’t say I noticed anything wrong with 22ac.
    Thanks Vulcan.

  30. William @13

    Yes, err and wrong can both be verbs, but, verbs or otherwise, I cannot think of a context in which they are equivalent.

    Trovatore @5

    Indeed I missed that one. It is a feature of Vulcan’s style which makes it easy to read a clue as similar to others which have just a weakish reference to the answer (eg. 22A FISHNET here), overlooking the occasional sounder interpretation. I like the suggestion of Simon S @11, even though it does not really hold water: referring to ANNO DOMINI as a definition is a stretch beyond breaking point, and the clue contains no justification for the final I of DOMINI as a Latin genitive singular or nominative/vocative plural, and the nearest English (or Scots) word would be dominie, but that means teacher or clergyman, not ‘lord’.

  31. PeterO @ 30: I wasn’t intending to suggest ANNO DOMINI as the definition, merely that it could be seen as a tenuous tongue-in-cheek reference to COMMON ERA as we now call it.

  32. Thanks Vulcan and PeterO.

    That was great, a halting romp just right for a Monday.  I had canaloni instead of MACARONI, so a dnf but I feel no sense of shame.  I liked PRESENT DAY and MATERIALLY.  Yes, I can see the problem with “old trout” – perhaps a mermaid would have been better…

  34. Muffin @33 – she could wear one over her head to rob a bank… assuming there was a sub-aquatic branch.

  36. Thanks to Vulcan and PeterO. A straightforward Monday solve with very few rocky moments – favourite was SCRAP METAL for the elegance of the anagram. I thought the old trout in the FISHNETs would excite some vigorous comments here, and thus it proved. A bit of a dilligaf for me, but being of an advanced enough age to remember the wearing of fishnets by ladies of all ages it has brought to mind several images I’d rather forget !!

  39. John E @38

    Thanks for the reminder – there was over a week between the two blogs, and I had forgotten about the similar clues. Note that Everyman got it right in indicating ERR by ‘blunder’, which is fine as verbs.

  40. All very straightforward, but nevertheless satisfying. I was slightly surprised by the ‘old trout’, but it was quite amusing. Interesting to see COMMON ERA here with the recent bemoaning of Jeremy Paxman using the term rather than AD in a University Challenge question. 2019 will always be AD to me, for one. Only hold up was because I had PULL ONES HAIR OUT for 16A initially, but UMBRELLA put paid to that. I agree that “Touching bottom” would be better for 11A, but it didn’t worry me much. Admirably concise cluing – ‘Christmas now?’ my favourite. Thanks Peter and Vulcan.

  42. Amazing that so many posters seemed to like this dog’s breakfast.

    Obviously, while I wasn’t looking,some kind of an “Invasion of the Bodysnatchers” event has taken place. The crossword world is now populated by aliens who cannot distinguish between this and a real cryptic crossword.

    I must dig out my books of Times Crosswords for Monday use which were put away with joy on Rufus’s retirement.

    Must also remember not to answer the door to vacant looking strangers. If I’m posting next Monday praising **** like this you’ll know I’ve been careless. 😉

  43. Interesting point of view, Alex. When I was teaching, the Times was the default crossword. Whatever the problems with the Guardian ones, they are rarely (I had said “never”, but corrected it) as dull!

  45. Thank you Vulcan and PeterO.

    This old trout of nearly 77 years found the crossword great fun, and I am senior to the old codger clued at 8d trying to pass himself off as a cub…

    I parsed the clue for COMMON ERA as did Trovatore  @5.

  46. To hell with the rules. And I doubt anyone could get AIR TRAVEL without any crossers. Not for me, this one.

  47. ‘Old trout’ wearing fishnets indeed! Look them up on line. They are as sexy as you can get. That is my real objection to the misleading clue, not on pc grounds. Nora Batty stockings might be more appropriate as old trout wear.
    Admittedly, as an old trout of 77, who occasionally sallies forth in a pair of fishnets (and certainly when performing a vamp-ish song) perhaps I do justify the clue.

Comments are closed.