The puzzle can be found here.
Hi all. Thanks to Poins for today’s Independent, which I enjoyed but had a little trouble with at the very end. I don’t want to be down on the downs, but it seems the ones I marked out as favourites are all across clues: GRASS WIDOWER, NO END, ABSTRACT and OPERA GLASSES. Which did you like best?
In the clues below, definitions are underlined. In the explanations, quoted indicators are in italics and I’ve capitalised and emboldened letters which appear in the ANSWER.
Across
1a Word is we cavort with King George when his wife’s away (5,7)
GRASS WIDOWER
WORD IS WE are anagrammed together (cavort) after (with) GR (King George) + AS (when). I didn’t know this term
10a Convenient opportunity to make left turn that’s safe (7)
LEISURE
L (left), then an instruction to turn I.E. (that is, that’s), then SURE (safe)
11a Look in to collect small flier (7)
AIRSHIP
AIR (look) and HIP (in, fashionable) containing (to collect) S (small)
12a Very much against overturning result (2,3)
NO END
ON (against), reversed (overturning), plus END (result)
13a Remove unruly brats in turn (8)
ABSTRACT
An anagram of (unruly) BRATS inside ACT (turn, a turn on stage perhaps)
15a Development of prime lots around old capital (10)
METROPOLIS
An anagram of (development of) PRIME LOTS around O (old, abbreviation)
16a Taken from Ganymede napping in garden (4)
EDEN
This garden is taken from GanymEDE Napping
18a Steals darts (4)
NIPS
Two definitions, both informal: steals or pinches, or goes nimbly
20a Photo of Spice Girl getting something to eat (10)
GINGERSNAP
A photo of Ginger Spice might be a GINGER SNAP
22a Ammunition recently stolen by young men (8)
BUCKSHOT
HOT (recently stolen) after (by) BUCKS (young men)
24a Including all fifty books wrapped by volunteers earlier (5)
TOTAL
We have L (fifty, Roman numeral), but before that (earlier) we have OT (Old Testament books) inside (wrapped by) TA (Territorial Army, volunteers)
26a Is inevitable after fellow discovers crack (7)
FISSURE
IS SURE (is inevitable) after F (fellow)
27a Award by university occupying writers of many different things (7)
OMNIBUS
OM (Order of Merit, award) by U (university) inside (occupying) NIBS (writers)
28a Head of Obstetrics happens to employ a variety of large visual aids (5,7)
OPERA GLASSES
The first letter of (head of) Obstetrics + PASSES (happens) containing (to employ) an anagram of (a variety of) LARGE
Down
2d Excellent machinist originally brought in to let out garments (7)
RAIMENT
AI (A1, excellent) and the first letter of (… originally) Machinist inside (brought in to) RENT (let out)
3d Part of guitar made from solid wood (8)
SOUNDBOX
A charade of SOUND (solid) and BOX (type of wood)
4d Went west upriver (4)
WEED
W (west) and the reversal (upriver) of the river DEE. Went as in urinated. Not quiiite sure about upriver meaning reverseriver, but a nice [spend a ]penny-drop moment all the same
5d Type of spanner? (10)
DRAWBRIDGE
A cryptic definition: a bridge spans that which it’s bridging
6d Most unpleasant in defeat (5)
WORST
Two definitions, the second a verb meaning defeat – or, indeed, best
7d Organ repaired at last after the woman returned and tried again (7)
REHEARD
EAR (organ) and the last letter of repaireD go after HER (the woman) reversed (returned)
8d Maybe Pew’s getting fit for game (5,4,4)
BLIND MAN’S BUFF
Blind Pew is a character from Treasure Island, so is an example of a BLIND MAN; add the ’S and BUFF (fit). I’m sure I read Treasure Island as a kitten, but had to look up who Pew was
9d Good to put on oldish pants transformed by thorough cleaning (4,3,6)
SPIT AND POLISH
PI (good) inside (to put on, in the sense of wearing) OLDISH PANTS anagrammed (transformed)
14d Poem, circa the end of 1640, revised by Milton perhaps (5,5)
COMIC OPERA
POEM CIRCA and O (the letter which looks like the end of 1960) anagrammed (revised). Milton is a definition by example (… perhaps)
17d Affects to be in film after priest objects (8)
PRETENDS
ET (film) after PR (priest), then finally ENDS (objects)
19d Artist‘s photo to fool Oberleutnant at first (7)
PICASSO
Put together PIC (photo), ASS (fool), and the first letter of (… at first) Oberleutnant
21d Great number on board (7)
NOTABLE
NO (number) on TABLE (board)
23d Pickled meat or duck? (5)
SOUSE
Two definitions: pickled meat, or duck or drench
25d Loathsome Foreign Office bully oddly ignored (4)
FOUL
FO (Foreign Office) and even letters of (… oddly ignored) bUlLy
Lots to like here. Actually, my favourite was a down clue, namely 14d. Blog should really underline all of “by Milton perhaps”.
Least favourite was 5d. Type of spanner immediately suggested ‘bridge’ to me. But which…drawbridge, footbridge? Clue gives no further indication.
Had to look up “souse” in Chambers to confirm the various meanings.
Thanks to Poins and to the usual, excellent Kitty blog.
Thanks Hovis. That’s funny – I did underline all of “Milton perhaps” but “Milton” is also a link, and the hyperlink style seems to have overridden the other. I’ll add the link to the hint instead.
I don’t see Milton as a writer of comic operas. I presume the clue refers to the comic opera “Milton” by Spontini.
David @3 – yes, I agree, and that’s what I’ve linked to. Originally I’d put the link in the clue itself, but that had obscured the underlining, making it look like I’d only underlined “perhaps” as the definition. I didn’t know if Hovis @1 had meant to include “by” but, in any case, thought the change to the blog should make things clear.
Yes, sorry. Clearly shouldn’t have included “by”. Needed for the surface so really just a link word in the cryptic reading.
I agree with Hovis that 5d is unsatisfactory. The repetition of OPERA in the intersecting 28a and 14d is also a bit unfortunate, and Milton (like its composer) is surely much too obscure a reference for a Sunday Independent puzzle; and it’s an Opéra Comique, which is not the same as a “comic opera”.
I seem to vaguely remember when Paul (?) set a crossword themed on operas that the question of whether Milton was a comic opera or an opéra comique (or both) was raised. Looking online, Milton does appear on a list of comic operas unlike Carmen for example (the only opera I have actually seen) which is listed as an opéra comique but is not comic in any sense. Not my field of expertise so I’ll leave it to others to discuss whether Poins is correct or not.