Brummie offers us a themed puzzle this morning
I was impressed by the setter’s skill in getting at least 17 themed solutions (highlighted in the grid) into the puzzle, although some of the clues fell short of his usual standard, in my opinion. There were a lot of double definitions, which some people may appreciate, but I prefer more wordplay.
I did like the clues to PRESS BARON and CHIANTI.
Thanks, Brunnie.
| Across | ||
| 9 | INNERMOST | Cool monster bananas at the core (9) |
| IN (“cool”) + *(monster) | ||
| 10 | HATCH | Employ a drawing technique scheme (5) |
| Double definition | ||
| 11 | DOORS | American rock band missing the openings (5) |
| (the) DOORS (“American rock band” missing THE) | ||
| 12 | NARRATIVE | Republican traitor dipped into Green’s account (9) |
| R (republican) + RAT (“traitor”) dipped into NAIVE (“green”) | ||
| 13 | HALIBUT | A politician opens shelter for bottom dweller (7) |
| A LIB (Liberal, so “politician”) opens HUT (“shelter”) | ||
| 14 | EXHAUST | Emission — tax to the limit (7) |
| Double definition | ||
| 17 | VISOR | ‘Noble Love’: Dior’s ultimate sun blocker (5) |
| VIS. (viscount, so “noble”) + O (“love”) + (dio)R [s’ ultimate] | ||
| 19 | ABS | Blood types associated with small muscles (3) |
| A & B (“blood types”) associated with S (small) | ||
| 20 | WHEEL | Revolver with tilt (5) |
| W (with) + HEEL (“tilt”) | ||
| 21 | CHIANTI | Vital energy versus wine (7) |
| CHI (“vital energy”) + ANTI (“against”) | ||
| 22 | SPOILER | Overindulgent type who gives the game away (7) |
| Double definition | ||
| 24 | REGULATOR | One telling stories about Grand Union’s first governor (9) |
| RELATOR (“one telling stories”) about G (grand) + U(nion) [‘s first] | ||
| 26 | OUGHT | Unnamed duck could be anything at all (5) |
| (n)OUGHT (“duck”) with no N (name) [unnamed] | ||
| 28 | BRAKE | Check recipe appropriated by cook (5) |
| R (recipe) appropraited by BAKE (“cook”) | ||
| 29 | SPEEDSTER | Wilful, per se, Ted’s one to put his foot down (9) |
| *(per se teds) | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | WIND | Light that was painful got rid of snake (4) |
| WIND(ow) (“light”) got rid of OW (“that was painful”) | ||
| 2 | UNCOOL | Large body needs serene old hat (6) |
| UN (United Nations, so “large body”) needs COOL (“serene”) | ||
| 3 | PRESS BARON | Iron Duke’s hierarchical inferior, a media tyrant (5,5) |
| PRESS (“iron”) + BARON (“duke’s hierarchical inferior”) | ||
| 4 | BONNET | Hood taking gamble round about the end of Prohibition (6) |
| BET (“gamble”) round ON (about”) + [the end of] (prohibitio)N | ||
| 5 | STARTERS | Sports event officials opening course (8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 6 | RHEA | Bird — try moving back to front (4) |
| HEAR (“try”) with its last letter moved to first [back to front] | ||
| 7 | ATTITUDE | Insolent manner of singer Smith knocking off piano duet badly (8) |
| (“singer”) (p)ATTI (“Smith”) [knocking off] P (piano) + *(duet) | ||
| 8 | SHOE | Oxford mule? (4) |
| Doubel definition | ||
| 13 | HAVOC | Temperature settings protecting a very old ruin (5) |
| H & C (hot and cold, so “temperature settings”) protecting A V (very) O (old) | ||
| 15 | HOW-DO-YOU-DO | Tell me your modus operandi in a difficult situation (3-2-3-2) |
| If you ask someone their modus operandi, you’re asking them how they do something | ||
| 16 | TILER | Tradesperson put in the spotlight again on getting a rise (5) |
| <=RELIT (“put in the spotlight again” getting a rise) | ||
| 18 | STINGRAY | Artist preserved by mean fish! (8) |
| RA (“artist”) preserved by STINGY (“mean”) | ||
| 19 | ACID TEST | Searching appraisal makes one drunk cite DTs (4,4) |
| A (“once”) + *(cite dts) | ||
| 22 | SCREEN | Stones, on the loose, needing new guard (6) |
| SCREE (“stones, on the loose”) needing N (“new”) | ||
| 23 | LIGHTS | Puts a match to offal (6) |
| Double definition | ||
| 24 | RUBY | Polish end of Grimsby port (4) |
| RUB (“polish) + [end of] (grimsb)Y | ||
| 25 | LIED | Rest day song (4) |
| LIE (“rest”) + D (day) | ||
| 27 | TYRE | Port, in difficulty, relocates (4) |
| Hidden in “difficulTY RElocates” | ||
*anagram
I was uncomfortable with 24ac. I consider that the English spelling of relater has an E. The American relatOr primarily refers to someone bringing a public lawsuit against the Attorney General.
Thanks to Brummie for lots of fun, and to loonapick for the blog. I appreciated the themed words and the two good clues already mentioned by loonapick, but most of all I really loved the two “rock” clues, (The) DOORS at 11a and the Patti Smith reference in ATTITUDE at 7d. All pretty entertaining, though I thought 18d’s clunky surface “Artist preserved by mean fish” was only barely saved by the apostrophe (as if Brummie himself recognised that it didn’t make a lot of sense). I would have thought that the storyteller fodder for 26a should have been “relater”, but the dictionary says it can also be spelt RELATOR, thus being fine in forming REGULATOR. Thanks again to S and B.
Some Chevrolet Corvette models were called “Stingray”, and H. Godefroy et Lévêque built Ruby lightweight cars.
[We crossed, Ang Almond@1, but you will see by my comment on 24a that I felt uncomfortable too.]
[Great specialist knowledge in spotting the two extra themed words, Blaise@3. Well done!]
(Battery) Acid in there too.
Thanks loonapick and Brummie
Didn’t notice the car parts until I looked, after you said, Loonapick. Nice puzzle, steady pace, north-west last to fall after innermost went in. Can you scheme a plot? Hmmm. Raised an eyebrow too at wilful as indicator, but then, as in ‘does what it likes’, it sort of works. How-do-you-do as in pickle gets a smile, common but quirky. Nice hour in the sun, thanks Brimmie and Loonapick.
oops, Brummie…
Ought ie anything always reminds me of the (un-luvvy-like) If tha does owt for nowt, do it for tha sen.
6d, I dont get why “try” becomes “Hear”, am I missing something really obvious (still new to this)?
PiesMcQ @ 10 – a trial is a hearing
Yes, even I spotted the theme quite early this time. But can anyone tell me exactly when themed crosswords became almost the norm or an obligation for our wonderful setters. I’ve been struggling with/enjoying the Cryptic Guardian Crossword for over 40 years, and am not really sure when the themed crossword began to emerge more frequently, and somehow meant extra plaudits for the setter. And is this just a Guardian Cryptic thing?
Ronald @ 12: When I started solving them in about 1973-4 the then crossword editor at the Guardian, John Perkin, wrote in an introduction to one of the Guardian Crossword books that the puzzles in the Guardian were more likely to have themes than those elsewhere. The Times discourages them, and I cannot remember seeing a theme in the Telegraph (not that I see that often). They feature sometimes in the FT, and twice or thrice a week in the independent.
In a regular newpaper I think they are neither a norm nor an obligation – the Don (Quixote/Bradman) for example avoids them, but they add an extra layer of aesthetic satisfaction to some setters in the act of composition.
@3 Blaise
I recall that there was also an Austin Seven ‘Ruby’ as well.
Satisfying to finish, but stuck on 1d until mschinoz popped in wind – having earlier seen window for light didn’t see the subtraction.
Found Eric in 12a good, but thought the bottom dweller might have been better applied to the politician.
Ta loonapick for explaining and highlighting the theme, thanx Brummie for the challenge.
Thank you Brummie and loonapick.
That was fun – I could not find the theme, thought it might be fishes! NOSE and ROD by chance appear in the grid.
… I wonder if muffin will spot the theme?
Goujeers@13, thanks so much your your elucidating response. And I see you’ve been wrestling with the Guardian Cryptic for even longer than I have!
Failed to spot the theme as usual, but seeing all the yellow above, I’m impressed. Mostly solid clues with some challenging misdirection. I did think that the wordplay in 1d was a bit convoluted, although I can’t say it was unfair. Perhaps just sour grapes since I had to reveal it. Anyway, thanks to Brummie and loonapick.
Couldn’t understand the VIS bit of 17a, so thanks for the explanation. I liked the theme but my favourite clue was the ‘bottom dweller’ at 13a.
Ronald @12, in my experience themes are seen most commonly in The Independent crossword, as Goujeers @13 points out, especially today (Tuesday), when they’re almost de rigueur. They’re much more common than they are in the Guardian. As you probably know, The Times don’t do “that sort of thing”! Personally, I like themes (and Ninas) but I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea.
Thanks to loonapick and Brummie
Thanks to Brummie and loonapick. I am another who enjoyed this, and another who missed the theme completely. Mostly it unpacked quite readily, but the NW was a bit stubborn. Last ones were uncool and innnermost, and I did like, as others, chianti, press baron and how do you do? Thanks again to Brummie and loonapick.
Spotted the theme early as tyre, brake and lights were amongst first ones in, having started at the bottom. Was fun seeing how many terms were incorporated but I agree with loonapicks comments. Was amongst those who spell relater with an “e” but surmised it must be relator, as regulator definitely has an “o”. Got held up for a while with lamprey springing to mind with its mp, but no shelter so eventually cleared it. Thanks to Brummie and Loonapick.
PS grantinfreo, nice to hear that you have visited northland- the pools at Ngawha remain very low key (though I have’t been for quite some time, so perhaps am not up to date).
Enjoyable enough without spotting the theme at all (as usual for me). Seeing all the themed answers here, I am even more impressed. I wondered if there was a rock acts theme with The DOORS and Patti Smith in there, plus BRAKE(s), but no. Very clever, and thanks for the blog.
Thanks to Brummie and loonapick. Very enjoyable – and even I spotted the theme early on. I just googled ABS to find out why it was part of the theme.
No problems with spotting the theme, or parsing the solutions, but a couple of these took me far longer than they should have done.
Thanks to Brummie and loonapick
UNCOOL meaning “old hat” and IN to mean “cool” cross each other in the upper left corner seems a little repetitive.
24a It seems to me that someone who tells stories is a relatEr, not a relatOr. No?
Isn’t “anything” AUGHT rather than OUGHT?
loonapick, typo in 28a blog “appropraited.”
Goujeers@13, I also started doing the Guardian cryptic in 1972, whiling away the train ride commuting into London every day. It was a welcome change to the Telegraph!
This one was straightforward, except for 1d. Although the answer had to be WIND I stared at it for ages, until it dawned that the light was WINDOW. I still don’t like it, maybe somebody can explain it?
Missed the theme completely, wasn’t really looking for one, and for some reason it did not spring out.
Thanks Brummie and loonapick.
I think 1d WIND was particularly well disguised, and wouldn’t be surprised if “newish” solvers found it impossible. I myself am “oldish”, and had to stare at it for ages, even with 2 letters given.
Thanks.
Valentine @26 the visual thesaurus has ought as an alternative for aught. On looking back
I see where I also had aught, but it didn’t work with the obvious 15d.
I enjoyed the puzzle but I missed the theme and DOORS,which was probably the easiest clue here, was my LOI. Despite working in the motor trade back in the early sixties I’ve never owned nor driven a car. I was green before I knew what it was!
I liked ATTITUDE and HALIBUT.
Thanks Brummie.
Very nice puzzle. Like other myopics, completely missed the theme, and 1d WIND was hard to get – Yorkshire Lass worked it out late on. HOW DO YOU DO is a little dubious maybe, as shortened versions are what we think of for difficult situations:’ here’s a how di do’ G&S for instance. Thanks to setter and blogger.
As with others, NW corner was the hardest part of the crossword today. Enjoyed the theme which came to me sooner than usual as I had BRAKE, ABS and SPOILER as first ones in and was busy looking at those when it popped out.
HOW DO YOU DO is always more of a greeting than a difficult situation but nobody else is complaining about that so maybe I’m alone there.
Good clueing Brummie and thanks loonapick for the great blog.
Does hatch mean scheme in 10a? I am aware of hatching a plot, but plot means scheme, hatch doesn’t.
And I completely missed the theme, even when alerted there was one! I’d like to second Ed the Ball, good cluing, good blogging, thanks both.
Roberto, lawyers speak of ‘ancient lights’, meaning windows.
Robert and John Cox, here is a reference to ancient lights – I can remember these signs on buildings in the UK in the past, but have not visited for many years now, nor likely to do so in in the future…
…the COED gives for light “a window or opening in a wall to let light in”.
Thank you, Brummie and Loonapick.
I was thrown temporarily by the ambiguity in 26a, which seems to me could equally have been AUGHT. I am not so keen on clues that need crossers to be disambiguated.
We are all familiar with clues with two definitions separated by a reversal indicator, with no certainty about which defined word is to be reversed.
For this particular clue, I think the problem stems from the fact that the words NOUGHT/OUGHT indicated by the wordplay/definition are the same word with and without a negation indicator. Any spelling variation is then likely to apply to both, and indeed we have NAUGHT/AUGHT as alternatives.
This might be one of the reasons why I am not too keen on clues whose two halves indicate words that have a close common root. It makes ambiguity more likely: any mutation on one side may very well be mirrored on the other side. I think of it as a kind of cruciverbalist incest.
The word “skylight” is a good familiar instance of the word “light” being used to mean “window”.
Way behind, as usual. I was pleased to learn a new word – demersal – when researching 13a. Only had to reveal one answer – 1d. As usual theme passed me by, even though I’d spotted yesterday from the list of blogs that there was one. Thanks to setter and blogger.
Could not get 1 down (“wind”) and don’t think I would have got it a million years.
I agree with monkeypuzzler@33 — “hatch” does not mean scheme. You can hatch a scheme or a plot (or whatever) but the “hatch” part is a verb.
Having said that I checked http://www.thesaurus.com and it does indeed give scheme and plot as synonyms of hatch. I still think this is wrong/misleading.