Painstaking research shows that this is Flitwick’s third puzzle for the Indy or IoS, with a debut puzzle in March of this year, and this is the third time it has fallen to me to produce the blog. People will be talking soon. I found this to be an accessible, cleverly constructed puzzle with an interesting range of reference material.
Abbreviations
cd cryptic definition
dd double definition
cad clue as definition
(xxxx)* anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x] letter(s) removed
definitions are underlined
Across
1 Comedian frames policeman: it’s on paper
HARD COPY
An insertion of COP in HARDY. The insertion indicator is ‘frames’ and the clue is referencing Oliver HARDY, the comedy partner of Stan Laurel.
5 Desperate Apollo pursued her nymphal elegance, initially
DAPHNE
The initial letters of the first six words of the clue. It’s a cad: that’s exactly what Apollo did to Daphne in Greek mythology, before she played seriously hard to get and turned into a laurel tree. She wouldn’t get a gig on Love Island with that kind of behaviour.
10 Various Olympians getting close to bronze
DIVERSE
A charade of DIVERS, who certainly compete at the Olympics, and E for the last letter of ‘bronze’.
11 Alert that’s raised by socialists?
RED FLAG
A dd.
12 Large ship moving slowly
LARGO
A charade of L and ARGO for Jason’s ship. The ‘slowly’ reference is a musical one.
13 Ousted us violently after first of scams is rumbled
SUSSED OUT
A charade of S for the first letter of ‘scams’ and (OUSTED US)*
14 Monkey writes terrible publication
NEW YORK TIMES
A great spot for the anagram. It’s (MONKEY WRITES)*
18 Possible conviction for killing someone’s amusement
MANSLAUGHTER
A charade of MANS and LAUGHTER, and reminding us how unphonetic English is. How do you pronounce LAUGHTER? How’s it pronounced when you put an S on the front? Good luck with that when you’re learning it as a second language.
21 Ordered ales again for pain relief
ANALGESIA
(ALES AGAIN)* You can’t have a clearer anagrind than ‘ordered’.
23 They can be won by footballers
SPURS
A dd. SPURS as a football team comes up in Indy crosswords more than it should. You may very well think that’s because the editor is a Tottenham fanatic; I couldn’t possibly comment.
24 The first sign
INITIAL
A dd. The second definition is a verb: ‘Can you initial this here, please?’
25 Country ignores opening of Indiana Jones, perhaps
SURNAME
Clever clue with good misdirection. Flitwick is asking you to take I, the first letter of ‘Indiana’, out of SUR[I]NAME.
26 Show leg off and laugh
GIGGLE
A charade of GIG and (LEG)*
27 Criminal lifts rose when leaving English shops
FLORISTS
(LIFTS ROS[E])* The anagrind is ‘criminal’ and the removal indicator is ‘leaving’.
Down
1 Small group led off after obviously getting upset
HUDDLE
A charade of a reversal of DUH and (LED)* The reversal indicator is ‘upset’. Did you not see that straight away? Duh. It was obvious.
2 Blackburn, perhaps, in danger over spending
ROVERS
Hidden in dangeR OVER Spending and referencing the Premier League champions of 1994/5. Far too much footie in the Indy.
3 Officer gathers last of intelligence material
CORPOREAL
An insertion of E for the last letter of ‘intelligence’ in CORPORAL.
4 Profusely dodgy housing contract? Take it if you want!
PLEASE YOURSELF
Another construction I especially liked. An insertion (‘housing’) of LEASE in (PROFUSELY)*
6 Throw up during field day
ADDLE
Hidden reversed in fiELD DAy. It took me a little while to understand the definition, but it’s ‘throw’ in the sense of ‘confuse’. I shouldn’t have been so thrown by the clue.
7 One Muslim teacher returns carrying egg and cheese for grilling
HALLOUMI
An insertion of O in I MULLAH, all reversed. O for ‘egg’ is crosswordese, really. Although ‘love’ in tennis is (allegedly) derived from the resemblance of the zero to an egg, which is l’oeuf in French.
8 Therefore strange mist causes sickness
ERGOTISM
A charade of ERGO for ‘therefore’ and (MIST)* A nasty disease which is the result of poisoning by ergot. Can make your fingers and toes gangrenous, so best avoided, really.
9 Rereads slasher novel for practice
DRESS REHEARSAL
(REREADS SLASHER)*
15 Re-arrest union leader’s corrupt financial officer
TREASURER
(REARREST U)*
16 What you might say if scared of piercing?
IMPALING
If you’re scared, you might turn white and might say I’M PALING. Well, you probably wouldn’t, but this is Crosswordland.
17 Reportedly requiring rubbing
KNEADING
A homophone of NEEDING, with the homophone indicator (‘reportedly’) in a completely unambiguous position, for which I thank the setter sincerely. Putting it in the middle of the two words leads to confusion.
19 Copper bars – they might be from Havana
CUBANS
A charade of CU and BANS.
20 Directs drug dealers to leave quietly
USHERS
[P]USHERS
22 Pump last of air into underwater breathing apparatus
GRILL
An insertion (‘into’) of R for the last letter of ‘air’ in GILL.
Bravo/Brava, Flitwick. Try to get your Spurs-loving boss to give you your next gig when it’s not my turn to blog, otherwise folk will think we’re related. Oh, and other footie teams are available. Foreign lads end run in UK city (10). Just saying.
Thanks Pierre. I thought of the late Jeremy Hardy as the comedian in 1ac, though of course it works either way.
That’s a good call, Andrew – the much missed Jeremy is probably who Flitwick had in mind.
Clever and interesting and perfect for a Monday – what more could a solver want?
Thanks to Flitwick and Pierre
Thank you Pierre, as long as you continue to write thoughtful and entertaining reviews of my puzzles, I’m happy to keep the relationship going. Who cares what society thinks?
p.s. I was thinking of Oliver for the comedian
Yep as in Stan and Ollie-thanks Flitwick and Pierre
Good Monday solve.
I ticked NEW YORK TIMES, SURNAME, HUDDLE and IMPALE. Pity about the large/LARGO connection.
Thanks Flitwick and Pierre.
As others have said, an enjoyable Monday solve. We’ve not bothered to count, but we thought it was a bit heavy on the anagrams, whole or partial, but we’re not complaining.
Thanks, Flitwick and Pierre.
One of the quickest solves ever, but enjoyable, with a number of excellent, smoothly constructed, anagrams.
Thanks to Flitwick and Pierre.