After an unusual three-week absence in the Prize slot, Paul pops up this week, which means that, for now, at least, he’s back to coinciding with my monthly blog. I really enjoyed this puzzle: I thought it was one of the best from Paul for quite a while.
In my customary boring way, I worked through the clues in order and, having reached the last across clue without entering a single answer on the first run-through, I decided it was time to stop there at 29,4 and work out what seemed to be an obvious anagram to get me started and, having done that and taken time out to look up some links to illustrate the brilliant ‘fake news’ element, I was in a very good mood to continue with the rest of the puzzle. 5 and 6dn fell in quickly and, before I knew where I was, the right-hand side was filled up, with the left-hand side still rather embarrassingly empty. Finding another favourite artist at 14dn spurred me on and, in a roughly anti-clockwise manner, I made it to the finishing line.
Many thanks, Paul, for the fun.
Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
4 Limits of range and colour on very big screen (7)
REREDOS
R[ang]E [limits of] + RED [colour] + OS [ very big]
9 Shock at end of boxing match, after a reversal of direction (5,4)
ABOUT TURN
BOUT [boxing match] + TURN [shock – as in ‘It gave me quite a turn’] after A
10 Tack on horse (5)
PINTO
PIN TO [tack on]
11 Indian state: state China finally backed (5)
ASSAM
A reversal [backed] of MASS[achusetts] [state] + [chin]A
12 Pastry with light filling needing dash of Drambuie – might spirit be found here? (9)
FAIRYLAND
FLAN [pastry] round AIRY [light] + D[rambuie]
13 Rotating marker, draw round old vessel (7)
TUGBOAT
A reversal [rotating] of TAB [marker] round O [old] + GUT [draw – eviscerate]
15 Having admitted affair, those in special relationship knocked over in boxing challenge? (6)
SUDOKU
A reversal [knocked over] of UK and US [those in special relationship] round [having admitted] DO [affair]; I like the construction and the witty definition, but not the activity – I’d be interested in others’ observations: in my experience, people go for either SUDOKU or CROSSWORDS [‘our love’ in 2,7], with just a few I know enjoying both [or neither] in equal measure
17 Tapestry of fibres, these worn (6)
BRIEFS
An anagram [tapestry] of FIBRES – amazingly, one of my last in [possibly because of the looseness of the definition!]
19 Tools in sulk grasped by babies (7)
PUPPETS
PUPS [babies] round [grasping] PET [sulk]
I played with POPPETS [babies] for a few minutes, then, while I was searching for POPS = tools in Chambers, PUPPETS = tools dropped with a clang!
22 Letter oddly penned by a German artist — one’s not true (9)
ADULTERER
L[e]T[e]R [oddly] in A DURER [a German artist] – not quite up to the classic clue ‘Man United playing away from home’ [also from Paul, I think / am pretty sure, but, annoyingly, I can’t find it]
24 Scottish writer, like Dylan Thomas? (5)
WELSH
Double definition, the first being the author of ‘Trainspotting’
26 Runner drinking fine wine (5)
TOKAY
TAY [Scottish ‘runner’, on which stands Dundee, my late husband’s birthplace and the scene of the disaster , forever, alas, immortalised in William McGonnagal’s poem] round [drinking] OK [fine]
27 Do exercises with largest warhorse (3,5)
OLD STAGER
An anagram [exercises] of DO and LARGEST
28 Crack nut, leaving kernel with sufficient gravy? (7)
SOLVENT
SOLVE [crack] + N[u]T [leaving kernel] – gravy being ‘money, profit or pleasure, unexpected or in excess of what one might expect’ [Chambers] or ‘money or gain acquired with little effort, esp above that needed for ordinary living’ [Collins], so a little more than ‘solvent’, I think
29, 4 down Show with fake news how Internet so needs overhauling (3,3.7)
THE TWO RONNIES
An anagram [needs overhauling] of HOW INTERNET SO – a brilliant clue: for those whom ‘The Two Ronnies’ didn’t reach, the brilliant pair used to include a spoof news bulletin in their show – see here
and here
Down
1 Two animals closer? (7)
SEALANT
SEAL ANT [two animals]
2, 7 Our love bites sweet, initially — disagree? (5,6)
CROSS SWORDS
CROSSWORDS [our love] round [bites] S[weet, initially]
3 Unscripted show in which police upset over engineers (9)
EXTEMPORE
EXPO [show] round a reversal [upset] of MET [Metropolitan Police] over [in a down clue] RE [Royal Engineers]
5 Come back with very little money to deposit in bank (5)
REPLY
P [penny – very little money] in RELY [bank]
6 I can’t be sure head will protect new job (4,3,2)
DON’T ASK ME
DOME [head] round N [new] TASK [job]
8 Cold food in batter? (6)
BUFFET
Double definition – but buffet meals aren’t necessarily cold these days
14 Art set to inspire entertainment aboard ship (9)
GARFUNKEL
GEL [set] round [to inspire] FUN in ARK [entertainment aboard ship]
16 Electrical device that works like a ducking stool, supposedly (3,6)
DIP SWITCH
DIPS WITCH – a reference to the bizarre mediaeval practice of ducking a woman accused of being a witch: if she floated rather than drowned, she was! – see here
18 Order large yellow blocks (4,3)
SORT OUT
OR [yellow – in heraldry] in [blocks] STOUT [large]
19 Imitation stick spearing foot (6)
PARODY
ROD [stick] in PAY [foot – as in ‘foot the bill’]
20 Sad and cheerless intros: film director cut upbeat music (7)
SCHERZO
S[ad] and C[heerless] initials [intros] + HERZO[g] [film director cut]
21 Model wants juice served up in aperitif (6)
PASTIS
A reversal [served up] of SIT [model] + SAP [juice] for another favourite of mine: interestingly, whenever we ordered ‘bière et pastis’ in France, the waiter invariably set the pastis in front of my husband
23 Herb, a healer by the sound of it? (5)
THYME
Sounds [unequivocally] like ‘time’, allegedly ‘the great healer’
25, 1 across Match point — shock possible here? (5,6)
LIGHT SOCKET
LIGHT [match] + SOCKET [point?] – a rather weak clue to end with, I thought, but I may be missing something – I liked the surface, anyway
Thanks Eileen. A typically fair and enjoyable offering from Paul I thought and much less frustrating than the previous week’s. I didn’t get many on the first pass either but the grid unfolded quite steadily after that. I never did come to terms with 13a, convinced that tug = draw so thanks for the enlightenment. I don’t disagree about 25, 1 but a socket can = power point. Put me down as one of those who enjoy 15a, i probably spend more time on them than on 2,7.
Thanks Eileen and Paul.
2,7 (and 21), not 15, for me. (With a maths/physics background, is that unusual or common?)
Thanks Eileeb. I quite liked this, and got there as usual by bouncing around. OLD STAGER and the 14D Art clue were particularly nice discoveries. The 1D ant as animal gave me pause;I wallowed about trying to parse TUGBOAT, had to Google WELSH for trainspotting and my love affairs with the two puzzle types (15 and 2/7) had XWORDS coming on top.
I shot my self in the foot with OFFS WITCH for 16, which I thought was actually better than the real answer! 😉 Managed to cram SMOKER in for the crossing boxing challenge clue, but then that screwed me up in the top right. Took me a while to untangle it, but got there in the end.
For the record I do crosswords _and_ sudoku, although they suit different moods. I’ve also been known to spend time with the mindless but therapeutic proxx.app
My journey and overall reaction was much like Eileen’s.
There was no theme that I could see, but several recurring motifs: boxing, match, alcoholic drinks, singers almost (Garfunkel & Buffet(t)) and nine regions/nationalities. It is tempting to think there is something to be taken advantage of here, but as most of the occurrences were in the clues I ultimately don’t think so.
Also not sure of the need for “cold” in 8d, but really a fine puzzle.
Thanks both.
This was very enjoyable.
I had many favourites: PARODY, SUDOKU, FAIRYLAND, CROSSWORDS, GARFUNKEL, SCHERZO, SORT OUT.
Thank you Paul and Eileen.
Thanks Paul and Eileen
Yes, I enjoyed this more than most Paul puzzles.
To be pedantic, a ducking (or “cucking”) stool was generally not for witch testing – it was a scold’s punishment. See here.
On your Sudoku question, Eileen, my wife and I do the Sudoku together nearly every day over lunch. We rarely collaborate on the crossword, though.
Aah! I coudnt get TUGBOAT as I had DUFFIN instead of BUFFET. Being a cross between a muffin and a doughnut, and cold, just as valid an answer I think.
Great – another Paul. I had a very similar experience as most of you I think. I also defeated myself with Off Switch, and, though I had the US/UK I failed to add it up to Sudoku, for which I, personally, have no time. Thanks Paul and thanks Eileen
Enjoyed this crossword, but ran out of time.
Charles enjoyed Eileen’s comment about ordering pastis in France. Charles always struggled with being understood when asking for a Ricard in his best French accent.
Thank you Eileen, thank you Paul.
Thanks Eileen and Paul for an enjoyable puzzle.
Sudoku I occasionally do, if I am really bored. I always do the Killer Sudoku, however, which is much more intellectually demanding. The Observer one a couple of weeks ago took me five attempts before I got it right!
Southwest beat me, but of course they are obvious now. Art=garfunkel was excellent; it’s often words that don’t follow standard english letter patterns that beat me.
Like Dr. WhatsOn my experience was very similar to Eileen’s – apart from the personal anecdotes which add colour to the blog. GARFUNKEL and PARODY were my favourites. I also thought LIGHT SOCKET was weak.
In contrast to muffin MrsW and I collaborate on the crossword. She sometimes does Sudoko, and after doing them when they first became popular I rarely do them these days – I haven’t the patience to start again when they go wrong.
Thanks to Paul – who is on a good run at the moment imo – and to Eileen who’s blog is exemplary as ever.
WhiteKing: I agree, the last few Pauls have been really good. DIP SWITCH and THE TWO RONNIES both raised big smiles. The fiendish but clever 14d GARFUNKEL held me up for ages before the penny dropped.
On your SUDOKU question Eileen, I’ve never really liked or got on with them. Strangely however I do enjoy another numbers-in-boxes puzzle, the Suguru, which is usually fairly quick and fun.
Thanks Paul and Eileen.
Enjoyable puzzle, though I made it harder for myself with an invented electrical device the WET SWITCH – eventually got the DIP SWITCH which allowed me to err again by filling in POPPETS ( a kind of tool) for 19A. I had searched Chambers to see if PAPPETS was some kind of tool since that would have given a sulk held within PAPS (grasped by babies) which seemed PAUL-ine. The obvious PUPPETS eluded me.
Apart from that my LOI was the (in retrospect obvs) SORT OUT which was problematics since I had it written down for ages but couldn’t ‘see’ STOUT = large or OR = yellow, funny how the mind (doesn’t) work sometimes.
Thanks again Paul for the challenge and the fun, Eileen for the great explanation and all the learned comments on here.
I agree wholeheartedly with Eileen’s comments on the crossword. Paul on top form! As for my views on Sudoku I concur entirely with WhiteKing @13. I also enjoy a chess conundrum from time to time. Favourites REREDOS, lovely word lovely items, ASSAM, which triggered fine memories of a work trip there many moons ago, and THE TWO RONNIES just because it is good to be reminded of the Greats from time to time. So, many thanks to Paul and as ever Eileen for a great blog.
I see my comment is awaiting moderation! I wonder why.
SPanza @17
There was a temporary problem that prevented some comments from being checked by the spam filter so they were tagged for manual checking which I have now done.
Thanks to Paul and Eileen. My experience like many others, little on first pass but then it all began to unpack, with buffet and fairyland last in. I thought it was a great puzzle and had ticks against fairyland, cross swords and Garfunkel. Thanks again to Paul and Eileen.
Thanks Gaufrid I guessed it was only a glitch!!
Forgot it was prize day, had guests, bit of tidying and a few shirazes. From what I remember it was a nice steady Paul, nothing too fiendish. Was ‘meh, oh ok’ about point = socket, chuckled at remembering the big Ronnie’s rhyming slang number from a recent [Eileen?] link, and enjoyed the pdm re tool= puppet. Thanks both.
PS, do sudokus on the weekend, as a fill-in.
Now fot the cricket. Test 2 nicely balanced, but a draw is likely.
grantinfreo @ 21
There was a comment on Test Math Special yesterday to the effect that 7 of the last (I think) 11 Tests where the first day was lost entirely ended with a win for one of the sides.
Thanks Eileen for a typically comprehensive blog of a great puzzle! My favourites were SOLVENT, THYME and GARFUNKEL.
With apologies for the shameless self-promotion: anyone who doesn’t normally enjoy sudokus might have more luck with my cryptic-crossword/sudoku hybrid, which was featured on the Guardian crossword blog a few weeks ago. https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2019/jul/01/crossword-blog-introducing-new-puzzle-cluedoku
Many thanks to Eileen and Paul
To Epee Sharkey@15, we too had the seemingly excellent WET SWITCH having googled to check that such items do exist. (They shut things down when they become dangerously damp). Took quite a while for the corrective penny to drop. GARFUNKEL a particularly favourite, ‘artfully’ misdirected. Also SORT OUT, one of those punchy Paul clues where, at first reading, you can see no possible way it could lead to an answer. Many thanks Paul and Eileen.
Eileen, your man united clue was in Guardian 24407, June 5th 2008, blogged by Uncle Yap. http://www.fifteensquared.net/2008/06/05/guardian-24407-paul/
Now I’ll read the rest of the blog and comments.
Yes, it was Paul. I found it by googling fifteensquared and adulterer, which brought me a good many blogs that didn’t have “adulterer” in them, as well as this one.
Simon S@22 – was that the prize sudoku you were listening to? 🙂
BRIEFS was my last in too, I think because I didn’t recognise “Tapestry” as an anagrind, until I had all the crossers. I was another who went for OFF SWITCH first time through and I agree it parses just as well. THE TWO RONNIES was very cleverly constructed and was my pick of the bunch.
I’m addicted to both cryptics and sudoku, but particularly killer sudokus. My favourite site for the latter is killersudokuonline. The weekly killer and GT killer puzzles there are as satisfying to me as a fine Saturday prize crossword.
Thanks, Paul and Eileen.
I enjoyed this a lot. I didn’t get much on the first pass-although the chestnut REREDOS and the excellent WELSH. went in quickly- but the puzzle opened up readily enough. I liked DIP SWITCH and GARFUNKEL.
Vintage Paul!
[Peter – I added a reminiscence of Bishops Tawton to yesterday’s thread.]
I went through OFF Switch, then TIP switch ( rocker switch) until hitting upon DIP switch, had MOPPETS and POPPETS so that part only cracked when SUDOKU went in.
Too many good clues to single any out.
Thanks Paul and Eileen et. al.
Valentine @25 and 26 – yes, I’d found that one but it isn’t the original, just a reference to it: UY says, Who can forget his “Man United playing away from home (9)”
Eileen@32 Well, shucks, and I was so proud of myself! I suppose it does pay to read the whole thing.
Hi again, Valentine
Don’t beat yourself up – I’ve tried – and failed – to find it several times in the past. I’m just so irritated by it! We need Paul to settle it – but, unfortunately, he only very occasionally visits here.
I believe there is an error in today’s Prize by Vlad. I’ve posted in General Discussion for those who don’t want the additional handicap / the pleasure of finding it for themselves.
Thanks Paul and Eileen.
Hi Gonzo @35 – I’ve just seen that Vlad posted eight hours ago on the Guardian thread: ‘Apologies for 15dn error in the Prize – my fault entirely’.
A very enjoyable Paul puzzle – many thanks.
Re 22 across and “Man United playing away from home?” this appeared in Paul’s puzzle on 21 November 2003 (#22,994)
https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/22994#5-down
Phew!!! Huge thanks, Giudice! – I’d have had no possible means of finding that but I shall now file it away in my little book of classic clues [it was there anyway, without authentication].
Yes our local commentators picked that up too, Simon S @22, so fingers crossed for no more rain and we’ll see.
Thanks Eileen @36. Where is that thread please, so I’ll know where to check next time?
Hi Gonzo @40 – it’s the Guardian’s own Crossword thread https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27901 – hope that works!
PS – if you scroll down, Vlad posted as JamLes.
Can anyone solve the matter of who first came up with the marvellous ADULTERER clue? It has been attributed to Alberich, “FT 13657 (Alberich): Man United playing away later rued foul (9)” see
https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2011/12/my-top-ten-clues-2011.html
molonglo @43 – many thanks for that!
Yes, it’s here http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/04/01/financial-times-13657-alberich/ – and blogged by Shuchi of Crossword Unclued herself. So it isn’t just a clever cryptic clue – it’s a clever anagram, too!
DuncT@2. Agree completely. I have a maths degree and cannot stand 15a, whereas my history graduate wife loves them and will not look at a crossword
A tale of two pseudonyms, one setter and two very different puzzles. I’d done the FT Mudd first and found it quite gentle whereas this was anything but. Still, a very satisfying attempted solve even though in the end I failed with ‘poppets’ not PUPPETS. I loved the ‘Art’ definition and THE TWO RONNIES clue. Reminders of times past.
I do the occasional SUDOKU but much prefer crosswords. I wonder if there is a crossword equivalent of ‘sadbloku’. If so, guilty as charged.
Thanks to Paul and to Eileen.
A great puzzle from Paul, a Goldilocks for me and my experience was very much like Eileen’s and others which I often find with Paul’s puzzles. My only technical dnf which went in as obvious was SORT OUT so thanks to Eileen for parsing that one for me (OR as heraldry for Yellow is one for the memory banks).
Loved SEALANT and THE TWO RONNIES who indeed were geniuses
Sorry to come late again for your survey, Eileen but for the record on the 15 versus 2,7 question: personally, I don’t see the point of Sudoku so much. For me, the challenge is never varied as it so can be with crosswords – nor educational, as we’ve seen this week. Where are the blogging sites with varied opinions about Sudoku? Each to his own, I guess.
Well, now I’m flummoxed. I had an answer of sorts for 22a and now it doesn’t fit. I don’t know enough about cricket and Test matches to come up with anything.
Hi Valentine @48 – I’m afraid I don’t understand your comment 🙁
A week early?
Valentine@48: this isn’t the site for discussing live competition puzzles
Valentine @48: are you aware of the error in 15d (still not corrected online)? If not, see General Discussion.
Or comments 35, 36, 40, 41, 42 here!