Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of September 14, 2019
Another impressive crossword from Goliath that gave me a few challenges in the top-right corner. My clue of the week is 10ac (SPITFIRE) while other gems include 2dn (UNTIE).
If you would care to see a fragment of an interview with Goliath, real name Samer Nashef, you can find one embedded in last week’s Guardian Crossword Blog.
| Across | ||
| 1 | DUTCH CAP | Family planning on the head of the procuress (5,3) |
| Double definition with the second one referring to a painting by Johannes Vermeer titled “The Procuress” (see this Wikipedia article). | ||
| 6 | FROSTY | Unfriendly to opposite pen (6) |
| FRO (to opposite, as in “to and fro”) + STY (pen, as for pigs) | ||
| 9 | STRUTH | Oath of St Naomi’s daughter- in-law (6) |
| ST (St) + RUTH (Naomi’s daughter-in-law, in the Bible that is) | ||
| 10 | SPITFIRE | Tips off firefighter (8) |
| Anagram (off) of TIPS + FIRE (fire). While it is common to have a word like ‘a’ or ‘an’ clue itself, it is unusual for a word such as ‘fire’. I have no problem with it though. | ||
| 11, 23 | SEMICOLON | Monocle is adjusted to see this mark (9) |
| Anagram (adjusted) of MONOCLE IS | ||
| 12 | SATISFYING | Meeting starts to struggle and to signify trouble (10) |
| S[truggle] A[nd] T[o] + anagram (trouble) of SIGNIFY | ||
| 14 | TROLLOPE | Anthony’s floozy on the phone (8) |
| Homophone (on the phone) of “trollop” (floozy) | ||
| 16 | UNIT | 1 out of 2? Not quite (4) |
| Anagram (out of) of UNTI[e] (2 not quite, meaning 2 down) | ||
| 18, 19 | KNOW NO BETTER | Ignorant gambler is after something unacceptable, they say (4,2,6) |
| KNOW NO (homophone of “No-no”) + BETTER (gambler) | ||
| 21 | FAHRENHEIT | In the RAF, he laboured for a degree (10) |
| Anagram (laboured) of IN THE RAF HE | ||
| 22 | ORCA | Killer in Windsor Castle (4) |
| Hidden word | ||
| 24 | HERE WE GO | Football chant where head relegated with self-pride (4,2,2) |
| HERE W (where head relegated) + EGO (self-pride) | ||
| 26 | COLDLY | Showing no emotion and timid about “bad cholesterol” (6) |
| LDL (bad cholesterol) in (about) COY (timid) | ||
| 27 | FLORIN | Previously needed to purchase fluoride-iron compound (6) |
| FL (flouride) + anagram (compound) of IRON. A florin is a two-shilling coin from the days of pounds, crowns, shillings and pence. | ||
| 28 | EVERYONE | Right person chasing sweetheart, that’s all (8) |
| [sw]E[et] + VERY (right) + ONE (person) | ||
| Down | ||
| 2 | UNTIE | With leader gone, the BBC is free (5) |
| [a]UNTIE (with leader gone, the BBC) | ||
| 3, 25 | CAULIFLOWER EAR | Complaint of boxer if a clue, silly moo, enters behind (11,3) |
| LOW (moo) in (enters) anagram (silly) of IF A CLUE + REAR (behind) | ||
| 4 | COHESION | Getting together in Soho? Nice work! (8) |
| Anagram (work) of SOHO NICE | ||
| 5 | PUSH THE ENVELOPE | Through the letter box, postmen may innovate (4,3,8) |
| Double definition | ||
| 6 | FLIMSY | Slim and painfully so in frilly coat (6) |
| Anagram (painfully) of SLIM (slim) in F[rill]Y | ||
| 7, 13 | OFF YOUR TROLLEY | What you serve is nuts (3,4,7) |
| Double definition. The first is a bit weak perhaps? | ||
| 8 | TYRANNISE | The young rascal starts turning insane bully (9) |
| T[he] Y[oung] R[ascal] + anagram (turning) of INSANE | ||
| 13 | See 7 | |
| 15 | RING A BELL | Call to prayer may be familiar (4,1,4) |
| Double definition | ||
| 17 | OBSTACLE | Bluecoats without uniform can be a problem (8) |
| Anagram (can be) of BL[u]ECOATS | ||
| 20 | ANDEAN | An academic or clergyman from South America (6) |
| AN (an) + DEAN (academic or clergyman) | ||
| 23 | See 11 | |
| 25 | See 3 | |
!A. I seem to be on Goliath’s wavelength and whilst finding him taxing not impossible. I missed the Vermeer connection and thank you for pointing it out. Vermeer is a master I worship and coincidentally a month before the publication of the crossword I made my first visit to Dresden. Had I known I would have made a special effort to go to the gallery.
Thank you both.
Thanks Goliath and Pete
Even though this occupied a number of sittings, they were quite short ones and the solve progressed quite evenly. No real holdups except for !a in which the second part went straight over my head.
Also used to seeing STRUTH spelled as STREWTH. Thought that FAHRENHEIT was very clever, but did have to have a couple of goes of spelling it right.
Finished in the top right corner as well with FROSTY and TYRANNISE the last couple in.
Thanks to Goliath and Pete. I had trouble with both definitions of DUTCH CAP but managed to find the family planning part via Google. Otherwise a tough but enjoyable solve.
Bruce, Thank you for mentioning STREWTH. It occurred to me when I solved the clue that STRUTH did not look right but I failed to consider the alternate spelling that I do now believe is the more common one.
acd, Thank you for commenting. Perhaps I should have expanded on the first meaning of DUTCH CAP. The reason I did not was that it appeared in another FT Weekend puzzle not long ago where I did mention that meaning.