A suitable puzzle for Crossword 28,000 – tough and with some lovely clues. Favourites 10ac, 13ac, 24ac, 28ac, 19dn and 23dn. Thanks to Paul for the puzzle.
| Across | ||
| 1 | COBURN | Bread container for actor, b. ’28 (6) |
| James Coburn [wiki] COB=”Bread” + URN=”container” |
||
| 4 | ATTEMPT | A dry, barren, endless essay (7) |
| A + TT (teetotal)=”dry” + EMPT[y]=”barren, endless” | ||
| 9 | OFFSPRING | Mouldy hop seed (9) |
| OFF=”Mouldy” + SPRING=”hop” | ||
| 10 | THRUM | Buzz Lightyear’s back in hit, briefly (5) |
| the end letter or “back” of [Lightyea]R, in THUM[p]=”hit, briefly” | ||
| 11 | SATED | Boss of weekend issue, stuffed? (5) |
| SAT[urday] ED[itor]=”Boss of weekend issue” | ||
| 12 | CELESTIAL | Heavenly performance of a cellist inspires ecstasy (9) |
| (a cellist)* around E (ecstasy) | ||
| 13 | YUPPIES | Fine dishes for privileged youngsters (7) |
| YUP=OK, “Fine” + PIES=”dishes” | ||
| 15 | UNMOOR | End broken off round nuts, securing instant release (6) |
| “roun[d]” with its “End broken off” as an anagram/”nuts” => (roun)*; and around MO=moment=”instant” | ||
| 17 | IN GEAR | Where hammer found nailing lid on gradually, working effectively (2,4) |
| the “hammer” bone is found IN [the] EAR; around the first letter/”lid” of G[radually] | ||
| 19 | DUNGEON | Long time sitting on stool in lower chamber (7) |
| EON=”Long time” after DUNG=”stool” | ||
| 22 | AD HOMINEM | Personal style I had with memo inscribed with name (2,7) |
| (I had memo)* around N for (name) | ||
| 24 | HEART | Pick up end of carpet beater (5) |
| HEAR=”Pick up” + end letter of [carpe]T | ||
| 26 | HARDY | Only just missing line for writer, d. ’28 (5) |
| Thomas HARDY [wiki] HARD[L]Y=”Only just”, missing L for “line” |
||
| 27 | WENT UNDER | Wine, fruit and fresh rolls failed in business (4,5) |
| RED=”Wine” + NUT=”fruit” + NEW=”fresh”; all reversed/”rolls” | ||
| 28 | LOTTERY | Draw tail of animal like an aquatic carnivore? (7) |
| last letter or “tail” of [anima]L + OTTER-Y=”like an aquatic carnivore” | ||
| 29 | PETROL | Detailing favourite part, engine driver? (6) |
| ‘De-tailing’ or removing the end letter from PET ROL[e]=”favourite part” | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | CHOMSKY | Document that’s written in prison for linguistic philosopher b. ’28 (7) |
| Noam CHOMSKY [wiki] MS=manuscript=”Document”, inside CHOKY=slang for “prison” |
||
| 2 | BEFIT | One taking month to run up, tailor’s first suit (5) |
| I=”One” + FEB=”month”, both reversed/”run up”; plus T[ailor]’s first letter | ||
| 3 | RAPID-FIRE | Shot, if parried, delivered as a continuous stream (5-4) |
| (if parried)* | ||
| 4 | ANGELOU | Guardian published shortly for writer and poet, b. ’28 (7) |
| Maya ANGELOU [wiki] ANGEL=”Guardian” + OU[t]=”published shortly” |
||
| 5 | TITUS | Emperor keeping sixth of treasure in chest, commonly? (5) |
| Roman Emperor TITUS [wiki] sixth letter of [treas]U[re] in TITS=”chest, commonly” |
||
| 6 | MORRICONE | Sociobiologist, b.’28 cut above solid figure for composer, b. ’28 (9) |
| Ennio MORRICONE, film composer [wiki] Desmond MORRI[s]=”Sociobiologist” [wiki] with the last letter “cut”; plus CONE=”solid figure” |
||
| 7 | TEMPLE | Vulnerable spot for actor, b. ’28 (6) |
| =a vulnerable part of the skull; and =Shirley TEMPLE [wiki] | ||
| 8 | CIRCUS | Approximately dropping 20%, American company performing (6) |
| CIRC[a]=”Approximately”, dropping the last 20% of its letters; plus US=”American” | ||
| 14 | PANKHURST | First coming down close to bottom, smack proved painful for political activist, d. ’28 (9) |
| Emmeline PANKHURST [wiki] SPANK HURT=”smack proved painful”, with the first letter S moving down towards the end/bottom of PANKHURST |
||
| 16 | MONKHOUSE | Home of brothers for comedian, b. ’28 (9) |
| Bob MONKHOUSE [wiki] MONK HOUSE=”Home of brothers” |
||
| 18 | RUNAWAY | Control a thoroughfare, unchecked (7) |
| RUN A WAY=”Control a thoroughfare” | ||
| 19 | DOMINO | One of 28 played for pianist, b. ’28 (6) |
| the game of dominoes is played with 28 pieces; and Fats DOMINO the pianist [wiki] | ||
| 20 | NATURAL | Effortlessly talented, score mark? (7) |
| =inherently gifted; and =marked on a musical score as not sharp or flat | ||
| 21 | WARHOL | Military leave for artist, b. ’28 (6) |
| Andy WARHOL [wiki] WAR HOL[iday]=”Military leave” |
||
| 23 | MAYBE | Perhaps sentence by a magistrate holds up (5) |
| hidden reversed in [sentenc]E BY A M[agistrate] | ||
| 25 | ALDER | Wood shaving now shaved? (5) |
| [B]ALDER=”shaved?” with the top shaved off | ||
Wow. I was wondering why this wasn’t a Prize. The crossword number explains it. Thanks both
Thanks Paul and manehi
What fun there was was in some of the non-thematic clues – ATTEMPT, SATED, IN GEAR, DUNGEON (very Pauline!), and PETROL (for the definition).
The only thematics I solved from the clues were MORRICONE and MONKHOUSE; the rest were from wordsearches. At least I didn’t resort to calling up a list of births and deaths in 1928!
…actually I got HARDY (quite early on) from its clue as well.
Quite a step-up from yesterday! Some names lend themselves to wordplay, so Paul must’ve been chuffed with “spank hurt”, but more so with Chomsky which would’ve been a massive challenge!. Angelou was clued neatly too. Domino was a cracker – I could see what I was after but could not think of a set of 28 anything for a long time.
I was convinced the “lower chamber” was going to be a cow byre or barn but the misdirection was totally different apparently. I had a feeling about the “stool”, however, given it was Paul. In puzzle 27808 we had a discussion about whether a cone is solid or a surface – not so long ago, and here it is again.
For a puzzle with a lot of GK in it, that was actually a lot more fun that it first seemed with many cracking clues. Thanks Paul, and Manehi.
What an enjoyable puzzle – a rare and thankful occurrence in these modern times. I should add that I come to this blog after a catch-up effort involving plowing sequentially through the last five-thousand or so back-numbers of these Guardian cryptics, and witnessing what appears to be the gradual erosion of challenging and enjoyable puzzles, and especially the lack of ‘quality control’ from day-to-day. Does anybody know if the Guardian has an editor for these puzzles, or just lets a handful of setters toss in whatever they may? Yesterday’s was a joyless write-in, while today’s was challenging, deliciously-clued (eg 16D), and took much longer. I never take notice of setter names, but now I’ll keep an eye out for Paul in the future.
Completely forgotten was The Naked Ape bloke which, together with Morricone and Angelou being only vaguely remembered, made solving them a head scatch. And the comedian was a nho, but similarly gettable. But it was the much better known luminaries in the SW that undid me. In a hurry to go out, I stared at 26ac going ‘mere[l]y, nope; bare[l]y, nup’, so looked up synonyms for ‘just’…Hard[l]y! Damn, kick self. After which War hol was of course a gimme. So, not a great celebration in Freo of the odometer ticking over. I blame Christmas (family arriving, heaps needing doing). Fun puzzle, ntl. Thanks both.
Thanks for a great blog, manehi.
A brilliant puzzle, I thought and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of ‘ahas’ as the class of 28 gradually emerged.
I’d mistakenly, early on, entered the answer for 16dn at 14dn and was quite amused to see that four of the letters didn’t need to be changed.
Too many favourites to list – I loved it all. Many thanks, Paul.
… yes, it being a Paul helped with Titus and dungeon.
Just goes to show how good Paul can be when he puts his mind to it. It all flowed naturally. Credit where due.
Thanks Paul and manehi.
Great fun and wittily clued. Couldn’t ask for more.
Absolute cracker! After much effort got all the thematics from the wordplay. Faves were CHOMSKY and PANKHURST. DNK AD HOMINEM but just followed the destructions.
Many thanks P+M
Great fun, 19 down very cleverly fitted into the theme. Was half expecting 28 across to reveal something else extraordinary…
Ditto Ronald re 19d; dnk there were 28 Domino tiles; clever Paul!
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to when I started, even though a few members of the class were unknown to me. In addition to the favourites mentioned above, I liked OFFSPRING for its brevity. Lots of misdirection and none of it unfair, though I thought 27a should have had ‘roll,’ not ‘rolls.’ Thanks to Paul and manehi.
This was another of those that you’re disappointed it is over too fast. With a theme like this, for themed clues you are at an apparent disadvantage, since I’m pretty sure nobody carries around in their heads lists of famous people who were born or died in a particular year, so you can only do these in one direction. However, as it turned out, it wasn’t much of a hindrance at all, and the smile quotient was way up too. Thanks!
Only double-6 dominos had 28 tiles. I have a double-9 set, so missed that answer
Thank you Paul for a great puzzle and manehi for a helpful blog.
Probably just a coincidence, but the Greek for 28, KH, is present in the down answers PANKHURST and MONKHOUSE, rows 10 and 11.
It’s all been said, but I loved it.
Not much in the acrosses yielded early, but I started to get on a bit of a roll with the downs. 1d CHOMSKY, 14d PANKHURST, 19d DOMINO and 21d WARHOL were my favourites. Fun PDMs for each one! Some delightful wordplays along the way. I had to cheat 6d MORRICONE which disappointed me, but then I figured that I like to learn something new every day and this was it.
Huge thanks to Paul for a terrific 28,000th puzzle and to manehi for blogging it so well.
Did anyone else put BATON (for ‘beater’) in 24a? I thought it was a homophone (Pick up) of BATTEN, which I guess one might find at the end of a carpet. It took MONKHOUSE to put me on the right track. The proper answer was much better of course.
Thanks to all.
Answer to Rodshaw. Editor is Hugh Steohenson and good friend of Paul aka John Halpern. Does an impossible job very well in my opinion.
To Rodshaw @6. Guardian tradition is that Monday’s puzzle is an easier one, to ease us into the week after a heavy weekend, perhaps, and to encourage less experienced solvers. Those of us who relish a more demanding workout can usually be sure that the rest of the week will fit the bill.
I meant Rodshaw @ 5 of course.
rodshaw @5
I don’t see how anyone can describe a puzzle that includes such a great clue as yesterday’s 11ac as “a joyless write-in”!
Very happy to have Paul back after missing for about two weeks. A cracker of a puzzle to mark 28,000. Favourite clue YUPPIES.
A brilliant puzzle with an appropraite and well-executed theme. I got CHOMSKY and COBURN to get me started, and it was an enjoyable experience all the way. I knew all the names, but I had to get all three crossers before I saw DOMINO – a great clue. I appreciated the setter’s skill throughout and light touch in many places.
Many thanks to Paul and manehi.
Incidentally, UNMOOR, an unusual word, was clued by Paul in June’s Guardian Genius puzzle this year, defined there as ‘loose’ rather then ‘release’.
Angstony @19
i stumbled at 19a too. Thought it was hoist which actually can be made to fit the surface. At least in desperation. Heart is better of course. A really enjoyable work out today. I hope I am around for 29000.
thanks both
Well, I got all the crossers for 19d, saw DAMONE, checked that Vic was born in 1928, and then spent far too long wondering how he could have been confused as a pianist and what his connection to a lottery was.
Thanks both,
A great puzzle as befits the landmark. Shouldn’t it be Sat(urday) ed(ition) in the blog for 11ac?
Maybe not, on looking at it again.
Tyngewick – I don’t think so: the ”Boss of [the] weekend issue” is the SAT[urday] ED[itor] (“weekend issue” on its own would be as you suggest).
After my embarrassing inability to add 1 to 27,999 yesterday I was glad to see a special today, and also to be able to complete it without having to look up any of the names. For no good reason I was a bit surprised that Fats Domino, Andy Warhol and Bob Monkhouse (and some others) were of the same vintage: perhaps just because I was aware of them at different points in my life.
Paul on top form here even though I found it tough going and I had to cheat to get IN GEAR. CHOMSKY was FOI,followed by CELESTIAL and ANGELOU. Couldn’t parse WENT UNDER,indeed I had GONE UNDER to begin with! MONKHOUSE took quite a long time to get- it was probably ” comedian” in the definition that threw me( boom boom)
Thanks Paul
[Peter @32
I once might have agreed with you about Bob Monkhouse, until I saw a recording of an “audience” he did with invited guests, when he was already terminally ill. He was very, very funny!]
Re Bob Monkhouse, it’s worth trying to track down his appearance on Just A Minute, where he very nearly made the distance by reeling off a string of one-liners. Samples:
Karl Marx’s grave is just a communist plot
I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Dad, not screaming in terror like his passengers
Excellent puzzle, I always find that if I stick at a Paul I’ll get there in the end. He always seems to play fair.
I found three six letter words with an l meaning only just before I came up with hardly.
I think Morricone was the only thematic answer I didn’t recognise.
A candidate for Bob Monkhouse’s best:
They laughed when I said I wanted to be a comedian. They’re not laughing now.
Lord god abov, lthis site would be so much improved if it had only the bloggers’ contributions which, let’s face it, enlighten us all, and none of the self-important bollocks that fills up so much space. Bring back hedgehoggy. And who cares what are your TILTs, or LOI, or TTM, or other minor public school, self-referential shite?
Sorry if this offends the bigger bores among you, but you’ve delighted us enough and you really aren’t as clever as you think you are.
TILT: you’re shite. See you at the next S&B!!
Trotsky @38
I have a solution for you – don’t bother to read the comments.
quenbarrow @ 37: that was in his JaM spiel too
muffin @ 38: eh?
I am glad that many of you enjoyed this puzzle, very cleverly themed but no fun for me. I gave up. No disrespect to Paul.
Simon S @40
Trotsky’s post @38 was deleted – it is now re-instated!
The Wikipedia app on my phone gave me a list of 1928 births and deaths. MORRICONE was the only one I hadn’t heard off. Where are the “too much general knowledge” complainers?
Yes, Paul on tip top form today. Loved every minute and got it all except circus. Also, for the life of me dont understand how I couldnt parse ‘maybe’ and ‘went under’. Both reading backwards. Favourite has to be Domino, for the double 28. Thank you Paul and Manehi
Only managed about 50% of the class of 28 but still enjoyed this with some of Paul’s traditional wit.
Credit to this site for allowing comments that may upset some but may also be amusing to others.
I needed some help from google for the GK. New for me were Alan Monkhouse, choky = prison, cob = bread.
My favourites were for the most part the non-GK ones: WARHOL, LOTTERY, HEART, SATED, DUNGEON.
I could not parse 20d, 27a, 25d.
Thanks Paul and manehi.