Prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 7, 2019
Mudd gives us another fine puzzle. My clue of the week is 20ac (ODDS) with 23ac (AFTERS) a close runner-up. I also applaud 2dn (MINNESOTA), 6dn (HOT PANTS) and 19dn (STAPLER).
| Across | ||
| 1 | DAMASK | A veil on head of delightful rose (6) |
| D[elightful] + A (a) + MASK (veil) | ||
| 4 | IN THE AIR | Where balloon races are happening soon? (2,3,3) |
| Double definition | ||
| 9 | PANTRY | Criticise taste where food may have been stored (6) |
| PAN (criticise) + TRY (taste) | ||
| 10 | PLATINUM | Introduction in prosaic language, I’m not sure precious stuff (8) |
| P[rosaic] + LATIN (language) + UM (I’m not sure) | ||
| 12 | SHERATON | Furniture style in Athens or abroad (8) |
| Anagram (abroad) of ATHENS OR. Wikipedia tells us that, “Sheraton is a late 18th-century neoclassical English furniture style, in vogue ca 1785 – 1820, that was coined by 19th century collectors and dealers to credit furniture designer Thomas Sheraton, born in Stockton-on-Tees, England in 1751 and whose books, “The Cabinet Dictionary” (1803) of engraved designs and the “Cabinet Maker’s & Upholsterer’s Drawing Book” (1791) of furniture patterns exemplify this style. | ||
| 13 | RAISIN | Fruit is getting wet? (6) |
| IS (is) in RAIN (getting wet?) | ||
| 15 | TOOL | Money back for organ (4) |
| LOOT (money) reversed (back). I wondered at first if Mudd was using an obscene meaning of ‘tool’ here — and hoping that he was not. After considering the matter I now trust that he was not. ‘Organ’ can mean an instrument, especially a thing by which some function is performed. | ||
| 16 | CHARITABLE | Generous chair slightly disturbed by board (10) |
| Anagram (slightly disturbed) of CHAIR + TABLE (board) | ||
| 19 | SHATTERING | Working nights, rate terrible (10) |
| Anagram (working) of NIGHTS RATE | ||
| 20 | ODDS | P_O_A_I_I_Y? (4) |
| The clue is PROBABILITY with the even-numbered letters replaced by underscores leaving only the odds. I am unsure how to classify this although I think it is a fine clue. | ||
| 23 | AFTERS | Where seven characters are sweet (6) |
| AFTER S (where seven characters are: that is, U V W X Y and Z). We Brits use ‘afters’ to mean dessert. | ||
| 25 | DEPUTISE | Take over resolution of dispute with ease at first (8) |
| Anagram (resolution of) DISPUTE + E[ase]. ‘Deputise’ is most often used meaning to appoint a substitute but, to my surprise, I learn now that it can also mean to act as a substitute. | ||
| 27 | LUCKIEST | Most fortuitous case of crook, to wit enthralled by deadly sin (8) |
| C[roo]K + IE (to wit) together in (enthralled by) LUST (deadly sin) | ||
| 28 | PUTTER | Total behind back of strip club (6) |
| [stri]P + UTTER (total) | ||
| 29 | RESIGNED | Incompetent designer left post (8) |
| Anagram (incompetent) of DESIGNER | ||
| 30 | STONED | High street I avoided, ultimately (6) |
| ST (street) + ONE (i) + [avoide]D | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | DEPOSIT | Place secured holding bribe up (7) |
| SOP (bribe) in (holding) TIED (secured) all backwards (up) | ||
| 2 | MINNESOTA | Pandemonium finally over collapse of Estonian state (9) |
| [pandemoniu]M + anagram (collapse of) ESTONIAN | ||
| 3 | SCREAM | First on stage, top comedian (6) |
| S[tage] + CREAM (first) | ||
| 5 | NILE | Flower in carnation, I learned (4) |
| Hidden word | ||
| 6 | HOT PANTS | Garment – top designed in Portsmouth perhaps? (3,5) |
| Anagram (designed) of TOP in (in) HANTS (Portsmouth perhaps) | ||
| 7 | AUNTS | Soldiers carrying uniform for family members (5) |
| U (uniform) in (carrying) ANTS (soldiers) | ||
| 8 | ROMANCE | “Julius Caesar” perhaps once missing on book (7) |
| ROMAN (Julius Caesar perhaps) + [on]CE (once missing on) | ||
| 11 | SO THERE | Painful to suppress the expression of defiance (2,5) |
| THE (the) in (to suppress) SORE (painful) | ||
| 14 | BRANDED | Plot to steal foreign currency discredited (7) |
| RAND (foreign currency) in (to steal) BED (plot). The definition refers to ‘branded’ as in the usage of branding someone a liar. | ||
| 17 | BADMINTON | Game, something passed around troubled mind (9) |
| Anagram (troubled) of MIND in (around) BATON (something passed) | ||
| 18 | STERLING | Money somewhere in Scotland by the sound of it? (8) |
| Homophone (by the sound of it) of “Stirling” (somewhere in Scotland) | ||
| 19 | STAPLER | Device used for fastening plaster cast (7) |
| Anagram (cast) of PLASTER | ||
| 21 | SHEARED | Corn in outhouse, cut (7) |
| EAR (corn) in (in) SHED (outhouse) | ||
| 22 | AUGUST | Summer gold rush (6) |
| AU (gold) + GUST (rush) | ||
| 24 | TACOS | Mexican food thus, queen perhaps served up? (5) |
| SO (thus) + CAT (queen perhaps) all backwards (served up) | ||
| 26 | ISLE | Man perhaps is bitter having lost capital (4) |
| IS (is) + [a]LE (bitter having lost capital). ‘Capital’ here is used in the sense of the head of something, not in the restricted sense of a capital letter. | ||
Thanks to both. I too looked sideways at 15a and then remembered who the setter is. Thankfully, the first meaning in Chambers is the one you mention Pete.
I also had trouble with 20a, until I worked out what the word was.
Other than that I found it a sound and enjoyable solve, even if I was doing it at 2 am, my time.
Crosswords by Mudd always brighten my day and this was no exception. SO THERE and SHEARED were particularly amusing. Thanks Pete for the blog.
I think, Pete, the odd letters have been left in and the even ones underscored — much wittier. Mudd’s my hero at the weekend, and I loved this one. Thanks Mudd & Pete.
Oh dear, how did I manage that? Thank you, Hornbeam, I have corrected the explanation.
In all probability, ODDS on my favorite clue indeed!