Phi is back to his usual day this week after a brief excursion to the weekend last Saturday
The first thing we noticed about the puzzle was the large square in the middle, and as we went about solving, we decided that there must be a theme or nina to justify the unusual central block in a grid which also has unches all round the perimeter – it is a Phi, after all.
However, when we had solved all the clues, we couldn’t see anything obvious, so set about compiling the blog in the hope that someone would enlighten us. Then, as we were about to post it, the penny dropped – and we realised that it should have been obvious from the start – especially with 3/20d in the grid – 8d, 10a and 24a are types of windmill, and the large block in the middle represents a traditional windmill’s 5s. How did we miss that?
TIDy (orderly) without the last letter or ‘cut’ + BIT (chewed)
O (ordinary) + AHA (pop group) in PERT (sassy)
Double definition
WE (our side) L (large) + an anagram of TEAM (anagrind is ‘working’) round or ‘receiving’ COM (committee)
TRIM (tidy) A (article) RAN (progressed smoothly)
S (small) MOCK (kid)
I (one) M (million) POSEr (difficult question) without the last letter or ‘left incomplete’
ACE (expert) reversed or ‘backed’ MP (politician) after D (first letter or ‘start’ of debacle)
SS (ship) in TEA (drink) reversed or ‘recalled’
CUR (scoundrel) RE (about) + C (college) in NY (New York – US city)
An anagram of COOL and UNDER (anagrind is ‘cooked’) with B (British) inside or ‘tucked in’
A clue-as-definition – T (first letter or ‘source’ of tremendous) WIT (intelligence)
PIN (leg) W (with) HEEL (rear of foot)
LE (the in French) MANE (animal hair) all reversed or ‘recalled’
An anagram of MARRIAGE I’LL COOK – anagrind is ‘arrangement’ – a new term for us – apparently the same as a kilocalorie
An anagram of TIMES (anagrind is ‘cryptic’) + O (old) in A BUS (vehicle)
OU (where in French) OU (where again) in or ‘blocking’ an anagram of GREMLIN (anagrind is ‘awkward’)
ROUSED (animated) round or ‘stifling’ EH (surprised cry)
E (east) after VAN (leading group)
Another clue-as-definition – an anagram of A HACK NOISEMAKER – anagrind is ‘possibly’
TO + W (last letter or ‘close’ of Barrow) ER (little hesitation)
An anagram of CHART ROLES – anagrind is ‘unclear’
tEXT (message) without the first letter or ‘missing opening’) ENDED (came to a conclusion)
C (Conservative) ALLY (supporter) round or ‘accumulating’ M (money)
This is one of the DOWN clues
Well, the theme completely escaped me. Thanks for the explanation. Had to check what windmill had to do with MOULIN ROUGE (blog intro should say 3/20 not 4/20).
A quick question. Is TIDBIT (as opposed to TITBIT) used in the UK? My Collins says it is US spelling, Chambers says largely North American.
In blog, need to change B to D in 17a.
Thanks to Phi for this clever puzzle and to Bertandjoyce for the edification.
Thanks Hovis – you caught us just before we set off home after a few days away in Sidmouth.
Blind to the theme, which was especially clever with the windmill sails-shaped block in the middle of the grid. I feel a bit like a 23a, the only consolation being that I make a good crossword clue, if not a solver. KARAOKE MACHINES was another good clue.
Thanks and well done to B&J for picking up all the thematic elements and to Phi for our usual Friday fix.
Well done B&J, and what a clever puzzle, though I did need to extend my breakfast to complete it. Thanks Phi.