Somewhat unusually, Punk is occupying the Wednesday slot this week. Whatever the reason for it, it was a pleasant surprise to discover one of his puzzles, since I haven’t had the pleasure of blogging one for a good long while. That said, I have had a busy day and am posting late, for which I apologise.
For me, this was a puzzle that had something for everything, with some quite elaborate clues (5D/28, for one), split entries, both low-brow and high-brow cultural references, a good dose of humour, satisfying penny drop moments, etc. If you aren’t happy with this, then you must be a hard customer to satisfy.
Paul has had the last laugh, since I cannot properly parse the entry at 2 – I look forward to being enlightened!
My favourites today, as you might have inferred from the above, are almost too many to mention: the hilarious Spoonerism at 13/3; the painfully topical 12; 22 for the PDM; the wordplay at 23, etc. Incidentally, I didn’t know the expression at 14D.
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; // separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| Across | ||
| 01 | CAPABLE | Accomplished line inspiring old man
PA (=old man) in CABLE (=line) |
| 09 | SWISS ROLL | Sweet, so-called character of Heidi?
Homophone (“so-called”) of “Swiss role (=character of Heidi, in children’s literature)” |
| 10 | ENSUE | Result seen as huge, odds cut
<s>E<e>N <a>S <h>U<G>E; “odds cut” means that all odd letters are dropped |
| 11 | EXTREMA | Highest and lowest function values are met with ten changes
*(ARE MET + X (=ten, in Roman numerals)); “changes” is anagram indicator; extrema are the highest and lowest function values in mathematical analysis |
| 13/3 | SHIRLEY BASSEY | Singer with strapping frame, according to Spooner?
Spoonerism of “burly (=strapping) + chassis (=frame)”; the reference is to the Welsh singer Shirley Bassey (1937-) |
| 14 | LIFT | Steal fifty two papers
L (=fifty, in Roman numerals) + [i + FT (=two papers, i.e. the i and the Financial Times)] |
| 15 | DISHEARTEN | Crush third bit of garlic, only crumbs left around it?
<ga>R<lic> (“third bit of” means third letter only) in DISH EATEN (=only crumbs left) |
| 18 | KOOKABURRA | Range and district reported in flier
Homophone (“reported”) in “cooker (=range) + borough (=district)” |
| 19 | BLAH | Rubbish bags leaking at home, first of all
B<ags> L<eaking> A<t> H<ome>; “first of all” means first letters only |
| 21 | STERNUM | Bone rigid? I’m not so sure
STERN (=rigid, harsh) + UM (=I’m not so sure) |
| 23 | SPARROW | Bird: feathers flying in the supermarket
Cryptically, “feathers flying in the supermarket” could be a Spar row! |
| 25 | IN USE | Current energy and power source I switched
E (=energy) + SUN (=power source) + I; “switched” indicates reversal |
| 26 | COLLEAGUE | Joining association, pass comrade
COL (=pass, in mountains) + LEAGUE (=association) |
| 29 | GHOSTLY | Strange throw gully regularly catches
HOST (=throw, e.g. a party) in G<u>L<l>Y (“regularly” means alternative letters only) |
| Down | ||
| 01 | CASTE | Order digit finally to poke patient
<digi>T (“finally” means last letter only) in CASE (=patient, from doctor’s perspective) |
| 02 | POINT OF NO RETURN | Issue for one breaking wind – critical moment
Wordplay?? |
| 03 | ECO | Italian author in uplifting procession
Hidden (“in”) and vertically reversed (“uplifting”) in “prOCEssion”; the reference is to Italian author Umberto Eco (1932-2016) |
| 05/28 | MILES KINGTON | Old Independent journalist covering parts say penned by poet
[SKIN (=covering) in E.G. (=say)] in MILTON (=poet, i.e. John Milton); “parts” is to be interpreted as “splits, divides” in the wordplay; the reference is to British journalist and broadcaster Miles Kington (1941-2008) |
| 06 | SHERIDAN | Irish writer’s novel, most inferior part sent up
SHE (=novel, by Henry Rider Haggard) + RIDAN (NADIR=most inferior part; “sent up” indicates vertical reversal); the reference is to Irish writer Richard Sheridan (1751-1816) |
| 07 | ABSOLUTELY RIGHT | Tory bullshit compounded with age, that cannot be denied
*(TORY BULLSHIT + AGE); “compounded” is anagram indicator |
| 08 | EVERY INCH | Quite so, niche fabricated houses
VERY (=so, highly) in *(NICHE); “fabricated” is anagram indicator |
| 12 | ADIEU | Scratching head, sad one has lost British allies – farewell
<s>AD (“scratching head” means first letter is dropped) + 1 (=one) + EU (=lost British allies, following Brexit) |
| 14 | LIKE STINK | Fancy song and dance, very hard
LIKE (=fancy, as verb) + STINK (=song and dance, palaver); to work like stink is to work very hard, flat out |
| 16 | HORUS | Part of number missing leader in god
<c>HORUS (=part of number, i.e. of song); “missing leader” means first letter is dropped; Horus is the Egyptian sun-god, usually depicted with a falcon’s head |
| 17 | CANNIEST | Superlatively clever as anagram for instance?
*(INSTANCE); “as an anagram for” is, of course, the anagram indicator |
| 20/5A | MAKE NO MISTAKE | Get 100% to be sure
Cryptically, to “get 100%” in an exam is to make no mistake |
| 22 | MACON | Prepared to keep dry wine
Someone who is prepared to keep dry (in the rain) may well have a “mac on”! |
| 24 | WEENY | Go north: journey’s ending in minute
WEE (=go, urinate) + N (=north) + <journe>Y (“ending” means last letter only) |
| 27 | LOG | Record // one’s put on the fire
Double definition |
2d: POINT (issue) + (FOR ONE)* + TURN (wind)
Oh yes, Punk is also Paul. I keep forgetting that. That’s why I found this so difficult. I can’t seem to get on his wavelength and finished this with a huge amount of cheating.
Thanks to RatkojaRiku and Punk
I remember Miles Kington well and much enjoyed his musings, but for those that don’t 5/28 must have been difficult.
The burly chassis almost predates the Reverend, but the old uns are the best.
Don’t usually comment much as I do the crossword very late in bed, but this one really amused me. Also was quite a worthy brain work out. So thank you Paul and Mr Blogger. Some entertaining moments and a few groans too!
An excellent work out with some top clues. Dredged up 5/28 from somewhere. Thanks to @1Sil van den Hoek for 2D, as I could not parse it either. Had not come across the Dame Shirley Spoonerism before, so relished it more than others.
Overall, a pleasure to solve.
Thanks to Punk and RatkojaRiku.
I solved MILES KINGTON only able to parse the MILTON bit. Also could not parse SPARROW – never heard of Spar supermarket in my part of the world.
Favourites were KOOKABURRA, ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, WEENY.
Thanks, B+S
I loved the Spooner