Goliath provides an entertaining challenge this morning.
This was a fun crossword, with a good balance of misdirection, general knowledge and a sense of humour. This is the kind of puzzle that the Americans would not publish, because of their over-sensitive “breakfast rule” which would almost certainly have meant that words such as PANDEMIC and ONANIST would not have been allowed to appear in the grid or the clues. (It always amazes me that we genteel British tend to be comfortable with these things appearing in puzzles, yet a country like the US baulks at them!).
It was also a challenging puzzle which on a first run-through seemed quite difficult, but as I gradually put in answers, crossing letters made some of the answers easier to work out, so that I was eventually left with only OBEAH and PANDEMIC. I had to look up OBEAH to make sure it was right (the wordplay was straightforward enough, but I wasn’t sure what OBEAH is, then I was left with what was obviously PANDEMIC, so it was just a matter of working out why DEM = DOSE PEOPLE, and I had a giggle when I saw it.
I had only one very minor quibble, with 28ac, as the clue refers to the plural of the solution.
Thanks, Goliath.
| Across | ||
| 1, 5 | NEW WORLD RECORD | The best ever Australian or American album (3,5,6) |
| NEW WORLD (“Australian or American”) + RECORD (“album”) | ||
| 9 | PANDEMIC | Dose people gripped by fear of coronavirus? (8) |
| DEM (“dose people”) gripped by PANIC (“fear”)
If you have a cold, and try to say, “those people” it might come out as “dose people”. Similary, “them” would sound like “dem” |
||
| 10 | SOFTEN | At the end, drugs frequently mollify (6) |
| [at the end] (drug)S + OFTEN (“frequently”) | ||
| 12 | OPEN HOUSE | This party is certainly no closed shop! (4,5) |
| Cryptic definition | ||
| 13 | FRESH | New hotel servant sent back (5) |
| <=(H (hotel) + SERF (“servant”)) [sent back] | ||
| 14 | ISLE | Man may be misled when clothing is discarded (4) |
| (m)ISLE(d) [when clothing is discarded, i.e when it’s outer layers (M & D) are shed] | ||
| 16 | LUCIFER | Hellish master provided in cruel twist (7) |
| IF (“provided”) in *(cruel) [anag:twist] | ||
| 19 | PROVERB | Saw spin deliveries start to backfire (7) |
| PR (“spin”) + OVER (“deliveries” in cricket) + [start to] B(ackfire) | ||
| 21 | See 20 | |
| 24 | EASEL | Stand 1050 (5) |
| EASE (“soften”, the answer to “10” across) + L (50 in Roman numerals) | ||
| 25 | BRAKE SHOE | Second-rate gardening tools, and another that helps you stop (5,4) |
| B (“second-rate”, as in B-list) + RAKES (“gardening tools”) and HOE (“another” tool) | ||
| 27 | SKINNY | Thin broadcaster coverage of pub (6) |
| SKY (satellite TV “broadcaster”) covering INN (“pub”) | ||
| 28 | GARBANZO | Gaza-born recipe for chickpeas (8) |
| *(gazaborn) [anag:recipe]
Garbanzo is the Spanish word for a chickpea (pl. garbanzos), so technically, the clue should say “a chickpea” |
||
| 29, 30 | PLEASE YOURSELF | I don’t care for redundant advice to onanist (6,8) |
| You don’t need to tell an onanist to PLEASE YOURSELF, as that is waht an onanist (a masturbator) does! | ||
| Down | ||
| 1 | NIPPON | Pin-up picture of national leaders of empire (6) |
| <=PIN [up] + P(icture) O(f) N(ational) [leaders]
Nippon is another name for Japan, especially when it was an empire. |
||
| 2, 18 | WINTER SOLSTICE | Right to enter costliest wine order three days before Christmas (6,8) |
| R (right) to enter *(costliest wine) [anag:order] | ||
| 3 | OBEAH | Spiritualism and honour, I see (5) |
| OBE (Order of the British Empire, an “honour”) + AH (I see!)
Obeah is a system of spiritual and healing beliefs which sprung up among slaves in the West Indies. |
||
| 4 | LEISURE | Devils oddly not into temptation for fun (7) |
| (d)E(v)I(l)S [oddly not] into LURE (“tempation”) | ||
| 6 | EX OFFICIO | Previously on holiday here, in French circle by virtue of job (2,7) |
| EX (“previously”) + OFF (“on holiday”) + ICI (“here” in French) + O (circle) | ||
| 7, 22 | ON THE OFF CHANCE | Switch positions to contain the risk, just in case (2,3,3,6) |
| ON + OFF (“switch positions”) to contain THE + CHANCE (“risk”) | ||
| 8 | DO NO HARM | Doctor’s instruction has carrier admitting refusal to return weapon (2,2,4) |
| <=(HOD (brick “carrier”) admitting NO (“refusal”)) [to return] + ARM (“weapon”), so D(ON)OH-ARM | ||
| 11 | WELL | The Financial Times will source properly (4) |
| WE’LL (“The Financial Times will”) + double definition | ||
| 15 | SHETLANDS | Quiet time surrounded by deer, dogs and ponies (9) |
| SH (“quiet”) + T (time) surrounded by ELANDS (“deer”)
Elands are antelopes, but are also known as Eland Deer, and the word “eland” comes from a Dutch word for “elk” or “moose”, which in turn comes from a Lithuanian word for “deer”. The solution refers to Shetland Sheepdogs (aka Shelties) and Shetland ponies. |
||
| 17 | SPEEDS UP | Within campus, deep suspicion rises and accelerates (6,2) |
| Hidden [within] “camPUS DEEP Suspicion” backwards [rises] | ||
| 18 | See 2 | |
| 20, 21 across | BABY BOOM | Little Spar from which many pensioners emerged (4,4) |
| BABY (“little”) + BOOM (“spar”)
After the Second World War, there was a spike in the birth rate, so many of the children born then would now be pensioners. |
||
| 21 | BRAVADO | Pretentious display of well done party (7) |
| BRAVA (“well done!”) + DO (“party”) | ||
| 22 | See 7 | |
| 23 | TEE OFF | Start a hole to convert tee-shirts into shirts (3,3) |
| To convert tee-shirts into shirts, you take the TEE OFF.
The definition refers to teeing off in golf. |
||
| 26 | EMBER | At the end of three months, it glows (5) |
| EMBER is found at the end of three months (SeptEMBER, NovEMBER and DecEMBER) | ||
*anagram
Enjoyed this. Didn’t notice the erroneous plural in 28a (and had to guess GARBANZO then look it up).
Unusual to see BRAVA as opposed to BRAVO. (Don’t get me talking about sex after yesterday’s faux pas.)
Some people I know with better biblical knowledge than me say Onan gets a lot of bad press.
Thanks to Goliath and loonapick.
Thanks Goliath and Loonapick.
An enjoyable puzzle as you say. Thanks for parsing EASEL which I could not fathom.
Thanks for the blog, loonapick.
I found this quite a tough challenge [not helped by several phone calls interrupting me] but with lots of smiles and aha moments to help me along.
I was left at the end with the same two as loonapick. After staring at 3dn for ages, I realised I just had to do exactly what it said on the tin, coming up with an impossible-looking word which turned out to be right [the kind of clue I call a jorum]. Finally seeing what ‘dose’ was doing in 9ac made me laugh out loud – a perfect end to a puzzle which had kept me interested and entertained right to the end.
Lots of lovely clues – my favourites today were, I think, WINTER SOLSTICE, WELL, SHETLANDS and BABY BOOM but there could well have been more.
As I said on the Guardian thread, a real treat today, with two of my top favourite setters.
Many thanks, Goliath for a super fun puzzle.
‘Dose’ was clever and I missed it. Tried to convince myself (on no evidence) that ‘D’ was a dose in medicine and ‘em = people.
Dorothy Parker had an budgerigar which she called Onan because he so often spilled his seed upon the ground.
Thanks to Goliath for the fun & loonapick for the enlightenment.
Another good one after Wiglaf in the Indy. I missed the subtlety of ‘dose people’ – parsed as per Grant @4 – and like Eileen @3 had to follow the wordplay for the unknown OBEAH. I liked the ‘Doctor’s instruction’, even if I’m more familiar with the full phrase in Latin, and BRAKE SHOE.
Favourite was the original double def plus wordplay structure of WELL. Unfavourite – just joking – was BABY BOOM for the unwelcome reminder that even middle-age is receding into the rear view mirror!
Thanks to Goliath and loonapick
I had IC rather than AH in 3d for a while. Had no problem with DEM, once saw a shop in Bridgetown named “DIS AND DAT”. Guessed GARBANZO correctly from the fodder, but wasn’t too keen on DOCTOR’S INSTRUCTION as a def. Enjoyable, rather than challenging, for me.
I knew 3d but apart from that I’d probably say more or less the same as Eileen
Thanks to Goliath and loonapick
Thanks to Goliath and loonapick. Very enjoyable. I knew OBEAH and finally got the DEM in PANDEMIC but needed help parsing the 1050 in EASEL. Doing this puzzle in the US at breakfast I had no objection to 29/30, but I suspect that loonapick is right about the breakfast rule.
Thanks Goliath and loonapick
I parsed 1/5 somewhat differently: definition “album”, (it’s by ELO), and “The best ever Australian or American” would be a ‘new world’ ‘record’.
Having done this crossword over dinner last night I guess the “overly-sensitive breakfast rule” was not even on my radar. I enjoyed this puzzle immensely particularly ISLE, BRAKE SHOES, LEISURE, SHETLANDS, and of course PLEASE YOURSELF. Had to look up OBEAH and could not parse EASEL — the 1050 as one number got me stuck. Thanks Loonapick for clearing that up. Thanks Goliath for a gem.
Thanks all and L in particular for excellent blog.
Managed to finish. Phew
L2i were same as Loonapick.
Not too challenging, although we had a few head-scratching moments. We couldn’t understand ‘do no harm’ as a doctor’s instruction at first until we realised it’s an instruction to a doctor and part of the Hippocratic Oath (although those exact words don’t actually occur in Hippocrates’ original). And we didn’t know about Shelties and parsed 15dn as T (time) surrounded by deer (elands) following (dogs, as in to dog someone’s steps) quiet (sh) – it almost works.
Lots to like, though. Favourite was WINTER SOLSTICE.
Thanks, Goliath and Loonapick
Thank you to Goliath and loonapick. Like others I had a real laugh when I got the DEM for DOSE gag and needed loonapick’s help to parse EASEL – very devious. I was surprised by TEE OFF – the clue just seemed too obvious to be the answer until the crossers left little choice. Two great puzzles on the same day.
Loonapick,
I appreciated what you said about Americans. I am American, and I much prefer the openness of the English in terms of crossword puzzle topics. I was pleased to see the coronavirus mentioned, as it is defining our lives now, and got a kick out of seeing onanist. I love the FT puzzles; they are my main reason for subscribing.
Thanks to Grant and Loonapick. We enjoyed this crossword which my wife,daughter and I almost managed to complete over tea and biscuits this afternoon, but failed to parse EASEL and did not know OBEAH. I particularly liked 29,30 across as well as the parsing of 9 across. I think 11d is a triple definition.
Very amusing puzzle and great blog! Happy to report I figured out EASE,L=1050 but completely fell down on TEE OFF — I had convinced myself that the answer must be SET OFF (which almost almost works but … no…). Also thanks to Grant for the Dorothy Parker gem @4.
I enjoyed this as well. My only quibble was including “Tee” in the clue for 23d. Should surely have just been a “T”?
Thanks Goliath and loonapick
Entertaining puzzle from this setter as per usual which I was able to finish off in a single session. Have seen OBEAH a few times before but didn’t know GARBANZO and missed the trick with DEM and DOSE (quite funny). Chuckled at PLEASE YOURSELF (and had to check that I hadn’t been doing a Guardian puzzle). Thought that WINTER SOLSTICE and the triple definition with WELL were quite good as well. Finished in the NE corner with FRESH, NEW WORLD RECORD (across the top) and the doctor’s DO NO HARM injunction as the last one in.