Independent 10,578 by Harold

by

A challenging puzzle from newish compiler Harold.

This wasn't entirely my cup of tea with quite a lot of slightly dodgy CDs and DDs but there were some interesting clues that required quite a bit of thought.

ACROSS
1 BOHEMIAN Unconventional subject in Prague once (8)
 

DD, Bohemia of course being a region in Czechia.
5 SPARED Was relieved, having fought without focus (6)
 

Spa[r]red (without focus = minus its centre)
10 A BUSMANS HOLIDAY Driver driven to distraction on day off? (1,7,7)
 

CD
11 MAGNETS Drawers might be glossy bags (7)
  Glossy(=mag) + nets(=bags).

My initial thought was that glossy bags referred to celeb women, who might be considered magnets in a publicity sense. OK, the other explanation is better.
12 RIDDLER Enigmatic poser‘s a cheat making a fresh start (7)
 

Fiddler with a different initial letter
13 PASSWORD Die before undertaking parole at camp (8)
 

Pass(=die, as in "it's 5 years since he passed") + word(=undertaking, pledge). Parole can be used to mean a password in the US military.
15 NORMA Part for diva is almost conventional (5)
 

Norma[l]. Norma is an opera (and character therein) by Bellini.
18 OASIS Unfenced coast is haven of peace (5)
 

[C]oas[t] + is
20 LINOCUTS Prints I consult about (8)
 

(I consult)* – popular type of artwork involving prints taken from linoleum blocks.
23 ILLICIT Incompetent appeal collecting very little money in NY without permission (7)
 

Ill (=incompetent, as in ill-conceived) + it(=sex appeal) around IC(=1 cent, small amount of money in the US).
25 EMBRACE Receive honour after cycling speed trial (7)
 

MBE with first letter cycled to the front + race
26 TAKEN FOR GRANTED Could Dragnet be treated this casually? (5,3,7)
 

Implied anagram of dragnet.
27 NUDIST A habit isn’t something she’s accustomed to (6)
 

CD- I suppose a nudist wouldn't wear a habit much.
28 INFERRED Gathered information and got it wrong (8)
 

Inf{ormation} + erred
DOWN
1 BRAHMS Barman from The Queen coming into money shortly (6)
 

HM in bras[s]. Barman here in the sense of someone writing musical bars.
2 HOURGLASS It contains shifting sand over time (9)
 

CD
3 MUMMERS Actors finally perform (season having delayed opening) (7)
 

[Perfor]m + [s]ummers – but it feels as if the clue should say "season's having delayed opening".
4 AGNES South Africa embodies England for her, on reflection (5)
 

(SA around ENG)<
6 PALADIN Damsel endlessly in distress? Here’s a knight in shining armour (7)
 

Lad[y] in pain
7 RYDAL Dali following Lowry to draw in Lakeland village (5)
 

I think this is a somewhat convoluted way of giving a hidden def i.e. Lowry Dali.
8 DAYDREAM Visionary feature made Yard remarkable (8)
 

(Made yard)*
9 SHERIDAN Princess supporting actor and new dramatist (8)
 

Sher (=Sir Anthony Sher, famous stage actor) + Ida(=Princess Ida in the opera) + n{ew}.
14 OBLATION Offering favour without initially intending good (8)
 

Obligation minus i[ntending] g{ood}
16 RETRACTOR Extremely reliable vehicle – one holding things back? (9)
 

R[eliabl]e + tractor. Various devices used to hold things back in surgery, seatbelts etc are called retractors.
17 CONISTON Province engaged in function not arising in place near 7 (8)
 

NI (=province of Northern Ireland) in Cos{ine} + not<
19 SECONDS Supporters helping (7)
 

DD (a second helping might be called seconds).
21 CABBAGE Greens – a group once almost locked up? (7)
 

Abb[a] in cage
22 WEDDED Married by eminent cleric in Charlock? (6)
 

DD (=Doctor of Divinity) in weed (Charlock being a type of wild mustard which is usually regarded as a weed).
24 LIKED Popular President hugged by lady every now and then (5)
 

Ike (Eisenhower) in odd letters of lady
25 EGG ON Urge power company to retain horse (3,2)
 

Eon (who've just taken over my supply from NPower) around GG.

12 comments on “Independent 10,578 by Harold”

  2. Parsed 3d as Andrew. Couldn’t parse SHERIDAN. Didn’t know the actor and was fixated on the DAN coming from “and new”. Didn’t object to 7d. Setters are often criticised for make incursions too obvious and now also too convoluted. Can’t seem to win. Thanks both.

  4. As with previous puzzles I’ve solved from this setter, I found myself thinking ‘well, I suppose so’ on several occasions – maybe slightly dodgy as our reviewer suggests!

    26a was my pick of the bunch.

    Thanks to Harold and also to Neal for the review.

  5. I was fine with SHERIDAN as i think Sher is a  great actor.

    But i felt like i was editing this instead of solving. Where was the editor or the test solver?

    It was fun but could have done with a  pit stop(pref while the pit lane is open eh Lewis?)

  6. I’m not terribly happy with the capitalisation of Charlock. Clearly the setter needed to do this to make the surface work, but as far as I can tell there is no place called Charlock (though Google reveals a Charlock Place in Bracknell). It feels like a misdirection too far.

  7. I’m interested to see that others’ thoughts on the puzzle were in line with mine.  I don’t often say that I didn’t enjoy an Indy cryptic much, but I found this one a bit clunky, with the same reservations that others have already mentioned.  I never time myself, but I know I spent a lot longer than ‘normal’ before my LOI.

    Thanks to S&B anyway.

  8. We tend agree with the previous comments. Enjoyable but agree with K’s D that some of the clues were a bit clunky.

    However, there were some which we puzzled over for a long time and then wondered why afterwards – 1ac was one of them.

    Thanks to S&B.

  9. Really appreciate the blog, as I solved unaided with numerous gaps in the parsing. 9 took the prize in that regard, as I knew neither the princess nor the actor. Even if I had, there were potentially hundreds of each to choose from

  11. Coniston near Rydal? I’d say Grasmere and Ambleside were near it but not Coniston but it’s relative I guess.

    Had no idea that password and parole could be equivalent and generally found this a bit harder than the usual Monday fare.

    Thanks to S&B

  12. Like K’s D i found this a strange mix. Reminds me of Anto in the G quiptics. Too loose. Actually surprised Eimi let this through.

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