There was some 1ac fun to be had today in Punk’s puzzle.
As we filled in the grid, it was clear that some answers were anagrams of each other. However, it was only when Joyce came to write up the blog that we realised that as well as the two pairs of entries that are anagrams of each other (10ac / 4d and 11ac / 23ac), many of the other entries are anagrams formed from one word only in the clue, rather than a combination of two or more words. When we coloured the grid, it was amazing to see how many there were and that they were all 9-letter words.
Unfortunately, when Bert checked the blog, he realised that 25ac should not be highlighted as it is not an anagram, but it is too awkward at this late stage to correct this – apologies for any confusion.
Anyway – we had a fun solve and an interesting time as we completed the blog. Thanks Punk for today’s added level of ingenuity.
sTOPPING (finishing) missing first letter or ‘not starting’
I BC (just before Jesus was born) inside RAGE (fashion)
WELD (join together) around or ‘touring’ A
An anagram of A LONG RIDE – anagrind is ‘could be’
A clue as definition where the answer is also an anagram of TIN CAN OR and E (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of bottle) – anagrind is ‘sort of’
E (last or ‘final’ letter in peace) NICE (European city)
Double definition
An anagram of USED TO RAT – anagrind is ‘badger’
An anagram of GATHERING – anagrind is ‘doctor’
A play on the fact that if your MOP (hair) is UP, it may be in a ‘beehive style’
A reversal or ‘retirement’ of OP (work) and MET (force – as in the Metropolitan police force in London)
An anagram of CONTAINER (11ac) – anagrind is ‘at sea’. We had to check the definition in Chambers.
CARBON (Carbon is atomic number 6 in the Periodic Table) ADO (stir)
Hidden (‘absorbed’) and reversed or ‘recalled’ in chapATI A Restaurateur
DULLES (Washington International airport) T (first or ‘original’ letter in tax)
LEG (on, in cricket) NAVE (church body) all reversed or ‘backfiring’
H W (initial letters in hit workers) inside or ‘involved in’ TACKS (courses)
An anagram of PANGOLINS – anagrind is ‘evolution of’
Double definition where Juliet and India refer to the phonetic alphabet
An anagram of RELOADING (10ac) – anagrind is ‘switches’. A girandole apparently is an ornamental branched candlestick or light fixture consisting of several lights, often resembling a small chandelier.
Double definition
An anagram of TRIBESMAN – anagrind is ‘nomadic’
For those of us who remember vinyl records, a 45 usually had an A-side (main number) and a B-side
G (good) HE (man) inside or ‘inspired by’ EGAD (old oath)
An anagram of MONOTREME – anagrind is ‘dicky’
An anagram of MOTHERESE – anagrind is ‘discombobulated’
An anagram of SPRINGIER – anagrind is ‘pants’
If a cake did not have a topping (1ac) it could well be NOT ICED
PINT (drink) AIL (upset). We puzzled over the parsing of this one far longer than we should have done. We were both looking at NIP (drink) reversed or ‘upset’. That left TAIL unparsed!
MO (second) R (right) A L (left)
Double definition
A TOAd (swine) missing last letter or ‘almost’ reversed or ‘capsized’ around or ‘circling’ R (river)
Lovely crossword, thanks Punk.
Quite a few that I got without fully parsing so this was a very useful blog for me also – thanks B&J
I had a similar experience seeing PIN as an upset NIP.
Cricket is very much not my thing so I had no idea that ‘leg’ was ‘on’ and no matter how many times I encounter it, I don’t think I ever will. (Maybe I’ll make an effort to use it and that might cement it for me)
Loved 22D in particular
Second out of three for Punk/Paul/Mudd today – you can’t keep a good setter down.
Well done for picking up the one word, nine letter anagrams, which I missed. I couldn’t nail the parsing of a few as well, so thanks for explaining AORTA and TEMPO.
Big ticks for ASIDE, RIBCAGE and my last in, ‘Six on the table’ for CARBONADO.
Thanks to Punk and B&J
It’s a Punk/Paul/Mudd day today. Is this guy prolific or what?
Great fun with a lot of scribbling to decipher the many anagrams. I particularly liked the one for 6d.
Thanks to Punk and Bertandjoyce.
Great fun – and I noticed the anagrams too! My particular favourite was 5a
Thanks to Punk and B&J
A good workout but we got there in the end with just one recourse to a wordfinder – for CARBONADO which was obvious the moment we saw it; we simply hadn’t thought of that sort of table! We did have to check CRENATION in Chambers, though.
Too many great clues to nominate a CoD. Thanks, Punk and B&J.