Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of December 5, 2020
Another elegant puzzle for us muddlarks. My first-in was 4ac (CHESTNUT) and I completed each quadrant in turn working counter-clockwise and progressing smoothly until I found some challenges in the lower-right. My favourite clue is one of four fine double definitions, 11ac (BANANAS). I also especially like 1ac (CASTLE), 16ac (GEORGIA), 2dn (SOMMELIER) and 6dn (SENSE ORGAN).
Thank you, Mudd!
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | CASTLE | Man cornered in fortress? (6) |
| Double definition, the first referring to chess | ||
| 4 | CHESTNUT | Wood lays head on bosom (8) |
| CHEST (bosom) + NUT (head) | ||
| 10 | NUMBERS | More than one song book (7) |
| Double definition with the second referring to a book of the bible | ||
| 11 | BANANAS | Split items not all there (7) |
| Double definition | ||
| 12 | TEES | River bait, by the sound of it? (4) |
| Homophone (by the sound of it) of “tease” (bait) | ||
| 13 | ACCIDENTAL | For example, sharp header from Aberdeen, and Celtic beaten (10) |
| Anagram (beaten) of A[berdeen] AND CELTIC | ||
| 15 | PLIERS | Those are gripping ballet moves, dancer finally admitted (6) |
| [dance]R in (admitted) PLIES (ballet moves) | ||
| 16 | GEORGIA | Country girl in a state? (7) |
| Triple definition | ||
| 20 | CRAWLER | Sycophant, one acting like a baby? (7) |
| Double definition, the first referring to informal British usage of ‘crawler’ | ||
| 21 | PAUPER | One has very little uranium in organ (6) |
| U (uranium) in (in) PAPER (organ) | ||
| 24 | SUPERTONIC | Second cup in store, broken (10) |
| Anagram (broken) of CUP IN STORE. A supertonic is the second note of a diatonic scale. | ||
| 26 | STEW | Tipping to the left, adds water to dish (4) |
| WETS (adds water to) backwards (tipping to the left) | ||
| 28 | HOARDER | Frost appearing with communist revolutionary, one giving nothing away (7) |
| HOAR (frost) + RED (communist) backwards (revolutionary) | ||
| 29 | MOLIERE | Story inspired by greater dramatist (7) |
| LIE (story) in (inspired by) MORE (greater) | ||
| 30 | RELIEVED | Freed, evil snakes in grass (8) |
| Anagram (snakes) of EVIL in (in) REED (grass) | ||
| 31 | RAFTER | Beam brighter in the end then (6) |
| [brighte]R + AFTER (then) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CENOTAPH | Monument not cheap to repair (8) |
| Anagram (to repair) of NOT CHEAP | ||
| 2 | SOMMELIER | Expert on drinking has battle with organ, though not heart (9) |
| SOMME (battle) + LI[v]ER (organ though not heart) | ||
| 3 | LIED | Note in top song (4) |
| E (note) in (in) LID (top) | ||
| 5 | HEBRIDES | Both outsiders reside abroad in location off mainland Scotland (8) |
| Anagram (abroad) of B[ot]H RESIDE | ||
| 6 | SENSE ORGAN | Eye perhaps no good with ears and nose after surgery (5,5) |
| Anagram (after surgery) of NG (no good) EARS NOSE | ||
| 7 | NONET | Unable to catch some players in group (5) |
| NO NET (unable to catch) | ||
| 8 | TUSSLE | In brief, Egyptian king less prepared for fight (6) |
| TU[t] (in brief Egyptian king) + anagram (prepared) of LESS | ||
| 9 | PSYCH | Examine head in autopsy, cheerily (5) |
| Hidden word (in) | ||
| 14 | DRAWBRIDGE | Cross after selection, very old opener? (10) |
| DRAW (selection) + BRIDGE (cross) | ||
| 17 | IMPATIENT | Irritated, Mudd is over case (9) |
| IM (Mudd is) + PATIENT (case) | ||
| 18 | RECOURSE | On study programme, seeking advice (8) |
| RE (on) + COURSE (study programme) | ||
| 19 | DRAW NEAR | In portrait with bandaging, not Van Gogh’s right approach (4,4) |
| DRAWN (in portrait) + EAR (with bandaging not Van Gogh’s right) | ||
| 22 | ESTHER | Book showing hydrogen in organic compound (6) |
| H (hydrogen) in (in) ESTER (organic compound) | ||
| 23 | MIAMI | End up north of Michigan in US city (5) |
| AIM (end) backwards (up) + MI (Michigan) | ||
| 25 | PEARL | Seed with two wings that forms within a shell (5) |
| PEA (seed) + RL (two wings, i.e. right and left) | ||
| 27 | FLEA | A little shoemaker turning up in little jumper (4) |
| A (a) + ELF (little shoemaker) backwards (turning up). I had not known of any connection between elves and shoemakers but have now learned that the association apparently comes from a Brothers Grimm tale. | ||
Many, many great clues from Mudd but that’s to be expected — this crossword was a joy to complete. I needed a look-up for TEES because I haven’t learned all the British rivers yet but everything else went in eventually. Favourites included BANANAS, HOARDER, and SOMMELIER. Thanks Pete for the blog.
Thanks, Mudd and Pete. A musical theme of sorts with ACCIDENTAL, SUPERTONIC, LIED, NONET and the several “organ” clues. CENOTAPH a new word for me. Loved the triple def of GEORGIA.
A good deal easier than Mudd’s previous weekend offering, and very charming.
I liked flea very much. On Saturday we shall have our annual family viewing of Elf, which features a brief vignette of shoemaking as an alternative career for those elves unfortunate enough not to be employed at the North Pole.
Thanks Mudd and Pete
Not sure whether this one was hard or not – could only distractedly get to it whilst up the country visiting my mum for a few days. What was clear was that Mudd was at his finest with this double / triple definitions and his humour / deception was at the fore.
Saw CENOTAPH immediately, so at least was away to a good start – the excellent ‘castle cornered’ had me flummoxed for ages at 1a though and it became my clue of the day when I finally twigged to the position of it on the chessboard. ACCIDENTAL has a habit of tripping me up initially whenever it surfaces and so it was here. Liked the ‘little shoemaker’ component of FLEA and took a while to remember the fairy tale.
Finished in the SW corner with IMPATIENT and the clever STEW the last couple in.
Thanks Pete. Sorry I still don’t get 19d.
How does EAR equals ‘with bandaging not Van Gogh’s right’ ?
One of the well known things about Van Gogh is that he cut off one of his ears and I happened to be reminded recently that the ear in question was his left one. So my assumption is that Mudd supposes that his head was bandaged after the ear was removed. I do think this way of cluing EAR is awkward and I cannot decide whether the ‘with’ should or should not be considered part of this cluing. However I also think it is rather clever.
Thanks Mudd and Pete. For CASTLE I also wondered if the castle move in chess was involved as it moves the king for protection. On reflection, probably not. Otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable late afternoon romp.
Thanks Pete. I didn’t know that macabre detail.
Very sad. Been to his museum in Amsterdam and knew he was ill and committed suicide. But not this detail. I am too distraught to appreciate this clue…clever or not. Sorry.
Thanks Pete and Mudd,
As always, some fun clues and knowledge gained.
I am neither a chess player nor a musician, so I needed the letters from the crosswords to get NONET (7d) and CASTLE (1ac). SUPERTONIC (24ac), was easier given the anagram and a visit to the dictionary. I got “not Van Gogh’s right” fairly quickly, but wondered a long time about “with bandaging”. And, finally, of course ELFs make shoes. Like Van Gogh’s ear, it is just something I know, without knowing how or why.
Van Gogh painted ‘Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear’ (1889).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-Portrait_with_Bandaged_Ear
which perhaps explains the specific use of the term ‘bandage’.
Ah, I have seen that painting before but had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder.