eXternal fills the mid-week slot this week – it’s been over two years since we last blogged one of his puzzles, so this is going to be interesting….
All good fun, with lots to enjoy – neat surfaces and a good range of clue devices. We have one (very minor) quibble with 19ac, but all in all this was a very pleasant mid-week brain-teaser.
AIR (tune) TOM (‘queen’s mate’ – male and female cats) in FIDDLING (playing violin)
A homophone (‘reported’) of AN EATER (a consumer)
RIM (margin) in or ‘accepted by’ TESTER (one doing trial)
K (middle letter or ‘core’ of workers) IN SHIP (vessel)
An anagram (‘windy’) of AS COURT
Hidden in goaTEE THankfully
S (south) US (American) PEN (author) + alternate or ‘regular’ letters of DrEaDs
This seems a bit odd – it seems to be a Clue-As-Definition – an anagram apparently with two anagrinds (‘if slack’ or ‘what might make’) of STIR ALIVE, but we’re not really sure that ‘if slack’ is necessary
S K (first and last letters or ‘skirt’ of ‘silk’) CUT (tailored) all reversed or ‘returned’
UN (one in French) S (small) HORN (hooter)
An anagram (‘novel’) of TEARS UP
HER (that woman’s) + CITE (call) reversed or ‘backed’ + A L (liberal)
You might find actors ON the SET of a film
An anagram (‘shaking’) of TRIO BREED and BARN
An anagram (‘bust’) of LEG TIN MAN
R (Romeo in the phonetic alphabet) EACH (for every single one)
CO (company – firm) reversed or ‘erected’ + TOP (circus tent – Big Top) USES (employs)
I (India in the phonetic alphabet) VIE (struggle) S (first letter or ‘peak’ in Switzerland)
DIE (stop) round or ‘holding’ REAR (back) + ST (saint)
I (one) NT (no trump – in card games) + OR (other ranks – ‘men’) reversed or ‘raised’
An anagram (‘at sea’) of TAD GREY
BET (be sure) round or ‘holding’ ASK (appeal)
HO (house) + DO (party) in LUTON (Bedfordshire town)
STRIP (band) CLUB (hit)
A homophone (‘announced’) of DUTCH (European) ESSES (characters)
REV (cleric) reversed or ‘elevated’ round or ‘keeping’ OU (French for ‘where’) CH (church)
S (son) + TART (bitter) reversed or ‘about’ + A
SquasH (without the middle letters or ‘hollow’) RUB (smooth)
H (hospital) in or ‘nursed by’ NICE (charming)
HORSE (ride) with the ‘s’ (south) moving forward or ‘up’ in a down clue
Very nice. I too thought ‘if slack’ a bit odd in 19A, but on reflection it seems to work. At 10A I toyed with Adina, having found several on the web, but it has to be Anita of course. Took me far too long to see ‘basket’ at 9D. Thanks eXternal and B&J.
New setter to me.. enjoyable with no issues..except maybe REACH=PASS..? .. u reach something before u pass it?
Minor quibble.. v happy overall..
Thanks eXtreme n Bertandjoyce
.. I mean external… oops
Good to see eXternal again after a break of a couple of years, even if we see his alter ego more regularly in the FT. I found myself stymied early on by entering “stage” instead of ONSET for 28a, but once I’d seen the error of my ways, everything went in fairly smoothly. I didn’t see exactly how VITALISER worked either, but the general idea seemed understandable.
We’ve had variations on the theme before, but I still liked the ‘well-armed individuals’ at 4d.
Thanks to eXternal and B&J
Undrell – we also wondered about REACH = PASS but Chambers has it under transitive verb 2 – to hand, pass.
I always enjoy this setter’s puzzles, and this one was no exception. SURCOAT was a new word for me but easily derived from the clue.
I too was/am a bit unsure about 19a, and like B&J I wasn’t convinced that REACH = PASS but found it in Chambers although it is counter-intuitive – how can arriving at a point be the same as passing it (except in a crossword perhaps)?
OCTOPUSES was my favourite.
Many thanks to eXternal and to B&J.
P.S. Why does ticking “Remember Me” no longer remember me? Have others got the same problem?
Thanks eXternal and BnJ
To expand the reach/pass question, if you’re at table you might say “Can you reach the salt?”, implying that you want it passed to you.
“If only Stan Bowles could pass a betting shop like he passes a ball” Probably a female journalist
I enjoyed this-unpretentious and well bolted together
thanks Ex and BJ
One of the most enjoyable puzzles I’ve tackled recently although I did have the same queries as others over 19a & 3d.
My line-up for the honours includes FAIR TO MIDDLING, ANITA, OCTOPUSES & NICHE.
Many thanks to eXternal and to B&J for the review.
RD @2 My ‘remember me’ had been working fine but not this morning it would seem!
I also wasn’t sure about “if slack” bit of 19a. Similarly, I wasn’t totally happy with “money” in 15d. Wouldn’t “information” have been better?
Simon S @7 I think it’s even clearer if you make it transitive. ” Can you reach me the salt?”
Petert @ 11
That’s what I meant to write: didn’t notice that I’d omitted ‘me’. Thanks.
About 3d REACH = PASS: a pass is defined as a way through / around something like a mountain, as is ‘reach’ (Chambers: ‘a stretch or portion between two limits’), sort of.
In 17a, HEADING has no purpose that I can see but to confuse.
Enjoyed this although when I got stuck I properly got stuck and no amount of revisits could get me past – some good learning to be had though
ANITA and OCTOPUSES were my first two answers and ended up my favourites
Thanks to eXternal and B&J