Eccles on a Wednesday – pushing the boundaries a bit in places, but always fun.
We have a few slightly unusual words, definitions that may annoy pedants, and at least one challenge to the homophone police. Readers who like to help their children learn the art of cryptics (I know we have some) may prefer to steer clear of 23a. But it all makes sense when you see it, and it’s a lot of fun. Thanks Eccles as always.
Definitions are underlined; BOLD UPPERCASE indicates letters used in the wordplay; square brackets [ ] indicate omitted letters.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | MILK |
Exploit middle class (4)
|
| M (abbreviation for middle) + ILK (class = type). I can imagine a few readers getting annoyed here because “ilk” doesn’t actually mean that at all; it means “same”, so for example “Macdonald of that ilk” = Macdonald of the same = Macdonald of Macdonald. But it’s been used to mean “type” for a long time and the dictionaries grudgingly include it.
Milk, as a verb = exploit = use to one’s own advantage. |
||
| 3 | SPOT-CHECKS |
Random tests in place leading to arrests (4-6)
|
| SPOT (a place, as in “a nice spot for a picnic”) + CHECKS (as a verb = arrests = stops the progress of). | ||
| 10 | SIMPLER |
Relatively easy to smile coyly about learner driver (7)
|
| SIMPER (to smile coyly) around L (as in L-plate = learner driver). | ||
| 11 | UMPIRES |
Unionist politician’s anger with southern judges (7)
|
| U (Unionist) + MP (Member of Parliament = politician) + IRE (anger) + S (southern). | ||
| 12 | ELECTRIC ORGAN |
Unusual Elgar concert inspires international modern music producer (8,5)
|
| Anagram (unusual) of ELGAR CONCERT, containing (inspiring = breathing in) I (international).
Modern? Well, more modern than a traditional pipe organ – but actually they go back 100 years or so. |
||
| 15 | PATTER |
Talk presented in short order (6)
|
| PATTER[n] (order), with the last letter dropped (short).
Talk, especially fast well-rehearsed talk from salespeople or stand-up comedians. |
||
| 16 | CIABATTA |
Spies reported pancake mixture being used to make bread (8)
|
| CIA (Central Intelligence Agency = US government spies) + homophone (reported) of BATTER (pancake mixture). As usual, the homophone works only in some accents.
Italian type of white bread. |
||
| 18 | ACQUAINT |
Inform a pretty accommodating Conservative (8)
|
| A + QUAINT (pretty in an old-fashioned way), accommodating C (Conservative). | ||
| 20 | ADDLED |
Confused, walked like a duck with ducks (6)
|
| [w]ADDLED (walked like a duck), with the W (abbreviation for with) ducking out of it. | ||
| 23 | ONE-NIGHT STAND |
Not intend shag? That’s that ruined! (3-5,5)
|
| Anagram (ruined) of NOT INTEND SHAG.
Clue-as-definition, though a slightly clumsy one. One-night stand = shag = slang for a temporary sexual relationship. I assume Eccles is thinking of someone having their night ruined by finding the other person doesn’t share their intention. UPDATE: there’s an alternative parsing as noted in the comments below at 2 and 3. If you don’t intend to have a shag, a one-night stand would mean your intention is ruined. Either way it’s a remarkable anagram. |
||
| 25 | IN-DEPTH |
After passing on power to replace American leader, becomes thorough (2-5)
|
| IN DE[a]TH (after passing on), with P (abbreviation for power) replacing the A (leading letter of American). | ||
| 27 | BARONET |
Prevent individual associated with Tory leader getting title (7)
|
| BAR (as a verb = prevent) + ONE (individual) + leading letter of T[ory]. It’s a pity we’ve had leader = first letter in two consecutive clues. | ||
| 28 | IMMATERIAL |
“Mum!” I announced loudly at first – after one minute, it’s irrelevant (10)
|
| MATER (mum = slang for mother) + I + first letters of A[nnounced] L[oudly], all after I (one in Roman numerals) + M (minute). | ||
| 29 | IDES |
That is finishing early one day a month (4)
|
| ID ES[t] (Latin phrase usually abbreviated to i.e. = that is), with the last letter dropped (finishing early).
In the Roman calendar, a specific day around the middle of each month, either the 13th or 15th; most famously the Ides of March, when Julius Caesar was assassinated. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | MASTER PLAN |
Spooner’s male first aider reveals overall strategy (6,4)
|
| Spoonerism of PLASTER MAN, which could be a facetious term for a (male) first aider, but a rather patronising one. First aiders do the training course because it might save a life one day; we’re not just there to put sticking-plasters on sore knees. | ||
| 2 | LAMBENT |
Brilliant escape by criminal (7)
|
| LAM (slang for escape; not a familiar word to me) + BENT (slang for criminal, as in “a bent copper” = a corrupt policeman).
Lambent = flickering like a flame, or (describing humour) light and sparkling. |
||
| 4 | PERMIT |
Pass instruction on how to make hair curl (6)
|
| Perm (noun or verb) = short for permanent wave (hairdressing treatment), so if you want to make hair curl you could PERM IT.
Permit (as a noun) = pass = document giving the bearer permission to do something. |
||
| 5 | TEUTONIC |
Regularly tied up, shot in the arm of German (8)
|
| Alternate letters (regularly) from T[i]E[d] U[p], then TONIC (shot in the arm = slang for a morale boost).
Relating to the Teutons, an ancient Germanic tribe; or a somewhat archaic adjective meaning German. |
||
| 6 | HIP |
Fruit with it? (3)
|
| Double definition: the fruit of a rose plant, or slang for fashionable. | ||
| 7 | CORONET |
My single bit of trivia: the knob on a deer’s antler is a crown (7)
|
| COR (cor! = my! = expression of surprise) + ONE (single) + first letter (a bit) of T[rivia].
Two definitions: the knob at the base of a deer’s antler, or a small crown. |
||
| 8 | SO-SO |
Help us love moderate (2-2)
|
| SOS (emergency signal = help us!) + O (zero = love in tennis scoring).
So-so = moderate = “good enough” but not excellent. |
||
| 9 | ALL THE RAGE |
Very fashionable and completely sane to collect silver (3,3,4)
|
| ALL THERE (completely sane; a phrase more often used in a negative form, where you might say that someone seems “not quite all there”), containing (to collect) AG (Ag = chemical symbol for silver). | ||
| 13 | GOBI DESERT |
Try to offer Harry trees, but there aren’t many here? (4,6)
|
| GO (as a noun = try = attempt, as in “have a go”) + BID (to offer) + anagram (harry = chase around) of TREES.
Extended definition referring back to “trees”; a desert / brushland region in East Asia, where there are indeed not many trees. |
||
| 14 | CANDIDATES |
Announced toffee-covered fruit possibilities (10)
|
| Homophone (announced) of CANDY DATES or perhaps CANDIED DATES = toffee-covered fruit. Personally I think dates are quite sweet enough without covering them in sugar, but I’m sure someone has tried it.
Candidates = possibilities = options to choose from. |
||
| 17 | ENCIPHER |
Scramble as the man blocks pincer movement (8)
|
| HE (the man) inserted into (blocking) an anagram (movement) of PINCER.
Scramble = encipher = encode to prevent unauthorised access. |
||
| 19 | QUONDAM |
Former Queen Mother running inside (7)
|
| QU (abbreviation for queen) + DAM (term used in animal breeding for a mother animal), with ON (running = working) inside it.
From the Latin for “at an earlier time”; as in “her quondam companion” = someone she used to associate with but no longer does. |
||
| 21 | LEARNED |
Academic lecturer made money (7)
|
| L (abbreviation for lecturer) + EARNED (made money).
Learned, pronounced as two syllables learn-ed = knowledgeable from extensive study = academic. |
||
| 22 | PHOBIA |
Fear of imitation ale, some might say (6)
|
| Homophone (some might say) of FAUX BEER = imitation ale. Again, the homophone may or may not work for you. | ||
| 24 | KIWI |
National symbol of kingdom in West Indies, originally (4)
|
| Initial letters (originally) of K[ingdom] I[n] W[est] Indies].
Flightless bird native to New Zealand; unofficial national symbol for the country, and informal name for a New Zealander. |
||
| 26 | PAT |
Dropping argument, starting late (3)
|
| [s]PAT (argument); starting late = without the first letter. (Compare with “finishing early” in 29a.)
Pat = cow-pat = animal dropping. |
Eccles puzzles are always a joy to solve and this one, which I found to be at the tougher end of his spectrum, was no exception.
One homophone worked for me (22d) and one didn’t (16a), the latter possibly as a result of having spent a lot of time over the years eating in Italy. 7d was an usual but clever construction of wordplay + definition + definition. My school Latin master would have been pleased I remembered 19d.
Quirister, the probable reason why you didn’t know LAM = “escape” is that it is an American term.
With lots of ticks all over my page, my podium choice falls to MILK, HIP, GOBI DESERT and CANDIDATES.
Bravo, Eccles, this was great fun, and thanks to Quirister.
The homophones in 16a & 22d were fine for me. Not so much in the Spoonerism in 1d where I use a long A in “master” and a short A in “plaster” but, again, people will differ. Also, some may say it doesn’t really matter so much in a Spoonerism, though I would disagree.
I didn’t quite read 23a the same way as the blog (this was my favourite clue even if not for the kiddies). I just felt it was saying if you didn’t intend to have a shag then a one-night-stand would ruin that intention.
Sexual innuendo in both puzzles I’ve completed today but I’m not complaining (and the coincidental appearance of the same answer in both which is always intriguing. I don’t think that constitutes a spoiler). And I read 23a the same as Hovis and believe it makes the wording of the cad far less clumsy. Not having a sweet tooth of any kind, I didn’t know candied meant covered in toffee; always assumed it was soaked in sugar syrup.
I liked QUONDAM which is a dnk but solvable, ALL THE RAGE, GOBI DESERT, IN DEPTH and the excellent anagram for ELECTRIC ORGAN.
I was defeated by the interlinked MILK and LAMBENT in the NW. ILK just didn’t occur and, to my shame, both LAM and LAMBENT were unknown.
Thanks Eccles and Quirister
Hovis @2, PostMark @3: yes, I thought of that interpretation for 23a too, but for some reason I preferred the alternative. I’ll update the blog – thanks.
I thought this was excellent throughout. ‘Lam’ in this sense was new to me too, and I thought both homophones were fine. 26D had to be ‘pat’ but the dropping sense didn’t occur to me, I’m ashamed to admit as a regular walker in the countryside – when circumstances allow! Thanks Eccles and Quirister.
Plenty not to get here… odd use of word meanings not helping as mentioned.. I’d add QUAINT to the list.. but plenty to enjoy also 16ac, 27ac, 28ac, 5dn, 6dn, 22dn to name but a few.. I felt the homophonic bit in 16ac only applied to the pancake mix…
Thanks Phi n Quirister
Afterthought re 23a.. once solved I felt that “thats that = over and done with= a one off=one night stand” and the “ruined= anagram indicator” which otherwise isn’t there.. unless u count “?”
Strange. I’m a Brit but I thought “on the lam” was a well-known phrase.
I do like Eccles Wednesdays, and today’s he’s just one part of a really good day in Crosswordland.
Like Hovis@8, I thought on the lam was a well-known phrase
Thanks to Eccles and Quirister
Undrell @7: I think “that’s that” goes with “ruined” as the anagram indicator, so it’s telling us that the previous phrase needs to be ruined. The definition is the whole clue, which suggests that one’s intention is ruined in one way or another. I like the idea of “that’s that” indicating the one-night stand, but it would be odd to have the definition in the middle of the clue between the anagram fodder and anagram indicator.
Hovis @8, crypticsue @9: it’s obviously a well-known phrase to some, but just one that I hadn’t come across.
Thanks Eccles and Quirister
LAM reminded me of Blue Öyster Cult’s “I’m on the lam but I ain’t no sheep’.
Another great puzzle from Eccles.
Many thanks to him for the fun and to Quirister for the blog.
Eccles as enjoyable as ever. I liked the addled duck, the permed hair and the faux beer, among many others. Had a bit of bother in the bottom left so went and did a few other things and when I came back it was all clear again. Odd how that works. Lovely to see quondam; what a fine word it is. Thanks to Quirister, too, especially for the ilk part of milk and for 15a, which I somehow failed to parse.
Quirister@10 I accept that ordering becomes an issue.. just an example of the puzzle that keeps on giving.. in a puzzling sense..
Thanks
Loved this expect Jane to be unhappy at the language of 23a but it’s the Indy, home of Hoskins so you know what the editor will allow. The top left milk lambent master plan held me for far too long. Electric organ modern raised some eyebrows at Flashlint towers tho.
Bah got my own name wrong thanks auto correct. Thanks to the sublime Eccles and the Q lady for the blog. It’s good to see new bloggers keeping up the fine work I couldn’t.
As usual a very nice start to the day from Eccles
Thanks all.
Our setter on the tricky side in this one and I didn’t know the American expression in 2d or have enough Latin knowledge to arrive at the answer to 19d without help from the checkers.
It will amuse Flashling to learn that I laughed at the clue for 23a even though I’d have preferred an alternative word for ‘shag’ – the whole clue put me in mind of Harry H who invariably got away with most things in my book, with the exception of his allusions to Jesus and George Michael!
No real problems with either of the homophones and my top three were ACQUAINT, SO-SO & CANDIDATES.
Thanks to Eccles and to Quirister for the review.
With my effete Southern long “a” s and unpronounced “r”s, crossword homophones are usually fine for me, so this was great for me. I was under the misapprehension that “on the lam” meant on some kind of spree. Thanks to Eccles and Quirister
Like PostMark, Joyce was puzzled about CANDIED too. Chambers defines it as ‘coated with sugar’ although a ‘candy apple is covered in toffee.
However, all very enjoyable.
Thanks Eccles and Quirister.
What Eileen said
Oh yes, what Petert said On the lam is our for a good time spree
Thanks to Quirister, and all who commented.
Sorry for the two leaders – the second was a late change, and I should have checked.
My intended meaning for 23a was as Hovis and PostMark suggested. I hadn’t planned on it being that rude, but when I discovered the anagram I couldn’t resist using it.
I tend to use a short A for everything, but assumed that people who used a long ‘A’ would do so for both, but I am clearly wrong. I did realise plaster man was not the greatest term for a first aider, sorry, but my alternative clues were much clunkier.
I should perhaps have left ‘modern’ out of electric organ. I own a theremin, which was invented over a hundred years ago and was just about the first electronic instrument, but some electric organs are even older. So not really modern.