Hoskins provides the challenge today.
I thought this was one of Hoskins’ gentler offerings, but still with his trademark humour.
There were a few references to Independent crossword setters with Dutch, Serpent and Bluth getting explicit references. For them, it didn’t matter if you were unaware that they were setters. For 24 down, if you weren’t aware that Punk was a setter you may have been puzzled by the wordplay. The definition was fairly clear, so the entry PUN was deducible.
I’m not convinced that MEAT CUBE can be defined by stockholder at 4 across. Yes, you can make stock from a MEAT CUBE, but a MEAT CUBE doesn’t hold stock.
I learnt a bit about the history of the Courage beer brand when I was writing up the wordplay for 9 across.
| No | Detail |
| Across | |
| 1 |
Whip on prof’s rear and quickly show your bits (5) FLASH (expose oneself indecently in public; quickly show your bits) F (final letter of [rear] PROF) + LASH (whip) F LASH |
| 4 |
Police to arrest a trainee English stockholder? (4,4) MEAT CUBE (CUBE of compressed MEAT, fish or vegetable extract used for making stock; stockholder [?]) cryptic definition? (MET [Metropolitan Police] containing [to arrest] A) + CUB (trainee) + E (English) ME (A) T CUB E |
| 9 |
Given good spirit, but aim to drink beer (10) ENCOURAGED (given moral support; given good spirit) END (aim) containing (to drink) COURAGE (brand of beer dating back to 1787. The brand has had a chequered history passing through many owners. Currently the brand is owned by Marstons Brewery) EN (COURAGE) D |
| 10 |
Sleep around, having accepted liberal proposal (4) PLAN (proposal) NAP (sleep) reversed (around) containing (having accepted) L (Liberal) P (L) AN< |
| 11 |
Plain awful to be full of flu essentially (4) BALD (plain) BAD (awful) containing (to be full of) L (middle letter of [essentially] FLU) BA (L) D |
| 12 |
Y-fronts less than penny? Worker gets small (10) UNDERPANTS (Y-fronts are an example of gents UNDERPANTS) UNDER (less than) + P (penny) + ANT (Collins defines a wingless sterile female ant as a worker) + S (small) UNDER P ANT S |
| 14 |
Cost to bring in northern musician at one time (6) PRINCE (PRINCE Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016), known simply as PRINCE, was an American singer-songwriter) PRICE (cost) containing (to bring in) N (northern) PRI (N) CE |
| 16 |
European and Scotsman chasing after Italian (8) ROMANIAN (example of a European) ROMAN (example of an Italian) + IAN (common Scottish forename, a Gaelic form of John) ROMAN IAN |
| 18 |
Large bitter drunk by head of Indigo Books (8) LIBRETTI (the texts or books of words of an opera, oratorio, ballet etc) L (large) + an anagram of (drunk) BITTER + I (first letter of [head of]) INDIGO) L IBRETT* I |
| 20 |
Temporary head of state is concerning chap (6) REGENT (a ruler invested with interim authority on behalf of another; temporary head of state) RE (with reference to; concerning) + GENT (adult male; chap) RE GENT |
| 22 |
Recreational vehicle seen on the Strand? (5,5) BEACH BUGGY (an open vehicle with huge tyres, used for driving on sand) BEACH (STRAND is defined as shore or BEACH) + BUGGY (basic recreational vehicle) BEACH BUGGY |
| 24 |
Con parting from last of loot is a wrench (4) RICK (twist, sprain or strain; wrench) TRICK (deception; con) excluding (parting from) T (final letter of [last of] LOOT) RICK |
| 26 |
Good opportunities get drinks (4) GINS (alcoholic drinks) G (good) + INS (the Oxford Dictionary of English defines INS as positions of influence with powerful or famous people; opportunities [to influence]) G INS |
| 27 |
Criminal pals crept around a pair one shouldn’t upset? (10) APPLECARTS (reference the phrase ‘don’t upset the APPLECART‘ meaning ‘do not throw plans into confusion’ , hence the entry refers to a pair of things that shouldn’t be upset) Anagram of (criminal) PALS CREPT containing (around) A APPLEC (A) RTS* |
| 29 |
Once more bring round a new rake for landscaping (8) REAWAKEN (rouse again; once more bring round) Anagram of (landscaping) A NEW RAKE REAWAKEN* |
| 30 |
One pumping round into Republican? Au contraire! (5) HEART (the organ of the body that pumps blood round the body) R (Republican) contained in (into) HEAT (early elimination round of a competition) – i.e. the opposite of (au contraire) the message conveyed by the first five words of the clue HEA (R) T |
| Down | |
| 2 |
City welcoming hot Dutch woman (5) LINDA (Woman’s name) LA (Los Angeles; city) containing (welcoming) (IN [popular; hot] + D [Dutch]) L (IN D) A |
| 3 |
Southern fellow framing present is photographer (7) SNOWDON (reference the former Lord SNOWDON, Anthony Armstrong-Jones [1930-2107], husband of Princess Margaret for 18 years until their divorce in 1978], British photographer) (S [southern] + DON [university fellow]) containing (framing) NOW (present time) S (NOW) DON |
| 4 |
Foreign fighter heading to Malta with retired soldier (3) MIG (Russian jet fighter plane) M (first letter of [heading to] MALTA) + GI (American soldier) reversed (retired) M IG< |
| 5 |
Serpent is more evil, doing Bluth’s head in! (5) ADDER (the only British venomous snake; serpent) BADDER (more evil) excluding the first letter (doing … in) B (initial letter of [head] BLUTH) ADDER |
| 6 |
Salt limit Brown has admitted ‘primarily idiotic’ (7) CAPTAIN (senior officer on a ship; salt [experienced sailor]) CAP (limit) + (TAN [shade of brown] containing [admitted] I [first letter of {primarily} IDIOTIC) CAP TA (I) N |
| 7 |
Naughty baron at it in transport bound for docks? (4,5) BOAT TRAIN (transport taking passengers to the docks to board a ship) Anagram of (naughty) BARON AT IT BOAT TRAIN* |
| 8 |
Tight garment that you must wear for fight (8) ARGUMENT (fight) U (text message abbreviation for ‘you’) contained in (must wear) an anagram of (tight [drunk]) GARMENT ARG (U) MENT* |
| 13 |
Dash of liquorice infusing bold sweet (7) DARLING (sweet) L (first letter of [dash of] LIQUORICE) contained in (infusing) DARING (bold) DAR (L) ING |
| 15 |
We hire inn out to have a drink (5,4) RHINE WINE (type of drink) Anagram of (out) WE HIRE INN RHINE WINE* |
| 17 |
Male bohemian socialist killed for beliefs? (8) MARTYRED (killed for beliefs) M (male) + ARTY (a bohemian is an artist or writer can be defined as an adjective to mean ARTY) + RED (socialist) M ARTY RED |
| 19 |
Spooner said "fire inexperienced tool!" (4,3) RACK SAW (wide toothed SAW used in the building trades; tool) Reverend Spooner would pronounce the entry as SACK RAW (fire inexperienced) RACK SAW |
| 21 |
Rubbish cover on Bentley in car storage (7) GARBAGE (rubbish) B (first letter of [cover on] BENTLEY) contained in (in) GARAGE (car storage) GAR (B) AGE |
| 23 |
Want to get under British player trying to mate? (5) BLACK (in chess the player with the BLACK pieces hoping to place his opponent in checkMATE) B (British) + LACK (deficiency or want) B LACK |
| 25 |
Poll: Her Maj getting more sexy? (5) CUTER (more sexually attractive) CUT (poll [cut hair, horns or the top of a tree]) + ER (Elizabeth Regina, Queen Elizabeth; Her Maj[esty]) CUT ER |
| 28 |
Indy setter shortened piece of wordplay (3) PUN (play on words) PUNK (reference an Independent crossword setter) excluding the final letter K (shortened) PUN |
Fairly obvious other theme, BTW!
As Mw7000 hints, Tuesday is theme day in the independent. Can’t say I noticed anything other than CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS. Saw the film but don’t remember much about it.
Typical Hoskins with 1a setting the tone perfectly! I loved it.
Many thanks to Hoskins and to Duncan.
Just noticed BLACK ADDER is there as well. Also BALD RICK. Was there a captain flash? Sure others will fill in details.
Well I won’t spoil it, other than to say it’s amazing how something so obvious can remain hidden whilst staring you in the face until the PDM. Half a dozen or so plus thematics, split; thanks setter and blogger.
Yaay, got the Nina!! Not a common occurrence.
Thanks duncansheill and Hoskins
Hovis@4 Captain Flashheart as played brilliantly by Rick Mayall. “ Flash by name Flash by nature”
Theme entries appear to be coming in ones and twos today. The PRINCE REGENT and CAPTAIN DARLING would be two more. And Baldrick always has a cunning PLAN.
Thanks Hoskins and Duncan
Thanks ScottieJan. It was the Rick Mayall character I was thinking of.
As with RD @3 1a told me it was a Hoskins even if I hadn’t seen the compiler! Hoskins is rapidly becoming one of my favourite setters and either I’m getting better at this lark or they are becoming more gentle as duncan says with plenty of ways in
Like ScottieJan @6 I rarely get Ninas and took me far too long given it’s one of my specialist subjects 😉
BLACK was my favourite due to the misdirection
I don’t think I’ve even done a Punk crossword so this was lost on me but simple enough with the crossers
Thanks a lot to Hoskins and to duncansheill for filling in the blanks
That’s two references now to a Nina. I’ve spotted the theme but can’t see a Nina for the life of me. Can someone put me out of my misery.
[And Hovis, since you’re here, thanks for the ANA – stories hint the other day.]
Rat au Vin-A rat thats been run over by a van
Fond memories!
PostMark .. so giddy about getting the theme I referred to it as a Nina… oops
I did laugh at bit at 1ac ‘cos Harry nicknames my user name as Flash, when the counterpart of Heart appeared the other thematics jumped out, cheers both Hoskins and Duncan
UNDERPANTS could be a reference to the episode where Blackadder wears them on his head and sticks pencils up his nose to pretend to be mad and thereby hoping to get discharged from the army.
Postmark @11 it’s not a Nina I got confused , the moral of the story is don’t listen to me (see quarrel-gate from the other day)
…and just in case Hoskins thinks we’ve missed it, MIGGINS. Happy days.
MIG and GINS are another pair of entries to add to the theme. Mrs Miggins, played by Helen Atkinson-Wood, is a recurring character in ‘Blackadder the Third’.
…as mw7000 just said.
mw7000 @17. Amazing
Not a fan of Blackadder so hadn’t realised there was a theme until others mentioned it. Not to worry, it was an enjoyable puzzle from Harry and I did spot the references to Indy setters!
Don’t think I’d previously heard of Rev Spooner’s tool – probably never had the necessity for one!
Favourite without a doubt was MEAT CUBE – really made me laugh.
Thanks to Hoskins and to Duncan for the review.
I’m another who didn’t recognise the theme until coming to the blog. Excellently done.
I got flash and Snowdon early on and thought the theme might be photography. When it became clear it wasn’t, I forgot to look. The shame of it. Excellent stuff, so thanks to Hoskins, Duncanshiell and all spotters of the themed entries. Favourites cuter and meat cube.
Many thanks to The Dunk-Dada-Dada-Da-Dunk-A-Dunk for the blog and to all who solved and commented.
Glad the crossword and its theme was enjoyed – all content present and accounted for, though I think I did intend the looser link of PUN and even looser link of MARTYRED too. Twas The Boss who spotted that today in 1983 was when the first episode was aired.
1983, eh? Dunno what you were doing then, but I think I was building Lego battleships for bath time and attempting to emulate the eye-lid-turning-inside-out trick wot Yolanda used to do at school (still dunno how she managed it without the buggers turning outside-in again tout suite).
Anyhoo, ’nuff ramble from me and cheers and chin chin to all. 🙂
1983, eh? Dunno what you were doing then but I’m sure I was watching Blackadder.
Being the biggest fan in the Netherlands in those days.
For some reason, I always had a soft spot for the third series.
Poor Rik Mayall.
Wow, for once a themed crossword from Hoskins, all well executed.
A pity that the wonderful Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry and Tim McInnerny somehow couldn’t get a place in the grid
I enjoyed it, though!
And so, many thanks for that & thanks to duncanshiell for the blog (despite not seeing the theme …)
Sil wasn’t Tim Captain Darling? But I’m not sure how you’d define Melchitt certainly .
Yes, you’re right, Flash (excusez le mot), Tim McInnerny is in there today.
Missed Queenie, though.
Lovely crossword, lovely theme. Bluth blushed.