Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 3, 2021
There were several meanings that were new to me in this puzzle. Mudd includes a typically large number of double definitions, seven, and one cryptic definition. My favourites are 9 (MACABRE), 14 (EGGSHELL) and 13dn (TARDINESS).
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | SNATCH |
Lift fragment (6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 4 | SQUASH |
Fruit drink (6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 8 | CAROTID |
Large vessel where blighter stores bread (7)
|
| ROTI (bread) in (stores) CAD (blighter) | ||
| 9 | MACABRE |
Ghastly female hack, say, touring Hackney (7)
|
| CAB (Hackney) in (touring) MARE (female hack say)
A hack in the sense used here is a horse that people can hire from a stable and ride. |
||
| 11 | ON THE BLINK |
Failing, where lids come down? (2,3,5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 12 | USER |
Might one be shooting up umpteen stairs extremely rapidly, initially? (4)
|
| U[mpteen] S[tairs] E[xtremely] R[apidly] | ||
| 13 | THROB |
Beat both to pulp, defending right (5)
|
| R (right) in (defending) anagram (to pulp) of BOTH | ||
| 14 | EGGSHELL |
Delicate thing, clutch a nightmare! (8)
|
| EGGS (clutch) + HELL (a nightmare)
I originally parsed this as a sort of cryptic definition based on the consideration that, if one eggshell by itself is worrisomely delicate, then the shells from a clutch of eggs must be a nightmare. Commenters suggested a different view which I now accept as correct. |
||
| 16 | GRADIENT |
In general, go down slope (8)
|
| DIE (go down) in (in) GRANT (general) | ||
| 18 | SALLY |
Attack humorous statement (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 20 | DIVA |
One’s high-maintenance bed needs shortening (4)
|
| DIVA[n] (bed needs shortening) | ||
| 21 | LOCOMOTIVE |
Bonkers theme, moving (10)
|
| LOCO (bonkers) + MOTIVE (theme) | ||
| 23 | RESERVE |
Once more, deliver book (7)
|
| RE-SERVE (once more deliver) | ||
| 24 | STARTLE |
Surprise final scene ends after dawn (7)
|
| START (dawn) + [fina]L [scen]E | ||
| 25 | SAYERS |
Those mentioning mystery writer (6)
|
| Double definition with the second referring to Dorothy L. Sayers | ||
| 26 | FRINGE |
Unofficial digit, back into second place (6)
|
| FINGER (digit) with the ‘R’ (back) moved into second place | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | SPAIN |
Somewhere in Belgium, in European country (5)
|
| SPA (somewhere in Belgium) + IN (in) | ||
| 2 | ANOTHER |
An article in centre of fort, different (7)
|
| AN (an) + THE (article) in (in) [f]OR[t] | ||
| 3 | CLIMBABLE |
Message about member not too much to get over? (9)
|
| LIMB (member) in (about) CABLE (message) | ||
| 5 | QUACK |
Drake’s cry, false (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 6 | AT A PUSH |
Where button activated with difficulty (2,1,4)
|
| Double definition. I was unfamiliar with the second. | ||
| 7 | HORSEPLAY |
Finally peer into a spyhole sneakily, observing fun and games (9)
|
| [pee]R in (into) anagram (sneakily) of A SPYHOLE | ||
| 10 | LIVESTOCK |
Sheep and cows etc, as it happens, standard (9)
|
| LIVE (as it happens) + STOCK (standard) | ||
| 13 | TARDINESS |
Disaster coming around about noon, being late (9)
|
| N (noon) in (around) anagram (coming around) of DISASTER | ||
| 15 | GASOMETER |
Entering Riga, some terrorists in tank (9)
|
| Hidden word (entering) | ||
| 17 | DEANERY |
Year end difficult for clerical office (7)
|
| Anagram (difficult) of YEAR END | ||
| 19 | LATER ON |
Learn to play tomorrow or the next day? (5,2)
|
| Anagram (play) of LEARN TO | ||
| 21 | LOVER |
Bit of fluff left, hoover having cleared house (5)
|
| L (left) + [ho]OVER (hoover having cleared house)
This was my last-in and I had to solve it using the wordplay which I could do only after I had all the crossers. The definition alone would never have led me to the answer. |
||
| 22 | VALVE |
Last word said about very on-off device (5)
|
| V (very) in (about) VALE (last word said) |
Thanks, Mudd and Pete.
I parsed 14a as EGGS (clutch) + HELL (nightmare). Your way works too.
I had the same thought as @1 Jeff@usa about 14a
I enjoyed this one
Starting with so many double definitions at the top of the clues made it a bit difficult for me to get started. For example, I wondered whether 4a was SQUASH or UPSHOT. But, get going I did and I have a lot of clues with tick marks this week. Like Pete, I counted 4 expressions that were completely new to me. Unlike Pete, I managed 21d without much fuss, although I have never heard “bit of fluff” use to mean lover or (in Google’s opinion) an attractive woman or anything else for that matter.
My favourites included USER, THROB, EGGSHELLS, SPAIN and the list goes on
Thanks to Pete for the great blog. And, thanks to Mudd for this enjoyable crossword.
Thanks for the blog, super as always.
Bit of fluff seems to have died out as an expression, do not think it ever meant lover, more a disparaging term for an occasional girlfriend.
At a push is still in use – I will finish this task by Friday, at a push by Thursday night.
I thought FRINGE was very neatly clued, made me think of Edinburgh although the fringe there seems to have become more official than the festival itself.
jeff and Martyn, Thank you for commenting. I now fully accept your parsing of the EGGSHELL clue and have edited the explanation accordingly.
Thanks Mudd for the weekend fun. I particulary enjoyed THROB and GRADIENT, missed FRINGE entirely, and could not parse VALVE since I did not know that last word=vale. Thanks Pete for the blog.
Thanks Mudd and Pete
A standard Mudd puzzle in the mid to harder end of his difficulty spectrum and a lot of fun to do. Have seen EGGSHELL a couple of times across different puzzles recently with all of them doing a version of the EGGS + HELL word play, so that was my take – interesting cryptic reading of the clue though. I think that this setter is becoming the stand out double definition setter and admire his ability to come up with a phrase that can be broken into two meanings of the same word.
Had ON THE BLINK as the favourite of a good lot of clues. Finished with SPAIN (after remembering the Belgium resort), the clever FRINGE and SNATCH (after considering SWATCH for too long).