Independent 10,905 / Phi

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It is Phi-day after all today, so I was not surprised to find Phi’s latest puzzle to solve this morning.

I haven’t spotted a particular theme or Nina here, although in looking up 16/18 on Google I have learnt quite a lot about this unsung hero. Is she the reason why 21 also appears in the grid, I wonder?

My favourite clues today were 6, for overall construction; 7, for its entertainment value; and 10, for its riddle-like quality. I would appreciate confirmation of my parsing at 21.

*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; // separates definitions in multiple-definition clues

Across    
     
01 MALVERN HILLS Problems after man leads navy round very hot part of England

{V (=very) in [MALE (=man) + RN (=navy, i.e. Royal Navy)]} + ILLS (=problems)
     
09 MARTIAN Skill I observed in chap describing another planet

[ART (=skill) + I] in MAN (=chap)
     
10 LANDING What comes after a flight // is a pause between flights

Double definition: a landing comes after a flight in a plane AND a landing can be found between two flights of stairs
     
12 STONE-COLD Very chilly pass in high surroundings

COL (=pass, between mountains) in STONED (=high, e.g. on drugs)
     
13 SAUNA An American backed importing a Finnish bath

A in SUNA (AN +US (=American); “backed” indicates reversal)
     
14 SPIRIT Animation image incorporating infrared

IR (=infrared) in SPIT (=image, as in spitting image); spirt is verve, enthusiasm, hence “animation”
     
16/18 ROSALIND FRANKLIN Scientist representing flair on DNA links, right?

*(FLAIR ON DNA LINKS + R (=right)); “representing” is anagram indicator; the reference is to English chemist and X-ray crystallographer Rosalind Franklin (1920-58), sometimes referred to as the dark lady of DNA.
     
20 BEAGLE Happen a storm will sink a famous ship

BE (=happen) + A + G<a>LE (=storm; “will sink a” means letter “a” is dropped); HMS Beagle is the ship on which naturalist Charles Darwin sailed
     
22 RARER Contributions to tutor are reasonably less common

Hidden (“contributions to”) in “tutoR ARE Reasonably”
     
23 SOJOURNER Resident mostly irritable about curtailed trip

JOURNE<y> (=trip; “curtailed” indicates last letter is dropped) in SOR<e> (=irritable, touchy; “mostly” means last letter is dropped)
     
27 EURASIA Regret backing areas, including South Island, as large land mass

EUR (RUE=regret; “backing” indicates reversal) + {[S (=south) + I (=island)] in A A (=2 x a=area)}
     
28 DEBATES Argues children should receive bill, perversely

TAB (=bill) in SEED (=children, offspring); “perversely” indicates reversal
     
29 PERSEVERANCE Preserve and can ineptly? Everyone initially keeping at it

*(PRESERVE + CAN) + E<veryone> (“initially” means first letter only; “ineptly” is anagram indicator
     
Down    
     
02 A PRIORI Independent supporting a religious leader from general principles

A + PRIOR (=religious leader) + I (=independent)
     
03 VOICE Wrong to limit ordinary opinion

O (=ordinary, as in O-level exam) in VICE (=wrong, fault)
     
04 RONDO Staff getting over adopting new musical movement

N (=new) in [ROD (=staff) + O (=over, on cricket scorecard)]
     
05 HALL-DOOR Henry left party – old King identifying this exit?

HAL (=Henry) + L (=left) + DO (=party) + O (=old, as in OT) + R (=King, i.e. rex)
     
06 LANDSCAPE View showing first and last of lighthouses on headland

L AND S (=first and last, i.e. letters of lighthouses) + CAPE (=headland)
     
07 STIMULI Arousing stuff? No good shunning lusting – I’m aroused

*(LUSTI<ng> + I’M); “no good (=NG) shunning” means letters “ng” are dropped from anagram, indicated by “aroused”
     
08 AMOS I prophesied a majority? Not quite

A + MOS<t> (“not quite” means last letter is dropped); the reference is to the OT prophet
     
11 GRANDEE Nobleman, note, included in fifth level?

N (=note) in GRADE “E” (=fifth level, i.e. where the top level would be grade “A”)
     
14 SOFT ROE Fish product for those at sea (not hard)

*(FOR T<h>OSE); “not hard (=H, as in HB)” means letter “h” is dropped from anagram, indicated by “at sea”, soft roe refers to fish milt, not fish eggs, which are hard roe
     
15 INK-ERASER Source of wipeout unfortunately near skier

*(NEAR SKIER); “unfortunately” is anagram indicator; cryptically, an ink-eraser could be described as being the source of a wipeout, deletion
     
17 DISSUADE Discourage a director absorbed by dead topic

[A + D (=director)] in [D (=dead) + ISSUE (=topic)]
     
19 AIRDROP Relief mission, perhaps, bearing a bit of alcohol?

AIR (=bearing, aura) + DROP (=a bit of alcohol)
     
21 GENETIC Adduce Beethoven’s Ninth, say, on reflection, describing variation in form?

CITE (=adduce, bring into discussion) + <beethove>N (“Ninth” means ninth letter only) + E.G. (=say); “on reflection” indicates reversal; genetic differences explain why we are formed differently
     
24 JUDGE Japanese move ousting British arbiter

J (=Japanese) + <b>UDGE (=move; “ousting British (=B)” means letter “b” is dropped)
     
25 UMBRA Some hesitation over bikini top’s shade

UM (=some hesitation) + BRA (=bikini top); an umbra is a shadow, shade, ghost
     
26 RUST Expect going topless will reveal evidence of neglect

<t>RUST (=expect); “going topless” means first letter is dropped
     
     

 

 

10 comments on “Independent 10,905 / Phi”

  1. Good puzzle on an interesting theme. I am ashamed that Rosalind Franklin was not one of the first names that came to my mind when thinking of pioneers of molecular genetics, but she should have been. I parsed 21 as in the blog. Thanks to Phi and RatkojaRiku.

  2. Thanks Phi and RR. I parsed 21d exactly the same way as you. Overall, I found this enjoyable without being taxing – just lots of well constructed clues, as you’d expect from such an experienced setter, and I would struggle to find anything to quibble with. For me, 16/18 is the one that stands out as deserving of special mention. I also agree that 10a is very neat.

  3. MARTIAN LANDINGs include the rovers SPIRIT, PERSEVERANCE, SOJOURNER, and the planned ROSALIND FRANKLIN. The BEAGLE landed on Mars, but failed to deploy.
    Nice work Phi. Fave AIRDROP, which was presumably themed too, as the delivery method. Thanks, RR.

  4. Of course, Mev, well spotted. I was looking for something to do with genetics/evolution thanks to the mention of the Beagle and completely failed to notice MARTIAN LANDING there in plain sight!

  5. Well done Mev. The juxtaposition of the two theme words telegraphed the subject to me and I recall being delighted at the selection for the Mars mission of SOJOURNER which is a lovely word in its own right and rather romantic when applied to a vehicle with such a destiny. (Equally lovely as the first name of women’s rights campaigner, Sojourner Truth)

    Thanks Phi and RR

  6. Apologies widdersbel @4: we crossed and I claim the telegraphing of something hidden from you in plain sight. Hadn’t meant to rub it in!

  8. Have not done the crossword but came to have a look as someone told me it was Mars landers.
    Rosalind Franklin specialised in X-ray crystallography , she produced the famous photograph that led Crick and Watson to the structure of DNA but she received very little recognition at the time.
    It is however an urban myth that she was denied the Nobel prize , sadly she died very young and before the actual award for work on DNA. Fortunately ESA have renamed the next ExoMars Rover in her honour and some people are even named after her.

  9. Spotted the theme just as I was coming here, although if I’d heard about the ESA probe, I’d forgotten it. 16/18 seemed so obvious it was almost my first in.

  10. Only finished this morning, mortified to have completely missed such an obvious theme. Is it me or is Phi upping the difficulty a tad every week or so? In the clues that is rather than today’s theme!

    Thanks Phi and RR.

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