Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of October 23, 2021
Another fine puzzle from Mudd with some good double definitions, especially 14 (STUFFING), and a gem in 3 (STAND-OFFISH). I also like 18 (RANI), 24 (TIRAMISU) and 28 (DIETRICH). My first-in was the easy 10 (SLUGGISH) and last was 17 (TANGIBLE).
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | CROSSBOW |
Vexed, surrender weapon (8)
|
| CROSS (vexed) + BOW (surrender) | ||
| 6 | STRIDE |
Walk or go by bike on street (6)
|
| ST (street) + RIDE (go by bike) | ||
| 9 | MOSAIC |
Composite artistic work in Valencia so magnificent, on reflection (6)
|
| Reverse (on reflection) hidden word (in) | ||
| 10 | SLUGGISH |
Slow – and slimy? (8)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 11 | LEAD |
Show element (4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 12 | SNICKERING |
Laughing thief in prison, similarly half-cut? (10)
|
| NICKER (thief) in SING [sing] (prison, similarly half-cut?) I am unsure about what role ‘similarly’ plays here. | ||
| 14 | STUFFING |
Part of Christmas dinner down inside sofa, perhaps? (8)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 16 | DRAY |
Cart in enclosed space pulled backwards (4)
|
| Reverse (pulled) of YARD (enclosed space) | ||
| 18 | RANI |
Hindu queen fled India (4)
|
| RAN (fled) + I (India) | ||
| 19 | PIANO KEY |
Good Kenya has moved to seize old ivory (5,3)
|
| PI (good, as in pious) + O (old) in (to seize) anagram (has moved) of KENYA | ||
| 21 | HIGH-FLYING |
Important brief, successful (4-6)
|
| HIGH (important) + FLYING (brief) with ‘flying’ in the sense of a flying visit | ||
| 22 | PATE |
Father cut head (4)
|
| PATE[r] (father cut) | ||
| 24 | TIRAMISU |
One male dressed in new suit, sweet (8)
|
| I (one) + RAM (male) together in (dressed in) anagram (new) of SUIT | ||
| 26 | BAKING |
Chef’s ability with receptacle inspiring people (6)
|
| KIN (people) in (inspiring) BAG (receptacle) | ||
| 27 | SNATCH |
Steal piece of music (6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 28 | DIETRICH |
Food eaten, calorific for old actress (8)
|
| DIET (food eaten) + RICH (calorific) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | RHONE |
Run perfect for European runner (5)
|
| R (run) + HONE (perfect) | ||
| 3 | STAND-OFFISH |
Distant platform for sole trader? (5-6)
|
| STAND OF FISH (platform for sole trader) not forgetting that sole is a type of fish | ||
| 4 | BACKSPIN |
Defender’s leg slower when playing ball? (8)
|
| BACKS (defender’s) + PIN (leg) | ||
| 5 | WASHING-UP LIQUID |
Cleaner dog held up by his in-law, barking, given something to chew on (7-2,6)
|
| PUG (dog) backwards (up) in (held by) anagram (barking) of HIS IN LAW + QUID (something to chew on) | ||
| 6 | SHUCKS |
Oh well, those pea pods are empty (6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 7 | RAG |
Cloth in fashion, briefly (3)
|
| RAG[e] (fashion, briefly) with ‘rage’ in the sense of something being all the rage | ||
| 8 | DISENGAGE |
Free time needed after reworking of design (9)
|
| Anagram (reworking of) DESIGN + AGE (time) | ||
| 13 | RED-HOTPOKER |
Blooming thing, Edward II’s murder weapon? (3-3,5)
|
| Double definition with the second referring to the custom established of staging Christopher Marlowe’s play “Edward II” with Edward being murdered by a red-hot poker. Which apparently may not be supported by history. I did not know this but dug it up on Wikipedia’s entry for Edward II. | ||
| 15 | TRADITION |
Custom ain’t right: do it differently (9)
|
| Anagram (differently) of AINT R DO IT | ||
| 17 | TANGIBLE |
Real story about rise of great name (8)
|
| BIG (great) + N (name) together backwards (rise of) in (about) TALE (story) | ||
| 20 | SLEIGH |
Present carrier, butcher reportedly? (6)
|
| Homophone (reportedly) of SLAY (butcher) | ||
| 23 | TONIC |
Cordial note (5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 25 | ANT |
Soldier in Vietnam sent the wrong way (3)
|
| Reverse (sent the wrong way) hidden word (in) |
Thanks Mudd and Pete
Finished this early this morning and enjoyed the typical clues of this setter. Was a steady solve with the occasional run with the answers and some interesting general knowledge, including the supposed grisly end to King Edward II. Got off to a shaky start by writing in GAMOSA as the reversed run on at 9a, after discovering it was an artistic piece of Indian cloth, before 2d forced me to recalibrate the starting point to get MOSAIC.
Thought that the ‘similarly’ in 12a was referring to the fact that the discarded SING was the same as the first part.
Finished in the SE corner with DIETRICH, TONIC and PATE the last few in.
Compared to the last Mudd crossword I found this quite difficult and I failed at CROSSBOW, WASHING-UP LIQUID (an odd term to me), and BACKSPIN. For 16a I had DRAY (cart) with enclosed space (yard) pulled backwards. Favourite was DIETRICH. Thanks to both.
Oooh …. I missed 16a in the blog – I also had DRAY with the samelogic as Tony@2
Yes, me too – I had DRAY for 16a with the same logic as Tony @2
Nice puzzle, Mudd. Like Tony @2, I felt this a bit more difficult than the usual Mudd.
I could not parse a couple of clues this week, even after the requisite staring at the grid. Thanks to Pete for explaining STAND OFFISH and RHONE. Similar to Pete, 13d sent me to the internet and my history books. In the end, reading up on Edward II may have taken more time than the crossword.
As an aside, I am not a gardener, a fisherman, a hunter, a bird fancier, or a cartophile. So the many clues relating to nature and geography really challenge me – particularly as I do not live in UK, where many of these things exist. But it is always good to learn
I do not really have any particular favourites this week – what Pete, Bruce and Tony listed cover my likes.
Many thanks, as always, to Pete and Mudd
Thanks for the blog, Everyman had STANDOFFISH recently – Cold – it’s covered in ice !
I thought this was better with the use of sole.
I agree about similarly in 12ac , it really leads to sisi or ngng , just half-cut is enough for sing, I am also with Tony and others for DRAY .
Minor quibbles though, this was very good, my favourite was WASHING-UP LIQUID .
12A. The name of the prison in New York State is Sing Sing
is 16a draw? With a meaning of pull, transport..
16ac is indeed DRAY (not DRAG). Sorry about that.
I found this a little easier than other Mudd puzzles and very enjoyable, with clear clues. I live near Berkeley Castle the site of Edward II’s murder. The guides enjoy relating the legendary and gruesome details of his death. He is buried in Gloucester Cathedral, one of the few English monarchs to be buried outside London.
Thank you to the setter and the faultless blogger.
Thanks Pete – I too had to look up Richards’s demise and also had my last in as TANGIBLE. I just couldn’t see it for a long time.
In 12a it is the prison that is half cut – Sing Sing, as noted by trenodia.
Thanks for the puzzle Mudd.
The prison Sing Sing being half cut goes to Sing , yes fine.
Sing Sing being SIMILARLY half cut would give si si or ng ng. As Pete says the SIMILARLY should not be there.