After Phi’s move from his regular spot yesterday, Hoskins takes over the Phiday slot this week.
We assumed that there must be reason for Hoskins appearing on a Friday, and about halfway through the very enjoyable solve, we tumbled to the theme (hinted at in 15ac). A quick search revealed that today is the 30th anniversary of the release of 10ac / 25d, the film which featured a group of diamond thieves known to each other by their 15ac: 3d 7d, 3d 12ac, 3d 14ac, 3d 19ac, 3d 22ac and 3d 27ac.
Fitting the names into the grid obviously necessitated some rather unusual words elsewhere in the grid, but all were clearly clued and reasonably easily solvable. We did have to check 5d though – a place we had never heard of before.
Many thanks to Hoskins for bringing back memories of a landmark film.
An anagram (‘wild’) of IN MUG THINGS
BUd (pal) with the last or ‘final’ letter replaced by S (‘beginning’ of September)
First letters or ‘leaders’ of Always Backed Bishops And Sacred
An anagram (‘changes’) of EROSIVE in R R (two rivers)
A clue-as-definition – S (last or ‘ultimate’ letter in cops) TAKE-OUT (food to eat later) – we’re not too sure why ‘hot’ is in there
BOND (tie) round or ‘worn by’ L (large) + E (European)
PIN (‘member’, as in leg) K (first or ‘original’ letter in Keir)
An anagram (‘sorted’) of GENEVANS I’M – a reference to the thematic entries
An anagram (‘dancing’) of GAY BAR and PINK (14 across)
A homophone (‘on radio’) of BLEW (produced a torrent of wind)
EGO (I) reversed or ‘knocked over’ with LibRAN (‘half-cut’) inside or ‘getting in’
I (one – ‘lunchtime’) in COURT (woo) ER (Queen Elizabeth – ‘Her Maj’ to Hoskins)
B (first letter or ‘head’ of baby’s) ‘stuck’ in EXTRA (unusually) OLD (antique)
A reference to the game of chess where whichever player is WHITE makes the first move
sTAR (top player) without or ‘snapping off’ the ‘s’ (first letter or ‘front tip’ of stud)
An anagram (‘aroused’) of FULL SUNSET + S (first or ‘foremost’ letter of seducer)
GRASS (lawn) pUP (young dog – ‘man’s best friend’) with the first letter omitted or ‘initially avoided’
An anagram (‘running’) of INN OR BRAE
MIST (fog) R (first or ‘front’ letter of rain) round or ‘enveloping’ E (European)
An anagram (‘up’) of TRIO STRUNG
IS AI (excellent) reversed or ‘going around’ – we had to check this!
GARB (clothes) LING (heather)
N (last or ‘bottom’ letter of bairn) after B (first letter or ‘bit’ of bother) ROW (argument)
SCREEN (test for disease) S (last letter or ‘southern tip’ of Falklands)
GET A LOAD (‘what HGV driver might do’) O (old) F (fellow)
An anagram (‘awfully’) of I CLUED IT after M (last letter of rum)
RING (call) TA (‘volunteers’ – Territorial Army) L (last letter or ‘close’ to Mull) round or ‘saving’ I (island)
Double definition
hEAR LESS (‘don’t pick up so much stuff’) without the ‘h’ – Cockneys (from Bow) are renowned for dropping their aitches
TOWEL (dryer) round or ‘blocked by’ R (last letter or ‘base’ of washer)
ROT (crap) C (cocaine – ‘coke’) A (first letter or ‘drop’ of acid) all reversed or ‘upset’
GOD (‘the big man in the sky’) reversed or ‘sent up’ + S (small) – we have never thought that ‘dog’ could be a synonym for ‘man’ – but there it is in Chambers (def. 6)
I think you can add TORTURINGS and EARLESS to the thematics…
I normally love Hoskins’ puzzles but this one seemed to me to lack his normal pizzazz, probably as a result of the theme (which passed me by).
I did spot the six colours and the “six given names” reference in 15a, but their relevance escaped me.
Back to normal next time please, Hoskins. Thanks anyway, and thanks too to B&J.
RESERVOIR DOGS is not my kind of movie so I’m no expert but I suspect quite a few other solutions are theme-related: EARLESS, for one. ACTOR, TORTURINGS, SCREENS, “GET A LOAD OF” is used in the script, there are a lot of killings – MULTICIDE. There may be others.
Thanks Hoskins and B&J
Dog for man was also new to me, other than in sea dog. Unsurprisingly, Iasi was another unknown and I don’t recall meeting multicide before. All solved quite easily though. Never watched Reservoir Dogs, so the theme was lost on me but couldn’t help but notice the various colours.
A bit of Googling suggests that both a STAKEOUT and GRASSing UP are also involved in the movie.
When RESERVOIR and DOGS emerged, I thought that the colours probably had something to do with the names of the characters in the film, which I’d at least heard of. With TORTURINGS and MULTICIDE also apparently part of the theme, this is one film I’m definitely not planning to see.
As an antidote I liked 17d for the reminder of our furry RINGTAIL possum friends. I’ll try to remember the ‘Former capital of Moldavia’ but I don’t like my chances. Failed on the very good STAKEOUT at the end.
Thanks to Hoskins and B&J
One of those puzzles where you admire the construction but maybe don’t thoroughly enjoy solving as much as you might, maybe my fault rather than the setter’s. I assume dog for man is in a military sense. Thanks, all.
Petert @ 7 You’re probably right about the military context – GIs used to call their identity discs ‘dog tags’.
I was giving 25d a “Let loose the dogs of war” context. Add me to the list of people who wouldn’t dream of seeing the film but it’s one of those you sort of know about anyway, and all was fairly clued here. Knowing from 15a how many colours certainly helped a bit. Thanks to Hoskins and Bertandjoyce
Much prefer this setter in ‘naughty Harry’ mode but I guess this will have appealed to fans of the film, which I never felt inclined to watch.
I did need to consult a friend over the likes of IASI, DOGS and the type font so can’t claim an unaided completion.
Top clues here were those for PARKING BAY and GET A LOAD OF.
Thanks to Hoskins and to B&J who seem to be expert at spotting themes!
Jayjay @ 9. To be Shakespeareanly pedantic, it is ‘let slip the dogs of war’, but why would you not dream of seeing Reservoir Dogs? Again, to be Shakespearean, it is no more violent than Tiitus Andronicus (at least there is no cannibalism) and is brilliantly scripted and structured. Currently available for no extra charge on a streaming service related to the people who also send you parcels, along with other of Tarantino’s work, such as the excellent Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight.
omg, I literally can’t believe everyone hasn’t seen it. Like, watch it.
Definitely worth an anniversary puzzle. Will Stakeout get one in 2027? Doubt it.
Thanks Hoskins, B&J
Spooner’s catflap #11
Hanging my head in shame. I knew it was let slip the moment I pressed Post. I’ll think of a suitable penance.
And although I like my films (plays, etc) to be brilliantly scripted and structured, I like them better without 4 downs! Thanks for engaging.
Jay jay @7 A foul deed indeed. Tbh, the only Shakespeare I have ever read was Julius Caesar for O level and that particular Mark Antony speech also introduced me to Ate, which has served me well in several cryptics.
Thank you Bertandjoyce as I couldn’t see the wordplay of BUS and also to the contributors above for fleshing out DOGS = Men which I only entered when confident of the theme. Been a while since I saw it but remember it as an excellent film, though maybe not for the squeamish, as jayjay@14 suggests. I would add the bottom row to the favorites of Jane@10, while raising a glass to the surface of GUNSMITHING, thanks Hoskins.
Very un-Harry like puzzle. Got the theme ok never seen it but it’s very famous and iasi was a lookup guess. Still thanks B&J and H
Never saw the film, never heard of the font, nor the capital of Moldavia, but completed the grid regardless. Also, never heard of MULTICIDE.
Many thanks to the reviewsome twosome for the blog and to all who solved and commented.
Tarantino blew my mind when I first saw his work so I do advise anyone who hasn’t seen it to give him a go. He really brought a more independent American film to the mainstream. For those more squeamish, I would say give Jackie Brown a watch. Prolly his most grown up film, I think.
Cheers and chin chin from me and hope to see you all next time around. 🙂