It’s Phiday again.
Another classic puzzle from Phi.
Phi’s puzzles often have something extra. If there is a theme on this one, we think it may be one of his rather more obscure ones, although it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve missed one.
SEER (prophet) round DUC (French nobleman)
A N (new) TWERP (Muppet)
TON (fashion) after (‘preposterous’) NO (number). We had to check this meaning of ‘preposterous’ in Chambers.
The most stupid person would be the LEAST WISE
S (special) ENTRIES (contenders for prize crossword?)
O (nothing) after or ‘added to’ THURS (Thursday – day)
An anagram (‘runs’) of NOTES TRAIN
bLAKE (English poet) with the ‘b’ (book) omitted – a reference to the ‘Lake poets’ a group including Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey and others. We had to check this one – our LOI – our knowledge of English poets is rather limited.
IRE (anger) round N (navy)
An anagram (‘wrecked’) of ALTAR IN USA
SALON (room) round or ‘storing’ M (money)
STIR (prison) RING (cartel)
URN (vessel) in or ‘surrounded by’ AN NAPA (American valley)
ROGUE (devil) with the ‘g’ (last letter or ‘close’ of jumping) moved one letter back or ‘a little later’
EA (each) SEND (post) round or ‘requiring’ T (first letter or ‘start’ of tour)
‘On the contrary’ suggests that LES (‘the’ in French) is inside, not round or ‘pinching’ ENDS (‘odd items’ as in odds and ends)
S (small) IN USe (active) without the last letter or ‘not fully’
First four letters or ‘half’ of DETErred (discouraged) round TEN (decade)
C (college) ON CRETE (taking a Greek holiday)
E (English) L (learner – ‘driver (new)’) in an anagram (‘misjudged’) of FOR A RIDE
JAR (drink) after A
T (time) ITCH (longing) Y (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of whisky)
An anagram (‘esoteric’) of RITE in ERA (time)
HE (that guy) O (no) MEN (soldiers) in PA (Panama)
BADE (offered) round or ‘concealing’ LUST (desire) RA (artist)
APE (take off, as in imitate) after SH (quietly) round or ‘consuming’ HIPS (fruit)
IN (popular) F (fellow) RARE (seldom) D (day)
LENT (fast) in or ‘surrounded by’ RESt (the others) without the last letter or ‘most of’
LURE (temptation) round E (last letter or ‘end’ of venture) IS
LE (‘the’ in French) with COUP (Revolution) in front or ‘at the outset’
GUEStS (visitors) without or ‘wasting’ the ‘t’ (time)
DIG (criticism) round R (last or ‘latest’ letter in setter) all reversed or ‘picked up’
When SATURNALIA appeared beneath THURSO, I thought ‘Aha: two days of the week already – is this the theme?’ But it was not to be (and what could be done with Tuesday? The only words I could find that begin with Tue – there’s nothing with Tues – were either obscure place-names or acronyms. Apart from tu’et which is a word meaning lapwing according to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary of 1913. An opportunity to clue around Caesar and Brutus, possibly?)
I’m astounded at how many definitions comprise just one or two words – breathtakingly clever and adding to the overall succinctness. Like our bloggers, I learned something today about the origin of ‘preposterous’. Unlike them, Blake finally occurred when I was left with two unfinished short ‘uns at the end. Amongst many clever and enjoyable clues, that final one – which beat me – earns COTD: the definition for AJAR is sublime and one of the clues of the year, so far in my book. With two ‘A’s as the crossers, I racked my brains before admitting failure. Absolutely splendid.
Thanks Phi and B&J
Yes, there is something to find. Think (8,8)
LEASTWISE and ROUGE my favs!
Preposterous: Thanks! could not guess.
I liked ‘leastwise’. Pynchonesque. ‘Ajar’ got me and the ‘relief road’ is new. Had the ‘road’. Many thanks.
Thanks to B&J for the blog and to Phi for the hint – still no luck, I’m afraid.
Good stuff as usual for a Phi Friday. AJAR was a real beauty and needed a sleep before I could fill in those elusive two letters.
Thanks Phi for dropping by. We have been waiting to see if anyone else can unravel the theme. I think we may all need another hint please!
An excellent puzzle and no need to know the theme to solve it all. Just as well since we haven’t a clue as to the theme; we can see a few assorted words such as ‘Etna’ and ‘kings’ in the unches reading down or up the columns, but nothing to connect them.
Thanks, though, Phi and B&J.
Circular argument.
Paul b could have pointed you at 3 down for your starting letter… As so often, simply something to get the grid started.
Just a thought on PREPOSTEROUS: I don’t recall using it much myself but I do think I nicked it from other Independent puzzles, so I felt sure it would be familiar to some.
Sorry to be so thick, but I still can’t see it …. even the Think (8,8)
Me neither!
This is one of those days when coming to the blog just makes me feel stupid. I enjoyed the crossword but now there’s an impenetrable theme and people talking about “preposterous” which I can’t see in the answers or the clues. Help!
Aha. I found preposterous. But now I have no idea why ton = fashion.
Stu @10 & Beej @11
Start at the second C in 3dn, then go clockwise through the unchecked letters and you will find CIRCULAR ARGUMENT.
Good Evening Eric – glad you found preposterous. We only know ton = fashion from crosswords. It is in Chambers – 2nd definition. No idea where it comes from.
We are still stuck on the theme.
Thanks Gaufrid.
Ericw
Ton=fashion is given in Chambers, Collins and the ODE but don’t ask me why.
Having been forced to watch Bridgerton the fashionable set were called the Ton.
It is possibly too late to throw some light on ‘ton’ = fashion. But here goes anyway. It probably derives from French ton = tone – adapted to mean those who set the ‘tone’ in high society. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries it signified the culture of the fashionable set in London society. One novel in which it is particularly prominent in The Absentee by Maria Edgeworth, where the Anglo-Irish Lady Clonbrony desperately tries to ingratiate herself with the ‘ton’ in London but is constantly patronised and held in contempt by the leading lights. Here is a characteristic passage, where Lady C has held a ‘gala’ to which she has invited the fashionable set:
“The company ate and drank—enjoyed themselves—went away—and laughed at their hostess. Some, indeed, who thought they had been neglected, were in too bad humour to laugh, but abused her in sober earnest; for Lady Clonbrony had offended half, nay, three-quarters of her guests, by what they termed her exclusive attention to those very leaders of the ton, from whom she had suffered so much, and who had made it obvious to all that they thought they did her too much honour in appearing at her gala.”
Crossed with you, flashling, as I had a lot to type, track down and paste, but – lacking Netflix and so without having seen Bridgerton, although I have read a good deal about it – you are on the money with ‘ton’, as I hope my own comment reinforces
Gaufrid@14
Many thanks for that, but what is the link then to (i) preposterous and (ii) Think (8,8)?
Stu @ 21
CIRCULAR ARGUMENT is (8, 8) in terms of crossword clueing
‘PREPOSTEROUS’ originally meant putting that which comes first last, so ‘NOT ON’ (NO TON) is a switch of TON (fashion) and NO (number)
Oh dear. Even when the ‘theme’ (not really a theme, but a Nina) is laid out by a contributor, the blogger still cannot get it. I find this utterly astonishing. And the posts keep coming, where the lights are still very much off.
the last plantaganet@23 – start at the second C in CONCRETE, follow the letters across and you will see CIRC, go across to the next column and start reading down for ULAR (the U is in THURSO). If you then ‘complete the circle’, you should see ARGU going across to the left in the row below. The A is in INFRARED. Last of all, MENT going up with the M in SALMON.
We hope this makes sense!
Sorry B&J, on this occasion I was actually trying to be rude, instead of just being me, as you were still apparently mystified @ #15 when the cat had been released from the bag at #8 and #9.
I don’t suppose the Nina was all that obvious, as many of us had to wait to be told, and alcohol had intervened by #23 in any case, unfortunately 😀