Independent 11,039 / Tees

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Tees latest puzzle provides our cruciverbal challenge of the day.

I found that this was a bit tougher than most puzzles by this compiler, although my scant knowledge of singers and their hits doubtless had a part to play in that. I think that I got there in the end, and having solved the puzzle, I now know a little bit more about this topic than before, which is one of the joys of crossword-solving, I feel.

The entry at 14A was new to me, although it could be arrived at satisfactorily from the wordplay; nor did I know “mew” as a noun meaning “seagull” at 6. My favourite clues today were 15, for surface misdirection, in that I didn’t make the connection with being sent off a football pitch for a very long time; and 6 and 16, for their feline content.

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

Across    
     
09 MOONLIGHT Perform other work:// here’s one sonata

Double definition: to moonlight is to work secretly for another employer AND the Moonlight Sonata is a piano sonata by Beethoven
     
10/24 EDDIE COCHRAN Singer, once rich, dead unfortunately

*(ONCE RICH DEAD); “unfortunately” is anagram indicator; the reference is to American rock and roll musician Eddie Cochran (1938-60)
     
11 EYESORE Hideous building that has one seeing red?

EYE (=one seeing) + SORE (=red, inflamed)
     
12 YEW TREE Solver mentioned 3 not hard: that’s for a timber source

Homophone (“mentioned”) of “you (=solver)” + T<h>REE (=3; “not hard (=H)” means letter “h” is dropped)
     
13 LEVEE Odd characters in view in shelter in Embankment

V<i>E<w> (“odd characters” means odd letters only are used) in LEE (=shelter)
     
14 TRIPLE SEC Drink repercussions disheartened sleuth must accept

[RIP<p>LES; “disheartened” means middle letter is dropped)] in TEC (=sleuth, i.e. detective); triple sec is an orange-flavoured liqueur that originated in France
     
17 FENCHURCH STREET Setter on travels taken to Slough chapel and station

FEN (=Slough, swamp) + CHURCH (=chapel) + *(SETTER); “on travels” is anagram indicator
     
19 RESURGENT Orders at intervals given top-priority back up

<o>R<d>E<r>S (“at intervals” means alternate letters only are used) + URGENT (=given top-priority); e.g. resurgent forces are on the way back up, rising again
     
21 TOPIC Subject still associated with books returned

TO (OT=books, i.e. Old Testament; “returned” indicates reversal) + PIC (=still, i.e. picture)
     
25 GRAVE Critical party chasing gutless leader

G<utless> (“leader” means first letter only) + RAVE (=party)
     
26 PETULANCE Favourite clue reused about an irritable mood

PET (=favourite) + [AN in *(CLUE)]; “reused” is anagram indicator
     
Down    
     
01 UMBELLIFER Length being introduced to brown parsnip perhaps

[L (=length) + LIFE (=being, existence)] in UMBER (=brown); umbellifers are plants whose flowers are gathered in clusters, known as umbels
     
03 ALTOGETHER Completely high or low voice good with old number

ALTO (=high, for men, or low, for women, voice) + G (=good) + ETHER (= “number”, i.e. anaesthetic)
     
04 OGEE Curve old gymnast initially makes with ease we hear?

O (=old) + G<ymnast> (“initially” means first letter only) + E E (“ease we hear”, i.e. 2 x letter “e”); an ogee is an S-shaped curve in architecture
     
05 STAY WITH IT Persevere as alert being taken under southern river?

S (=southern) + TAY (=river, in Scotland) + WITH IT (=alert, concentrating)
     
06 MEOW Remark from Persian seagull circling round?

O (=round, pictorially) in MEW (=seagull); the Persian of the definition is a Persian cat!
     
07 ADORES Very much likes certain raw materials these days?

A.D. (=these days) + ORES (=raw materials)
     
08/22D GENE VINCENT Show northern chap should host for singer

[EVINCE (=show, prove) + N (=northern)] in GENT (=chap); the reference is to US rockabilly musician Gene Vincent (1935-71)
     
14/02 THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN Sheep’s ear not treated with the vet hit by 10 24 Across

*(SHEEP’S EAR NOT + THE VET); “treated” is anagram indicator; the reference is to the 1960 hit by Eddie Cochran (=entry at 10 24)
     
15 LATE TACKLE Sending off for this dead lifting apparatus?

DEAD (=late, deceased) + TACKLE (=apparatus); in football, a player can get sent off for a late tackle
     
16 CAT SCANNER Diagnostic tool particularly benefiting those who give a 6?

Cryptically, cats (=those who give a meow, i.e. entry at 6) might benefit from a CAT (or CT) scanner!
     
18 EXPIRING Old pastry syndicate reportedly ceasing to exist?

Homophone (“reportedly”) of “ex- (=old) + pie (=pastry) + ring (=syndicate, e.g. of criminals)”
     
20 SANDAL One going on foot in boots and all

Hidden (“in”) in “bootS AND ALl”
     
22 VEGA Suzanne who sang Luka for example appearing in London museum?

E.G. (=for example) in V(&) A (=London museum); the reference is to the 1987 hit Luka by US singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega (1959-)
     
23 EDEN Farewell from placental mammals in delightful place

EDEN<tata> (=placental mammals, such as armadillos, sloths); “farewell (=ta-ta) from” means letters “tata” are dropped
     
24 CITY 17 serves this first couple from Cyprus guzzling vermouth

IT (=vermouth, as in a gin and it) in CY (=Cyprus, in IVR); Fenchurch Street (station) (=entry at 17) serves the City of London
     

 

12 comments on “Independent 11,039 / Tees”

  2. Thanks both. I struggled to parse but not to solve some – MEW EVINCE UMBER all being unknown or forgotten. Being pedantic a LATE TACKLE is not usually a sending off offence, certainly in football – a dangerous one should be, though the clue was entirely fair, so play on

  3. Certainly had a few tricky moments with this one! With apologies to the lady concerned in 22d, I hadn’t heard of her previously and the collective name for placental animals didn’t immediately spring to mind.
    Tops here were MOONLIGHT and PETULANCE – the latter simply because it’s such an expressive word.

    Thanks to Tees and to RR for the review.

  4. My first thought at 10/24A was Elvis Presley, which also fits, and he did record 14/2D, but there was no way it could be parsed. And like RatkojaRiku my knowledge of rock music is virtually nil, so I had to search online for Eddie Cochran, discovering on the way that Gene Vincent also recorded 14/2D. As far as I can see, there are no other entries to this theme, but perhaps someone knows otherwise. All very enjoyable, so thanks Tees and RR.

  5. This was great fun with EXPIRING my favourite. I didn’t know 1d but it was derivable from the wordplay, and confirmed with a quick Google check..

    It was good to be reminded of two of the greats from the 1950s.

    Many thanks to Tees and to RR.

  6. what on earth have they done to the online version? trying to solve it this morning was a nightmare. Obvioulsy designed by somebody who has never done a crossword in their life. I resroted to printing it

  7. Canalonly If you look at yesterday’s blog, or General Discussion, you will see how to restore a more normal view.

  9. Thanks Tees for your usual top notch crossword. I was familiar with the singers so that helped. I needed a word finder to get UMBELLIFER, a new word for me. I enjoyed TRIPLE SEC, ALTOGETHER, and EXPIRING — the “pie ring” caused a pleasant groan. Thanks RR for your blog.

  10. Dnk the parsnip thing, though I grow them.
    Nice to see “Sweet Gene Vincent” appearing.
    Thanks to Tees and RatkojaRiku

  11. I guessed 6d and 23d without getting the word play, sadly. I do like the Persian cat now that I see it!

    Thanks to Tees and RatkojaRiku for the puzzle and the blog – although I did not know it was Tees until I came here, because of he abominable new online page formatting!

    So thank you also to Petert; like canalonly, I was very upset with what ‘they’ have done to the crossword page. I actually send a complaint to the Arkadium support link, though I doubt it will achieve much. I will follow Petert’s link.

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