This week’s Friday slot hosts Phi’s latest puzzle, one which I found tougher than the average Phi.
I chipped away at this crossword over quite some time before coming completely unstuck in the NW quadrant. In the end, I needed to cheat to get 2, the checked letters of which helped me to complete this section of the grid. I think I must have got the parsing of 10 wrong, since “idly” would surely give the adverb “lazily”. I look forward to being set straight on that score.
My favourite clues today were 12 and 21, both for surface reading; 9 and 23, both for originality; and 24, for overall construction.
*(…) indicates an anagram; definitions are italicised; // separates definitions in multiple-definition clues
| Across | ||
| 01/27 | WHATEVER | Disengaged response with dislike greatly reduced
W (=with) + HATE (=dislike) + VER<y> (=greatly; “reduced” means last letter is dropped); “whatever” is used as a response to convey indifference, lack of engagement |
| 04 | APPEALING | Hoping for a different outcome // that’s attractive
Double definition; the different outcome may come when appealing e.g. a court decision |
| 10 | LAZARUS | Revived figure idly cut a plan that’s incomplete
LAZ<y> (“idly”; “cut means last letter is dropped”) + A + RUS<e> (=plan; “that’s incomplete” means last letter is dropped); Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus in the Gospel according to John, hence “revived figure” |
| 11 | INERTIA | Ship heading off – then a return to island? It shows reluctance to move
<l>INER (=ship; “heading off” means first letter is dropped) + TIA (AIT=(small) island; “a return to” indicates reversal) |
| 12 | CORPUSCLE | Collection of writings left in church cell
CORPUS (=collection of writings) + [L (=left) in CE (=church, i.e. Church of England)] |
| 14 | ACRID | Help to secure credit coming with a sting
CR (=credit) in AID (=help); an acrid smell stings the eyes |
| 15 | PULCHRITUDE | Cryptic cultured Phi – something very attractive
*(CULTURED PHI); “cryptic” is anagram indicator |
| 17 | OFF | Inappropriate entry of oboe: very loud
O<boe> (“entry of” means first letter only) + FF (=very loud, i.e. fortissimo); off is unusual, eccentric, hence “inappropriate” |
| 18 | OVA | Eggs are very old when rejected
A (=are, as measure) + V (=very) + O (=old, as in OT); “when rejected” indicates reversal |
| 19 | MAKE-BELIEVE | Contradict sources of vigorous explanation provided by brand – it’s pretence
MAKE (=brand, of e.g. car) + BELIE (=contradict) + V<igorous> E<xplanation> (“sources of” means first letters only) |
| 21 | TAPER | Light, light touch provided with hesitation
TAP (=light touch) + ER (=hesitation); a taper is a (fire) light, a long thin waxed wick or spill for lighting a fire |
| 22 | NARRATIVE | Something telling son to nick a costly car
[A + RR (=costly car, i.e. Rolls Royce)] in NATIVE (=son, as in e.g. sons of England) |
| 24 | WAIKIKI | Endless delay – equipment twice running short in Hawaiian location
WAI<t> (=delay; “endless” means last letter is dropped) + KI<t> KI<t> (equipment; “running short” means last letter is dropped; “twice” means x2) |
| 25 | ARAMAIC | A sheep I included in account of Biblical language
[A + RAM (=sheep) + I] in AC (=account) |
| 26 | RATTINESS | Testy behaviour resistant to change
*(RESISTANT); “to change” is anagram indicator |
| Down | ||
| 02 | HAZER | American prankster’s obscure initiation of ritual
HAZE (=obscure, mist, blur) + R<itual> (“initiation of” means first letter only); “American” indicates use in American English |
| 03 | THROUGH | Finished half of this part of the golf course
TH<is> (“half of” means two of the four letters are used) + ROUGH (=part of the golf course) |
| 04 | ASS | Girl losing head, the fool
<l>ASS (=girl); “losing head” means the first letter is dropped |
| 05 | PRIME NUMBER | Prepare anaesthetic for five?
PRIME (=prepare, e.g. a pump) + “NUMBER” (=anaesthetic, i.e. something that numbs (pain)); five is an example of a prime number |
| 06 | AVERAGE | Mean to show anger after five taken into A&E
[V (=five, in Roman numerals) in AE] + RAGE (=to show anger) |
| 07 | INTERPOSE | Come between priest and one undergoing conversion
*(PRIEST + ONE); “undergoing conversion” is anagram indicator |
| 08 | GOAL DIFFERENCE | End lack of interest, ditching one new way of resolving ties
GOAL (=end, aim) + <in>DIFFERENCE (=lack of interest; “ditching one (=I) new (=N)” means letters “in” are dropped) |
| 09 | BLACKPOOL TOWER | Holiday attraction, unlikely tool adopted by anti-racists?
*(TOOL) in BLACK POWER (=(movement of) anti-racists); “unlikely” |
| 13 | CHICKEN WIRE | Telegram slipped under yellow mesh
CHICKEN (=yellow, cowardly) + WIRE (=telegram) |
| 16 | LEAD PAINT | Source of poisoning? Induce discomfort with half of it
LEAD (to) (=induce) + PAIN (=discomfort) + <i>T (“half of” one of two letters only are used) |
| 19 | MARTINI | Two thirds of armies busy acquiring metal rifle
TIN (=metal) in *(ARMI<es>); “two thirds of” means four of six letters are used in anagram, indicated by “busy”; a Martini is a 19th century rifle |
| 20 | LEAFAGE | Amount of greenery in meadow beginning to fall over long time
LEA (=meadow) + F<all> (“beginning to” means first letter only) + AGE (=long time) |
| 23 | INANE | Foolish way the game and league will end?
Both “game” and “inane” as words end in an “e”!! |
| 25 | ABS | Some muscles not present? Not half
ABS<ent> (=not present); “not half” means three of six letters only are used |
Gosh! First here. That’s a first.
Much to admire and the only stumble was MARTINI which I don’t know as a rifle. INANE raised a chorkle and “are”=’a’ was a novelty.
Thanks to Phi and to RatkojaRiku for an informative and comprehensive blog.
We solved PRIME NUMBER and AVERAGE first of all and thought we would be enjoying a mathematical theme for a change. However, nothing else seemed to be appropriate.
However an enjoyable solve at lunchtime today. 15ac needed all the crossing letters and some knowledge of Latin which only Bert has.
Thanks to Phi and RR.
I guess you can consider LAZ as a cut of LAZily?
I always thought PULCHRITUDE was an ugly sounding word. If you called a woman “pulchritudinous”, she may well thump you.
Thanks Phi and RR
Alphalpha @ 1: Are = a is always worth remembering, as it catches me out almost every time. It’s more commonly seen in everyday use as Hectare = Ha.
I liked INANE when the penny finally dropped. Just the right amount of head-scratching required overall. I think of -tude words as abstract nouns, so I felt “being very attractive” might have been preferable to “something very attractive”
I actually found this easier than the average Phi but that happens sometimes.
Only hold up was my vain attempt to make CARBUNCLE fit the clue to 13 !
Thanks to Phi and RR
This one will stick in the mind because we had to change 13d from CHICKEN KIEV at a late stage. Very fortunate to be able to do that with only three new entries!
B&J@2: Conversely, 13ac was my FOI. It’s a word I’ve long known and it was an obvious anagram. (And I know no Latin.)
Assuming you meant 15a Dormouse it’s a word I know but never remember how to pronounce and thus spell. At phi at least this got caught unlike knut and (o)blast.
Not completed yet, so have not read the blog & comments yet … however, not very happy with the sub-def of ‘son’ in 22a….
I have to say, I have tended to avoid Phi’s puzzles because I think of them as ‘too hard’. But took on today’s, and it’s not as obtuse as I expected. I did like 23d. Wondered if there was a missing indicator in 18a.
Thank you Phi, my mind remains open … 🙂
jv @ 10
Well, like it or not, that def of ‘son’ is no 5 in Chambers.
And there’s nothing missing in 18 – it’s one that catches me out nearly every time.
Simon @ 11.: granted. Don’t like 10 though. (can’t parse ‘idly’ sensibly).