We have a Serpent to tie us up in knots this Thursday.
We enjoy Serpent’s puzzles. There were a few clues that needed parsing after we had solved them from the definition which is not surprising (21ac and and 9d) but we struggled with 25ac. It wasn’t until the last moment that the penny dropped.
As usual, some lovely surfaces and crafty definitions.
……………….
Thanks to the commenters who have pointed out that there is a NINA. We wrote the blog quite quickly as we have been busy and didn’t even look for a theme or NINA. Even if we had done we probably have missed the message hidden around the inner unches. MILES RUNS THE VOODOO DOWN.
A play on the fact that if you are eating or consuming you would certainly not STARVE
H (initial letter in have) and an anagram (‘regulated’) of ASPIRIN. The ‘do’ refers to a hairdo which is being restricted by the HAIRPINS.
A reversal (‘brought back’) of CANE (punishment) + MEN (soldiers) inside or ‘incarcerated’ by T (tense) T (time)
Double definition
WE (you and I) ALl (everyone) missing last letter or ‘almost’
An anagram (‘going wrong’) of USER OR ONE
An anagram (‘ground’) of FOR HIRE around or ‘hosting’ I (International) + D (day)
N (last letter of drown) in TEES (river)
lADy (woman) without first and last letters or ‘naked’ APT (likely to)
G (good) RADIOS (broadcasters) around or ‘entertaining’ N (northern) + E (Spain)
OTTER NEST (home of aquatic animal) with R (river) moving or ‘diverting’ to the west
SwIFT (satirical author) without W (with). We guessed this from the definition but took ages to work out that we were looking for Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels.
CON (cheat) DO (ditto – repeatedly, or alternatively ‘cheat’ again)
Hidden (‘contained’) in lengtHIER ARC HYpothetically
LAST (endure) POST (job)
A clue as definition – HEARS (picks up) and E (final or ‘end’ letter of corpse)
SEa bED (marine base) without or ‘expelling’ AB (sailor)
AURa (air) missing last letter or ‘pretty much’ around or ‘encapsulating’ MATE (colleague)
Hidden (‘cased’) and reversed (‘withdrawn’) in specuLATIVe
A homophone (‘announcement’) of ALTAR (minister’s table)
SONATa (piece) missing last letter or ‘short’ in REED (part of mouthpiece)
An anagram (‘supply’) of OPpOSITE without or ‘draining’ p (power)
PS (rider) IS (lives) inside an anagram (‘high’) of STREET
Double definition
An anagram (‘form’) of ART inside an anagram (‘failing’) of ETHICAL
IN (popular) THE (article) and a reversal (‘raised’) of POOL (funds)
D (Dutch) RAF (air force) TEE (support for drivers’ as in golf)
AS (when) around or ‘accepting’ T T (last letters or ‘terms’ to ‘start’ and ‘contract’) END (completion)
OFF (turned) ICER (assassin in the US)
Even letters ‘parts’ of dEaTh and tHrOeS
SAVE (to avoid loss of) around or ‘nursing’ H (hospital)
Double definition, but it could also be a clue as definition
Thanks Bertanjoyce and Serpent.
Lots to like, and, as usual, gratified to find the nina.
I liked ATTENDS because I remembered the ‘terms’ indicator from a couple of days ago. New to me and good to know were sift/riddle (which I found on Google) and icer/assassin from the blog. I enjoyed other explanations of the parsing, PS for ‘rider’ especially. Must remember ‘raised’ for reversal going up. Thanks Bert, Joyce and the Serpent.
Sorry, Bertandjoyce.
I’m far from being a hep cat and had to look up the typically Serpent-ine Nina after finishing.
Quite apart from the Nina, this was good fun. My favourites were down in the SE – the misleading ‘cutting-edge technology’ for the humble SHAVE, the unusual (or perhaps it’s more usual in crossword land) SIFT sense of ‘riddle’ and the semi-&lit HEARSE.
Thanks to Serpent and B&J
The usual treat from Serpent – and I spotted the Nina, although I did have to investigoogle it
Thanks to him and to B&J
Having got the nina I googled the track and played it. I’ll blame that for me putting DARRAINS in for 4a
It didnt affect anything else thoughl
Great puzzle but I cant find where that double CD is-its time for a revisit-on the Tannoys.
Thanks Serpent and B&J
Thanks to the commenters who spotted the NINA – we have added an explanation in the preamble.
I did like the hidden HIERARCHY – very neat – as was the shift in ROTTENEST and the clever subtraction involved in SEED. I also loved the construction of HORRIFIED and the hidden definition in GRANDIOSE (I do love it when a capital letter makes so much difference in a clue, though I know capitalisation isn’t to everyone’s taste). COTD is HAIRPINS which was lol on completion. For some reason though, instinct told me ‘Do’ was going to be something to do with hair and crossers gave me confidence. Held up right towards the end with TYPE which was LOI and took me ages to see the double def/cad and last but one SIFT which was the only one to remain unparsed. I didn’t think of Swift and ‘left with’ didn’t signal to me the extraction of a W. Still trying to get that one right in my head.
Thanks Serpent and B&J
Quite gentle for Serpent. For once I thought to check the inner perimeter so spotted the Nina and pleased with myself. Thanks Serpent and B&J.
A very engaging puzzle but with a Nina that I wouldn’t spot and which I don’t understand. Ah well.
ADAPT left me cold – I am forever giving out about these two layer clues where I am required to get from ‘woman’ to ‘lady’ and thence to AD-. It can be done in reverse easily enough which for me makes the setter’s job easy and requires too great a level of clairvoyance from the solver. But I weep alone.
That aside there was much to enjoy and hardly a clue that didn’t merit an ‘uptick’. In particular STEPSISTER stood out along with the well-hidden HIERARCHY.
Thanks both
Thanks Serpent and BnJ
The nina certainly helped towards the and, and is right in my comfort zone.
Alphalpha @ 10: Miles Runs the Voodoo Down is a track on the thoroughly wonderful Bitches Brew by Miles Davis.
Thanks all for crossword and blog and Simon for the Nina explanation as I didn’t know that at all. Good job I didn’t need the Nina as I looked and utterly failed to see it all either
A real treat to have a double dose of JC today.
25d here in his Serpent guise is going to last as one of the all time greats for surface, disguise and amusement.
Thanks all.
Thanks Serpent for a pleasant crossword. This seemed to be on the easier end of the spectrum and I found the offering by Basilisk in the FT to be a lot more challenging and ultimately more satisfying. I briefly searched for a nina and saw Miles but somehow got lost in the letters. I solved this on my phone today; I do much better seeing patterns and ninas on paper. Poor excuse, I know. Thanks B & J for the blog.
With apologies for my tardiness in posting, many thanks to Bertandjoyce for the lovely blog and to everyone who has taken the time to solve and comment.