A 13 by 11 plain puzzle this week.
I write this blog the day after attending the lunch at Wolfson College, Oxford where I had the good fortune to meet Azed himself (Jonathan Crowther) and other luminaries of the crossword world including Don Manley, as well as my fellow blogger Andrew. It was a memorable occasion, attended by around 75 guests, and we were privileged to be invited to tea at the home of Jonathan and his wife Alison. In his speech, Azed confirmed that it was his intention to carry on setting puzzles for the foreseeable future.
Azed’s generosity is exemplified in this puzzle, with 8-letter words, such as 3 and 16 down, having only one unchecked letter. And none of the 4-letter words, which can sometimes be the most difficult, were particularly challenging. Of course there were the (almost) inevitable Scottish terms as well as some other unfamiliar words, but the generous checking was of considerable assistance.
Many thanks again, Azed.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | STRETCHER-BOND |
Being financially extended limits ‘born rolling’ in building method (13)
|
| B ON in STRETCHED. | ||
| 10 | POETISE |
To write verse, and in French, requiring all-round self-confidence (7)
|
| ET in POISE. | ||
| 11 | HOOPER |
Stop works, finishing early? One rolls out barrels (6)
|
| HO (stop!) OPER(a). | ||
| 12 | URDY |
Judge dismissed jury after absorbing day with points (4)
|
| D in (j)URY. It’s an alternative spelling of urdé, a heraldic term. | ||
| 13 | HAIRWAVE |
Marcel maybe suffering a raw endless hiver (8)
|
| *(A RAW HIVE(r)). Named after the eponymous French hairdresser who invented the technique. | ||
| 14 | PAMPERS |
Spoils mass squashed inside the press (7)
|
| M inside PAPERS. | ||
| 17 | DIRK |
Gently, maybe, part of basic education is fed to backward child (4)
|
| R (one of the “three Rs”) inside KID (rev). A slightly unexpected reference to the detective in the Douglas Adams stories. | ||
| 18 | SPALD |
Shoulder of lamb e.g. in spring with extremes of lard (5)
|
| SPA L(ar)D. | ||
| 19 | GUTTER-MAN |
Seller of cheap goods, wretchedly gaunt, around e.g. Michaelmas (9)
|
| TERM inside *GAUNT. | ||
| 22 | NAUNT |
Going round the bend, granny has little time for dad’s old sister (5)
|
| U (bend) inside NAN, T(ime). | ||
| 25 | UNTO |
Until no longer in use, indefinite number stored, running out (4)
|
| N in *OUT. | ||
| 27 | SLOTTER |
Keyhole maker in short is taking on a matter of chance with no opening for Yale (7)
|
| S(hort) LOTTER(y). | ||
| 28 | BIBATION |
After what indicates double for starters, I’ll get stuck into round, tippling (8)
|
| BI (twice, or double), I in BATON (round). | ||
| 29 | TREK |
Memorable journey? Ticker tape welcomes one returning (4)
|
| Hidden and reversed in ticker tape. | ||
| 30 | INDIES |
Non-mainstream labels during the old days (6)
|
| IN DIES (Latin for days). | ||
| 31 | TERPENE |
What is possibly extracted from pine trees? This is (7)
|
| Subtractive anagram: remove the letters of IS from PINE TREES and make an anagram of what remains. | ||
| 32 | TENDER-HEARTED |
X act, rather improper within ? soft- core, might one assume? (13)
|
| TEN (X), *RATHER in DEED (act). | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | SPUDDING-BIT. |
Second sweet portion? There’s something boring in mine (11, 2 words)
|
| S(econd) PUDDING BIT (portion). | ||
| 2 | TORPID |
Second college crew beside river get soaked, upended (6)
|
| TO (beside) R(iver) DIP (get soaked, rev). A very Oxford term for the Oxford-dwelling (but Cambridge-educated) Azed. | ||
| 3 | REDARGUE |
Scots show falseness of revolutionary dispute (8)
|
| RED ARGUE: it’s a Scottish word meaning to refute. | ||
| 4 | TINPOT |
Paltry nip mixed in another one? (6)
|
| *NIP in TOT. | ||
| 5 | HEARSE-CLOTH |
The cholera’s spreading? This may be much in evidence then (11)
|
| *(THE CHOLERAS). | ||
| 6 | RORTS |
Harsh sound I’d released turning up rackets (5)
|
| STR(id)OR (rev). It’s an Australian term, or at least “rorty” is, although the clue doesn’t indicate this. | ||
| 7 | BOWL |
Marble vessel to deliver (4)
|
| Triple definition. | ||
| 8 | NEVEL |
Going up one of the lochs, Jock’s hit repeatedly (5)
|
| (Loch) LEVEN (rev). It’s another Scottish word, meaning to pound with the nieves or fists. | ||
| 9 | DREADLOCKED |
Cut round straggly alder, West-Indian style? (11)
|
| *ALDER in DOCKED. | ||
| 11 | HISTRIO |
Player once – was this the small group he played with (7)
|
| HIS TRIO. I think the clue was intended to have a question mark at the end. | ||
| 15 | ENTASIS |
Bulging appearance is below shaping of nates (7)
|
| IS after *NATES. It’s an architectural term. | ||
| 16 | LANNERET |
Falcon allowed round queen by king? (8)
|
| ANNE (queen) R (king) in LET (allowed). | ||
| 20 | MITHRA |
Deity: unspecified object is in diversion of harm (6)
|
| IT (unspecified object) in *HARM. | ||
| 21 | STRENE |
Historical race held in the past renewed (6)
|
| Hidden in past renewed. | ||
| 23 | AVINE |
Bird’s prey rook initially dropped (5)
|
| (r)AVINE. RAVINE is a word used by Spenser and Milton to mean prey. | ||
| 24 | TUTEE |
Student producing piece of work financially rewarded on early English (5)
|
| TUT (work paid by measurement or by the piece) E(arly) E(nglish). | ||
| 26 | GAID |
Old spear, one found in excavation, brought up (4)
|
| A (one) in DIG (rev). |
Is “B ON” rather than “*BORN” for 1 across a typo?
In 27 across I took it that the ‘s’ came from the “is” (“in short is”) rather than the first letter of short (C2014 has “‘s” as a shortened form of has and is).
Favourites were the 2 &lits TERPENE and HEARSE-CLOTH.
Thanks for the report on the dinner and the blog bridgesong.
Thanks for the blog, a good point about checked letters, I tell people that in one way Azed is easier since there are lots more letters to help if you get started.
Agree with TimC @1 we need the extra R for 1AC so an anagram of BORN.
I had the same ? as you for HISTRIO but I did like the clue. DIRK was neat with the capital at the front to mislead, SPUDDING BIT is a great thing to learn.
Tim C @ 1: yes, there is a typo at 1ac, and your parsing of 27 ac is probably correct as well.
5d was a bit grim! Good clue though. TERPENE was particularly excellent.
I’m glad the 50th anniversary celebration finally went ahead and that you all had a good time.
Present circs and living out in the sticks of West Wales were against me making it. At one point I thought staying with in-laws in South Leicestershire could have been the way to do it, but the timing didn’t work out.
Glad I made it. And to share a table with bridgesong! Knew several folk from pasts events, most notably the 2000th. The kind welcome “chez Azed” was a delight and, returning home I’d a kindly “Plain” to tackle.
Did there seem to be fewer newbies last week or was my brain just sharpened my meeting the bigwigs? I do agree about the unchecked letters. To do a 15-squared with so many 5-letter words with only 2 checked taxes my ancient brain in a way I never find with our star. Thanks again to Azed and bridgesong.
And a pleasure to meet you as well, Keith!