Non-prize puzzle from the Weekend FT of July 16, 2022
I think Buccaneer has some very clever clues here, especially 2 (MAGINOT LINE), 8 (EAT ONES HAT) and 19 (NEVA). I also like 11 (NELSONS COLUMN).
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | LAMER |
It’s comparatively tedious in the main abroad (5)
|
| LA MER (the main abroad — that is, the sea in France) | ||
| 4 | MEGAPHONE |
Plan to maintain, say, perfect amplifier (9)
|
| EG (say) in (to maintain) MAP (plan) + HONE (perfect) | ||
| 9 | DOG STAR |
What celeb-obsessed stalker may do to get heavenly body (3,4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 10 | TRANSIT |
Journey in coaches that’s postponed one time (7)
|
| TRAINS (coaches) with the I (one) moved to the end (postponed) + T (time) | ||
| 11 | NELSONS COLUMN |
Holds part of newspaper for capital feature (7,6)
|
| HOLDS (nelsons) + COLUMN (part of newspaper). The nelsons in question here are holds in wrestling. | ||
| 14 | ALTO |
Ball put on key region of pitch (4)
|
| ALT (key) + O (ball) | ||
| 15 | ONE-LINERS |
Concerned with English vessels displaying cracks (3- 6)
|
| ON (concerned with) + E (English) + LINERS (vessels) | ||
| 18 | LOINCLOTH |
See, in church, about good deal for organ cover? (9)
|
| LO (see) + IN (in) + LOT (good deal) in (about) CH (church) | ||
| 19 | NEVA |
St Petersburg’s current name seen by broad road going west (4)
|
| AVE[nue] (broad road) + N (name) all backwards (going west) with a cryptic definition referring to the river that flows through St Petersburg. | ||
| 21 | QUEENSLANDERS |
Catty female defames statespeople down under (13)
|
| QUEEN (catty female) + SLANDERS (defames) with a slightly cryptic definition | ||
| 24 | INFLICT |
Force to suffer in war after this person replaces officer (7)
|
| CONFLICT (war) with the CO (officer) replaced by I (this person) | ||
| 26 | INSPECT |
Look over and maybe fly round Portugal’s capital (7)
|
| P[ortugal] in (round) INSECT (maybe fly) | ||
| 27 | SIREN SONG |
Appeal’s good after what police cars have in emergency (5,4)
|
| SIRENS ON (what police cars have in emergency) + G (good) | ||
| 28 | LISLE |
Left key material for stocking, perhaps (5)
|
| L (left) + ISLE (key — as in the Florida Keys) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | LIDO |
Upright character in Liberal Party’s bathing area (4)
|
| I (upright character) in (in) L (Liberal) + DO (party) | ||
| 2 | MAGINOT LINE |
French defence is a long time in getting organised (7,4)
|
| Anagram (getting organized) of A LONG TIME IN with a somewhat cryptic definition in that “French Defence” will start many people thinking about chess.
The Maginot Line was a fortification built before World War II to protect France’s eastern border. While initially considered to be impregnable, it was easily overrun by the German army in 1940. |
||
| 3 | RATTLE |
Make uneasy baby toy (6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 4 | MARCO POLO |
Traveller lifted stuff on old car (5,4)
|
| CRAM (stuff) backwards (lifted) + O (old) + POLO (car — i.e. Volkswagen Polo) | ||
| 5 | GATES |
Bill for computers is £1,000 – price’s not right (5)
|
| G (£1,000) + [r]ATES (price’s not right) | ||
| 6 | PLATONIC |
Mountain climbing: bracing and ideal? (8)
|
| ALP (mountain) backwards (climbing) + TONIC (bracing) | ||
| 7 | OPS |
Topless dances – they’re performed in the theatre (3)
|
| [h]OPS (topless dances) | ||
| 8 | EAT ONES HAT |
A little dope atones, hating to show surprise when wrong (3,4,3)
|
| Hidden word (a little) | ||
| 12 | USELESSNESS |
Don’t be so wasteful with cape, showing vanity (11)
|
| USE LESS (don’t be so wasteful) + NESS (cape) | ||
| 13 | HARLEQUINS |
Clowns right among healthy group of siblings (10)
|
| R (right) in (among) HALE (healthy) + QUINS (group of siblings — short for quintuplets) | ||
| 16 | ENHANCING |
Intensifying new bizarre change in clothes (9)
|
| N (new) in (clothes) anagram (bizarre) of CHANGE | ||
| 17 | SCANSION |
Continues reading quickly about current rhythm (8)
|
| I (current) in (about) SCANS ON (continues reading quickly)
I know the word scansion well from English lessons at school but I have seldom heard it since my schooldays. Now I have feedback that the term is unfamiliar to some people. It refers to the analysis of the metrical structure of verse. |
||
| 20 | WEASEL |
Primarily won’t stand for a treacherous type (6)
|
| W[ont] + EASEL (stand) | ||
| 22 | LOTTO |
Large German going up and down in house (5)
|
| L (large) + OTTO (German going up and down). In British usage, ‘house’ is another term for housey-housey or bingo. | ||
| 23 | STYE |
Nasty EastEnders has received complaint of viewer (4)
|
| Hidden word (has received) with ‘viewer’ meaning eye. | ||
| 25 | FOR |
Ex-president hasn’t got Democrat’s backing (3)
|
| FOR[d] (ex-president hasn’t got D) the ex-president being Gerald Ford |
Once again, Buccaneer kept me well entertained with this grid.
I liked MEGAPHONE, NELSON’S COLUMN LOINCLOTH (cheeky def), EAT ONE’S HAT, SIREN SONG, MARCO POLO and ‘DOG STAR’.
Thanks to Buccaneer and Pete, as ever, for a comprehensive blog.
I completely failed this one. I looked at it for about an hour or so across two sittings and did not solve a single clue. I then become busy and did not manage to get back to it.
Too difficult for me.
Thanks for the explanation Pete, you always make it look so easy!
Thanks Buccaneer for yet another fine Saturday crossword. Even though I needed outside help for 11a and 2d the rest of the puzzle fell into place quite smoothly. I had many favourites including MEGAPHONE, INSPECT, SIREN SONG, GATES, OPS, FOR, and the nicely hidden EAT ONES HAT. The prolific and excellent output by this setter doesn’t ever seem to wane and we’re lucky it doesn’t. Thanks Pete for the blog.
Thanks for the blog, I found the Downs somewhat easier , had very few Across to start with but lots of letter for my second look.
For NEVA I did not have NAME in the definition, then AVE ( standard abbreviation for avenue) backwards after the N ( name ) .
For OPS I had (b)OPs , the students still say this, I think yours is better.
Martyn@4 we all know the feeling , sometimes you need to get started in order to get started. One possible tip, if you get nowhere take a good break, when you return start with the Down clues, you may concentrate better on them the second time. The first time you are probably fed up when you get to the Downs.
Good tip, Roz @5,
When it looks that way for me, I go to the end and work backwards which often works. BOPS was good.
Another splendid puzzle from Buccaneer – I agree with Tony’s final comment @3.
I share Pete’s favourites (EAT ONE’S HAT is brilliantly hidden) and would add LOINCLOTH, NEVA (which I parsed as Roz @4 did), SIREN SONG, PLATONIC, SCANSION, and STYE.
Many thanks to Buccaneer and Pete.
Roz, Thank you. I am satisfied that your take on NEVA is the correct one.
That is a good idea as well Diane@6, if we are really stuck we tend to just start skipping through the clues without concentrating and maybe miss some easy ones towards the end of the Downs .
For 7D student (b)OPS works in other ways as well, but I think Pete is right with his (h)OPS.
Thanks Roz and Diane for the tips. Will try that next time.
Roz @9 mentioned “Skipping through the clues without concentrating”. I certainly know that feeling
Another superb crossword from James. LOINCLOTH was my favourite.
Thanks to Buccaneer and Pete. I almost finished this but was hung up on LIDO and ALTO – really a “duh!” moment. (I thought “pitch” had something to do with cricket …) Some very clever wordplay and misdirection with MAGINOT LINE, NEVA and EAT ONE’S HAT.
16d, “in” is part of the anagram – N (new) clothed with CHANGE IN “bizarre” (anagram indicator).
Pete, I think explanation on 4 down is missing an “O” as in old car = O POLO. Thanks for the blog!