Weekend puzzle from the FT of December 17, 2022
We have not had a Goliath in a while and I was happy to see him back. My first-in was 3 (DIXIE) and that led to my quickly getting 1,7 (HOLDING THE BABY) and 5 (THROW IN THE TOWEL). The rest came smoothly except that I had to use a look-up tool for my last-in, 13 (ADVOWSON).
My favourites are 1,7 (HOLDING THE BABY) and 21 (GALLOP). 28 is a gem too (POLE DANCER).
| ACROSS | ||
| 1/ 7 | HOLDING THE BABY |
Saddled with the responsibility for thigh bone, badly fractured (7,3,4)
|
| Anagram (fractured) of THIGH BONE BADLY | ||
| 9 | HOAX |
In essence, psychology relaxing trick (4)
|
| [psyc]HO[logy] [rel]AX[ing] | ||
| 10 | PORTCULLIS |
After a drink, copper rejected mostly silly form of defence (10)
|
| PORT (a drink) + CU (copper) + SILL[y] backwards (rejected) | ||
| 11 | RUPERT |
Bear to the audience: are you lively? (6)
|
| Homophone (to the audience) of “are you pert” | ||
| 12 | WELL TO DO |
Rich water provider awaiting completion (4-2-2)
|
| WELL (water provider) + TO DO (awaiting completion) | ||
| 13 | ADVOWSON |
To begin with, as duke, I do own cleared right to nominate a parish priest (8)
|
| A[s] D[uke] + VOWS (I do) + O[w]N. Advowson is a new word to me that means just what the definition says. | ||
| 15 | RARA |
A couple of artists in a skirt (4)
|
| RA RA (a couple of artists, from Royal Academy) | ||
| 17 | HALF |
Fraction of cheap fluff oddly discarded (4)
|
| [c]H[e]A[p] [f]L[u]F[f] | ||
| 19 | HERALDRY |
The woman’s lardy representation in traditional art (8)
|
| HER (the woman’s) + anagram (representation) of LARDY | ||
| 22 | DOWNCAST |
Forlorn county actors (8)
|
| DOWN (county [in Ireland]) + CAST (actors) | ||
| 23 | NEBULA |
Unable to disperse cloud (6)
|
| Anagram (to disperse) of UNABLE | ||
| 25 | DISALLOWED |
Subject to a ban that’s expired looking poorly inside (10)
|
| SALLOW (poorly) in (inside) DIED (expired) | ||
| 26 | RIPE |
Ready to appear in The Pirate Returns? (4)
|
| Reverse (returns) hidden word (to appear in) | ||
| 27 | SHAH |
Ruler’s quiet laugh returned (4)
|
| HAHS (quiet laugh) backwards (returned) | ||
| 28 | POLE DANCER |
Performer pranced around securing Spanish approval (4,6)
|
| OLE (Spanish approval) in (securing) anagram (around) of PRANCED | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | OROTUND |
Round and round being bombastic (7)
|
| O (round) + ROTUND (round) | ||
| 3 | DIXIE |
509? That’s the Deep South (5)
|
| DIX (509, in Roman numerals) + IE (that’s) | ||
| 4 | NEPOTISM |
Pantless appointments fixed, like Jared Kushner’s? (8)
|
| Anagram (fixed) of [ap]POI[nt]MENTS | ||
| 5 | THROW IN THE TOWEL |
Give up small blanket in the dryer (5,2,3,5)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 6 | EXCELS |
They say XL-size top is superior (6)
|
| Homophone (they say) of “XL” + S[ize] | ||
| 7 | BILATERAL |
Two-sided bail-out subsequently covered (9)
|
| LATER (subsequently) in (covered) of anagram (out) of BAIL | ||
| 8 | BUILDER |
Be lurid, rudely showing bum? One might! (7)
|
| Anagram (rudely) of BE LURID. I wonder about the definition here. Why would a builder be likely to show his or her bum? | ||
| 14 | OFFENBACH |
Composer heard frequently with another (9)
|
| Homophone (heard) of “often” + BACH (another, composer that is) | ||
| 16 | TRINIDAD |
Missing a train, one father finding island (8)
|
| TR[a]IN + I (one) + DAD (father) | ||
| 18 | ABOLISH |
Cancel shambolic arrangement left by Mike and Charlie (7)
|
| Anagram (arrangement) of SHA[m]BOLI[c] with Mike and Charlie referring to phonetic alphabets | ||
| 20 | RELAPSE |
Part of the church, after winter hurricane, will ultimately deteriorate (7)
|
| [winte]R [hurrican]E [wil]L + APSE (part of the church) | ||
| 21 | GALLOP |
Fast pace of cholecystectomy? (6)
|
| GALL OP (cholecystectomy). ‘Cholecystectomy’ refers to the surgical removal of a gall bladder. | ||
| 24 | BARON |
Aristocrat in pub, working (5)
|
| BAR (pub) + ON (working) |
A very nice surprise to see Goliath this weekend as I really appreciate his setting style (and I see there’s more in the form of the festive jumbo crossword so that’s something to savour).
I learned two new words: CHOLECSTECTOMY and ADDOWSON (even though I’ve read my Trollope and I think I’ve encountered it before here)! The latter was also the only one I couldn’t parse though, happily, the rest of the grid fell quickly into place.
I was tickled by BUILDER and several others but my favourite was NEPOTISM.
Thanks to Goliath and Pete.
An excellent puzzle, with thanks to Goliath and Pete. My favourite was 21 Down.
Concerning 8 Down, I believe that “showing bum” comes from what is unintentionally displayed by a person in the trades wearing loose-fitting, low-waisted jeans when bending over while working. Any other thoughts on this?
Yes, Larry, that’s what I thought. I’m sure I’ve heard the phrase ‘builder’s bum’ along with ‘builder’s tea’.
Thanks Goliath and Pete
8dn: Chambers 2014 really does have this one: builder’s bum n (sl) the cleavage at the top of the buttocks revealed above low-hanging trousers when a person, esp a workman, bends down.
Excellent, Diane@3. I just looked up ‘builder’s bum’ in my Chambers dictionary and there it is. Thanks. I hadn’t known that an actual expression existed for it. ‘Builder’s tea’ is also in Chambers. You just expanded my formal vocabulary.
Sorry, Pelham Barton@4. I was typing at the same time as you and didn’t see your comment until after I had sent mine.
“Builder’s bum” in the US is known as “plumber’s crack.” Either way it’s not pretty.
Too true, Tony! With Christmas spirits liberally flowing, I wonder if the ribaldry will spill over into this setter’s puzzle today.
I meant ADVOWSON, of course @1.
Good to see Goliath again. I found this a little on the difficult side, failing with PORTCULLIS, ADVOWSON, and HERALDRY. I enjoyed RUPERT, DOWNCAST, and OFFENBACH among others. Thanks to both.
Oops, mixed up my setters. Apologies to Goliath and Gozo.
I found this one steady going and finished in one sitting – which is pretty good for me.
I even managed to parse & solve ADVOWSON despite not knowing the word and the tricky clue. So I was pretty happy with myself.
Lots of favorites, many already mentioned. I add DISALLOWED and OROTUND to the list.
I, too, did not get the definition for BUILDER at first. Thanks to everyone for the informed discussion about builders bum. I have said it before: it is amazing the knowledge I have picked up here.
Thanks Pete and Goliath
Thanks for the blog, great puzzle , I am really pleased the FT using more variety on Saturdays. Some very clever subtraction anagrams here , NEPOTISM is brilliant , also teasing us with pretty obscure words like in 21D although the clue was very fair. I have seen ADVOWSON before , probably Bradman/Pasquale.
For BUILDER I know the phrase as ” builder’s cleavage” which does tie in with Chambers.
I had a slight variation for SHAH , quiet=SH and HA returned.
As did I, Roz.
Thanks, Goliath & Pete M. My only complaint about this one is it was over far too quickly. I had to look up cholecystectomy… very nice clue though. ADVOWSON was lurking somewhere in the recesses – not a word I ever recall using but have definitely come across it before. Loved the way it was clued, with vows for I DO. Other faves were NEPOTISM and OROTUND.
Me also, Roz & Diane
Beaten by ADVOWSON which I’d never heard of – got the AD start but not the remainder of the wordplay. My first ever Goliath puzzle & loved the setter’s clueing style. NEPOTISM the standout for me but ticks for any number of others – DIXIE, RUPERT, GALLOP & HOAX to name a few. I’m with Roz, Diane & Widdersbel re SHAH.
Thanks all.
Thanks for the fun Goliath.
Down here it is known as a “builder’s crack” as well.
Christmas Day has dawned fine and the heat is promised.
Thanks for all the blogs Pete.