Independent No. 11,337 by Bluth

by

Good morning solvers. Firstly, a big thank you to mc_rapper67 for passing on his Saturday Indy slot to me. It’s a very big pair of metaphorical shoes to fill.

Thanks to Bluth for this lovely puzzle. Typically for them there’s a few quite oblique cryptic references to navigate, and one that I still can’t convincingly parse. Overall though, there was enough to make it a challenge, but still pleasant enough for a bleary-eyed Saturday morning.

Definition (surface) words are underlined in the clues.

ACROSS CLUES

1. DITHERS

Papers knocked back (“ID” backwards) article (THE) – press regularly (RS – even numbered letters in “press”) vacillates.

5. BATHTUB

Graduate (BA) goes by underground – electronic not showing (TUB – “The Tube” without the “e’s”) one needs a plug.

9. SUM UP

Conclude drink (SUP) menu’s lacking space (MU – ) inside (placed inside “SUP”).

10. RICE PAPER

Cycling Morecambe Pier , a penny for one case of Vietnamese spring rolls.

(Slightly cryptic – rice paper is what spring rolls are wrapped in)

11. VIEWING

Watching rival (VIE) side (WING).

12. BENEFIT

Good buzzer’s (Bee) entertaining new (‘N’ – inside Bee) sound (FIT).

13. WORK ETHIC

Politically correct (WOKE) firm, not entirely (THIC – shortened “Thick”) adopting right (R) attitude to industry.

15. SCHWA

Sound system could have weird acoustics using leads.

(‘Leads’ = first letters of “system could have weird acoustics”. In linguistics, specifically phonetics and phonology, “schwa” is an unstressed vowel sound)

16. BASIS

Book (B) band with no opening support (ASIS – “Oasis” without the O).

17. PANORAMIC

Marconi broadcast (Anag. of Marconi) on sound system (PA) is far-reaching.

19. RESPECT

Perhaps Franklin’s signature on (RE) page (P) is in order (SECT).

(Aretha Franklin’s biggest hit!)

21. CHAGRIN

Lodgers essentially (G – centre of “lodgers”) drink unlimited tea (CHAR) at the start (IN), causing irritation.

22. SLAUGHTER

Somehow halts urge (anag) to kill.

23. OUIJA

Heading west (Right to left) occasionally picking (every other letter) banjo I lug on board.

24. ANTLERS

Feature of stag – and also hen party – all naked dancing.

(“All naked” is a clue to remove the outer layers of: “And also hen party” – gives: N LS E ART. “Dancing” then a clue to generate anagram)

25. INTEGER

One, for example , in Terms of Endearment, The Shining, and The Passenger.

(Could be a very oblique hidden word clue!)

DOWN CLUES

1. DISAVOW

Deny video was edited (anag. of “video was”), cutting echo (without “e”).

2. TAMPER RESISTANT

After seven tries, parents strangely (anag. “tries parents”) like most medicine bottles.

(Not quite sure how Bluth is making “TAM” out of “seven” here.)

3. EMPTINESS

Lack of substance of English (E) politicians’ (MP’S) points (TINES) accepted (placed inside MP’S).

4. SHRUG

Welsh Rugby’s show (hint at hidden word) of indifference.

5. BACK BACON

Air Corp’s (AC) inspired by (placed inside) courage, mostly (BACKBON – most of “backbone”) getting rasher?

6. TAP IN

Gimme reptile (TERRAPIN) and no mistake (“Err” removed).

7. TOP OF THE MORNING

Wasted fortnight on poem (anag.) for early edition of Hello?

8. BIRETTA

Bone up (RIB upside down) on what could be James (ETTA – Etta James the singer) Dean’s headwear?

(A Biretta is an ecclesiastical hat) 

14. HEPATITIS

Complaint raised – some witness it I tape him.

(“Some” gives clue for hidden word. “Raised” clues it is back to front)

15. SPREAD OUT

Open drapes?

(Cryptic clue as indicated by the question mark. Drapes is an anagram (usually clued by “out”) of “Spread”).

16. BARISTA

Court’s (BAR) first (IST) ace (A) for server.

18. CENTAUR

Fantastic beast’s nose caught (CENT – “scent” homophone) on gold (AU) ring at the start (R).

20. EAGLE

Iconic American phone company (EE) retaining (put inside) a good line (AGL).

21. CORGI

Dog stripping paper from my present.

(Removing “FT” (Financial Times) from: COR! GIFT)

34 comments on “Independent No. 11,337 by Bluth”

  1. INTEGER:
    in Terms of Endearment, The Shining, and The Passenger.
    IN+the last letters of (Terms of endearmenT, thE, shininG, theE, passengeR.

    TAMPER-RESISTANT:
    TAM comes from T(Top of The) +AM (morning)

  6. KVa Just beat me. Was going to also correct the parsing for INTEGER as you have said.

    RICE PAPER is not parsed. It is a cycling of ERIC + PIER with A P replacing I.

  12. Fizzing with energy and ideas as always. Exhilarating set of clues. Sparkling solve. As always. Loads of favourites so to pick just a few: WORK ETHIC, PANORAMIC, ANTLERS, TAMPER RESISTANT, SHRUG, TAP IN and TOP OF THE MORNING. I had RESPECT and the software tells me it’s the correct answer – parsed as per KVa.

    Welcome to the blog Leedsclimber (though I am sure I have seen your moniker before). A request for future blogs – it’s very helpful to have the unparsed original clue in the blog before the parsed version so that it can all be viewed in one. And, whilst I do RESPECT those who wish to be addressed in a gender neutral manner, do we really have to refer to the setter as ‘them’ now? With all the plural implications for grammar that follow. Isn’t ‘the setter’ sufficiently politically correct?

    Thanks Bluth and Leedsclimber.

  14. Some really lovely constructions (too many to list), and thanks all for explaining the definition for RESPECT. I was stuck on Rosalind and Ben.

    It is funny that Bluth and I once wrangled over the construction ‘s as an inclusion indicator, which I contended was not used in such esteemed crosswords as the Grauniad. I was proved wrong within a week by another example. As I was doing today’s crossword on the website, which annoyingly no longer identifies the setter before solving, I saw 4d and thought “must tell Bluth he’s off the hook with yet another example.” When I saw that Bluth was the setter, I wondered whether I still objected, and my answer was a SHRUG.

    Thanks, Bluth and Leedsclimber

  16. Ian @14: I’m just curious. I do occasionally see comments here noting that the setter no longer appears on the website. I assume that means the Indy crossword web-site run by Arcadia? The setter name is always at the bottom of the puzzle and I only solve online. It’s the first thing I look at when the puzzle opens. There’s only the one web-site as far as I know so I am surprised some people know who they are solving and others don’t.

  17. Sorry – meant to say Indie instead of Grauniad @14. It is an extra solving challenge to be unaware not only of the setter but even of the paper!

  18. Postmark @16, I went back to the site and see that on the first page (the one with the big PLAY button), it is possible to scroll down (something I never thought to do, as the graphics surrounding the button fully fill my phone screen), there is indeed a list of recent crosswords with the setters displayed. I have just been clicking PLAY and being directed to an anonymous listing by date and then the puzzle itself, where there is no setter name displayed (as I think there used to be). I am glad to know there is an easy (if somewhat hidden) way to identify the setter before solving. Thanks for setting me straight.

  19. @Ian and @Postmark: If you get the crossword from the real paid-for online Independent (I know, we’re old-fashioned) then the setter name is not visible, but can be found by clicking on the ? at lower left. That’s also where you can “cheat” by checking individual answers etc.

    I guess not everyone knows who Bluth is, so “they” seems neutral and harmless to me. Of course much easier if we had the French “on” to use in a gender neutral way!

  20. Leedsclimber!
    I am attempting to put together certain comments (added some more inputs and put them in the order of appearance of the clues) posted by me, Hovis and Canalonly assuming it could be helpful while you update the blog:

    Cycling Morecambe Pier, a penny for one case of Vietnamese spring rolls.
    RICE PAPER
    RICE-Cycling ERIC (Morecambe), PAPER- A P(penny) for (replacing) I (one) in Pier.
    Definition: Case of Vietnamese spring rolls

    Sound system could have weird acoustics using leads.
    SCHWA
    Definition: Sound.

    Perhaps Franklin’s signature on page is in order.
    RESPECT
    RE-on, P-page, SECT-order, P in SECT.
    Definition: Perhaps Franklin’s signature(Aretha Franklin’s signature song-
    There is a 2021 biopic movie titled RESPECT).

    Lodgers essentially drink unlimited tea at the start causing irritation.
    CHAGRIN
    G-loDgers essentially (indicating the middle letter), RIN-drink unlimited (limits removed-the first and the last letters removed), CHA-tea, CHA at the start (and GRIN to follow).
    Definition: Irritation (‘cause irritation’ could have been fine. Causing seems to be a link word).

    One, for example , in Terms of Endearment, The Shining, and The Passenger.
    INTEGER
    IN-in, TEGER-Terms of (the last letters of) endearmenT, thE, shininG, thE, passengeR
    (and is a link word).
    Definition: One, for example.

    After seven tries, parents strangely like most medicine bottles.
    TAMPER-RESISTANT
    Seven-the solution to 7d-TOP OF THE MORNING, T-Top of The, AM-morning, PER RESISTANT-anagram of (strangely) ‘tries parents’.
    Definition: like most medicine bottles.

    Welsh Rugby’s show of indifference.
    SHRUG
    Hidden word (‘s seems to be the indicator) in WelSH RUGby’s
    Definition: show of indifference.

    Wasted fortnight on poem for early edition of Hello?
    TOP OF THE MORNING
    Anagram of (wasted) ‘fortnight on poem’
    Definition: early edition of Hello?

  21. Thanks, Bluth, for a fun puzzle. Loved the TAM in particular, very clever. And thanks, Leedsclimber, for the blog, plus others for tidying up the loose ends – INTEGER is the one that foxed me, just didn’t clock “terms of”, though I’m sure I’ve seen it used that way before.

  22. Very enjoyable and not too difficult early Saturday morning entertainment. I solved this long before the blog appeared and had more than a hunch as to who the setter was, be it Bluth, Django or whatever other alter-egos he has I always his puzzles. No problems here regarding the parsings either.
    I liked several but I’ll choose to mention RICE PAPER, WORK ETHIC, CHAGRIN (great word) and BARISTA. Great stuff.
    Many thanks to Bluth and Leedsclimber.

  23. By the way, this is how to find the setter’s name on Safari on iOS (don’t know if it’s the same on other platforms): above the grid, top left corner, tap on the three short lines to open a menu, then tap on “Puzzle info” and all will be revealed.

  24. I usually enjoy unpicking Bluth’s trademark intricate clues, but I particularly enjoyed today’s. I wondered if the pairing of BARISTA and BIRETTA was deliberate?

  25. Another excellent puzzle from Bluth, with lots of smiles on the way. If memory serves me right it was also my second best performance in solving without needing help, only a few beat me.

  26. Exactly what we have come to expect from Bluth – an enjoyable challenge involving unravelling of some complex parsing.

    INTEGER was my favourite, with special mentions for RICE PAPER, WORK ETHIC, ANTLERS, EMPTINESS & BIRETTA.

    Many thanks to Bluth and to Leedsclimber.

  27. I’d forgotten this was published today and was only alerted to it by a friendly tweet this evening. Anyway, thanks Leedsclimber, and thanks all. Especially those who’ve so eloquently tidied up any outstanding parsings.

    I’ve used ‘term(s)’ for ‘final letter(s)’ several times. Oddly the first few times I used it, it went through without comment but the last two times it seems to have foxed a couple of people. (The first definition given in Chambers is ‘an end’.)

    A little side note on that clue – not that it matters much – but the three films mentioned, Terms Of Endearment, The Shining and The Passenger all star Jack Nicholson. Like I say, it doesn’t really matter, but it’s pleasing that the surface reading could be taken to be discussing a particular actor in the real world.

  28. Thanks, Leedsclimber – congrats on the first blog – oh, and I forgot to warn you, these Indy solvers can be a tough crowd (;+>)

    The largeness of the shoes is only metaphorical – they are a paltry size 6 in reality…still, you know what they say…’…small feet…small shoes…‘

  29. Thanks Leedsclimber and congratulations on your first Independent blog.

    I didn’t do this particular crossword but I can see that it must have been a bit tricky.

    Also, thanks to all commenters – especially KVa for commenting above and beyond the call of duty. 😉

  32. Morning everyone. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, particularly RESPECT. Can’t believe I forgot about her! Sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees. Post has been updated accordingly.

    L.C.

  33. Bluth @27 – I think it was the smooth plausibility of the surface that made it so hard to spot. I didn’t know The Passenger (the only Antonionioni film I’m familiar with is Blow Up), or I might have twigged the Nicholson connection. Very neat!

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