Financial Times 17,336 by Gurney

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Puzzle from the Weekend FT of February 18, 2023

Ever more variety with our first Weekender by Gurney.  Gurney is also known as Niall MacSweeney and is another blogger on this site, as Nmsindy.

My first-in was 5 (IBSEN) and last was 23 (QUID).  It was a relatively easy solve and my favourite is 19 (VETO).

I was struck by 18 (NAUSEATED).  I think it is a fine clue but I think it is unusual to see two words in the clue effectively cluing themselves in the manner he uses.

Thank you, Niall.

ACROSS
1 LATTE
Right to avoid second drink (5)
LATTE[r] (right to avoid second)
4 TRIMESTER
One making effort to accommodate me alongside street for period (9)
ME (me) + ST (street) together in TRIER (one making effort)
9 MASSIVE
One’s seen after church ceremony, large-scale (7)
MASS (church ceremony) + IVE (one’s)
10 STAND-UP
Like some comedians, Laurel, say, at party (5-2)
STAN (Laurel, say – of Laurel and Hardy) + DUP (party – that is the Democratic Unionist Party)
11 AFRICAN VIOLET
Kenyan, maybe, furious after losing new flower (7,6)
AFRICAN (Kenyan, maybe) + VIOLE[n]T (furious after losing new)
14 RUDE
In speech, regretted being impolite (4)
Homophone (in speech) of “rued” (regretted)
15 AUSTEREST
Strange taste, sure — avoiding ornamentation to the utmost (9)
Anagram (strange) of TASTE SURE
18 NAUSEATED
Disgusted as Dean on return pinches University seat (9)
U (university) + SEAT (seat) together in DEAN (dean) backwards (on return)
19 VETO
Ban love token? That’s too much! (4)
Hidden word (that’s too much)
21 PONTIUS PILATE
Procurator’s input so tragic, exercise not finished (7,6)
Anagram (tragic) of INPUT SO + PILATE[s] (exercise not finished)
24 REAL ALE
In pub some may be seen referring to a couple of French articles (4,3)
RE (referring to) + A (a) + LA LE (couple of French articles)
26 SHIATSU
Initially somewhat hesitant in Asia, they sign up for massage (7)
I[nitially] S[omewhat] H[esitant] I[n] A[sia] T[hey] S[ign] U[p]
27 DEEP SPACE
Rate of movement back and forth in place far away? (4,5)
SPEED (rate of movement) backwards (back) + PACE (… and forth)
28 STRAD
Violin shown in board game recalled (5)
DARTS (board game!) backwards (recalled) with the definition referring to a Stradivarius
DOWN
1 LAMB
One easily fooled Charles, say (4)
Double definition with the second referring to the essayist Charles Lamb
2 TOSS AND TURN
Sadly no stardust at opening of nightspot — move uneasily (4,3,4)
Anagram (sadly) of NO STARDUST + N[ightspot]
3 EMIGRE
In Harlem I greet guy leaving native country (6)
Hidden word (in)
4 TRENCHANT
Ditch worker, incisive (9)
TRENCH (ditch) + ANT (worker)
5 IBSEN
Playwright at home occupied by problem with animals (5)
BSE (problem with animals – that is, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) in (occupied by) IN (at home)
6 EXAMINER
One reviewing dismissal looking up underground worker (8)
AXE (dismissal) backwards (looking up) + MINER (underground worker)
7 TAD
Cheers daughter a small bit (3)
TA (cheers) + D (daughter)
8 REPUTATION
Representative group replacing Democrat with Republican name (10)
DEPUTATION (representative group) with the ‘D’ (Democrat) replaced by ‘R’ (Republican)
12 LIE-DETECTOR
Elect editor? Unusual — fairy tale, I suspect (3-8)
Anagram (unusual) of ELECT EDITOR
13 TRANSPIRED
Happened to see new partner’s ID (10)
Anagram (new) of PARTNERS ID
16 SIDE ISSUE
Child following team? That’s of minor interest (4,5)
SIDE (team) + ISSUE (child)
17 DECIMALS
Supply mild case numbers (8)
Anagram (supply) of MILD CASE
20 MATINS
Morning service — parent’s collecting money (6)
TIN (money) in (collecting) MAS (parents)
22 SIENA
City suite in-law visited regularly (5)
S[u]I[t]E[i]N[l]A
23 QUID
Tobacco pound (4)
Double definition with the first referring to a lump of something sinewy, gristly, or rubbery, such as tobacco.
25 AWE
Respect a partnership (3)
A (a) + WE (partnership)

7 comments on “Financial Times 17,336 by Gurney”

  1. Thanks Pete and Gurney

    It is great that the variety continues, particularly for me who only does the crossword on the weekend.

    I enjoyed this. I think the setter managed to write approachable clues with good misdirection – the sort of clues that take thinking then look easy after the fact. I liked in particular REAL ALE, DEEP SPACE and STRAD. Pity it contained a number of factual errors and words that just do not mean what was intended.

    Thanks Pete for the great blog as always. And thanks Gurney with welcome to the weekend slot

  2. Thanks Gurney for an enjoyable crossword. I liked REAL ALE and SHIATSU for its surface. I failed with QUID. Thanks Pete for the blog.

  3. Thanks for the explanation. I became side tracked by thinking that 1a would be ‘title’ and simply couldn’t resolve that top corner. I’m kicking myself about Lamb!

  4. Thanks for the blog and I agree it is good to see another new Saturday setter. 1Ac took me a very long time , running through all the words for RIGHT missing a second letter. I agree NAUSEATED is unusual , could have hade “chair” for seat and President for Dean.
    The rest of the clues were fine with good variety , I thought SIENA was double N but the setter was correct.

  5. Thanks, Gurney & Pete. This was an enjoyable solve indeed. Don’t get Martyn’s comment about factual errors – nothing too glaring leapt out at me.

    Roz – sienna the colour is double N. The city is well worth visiting next time you’re in Tuscany.

  6. An enjoyable solve with just one or two minor hold-ups. We thought of LATTE for 1ac from crossing letters but took ages to see how to parse it. PONTIUS PILATE was our LOI after we reminded ourselves of the definition of ‘procurator’ and realised what the unfinished exercise was. Favourite was REAL ALE (in more senses than one).
    Thanks, Gurney and Pete.

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