Hippogryph makes one of his occasional appearances today.
Wednesday is not normally a themed puzzle day, but as we worked our way through the puzzle, we realised that there is a theme today – and a little bit of research revealed that ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ was released 50 years ago today. We are fans of Pink Floyd and have seen them (or Roger Waters) perform live several times. Bert saw them first time at Sheffield City Hall in the late 60s when he was a student and they were on the bill with Amen Corner and Jimi Hendrix – the tickets cost 7/6d (37.5p).
Hippogryph has managed to include a description of the iconic cover at 13ac, the titles of six of the ten tracks at 8ac/1d, 24ac, 27ac, 2d, 4d and 16d, the surname of the studio engineer for the recording at 17ac and the surnames of two of the band at 22ac and 26ac. David Gilmour is mentioned in the clue for 13ac, but unfortunately Richard Wright doesn’t get a mention, despite being heavily involved in the production.
The grid of four quarters with only single connections between them is not the most solver-friendly, but the clues are all well-constructed with good surfaces. 14ac was a new word for us, our favourite clue is 27ac.
Thanks to Hippogryph for the memories of a classic album.
An anagram (‘unfortunately’) of CANNED after or ‘by’ BAR (lawyers)
B (first or ‘initial’ letter of boy) + a homophone (‘over headphones’) of REIGN (rule)
An anagram (‘abandoned’) of CHAIRS SAT
PlayeR without the middle letters or ‘discontented’ round or ‘receiving’ O (zero) S E (south and east – ‘points’)
DESiRES (aspirations) missing or ‘wanting’ the ‘i’ (one)
PEC (muscle) in STRUM (‘David Gilmour’s action’) – when we solved this, we wondered why Hippogryph had chosen David Gilmour as the guitarist – and felt that he would be somewhat insulted by suggesting that he ‘strums’. We soon realised the rationale as the theme became apparent.
DON (‘knowledgeable person at university’) in OAT (grass) + A (area) – a new word for us
A reversal (‘going about’) of S (first letter of scandal) RAP (informal chat) + ON (concerning) S (saint)
M (male) ANT (soldier) MAN (another soldier) round or ‘hiding’ O (nothing)
An anagram (‘potential product’) of WASTE round or ‘protecting’ R (river)
MY (expression of surprise) round ONE
bARBITuRATEs (sedatives) without the first and last letters or ‘uncovered’ and missing ‘u’ (university)
Hidden (‘described by’) in teaM AS ONe-dimensional
D (democrat) in the middle of (‘cutting in half’) US ANTHEM (‘Star Spangled Banner)
Double definition
An anagram (‘deranged’) of HUNTER after or ‘trailing’ ON (leg in cricket)
DR (doctor – ‘medic’) in AustriA without the middle letters or ‘on vacation’ all in or ‘trousered by’ a reversal (‘pulled up’) of S M (sado-masochism – ‘kinky sex’)
EE (telecoms provider) round or ‘claiming’ CLIPS (high speeds)
OUT (on strike) following winTRY without ‘win’ or ‘unsuccessful’
N (new) after an anagram (‘badly’) of BRUISED
F (last or ‘ultimate’ letter of of) ETA (Greek character)
DIAL (face) round or ‘hiding’ AGONy (suffering) without the last letter or ‘endless’
M (first or ‘primary’ letter of method) ‘interrupting’ TIE (coupling)
SATURn (planet) without the last letter or ‘most of’ + an anagram (‘supply’) of TEA
ENT (Ear Nose & Throat – hospital department) R (run) U/S (unserviceable – ‘useless’) T (first or ‘original’ letter of technocrats)
TREs (very in French) without the last letter or ‘almost’ + MORe (to a greater extent) without the ‘e’ (English)
A homophone (‘sound like’) of WINNIE (Winnie the Pooh – bear)
Hidden and reversed (‘returns’) in secRET TO Russia
An easy-to-spot theme for me but struggled with the crossword overall. I’d recommend listening to Nick Mason’s post Pink Floyd CDs.
An interesting (?) aside on 6d. Sideburns are named after somebody called Burnside but, presumably because they are on the sides of your face, the syllables got swapped around over time.
I always enjoy this setter’s compilations and this one was no exception. I failed to solve 17a and needed to phone a friend to complete the puzzle. The definition is cunning and very well disguised but, probably sour grapes, I think it’s a bit unfair to use an expression which is lost on an old fogey like me as part of the wordplay.
Despite the 60s and 70s being my golden era for music, I never took to Pink Floyd and so the theme was lost on me. I did wonder about the choice of Dave Gilmour as an example of a strummer but that is now explained.
Many thanks to Hippogryph and to B&J.
Also absent was Chris Thomas
I thought US AND THEM was brilliant. Really enjoyed that. I could not get 17a but I think it’s a great. I thought it must be the TV guy. Embarrassed about missing the theme. Nho Des Res. Have now. Droll. Liked ARBITRATE and TRY OUT. Good blog too. Appreciated.
As always seems to be the case, the theme was completely lost on me but it does explain why some of the answers seemed rather odd choices for a setter to use!
Tops for me were DES RES and MAN TO MAN.
Thanks to Hippogryph and to B&J for the review.
I was enjoying this immensely. Solved all but 3 without spotting the theme, even though I needed to know David Gilmour for SPECTRUM.
Had a break, came back, managed to hit reveal by mistake. I was annoyed with myself, but after a while I saw that I’d spared myself the agony.
ODONATA – dnk GK – nice clue – also the commonest word that would fit there. Edenite even more obscure.
DAMAGE – Another nice clue I might have got if I wasn’t stupidly trying to make COMETS in the top row. Incidentally DOMETS is a real word too.
But 17a PARSONS without the theme is just pure evil: Intricate parsing, misdirection about Santa, GK needed about someone called Nicholas.
I loved yesterday’s Nick & Catherine clues in the Guardian because I solved them. But this one, even with the theme, takes the biscuit. COTD.
Thanks Hippogryph. And thanks Bertandjoyce for your usual beautiful blog.
Thanks both. Perhaps not something I should admit, but I knew Nicholas PARSONS, and the talent of David Gilmore, but have never listened to the full album so many others appear to have on their coffee table – I shall blame my parents! ECLIPSE went in with some hesitation, as did not recognise ‘clips’ as high speeds, and my rarely-impressive iPad dictionary does not confirm that it means a fast pace without an adjective, or that it can be pluralised in that sense
Great puzzle. Anyone noticed the first letters of the clues?
Should have, but didn’t, see the theme; music 50 years is something I ought to know about, though I wouldn’t have a hope with modern bands. I did manage to get everything out, even in ignorance of the theme. I didn’t know ODONATA and agree with FrankieG @6 that PARSONS was v. difficult, not helped by never having heard of RAP for ‘informal chat’. I thought the Nicholas PARSONS being referred to was the English TV personality of the 1960’s-1980’s and ? beyond.
See what you’re talking about Skinny @8; great spot.
Thanks to Hippogryph and B&J
Skinny@8 Great spot!
WordPlodder@8 I read Skinny’s post and replied before reading yours. Snap!
And it is that Nicholas PARSONS. Such a great clue.
Great crossword with a theme and an acrostic.
Thanks FrankieG @11; well I never!
Thanks Skinny – well spotted! Joyce looked at the first letters and the clues again briefly for the missing Richard Wright but didn’t spend long enough obviously so missed the extra thematic piece of the puzzle.
What a superb puzzle, and not just for the clues but integrating the theme so cleverly, my admiration is through the roof after reading Skinny’s comment @8.
PARSONS, MAN TO MAN, the simple but effective SIDEBURN along with WHINNY were my picks but it was all top-notch.
Many thanks Hyppogryph and B&J.
I’m 0 for 2 on themes today… it did occur to me having got WATERS and the reference to Gilmour in the surface that something might be going on, but not a band or album I know well enough for that to help otherwise. Not a complaint at all, but thematic devices that don’t help the solver (e.g. an acrostic in the clues) aren’t my bag.
WHINNY was a standout for me – and who knows where I dredged ODONATA up from, but I was chuffed it worked…
Thanks Hyppogryph and B&J.
We found this a stiff challenge, needing e-help in the NE corner – and not being Pink Floyd fans the theme passed us by. But we liked ARBITRATE, DIAGONAL and SATURATE.
Thanks, Hippogryph and B&J.
Well, I wouldn’t have spotted the theme even if I had managed to complete the puzzle. Another of those days when I was totally off the setter’s wavelength.
I agree that the theme and the acrostic were very difficult to spot, for those unfamiliar with the genre – including myself, as Hippogryph freely acknowledged when he sent this one to me a few weeks ago, for test-solve (I at first asked him if there would be a Welsh theme, considering the date!).
And I even tried to ruin his acrostic by suggesting a change to one of the anagrinds…!
Many thanks to B&J for the blog, and H tells me he’s pleased with the feedback.
A heads-up (am I allowed to?): I’m expecting to appear in this parish this coming Sunday – also with a mini-theme that might be quite tricky to spot. You have been warned!
Apologies for the late post but I have been away without access to my laptop for a couple of weeks. I just wanted to thank B&J for the excellent blog – glad to have brought back some good memories for you. I wasn’t sure how “spottable” the acrostic would be, particularly for on-line solvers, and so it proved it seems. I thought it would be good to have an extra thematic element hiding in plain sight to give solvers additional access to the theme. Anyway, I was pleased to mark the 50th anniversary of the release of the iconic Dark Side of the Moon album, thanks again to all who commented and gave the puzzle a go.