Weekend puzzle from the FT of May 27, 2023
I am posting this a day late. Apologies for my forgetfulness.
| ACROSS | ||
| 9 | OWL |
Member of parliament in bowler (3)
|
| Hidden word (in) | ||
| 10 | AT ALL EVENTS |
Not missing any of the competitions whatever happens? (2,3,6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 11 | ALTAR |
A sailor gripping line where knot may be tied (5)
|
| A (a) + L (line) + TAR (sailor) | ||
| 12 | TARANTULA |
A truant released large American spider (9)
|
| Anagram (released) of A TRUANT + L (large) + A (American) | ||
| 13 | DIOCESE |
See cod? I see flounders! (7)
|
| Anagram (flounders) of COD I SEE | ||
| 14 | CHABLIS |
Almost heaven after tea, this French wine (7)
|
| CHA (tea) + BLIS[s] (almost heaven) | ||
| 16 | HAMMER AND SICKLE |
Emblem of Communism in Kremlin made cash when exploited (6,3,6)
|
| Anagram (when exploited) of KREMLIN MADE CASH | ||
| 20 | NASCENT |
Beginning to develop touch of nerves before climb? (7)
|
| N[erves] + ASCENT (climb) | ||
| 23 | RAW DEAL |
Unfair treatment in chilly and damp Kent town (3,4)
|
| RAW (chilly and damp) + DEAL (Kent town) | ||
| 25 | COOKS TOUR |
Cursory survey of English river led by famous explorer (5,4)
|
| COOK (famous explorer) + STOUR (English river) | ||
| 26 | GUSTO |
Blow in bursts with old zest (5)
|
| GUST (blow in bursts) + O (old) | ||
| 27 | MISANTHROPE |
Scrooge, say, as represented in metaphors (11)
|
| Anagram (as represented) of IN METAPHORS | ||
| 28 | KIN |
Mostly considerate family (3)
|
| KIN[d] (mostly considerate) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | NOW AND THEN |
Occasionally won hand with ten high (3,3,4)
|
| Anagram (high) of WON HAND TEN | ||
| 2 | PLATFORM |
Basis of short drama initially taking shape (8)
|
| PLA[y] (short drama) + T[aking] + FORM (shape) | ||
| 3 | BARRIE |
Scottish writer in pub about to imbibe one (6)
|
| BAR (pub) + I (one) in RE (about) | ||
| 4 | CATTLEYA |
Livestock finally destroy a beautiful orchid (8)
|
| CATTLE (livestock) + [destro]Y + A (a) | ||
| 5 | CLERIC |
Unusual circle for member of the clergy (6)
|
| Anagram (unusual) of CIRCLE | ||
| 6 | SVENGALI |
Songstress ultimately wrong leaving du Maurier character (8)
|
| [songstres]S + anagram (wrong) of LEAVING | ||
| 7 | ANNUAL |
Regular publication? University breaking record (6)
|
| U (university) in (breaking) ANNAL (record) | ||
| 8 | ASIA |
Huge amount of land in Kansas I acquired (4)
|
| Hidden word (in) | ||
| 15 | SPELLBOUND |
Imply skip is riveted (10)
|
| SPELL (imply) + BOUND (skip) | ||
| 17 | EVENSONG |
Service still very good around middle of evening (8)
|
| EVEN (still) + [eve]N[ing] in (around) SO (very) G (good) | ||
| 18 | DARKROOM |
Fell over below unpleasant photographer’s place? (8)
|
| DARK (unpleasant) + MOOR (fell) backwards (over) | ||
| 19 | KEEPSAKE |
Reminder to hang on to rice wine (8)
|
| KEEP (to hang on to) + SAKE (rice wine) | ||
| 21 | SPOUSE |
Husband maybe needs support after blowing top (6)
|
| [e]SPOUSE | ||
| 22 | TROPHY |
Work hard in attempt to make pot (6)
|
| OP (work) + H (hard) together in (in) TRY (attempt) | ||
| 24 | WAGNER |
Bet involving northern composer (6)
|
| N (northen) in (involving) WAGER (bet) | ||
| 25 | CAMP |
Conservative politician describing a holiday complex (4)
|
| A (a) in (describing) C (Conservative) MP (politician) |
Thanks Pete. Imply/spell I don’t get. Never heard the expression at 10a.
Thanks Pete
I did this in one sitting, which is pretty good for me. The thing I liked about this puzzle was a number of clever anagrams. In fact most of my favourites were anagrams: DIOCESE, HAMMER AND SICKLE, MISANTHROPE, NOW AND THEN; with RAW DEAL thrown in for a nice wordplay
Thanks Pete and thanks Falcon.
Enjoyed the puzzle and the blog.
Thanks, Falcon and Pete Maclean!
SPELLBOUND
GreginSyd
I think ‘spell=imply’ as in ‘Hard work spells success’.
Thanks Falcon for an enjoyable crossword. My top picks were ALTAR, DIOCESE (great surface), and TROPHY. Thanks Pete for the blog.
Thanks for the blog, enjoyable puzzle, neat and precise clues. As Martyn @2 says , there were some fine anagrams. CATTLEYA was in Azed the week before so I learnt it then and it was useful straight away. I liked the definition for ALTAR.
Agree with KVa @3 for SPELL=IMPLY but it is usually used in a negative sense. ” A lack of hard work spells trouble” .
Roz@5
“…usually used in a negative sense.” Usually yes. Still, I wanted to know if SPELL could be used in a positive sense at all.
I saw this particular sentence (hard work spells success) as an example in the Collins online dictionary. Found it different from the usual ‘spelling disaster/doom/trouble/danger…’
KVa@6 it is better to see the positive side.