Our Wednesday challenge this week comes from Eccles.
As always with Eccles, we have some delightfully witty surfaces – particularly 1a suggesting the Government’s latest vanity project, and 8d alluding to the parking arrangements at Kensington Palace? – though 28a seems rather clumsy by comparison. It’s a shame that we have GO in the wordplay of two different clues with the same meaning, but they’re both good clues. Having grown up in Wales I wasn’t convinced by the definition at 4d, but I’ll let it go. 15a is neat, and I liked the alternative word-splitting of 14d. 5d might suggest the seasonal activity of back-to-school shopping trips? Thanks Eccles for the fun.
Definitions are underlined; BOLD UPPERCASE indicates letters used in the wordplay; square brackets [ ] indicate omitted letters.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | OLD AGE PENSION |
Fancy design on a pole gets government funding (3,3,7)
|
| Anagram (fancy) of DESIGN ON A POLE. | ||
| 9 | AUNTIES |
American releases relatives (7)
|
| A (abbreviation for American) + UNTIES (releases). | ||
| 10 | EMBRACE |
English married couple cuddle (7)
|
| E (abbreviation for English) + M (abbreviation for married, especially in genealogy records) + BRACE (couple = a pair). | ||
| 12 | KEEL OVER |
I’m scared about partner’s collapse (4,4)
|
| EEK (eek! = sound meaning “I’m scared!”) reversed (about), then LOVER (partner). | ||
| 13 | LIDOS |
You can crawl in these tops, but nothing is contained (5)
|
| LIDS (tops) with O (zero = nothing) contained in it.
Lido = an outdoor swimming pool, where you can do front crawl and other swimming strokes. |
||
| 15 | NOTE |
One of A, B, C, D, F, G? (4)
|
| E is missing from the sequence, so NOT E.
Clue-as-definition: the letters A-G signify notes in a musical scale. |
||
| 16 | ADMITTANCE |
Man acted badly, claiming it provides acceptance (10)
|
| Anagram (badly) of MAN ACTED, containing (claiming) IT. | ||
| 18 | PANDEMONIC |
Wildly confused, working during Covid, perhaps (10)
|
| ON (working, as in “is the power on?”) inserted into (during) PANDEMIC (for example Covid).
Adjective from pandemonium = a state of chaos and confusion. |
||
| 20 | AGAR |
A fish in jelly (4)
|
| A + GAR (various species of long thin fish with sharp teeth).
A jelly produced from algae, used in food production or as a base for microbiological cultures. |
||
| 22 | ANVIL |
Bone found in Roman villa (5)
|
| Hidden answer (found in . . .) in [rom]AN VIL[la].
One of the three small bones in the middle ear that transmit vibrations to the inner ear. |
||
| 23 | LAMPOONS |
Spy nearly man making comeback in spoofs (8)
|
| SNOOP (spy) + MAL[e] (man) without its last letter (nearly), all reversed (making a comeback). | ||
| 26 | ENLARGE |
Increase in general fidgeting (7)
|
| Anagram (fidgeting) of GENERAL. | ||
| 27 | POPCORN |
Work with Conservative enthralled by erotic film, say, getting food to accompany it? (7)
|
| OP (abbreviation for Latin opus = a work of music or literature) + C (abbreviation for Conservative), contained in (enthralled by) PORN (for example an erotic film).
Extended definition: popcorn is often eaten while watching a film. |
||
| 28 | MODERN ENGLISH |
On Hinge, led Mrs Batty to give tongue (6,7)
|
| Anagram (batty = crazy) of ON HINGE LED MRS. The surface is a little odd, but perhaps it’s a reference to two formidable ladies in British comedy: Dr Evadne Hinge of the cross-dressing double act Hinge and Bracket, and Nora Batty from Last of the Summer Wine.
Tongue = a language. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | LENIENT |
Nine drunk bores allowed to be forgiving (7)
|
| Anagram (drunk) of NINE inserted into (bores = makes a hole in) LET (allowed). | ||
| 3 | AMIGO |
In the morning, I shot friend (5)
|
| AM (a.m. = abbreviation for Latin ante meridiem, before noon = in the morning) + I + GO (as a noun = shot = an attempt). | ||
| 4 | EISTEDDFOD |
Harry fed toddies in Reading Festival? (10)
|
| Anagram (harry = disturb) of FED TODDIES.
A slightly loose definition. It’s a traditional Welsh festival of literature and music; but one of its main features is poetry, read out loud rather than printed, so you could call it a festival of reading. Nothing to do with the Berkshire town or its music festival. |
||
| 5 | EVEN |
The day before getting new uniform (4)
|
| EVE (the day before a significant date, as in Christmas Eve) + N (abbreviation for new).
Uniform, as an adjective = even = smooth. |
||
| 6 | SUBTLETY |
Lease out rented property around heart of Seattle, with yen for discretion (8)
|
| SUBLET (to lease out a property that you pay rent for, rather than one you own) around the middle letter (heart) of [sea]T[tle], then Y (abbreviation for yen = Japanese currency). | ||
| 7 | ON AND ON |
Continually, Mafia boss supports man who made withdrawal (2,3,2)
|
| DON (Mafia boss) after (below, in a down clue = supporting) ONAN (in the book of Genesis, a man who used the withdrawal method for birth control). | ||
| 8 | PARKING PLACE |
Royal prince welcoming his father into his home, providing somewhere to put the Bentley? (7,5)
|
| R (abbreviation for Royal) + P (abbreviation for prince), containing (welcoming) KING (the prince’s father), all inserted into PALACE (home for a prince or king).
Presumably a palace would have plenty of spaces to park Bentleys and other large cars. |
||
| 11 | EASTER RISING |
Insurrection, or resurrection? (6,6)
|
| Double definition. An insurrection in Easter week of 1916, by Irish republicans trying to overthrow British rule; or Christ’s return from the dead on Easter morning. | ||
| 14 | DIGITAL PEN |
“Finger food often eaten at breakfast” suggests screenwriter? (7,3)
|
| DIGIT (a finger or thumb) + ALPEN (a brand of muesli = something often eaten at breakfast).
A device for converting handwritten text into digital form, for example by writing with a “pen” on the screen of a tablet computer. |
||
| 17 | FEEL FREE |
Repeatedly charge both sides to be included? Be my guest! (4,4)
|
| FEE (charge, as a noun = payment) twice (repeatedly), including L and R (left and right = both sides).
Be my guest! = feel free! = expressions giving willing permission. |
||
| 19 | NOVELLO |
Short story cut by old West End theatre (7)
|
| NOVELL[a] (a work of fiction, generally shorter than a novel) without its last letter (cut) + O (abbreviation for old).
Theatre in London’s West End, known until 2005 as the Strand Theatre (with a couple of other names along the way). |
||
| 21 | GOOGOLS |
Huge numbers try two different ways to sell shares, ultimately (7)
|
| GO (as a noun = try = an attempt) forwards and GO reversed (two different ways), then the last letters (ultimately) of [t]O [sel]L [share]S.
A googol = 10 to the power of 100, represented as 1 followed by a hundred zeroes. |
||
| 24 | PAPAL |
Regarding the pontiff‘s photographer as lazy, at first (5)
|
| PAP (short for Italian paparazzo or paparazza = a photographer, especially one taking unauthorised pictures of celebrities), then the first letters of A[s] L[azy]. | ||
| 25 | BEAN |
Head started to lose heart (4)
|
| BE[g]AN (started), losing the middle letter (heart).
Slang for a head. |
I can’t recall having seen an Eccles puzzle for a few weeks so it’s good to see him back with his usually high standard of puzzle which was great fun.
I had a lot of ticks and 11d just edges it in first place for me.
Many thanks to Eccles and to Quirister.
I agree entirely with Rabbit Dave.
I had ticks for more than half the clues but 11dn EASTER RISING is just perfect.
Many thanks to Eccles and Quirister.
A nice puzzle and a superb blog!
Thanks, Eccles and Quirister.
MODERN ENGLISH
There is an unnamed third person!!!???
My top faves: DIGITAL PEN and LIDOS!
I liked PANDEMONIC and GOOGOLS and the ‘nearly man’ in 23a. ALPEN for muesli is way outside my GK and my breakfast menu so I couldn’t parse 14d until I read the blog but otherwise a good clue and enjoyable puzzle. Thanks both.
Think this was my fastest ever Eccles solve. After failing miserably with the FT, this came as some relief. I agree that 28a doesn’t seem to read very well. Maybe could have gone for ‘Hinge led on Mrs Batty to give tongue’?
Splendid puzzle. I concur with Eileen and Rabbit Dave. Thanks, Eccles and Quirister.
Very enjoyable. In a bit of a rush today so I, too, will concur with Eileen and RD. Lovely puzzle from a favourite setter. OLD AGE PENSION (lovely spot) and EASTER RISING were my top two with EISTEDDFOD, despite the fair caveat from our blogger, sneaking onto the podium too.
Thanks Eccles and Quirister
The NWern triangle went in like an express train, the SEern triangle like a suburban stopper. As others have said, well up to Eccles’s usual high standard to thanks for the puzzle and to Quirister for the blog.
A very good puzzle, admirably summarised by Quirister. As a result of recent and current puzzles, I was attuned to the idea of Hinge and Bracket, so the wording of 28 across at least had the merit of some misdirection.
Thanks both. Another vote from me for EASTER RISING. Didn’t know DIGITAL PEN but I got there, whilst wondering if ‘sometimes’ rather than ‘often’ eaten is currently more accurate, given it is quite expensive. GOOGOLS reminded me of Charles Ingram temporarily’ winning Who Wants to be a Millionaire…..potentially ironic
TFO@11 On the other hand, if you are going to eat Alpen, you will nearly always eat it for breakfast.
Good to see Eccles back on parade with one of his excellent compilations. OLD AGE PENSION made me smile as did POPCORN and my favourite was EASTER UPRISING.
Thanks to Eccles and to Quirister for the review.
I was really pleased to see an Eccles puzzle today. It’s the first time I have solved an Eccles on my own and was a bit apprehensive. DIGITAL PEN was my LOI and I could not see the parsing so was really glad of the blog – thanks Quirister. I was also puzzled about 4d which I solved once I had all the crossing letters. I could not sort out the anagram as I had interpreted ‘READING’ as the town.
Some lovely surfaces as expected – too numerous to mention – Thanks Eccles.
JOYCE without BERT
An enjoyable and fairly quick solve, having spotted the misdirections of ‘Mrs Batty’ and ‘Reading’ – although an EISTEDDFOD is rather more than just reading, particularly the National Eisteddfod. We needed the blog, though, to parse PAPAL.
Thanks, Eccles and Quirister
Agreed. Much to enjoy today and no showstoppers.
Todays trivia: the anvil is the same size at birth as when adult. Unlike the rest of the skeleton. Hearing is important at any age, including pre-natal.
Many thanks E and Q
I was just about to post this:
“On Hinge, led Mrs Batty to give tongue” – would this have read better as “Hinge led on Mrs Batty to give tongue”?
Then I noticed Hovis@6 had already said the same thing, so I’ll just say I agree with Hovis@6.
Hi, thanks to Quirister and all commenters. Hinge is a dating app, so I wasn’t really thinking of Hinge and Bracket.
Thanks Eccles for a first class crossword. I failed with EISTEDDFOD and couldn’t fully get DIGITAL PEN but otherwise this was a joy. My top picks were the beautifully written PARKING PLACE, KEEL OVER, the clever NOTE, POPCORN, and ON AND ON. Thanks Quirister for the expansive blog.
Eccles@18 – I’m too old for dating apps – the wrong age Bracket for Hinge…