Morning solvers. For reasons too complicated to bore you with, it’s Xmas morning in the LC household, so as is LC tradition this blog will be being accompanied by a glass* of vintage port. Don’t judge: it’s always opening time somewhere.
Joining me this “Novmas” morning is Twin. I thought this grid had a very nice level of difficulty to it: by no means a pushover, but not a shoe-in either. You can tell how versatile Twin has been with references, by the number of times I’m having to use online encyclopaedias. Admittedly, one of those links is highly gratuitous, but let’s face it, once the ports are flowing the singing usually follows.
Altogether now….
*or two…
Surface definitions are underlined.
ACROSS
1. Drinking Irish double whiskey? (6)
SPIRIT
Double [SPIT] drinking [placing inside] Irish [IR]
4. Changing room’s bare after removing a hat (8)
SOMBRERO
Anag. of: ROOMSBARE
10. Novel spread fear with hound (7-2)
UNHEARD OF
Anag. of: FEAR & HOUND [“spread”]
11. Put up with turning circle all right (5)
BROOK
Turning circle [BRO = ORB backwards] all right [OK]
12. Soldiers excessively invested in strategy (7)
PLATOON
Excessively [TOO] invested in [placed inside] strategy [PLAN]
13. Crazy stuff that constrains Bale (7)
HAYWIRE
Double definition. in this case the bale in question is a hay bale.
14. Repeated appeal to host opening of lucky dip (5)
SALSA
The parsing of this has stumped me. I can see it’s a repeat of “SA” with “L” (opening of lucky) placed inside, but how is “SA” a reference to appeal? A very wild shot in the dark might be that SA = Sex Appeal?!
15. Madness to steal second! Madness! (8)
INSANITY
Madness [INANITY] to steal [place inside] second [S]
18. Company runs promotion to visit John Denver’s home. (8)
COLORADO
Company [CO] runs promotion [R & AD] to visit [place inside] John [LOO]
The musician John Denver, lived in Aspen, Colorado for a large part of his life, and for a time was Poet Laureate for the state.
20. Man spending reluctantly, essentially? (5)
MISER
Man [MISTER] spending [getting rid of] reluctantly, essentially [middle letter = T]
23. Visit restaurant and pass on nothing to eavesdroppers (4,3)
DINE OUT
A very clever soundalike clue, indicated by: “to eavesdroppers.” Pass on nothing = “DIE NOWT”
25. Loose lips letting slip quiet part (7)
LISSOME
Lips letting slip quiet [LIPS] part [SOME]
P = quiet is a very common cryptic tool. In music Piano/Pianissimo means quiet/very quiet and is abbreviated to “P”
26. Maybe count on getting back lost fluid shortly (5)
NOBLE
On getting back [on backawards = NO] lost fluid shortly [BLED]
27. What’s in hail and rain that made 2014 a challenge? (3,6)
ICE BUCKET
What’s in hail [ICE] and rain [BUCKET e.g. “bucket down”]
28. Doubt differentiator is within reason (8)
SUSPENSE
Differentiator [USP = “unique selling point”] is within reason [SENSE]
29. Movie format a year following Britpop band (3,3)
BLU RAY
A year [A & Y] following Britpop band [BLUR]
DOWN
1. Misery as United thrashed Spurs (8)
SOURPUSS
As [SO] United [U] thrashed Spurs [anag. = RPUSS]
2. Whaler’s sort of cooked meal (7)
ISHMAEL
Sort of [ISH] cooked meal [anag. = MAEL]
Ishmael is the narrator character in Herman Melville’s novel Moby-Dick
3. But is he soon to betray love? (9)
INAMORATO
Soon [IN A MO] to betray [RAT] love [O]
Okay, if you’ve been here any length of time you very well know what’s coming next:
(2) Flanders & Swann – The Hippopotamus Song (Live) – YouTube
5. Revealing joint, like some after AA visit? (3-3-8)
OFF THE SHOULDER
Another delightful cryptic reference, with a hint of misdirection thrown in. The obvious direction one might head in would a visit to Alcoholics Anonymous, but in this case a visit by the Automobile Association would get you off the hard shoulder (the “reservation” if you’re not in the UK).
6. Shilling next to copper (5)
BOBBY
Shilling [BOB] next to [BY]
7. Film about origins of Game Of Thrones includes series’ number one fan? (7)
EGOTIST
Film [ET] about origins of Game Of Thrones [GOT] includes series’ number one [I & S]
8. Islands or island spanning north (6)
ORKNEY
Or island [OR KEY] spanning north [N]
9. Couple sharing make-up? (9,5)
IDENTICAL TWINS
Cryptic clue: identical twins share exactly the same DNA profile
16. Finally, can you confirm job references? Thank you, I’ll call Charlie (9)
NUMBSKULL
Last letters [“finally”] of caN yoU confirM joB referenceS? ThanK yoU, I’lL calL
17. Criminal tries to interrupt work of chaplain, say (8)
PRIESTLY
Criminal tries [anag= RIEST] to interrupt [place inside] work [PLY]
19. Vehicle collection (7)
OMNIBUS
Double definition. As well as a mode of transport, an Omnibus is a collection of art works.
21. Cue activity regarding US sculptor’s comeback (7)
SNOOKER
Regarding [RE] US sculptor’s [KOONS] comeback [placed back to front]
22. Beauty queen gets out of dress and stands (6)
ADONIS
Queen [R = Regina] gets out of [removed from] dress [ADORN] and stands [IS]
24. Large wardrobe separates clothes (5)
OBESE
Hidden word: wardrobe separates
I believe the definition in 18a should be just Denver home (a nice lift-and-separate). Also, in 7d, the initial letters (‘origins’) need to go further to include ‘includes’ + ‘series’.
Too many great clues to list. Loved it.
Denver’s not Denver.
Thanks Twin and Leedsclimber
In 17D I think the definition needs to be expanded to include ‘of’, otherwise the parts of speech don’t match.
I loved this brilliantly cryptic and witty puzzle.
COLORADO must be clue of the week, I also liked SPIRIT, NOBLE, DINE OUT, MISER, IDENTICAL TWINS and a whole host more.
Many thanks to Twin and LC
Some tricky parsing there. Not really getting 20a since t is not the middle letter of mister.
Eric @5…you need to “spend” the middle letter of relucTantly
Nice blog LC but “by no means a pushover but not a shoe-in either” You’ve lost me!
Crazy needs underlining in 13a, John shouldn’t be underlined in 18a, I think the whole of 20a should be underlined, ditto 3d otherwise love is doing double duty.
Really enjoyed this, thanks to S&B
COLORADO: hooray, a lift-and-separate of a name that doesn’t just pluck a single letter off one half.
SOURPUSS favourite, couldn’t fathom ADONIS.
@6 Thanks
SA = Sex Appeal (= IT) is a old crossword staple.
Brilliant! I thought this was nicely challenging and very enjoyable indeed.
COLORADO was my favourite with a long list of other ticked clues: SPIRIT, SALSA, SOURPUSS. INAMORATO, OFF-THE-SHOULDER, BOBBY, IDENTICAL TWIN and NUMBSKULL.
Many thanks to Twin and to Leedsclimber.
Thoroughly enjoyed this despite never having heard of the 2014 challenge. Tops for me were HAYWIRE, COLORADO, OFF THE SHOULDER & IDENTICAL TWINS.
Thanks to Twin and also Merry Christmas to Leedsclimber!
As everyone has already remarked, a superb puzzle with too many excellent clues to choose from but I will single out 18 and 20 across with 16 down taking gold from me.
Thank you Twin and Merry Christmas to our Blogger
Late to this but did want to record my enjoyment. COLORADO, OFF THE SHOULDER, MISER, SPIRIT and PRIESTLY were my favourites.
Thanks Twin and LC
As RD@11 says, nicely challenging and very enjoyable indeed.
A minor point about the blog: 4ac is an anagram of ROOMSBRE (i.e. without the A).
Thanks, Twin and Leedsclimber.
Thanks Twin. This took a bit of thought but I got there in the end except for ADONIS. My top picks were COLORADO, NOBLE, BLU-RAY, EGOTIST, the extremely clever NUMBSKULL, and the well hidden OBESE. Thanks bridgesong for the blog. Happy Xmas.
Sorry, I meant to say thanks leedsclimber (and I haven’t had one drink yet.)
Count me as another who really enjoyed this one, particularly COLORADO and NUMBSKULL. Thanks, Twin and LC (and Merry Christmas!)