Financial Times 17,654 by STEERPIKE

11 comments on “Financial Times 17,654 by STEERPIKE”

1. 

   Martyn

   #1 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 05:01

   
   

   I am relieved to read I am not the only one who thought the clues were getting more difficult as the crossword progressed. This is not the only one recently, and I was wondering whether I was losing concentration as I went through the clues in order.

   My favourites were ELBOW ROOM & ROCKETS because the surfaces made sense, ABSINTHE for its answer and SACRED COWS.

   I enjoyed the first half, but found some of the clues in the bottom half overly fiddly. It took me a long while to work out why A is the penultimate letter in 8d and I wonder if anybody was able to pass the clue before they solved it from the crossers.

   Thanks Steerpike and Cineraria

2. 

   Tony Santucci

   #2 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 05:54

   
   

   Thanks Steerpike. This was a quick solve with DETAINEE, CONCLAVE, THERAPIST, ELBOW ROOM, and CASTE being my top picks. I had no issues with parsing for once. Thanks Cineraria for the blog.
   [Martyn @1: Sometimes I’ll see a word emerging from the crossers, will get the solution solely from the definition, and then flesh out the parsing. That’s what I did with ANNUL.]

3. 

   Geoff Down Under

   #3 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 06:05

   
   

   In 7d, I used “that’s” to account for the “ie” which left me with an unwanted F. Fie, indeed! Never heard of wig/berate — Collins says it’s British slang. T for Thailand and S for Sweden induced groans.

   Good fun, thanks Steerpike & Cineraria.

4. 

   PostMark

   #4 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 08:56

   
   

   FIE as disgusting is new to me, albeit old in the dictionary. A word I’ve heard and seen but I am not sure I ever knew its actual definition. I associated it more with contempt or dismissal. TRIBESMAN had me frustrated for far too long although I rather suspected we were talking of the European people rather than the modern yob. And I struggled to parse ‘parts’ in IDLE for a while: it read far more like an insertion than a hidden indicator so, whilst the answer was clear, deciphering Steerpike’s intent was slightly less so. I’d agree with those highlights nominated so far and would add GEMINI for the very natural surface.

   Thanks Steerpike and Cineraria

5. 

   Simon S

   #5 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 09:03

   
   

   Thanks Steerpike & Cineraria

   GDU @ 3 S & T are the international vehicle codes for Sweden & Thailand respectively, so entirely legit.

6. 

   Geoff Down Under

   #6 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 09:26

   
   

   I know. But I still reserve the right to groan.

7. 

   KVa

   #7 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 09:33

   
   

   🙂

8. 

   Moly

   #8 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 16:08

   
   

   Like others, I flew through the top half but slowly decelerated as I approach the bottom , with Swain as my Loi.

   Thank you for explaining the obvious, but for me unparseable, Glorified

9. 

   JKTiffin

   #9 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 16:41

   
   

   We, too found the bottom half harder, and like others, did not know the true meaning of FIE. Otherwise pretty straightforward. Thank you to both setter and blogger.

10. 

    Cellomaniac

    #10 - Tue 13th Feb 24, 18:51

    
    

    For 15a DETAINEE, I got stuck on ETA for the Greek character, and couldn’t figure out how D could be “heartless”.

    1a, besides being a drink, is also a love potion…it makes the heart grow fonder. I’ll don my cap.

    Thanks Steerpike and Cineraria for the Tuesday tipple.

11. 

    FrankieG

    #11 - Wed 14th Feb 24, 12:02

    
    

    Liked BLASPHEME for its anagram of LAMB & SHEEP – most recently used by Arachne last September “Curse lamb and sheep, straying together (9)”
    There must be a good clue possible using the phrase “hanged for a sheep as a lamb”
    Cellomaniac@10 – for an even worse pun: https://twitter.com/MrNickKnowles/status/517761387872157696 (abscess, dentist -> absinthe, barman)

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