Financial Times 17,678 by GURNEY

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A solid puzzle with some elegant surfaces from Gurney . . .

. . . with a couple of quibbles noted below.

picture of the completed grid

ACROSS
1 SHOELACE
Quiet star backing expert, one of a pair (8)
I think this is supposed to parse as: SH (quiet) + LEO (star[?]) reversed (backing) + ACE (expert), although I think Leo should be something like “constellation” or “star sign”?
5 BOW OUT
Go gracefully as large meal left abandoned (3,3)
B[L]OW-OUT (large meal) minus (abandoned) L (left)
8 APT
Fitting carpet on regular basis (3)
Every other letter of (on regular basis) [C]A[R]P[E]T
9 VINDICTIVE
Introduction of variable charge I’ve seen as far from friendly (10)
First letter of (introduction of) V[ARIABLE] + INDICT (charge) + I’VE
10 MERINGUE
Cake urge, mine, that’s silly (8)
Anagram of (silly) {URGE MINE}
11 L-PLATE
Unexpected tale about place’s requirement for some on move (1-5)
Anagram of (unexpected) TALE around (about) PL (place), i.e., for those learning to drive
12 DOOM
Flipping temper leading to ruin! (4)
MOOD (temper) reversed (flipping)
14 TRADITIONS
Radio stint for shake-up — they’ve been around for a while (10)
Anagram of (for shake-up) RADIO STINT
17 CONTRARILY
In obstinate way, unfortunately, no clarity about resistance (10)
Anagram of (unfortunately) {NO CLARITY} around (about) R (resistance)
20 DOVE
Went by road, dropping off Republican flier (4)
D[R]OVE (went by road) minus (dropping off) R (Republican)
23 PAROLE
Each year, duty to provide conditional release (6)
P.A. (each year) + ROLE (duty)
24 RADIATOR
Artist needing help on return to atelier finally getting warmer (8)
RA (artist) + AID (help) reversed (on return) + TO + last letter of (finally) [ATELIE]R
25 INITIATIVE
Home computing, one built-in minus first drive (10)
IN (home) + IT (computing) + I (one) + [N]ATIVE (built-in) minus first [letter]
26 ONE
United forward, English (3)
ON (forward) + E (English)
27 BARELY
Born unusually early? Not quite (6)
B (born) + anagram of (unusually) EARLY
28 UNSTATED
Not said to be a global body figure by media boss (8)
UN (a global body) + STAT (figure) + ED (media boss)
DOWN
1 SPASMODIC
Compass I’d renovated in brief spells (9)
Anagram of (renovated) COMPASS I’D
2 ONTARIO
Province supported by group of three, welcoming article (7)
ON (supported by) + TRIO (group of three) around (welcoming) A (article)
3 LIVING
About six, Heather still around? (6)
LING (heather) around (about) VI (six, in Roman numerals)
4 CONQUEROR
Victor, lively crooner, entertaining queen (9)
Anagram of (lively) CROONER around (entertaining) QU. (queen)
5 BACILLI
Graduate on Channel Islands, not well on way up — are these to blame? (7)
BA (graduate) + CI (Channel Islands) + ILL (not well) inverted (on way up), i.e., to blame for the illness
6 WHIRLWIND
Like some romances, initially with hopes involving real love, move in twisty way (9)
First letters of (initially) W[ITH] H[OPES] I[NVOLVING] R[EAL] L[OVE] + WIND (move in twisty way)
7 UNEATEN
Uniform, tidy, in from France but not taken in? (7)
U (uniform) + NEAT (tidy) + EN (in, “from France,” i.e., in French)
13 METEORITE
Flying object, remote possibly — it has energy (9)
Anagram of (possibly) REMOTE + IT + E (energy). Nice surface. Technically, I think a meteorite has hit the ground, thus is no longer flying.
15 DALMATIAN
Croatian animal at front of doghouse, exercising (9)
First letter of (front of) D[OGHOUSE] + anagram of (exercising) {ANIMAL AT}
16 SPEARHEAD
Leader unhappy about fruit fellow (9)
SAD (unhappy) around (about) {PEAR (fruit) + HE (fellow)}
18 OCARINA
Firm’s upcoming song about new musical instrument (7)
CO. (firm) inverted ([is] upcoming) + ARIA (song) around (about) N (new)
19 AMENITY
Island housing blokes at start of year in pleasant facility (7)
AIT (island) around (housing) MEN (blokes) + first letter of (start of) Y[EAR]
21 OUTPOST
Issued letters for border settlement (7)
OUT (issued) + POST (letters)
22 DIGEST
Archaeological excavation in Paris is featured in summary (6)
DIG (archaeological excavation) + EST (is, “in Paris,” i.e., in French)

14 comments on “Financial Times 17,678 by GURNEY”

  1. Thanks Cineraria

    I found this a relaxing solve.

    So saying, there were a couple of clues (BOW OUT and VINDICTIVE) I did not parse, but bunged in because they had to be correct. I use the app through the week and it makes me much more cavalier than when I use the pink paper on weekends. I had the same parsing as you for SHOELACE, and I was equally unsure about it. If it is not correct, at least I am in good company.

    No one clue jumped out at me as a favourite. I did not know OCARINA, and solved it without any crossers. So, I guess I will name that for boasting value.

    Thanks Gurney and thanks again to Cineraria

  2. I didn’t parse BOW-OUT because I’d never refer to a large meal as a blow-out. And never heard of AIT/island.

    My only quibble was that a meteorite is not a flying object — a meteor is. But I see you beat me to it, Cineraria!

    Everything else was an enjoyable experience, thanks Gurney.

  3. Thanks for the blog, good puzzle with a neat set of clues, WHIRLWIND my favourite for the definition and description.
    I agree with the two quibbles , LEO is not a star although I will check the register later.
    METEORITE , yes it has landed but it was a remote flying object with energy.

  4. I agree that Leo is not a star and the definition for “meteorite” is a load of bolides.
    Martyn @1, OCARINA seems to be the setters’ go to instrument so well worth remembering.

  5. In 23ac I think role should be parsed as ‘duty to provide’. I enjoyed this puzzle. Thanks setter and blogger.

  7. I enjoyed that but took longer than I should have on the bottom half as I took ages to realise that 17a was an anagram.

    Favourites were: RADIATOR, LIVING (ling as heather new to me), BACILLI, UNEATEN, ONTARIO

    Thanks Gurney and Cineraria

  8. I did not know the island “ait” at 19D. Thanks Cineraria.

    I have had too many 6 downs.

    Thanks Gurney and Cineraria

  10. Very enjoyable and a speedy solve by my standards -other than I took too long with my LOIs – Whirlwind, One and Spearhead.

    Never hear of Ait

    Particularly liked Blow Out, Vindictive and the clever Dalmatian.

    Thanks!

  12. Had the same doubt about LEO, but it could be a reference to Di Caprio, who’s often referred to this way in the media.

  13. Would have preferred it had OLE (Solskaer) been the answer (rather than) ONE for 26 across. Very enjoyable crossword.

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