Wednesday wit from Eccles today.
A good mix of clues, some easy and some less so. I’m not quite sure whether 22a follows the rules, but I think it works anyway. Some delightfully sneaky definitions, especially 1d, 14d and 24d; 3d verges on the libellous but I’m sure it’s covered by the standard defence of having been proved true at least once. My favourite clue must be 12a, both for the remarkable anagram and for the sad indictment on our current crop of politicians: wouldn’t it be a nice surprise if they could be moral and creditable? Thanks Eccles for the fun.
Definitions are underlined; BOLD UPPERCASE indicates letters used in the wordplay; square brackets [ ] indicate omitted letters.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | CAPTOR |
Guard caught bird of prey, covering head (6)
|
| C (abbreviation for caught, in cricket scoring) + [r]APTOR (bird of prey) without the first letter (head). | ||
| 4 | SWEET PEA |
Charming king ignored by mountain climber (5,3)
|
| SWEET (charming) + PEA[k] (mountain), ignoring the K (abbreviation for king).
A climbing plant. |
||
| 10 | ROUNDELAY |
Dance throughout arrest, one day only (9)
|
| ROUND (throughout, as in “round the clock” perhaps?) + DELAY (arrest = to stop the progress of something), but with only one D (abbreviation for day) where the words meet.
I knew this word as meaning a poem with a refrain (probably intended to be sung), but Collins tells me it also means a mediaeval circle-dance. |
||
| 11 | A GOGO |
Excited by love galore (1,4)
|
| AGOG (excited) + O (zero = love, in tennis scoring).
Galore = a gogo = in plentiful supply. |
||
| 12 | LIBERAL DEMOCRAT |
Surprisingly moral and creditable politician (7,8)
|
| Anagram (surprisingly) of MORAL + CREDITABLE. | ||
| 13 | NIOBIUM |
Metal charm found in Northern Ireland? I’m not sure (7)
|
| OBI (a charm used in Afro-Caribbean witchcraft), in NI (abbreviation for Northern Ireland) + UM (an expression of uncertainty = I’m not sure). | ||
| 15 | SCRUMP |
Save uniform for one to steal fruit (6)
|
| SCR[i]MP (to spend as little money as possible), with U (Uniform in the radio alphabet) replacing I (one in Roman numerals).
To steal fruit, typically apples, from a tree. |
||
| 18 | KANSAS |
Dicky asks about a new home for Dorothy? (6)
|
| Anagram (dicky = faulty) of ASKS, around A + N (abbreviation for new).
In the film The Wizard of Oz, the title character Dorothy lives on a farm in Kansas, until mysteriously transported to the land of Oz by a tornado – hence the line “I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”. |
||
| 20 | VISCERA |
Endorsement about revolutionary place to play organs (7)
|
| VISA (an endorsement on a passport), around REC (short for recreation ground = place to play) reversed (revolutionary).
The large internal organs of the body. |
||
| 22 | REGISTERED NURSE |
I treat tender surgeries? (10,5)
|
| Anagram (treat = deal with) of TENDER SURGERIES.
I’m not sure how to classify this one. It’s not a full clue-as-definition because the I isn’t part of the wordplay; and “I treat” can’t be the definition because “treat” would be doing double duty. Let’s call it an extended definition. |
||
| 25 | INTER |
The first season in the UK women scored for football club (5)
|
| [w]INTER (in the UK, the season that starts the calendar year), with the W (abbreviation for women) deleted (scored = crossed out).
Abbreviation for football clubs whose full name starts with International (or the local translation of that): Inter Milan, Inter Miami, and several others. |
||
| 26 | RING-FENCE |
Put restriction on funds of jewellery dealer (4-5)
|
| RING (a piece of jewellery worn on the finger) + FENCE (a dealer in stolen goods).
To reserve a sum of money for a specific purpose, for example by holding it in a separate account from other funds. |
||
| 27 | MONOTONY |
Mon Oncle‘s lead gets Broadway award for routine (8)
|
| MON + first letter (lead) of O[ncle] + TONY (nickname for Broadway theatre’s annual awards: they’re named after Antoinette Perry).
Monotony = routine = the same thing over and over again. |
||
| 28 | PLAYER |
Quietly film actor? (6)
|
| P (abbreviation for Italian piano = musical term meaning quietly) + LAYER (film = a thin layer on a surface). | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CAROLINE |
Motor track encircles old station, in the main (8)
|
| CAR (motor) + LINE (track, as in railway line), around O (abbreviation for old).
Radio Caroline, a former “pirate” radio station based on a ship in international waters to get round the UK’s licensing laws; in the main = on the sea. |
||
| 2 | PLUMB |
Heavy weight of fruit picked up (5)
|
| Homophone (picked up = heard) of PLUM (a fruit).
A weight (usually lead) on the end of a rope or string, for measuring depth or checking vertical lines. |
||
| 3 | ORDERLIES |
Hospital workers demand statements from Boris? (9)
|
| ORDER (as a verb = demand) + LIES (statements from former PM Boris Johnson, who has been widely criticised for a somewhat casual attitude to the truth). | ||
| 5 | WRYNESS |
Cautious head ignoring answer’s sardonic humour (7)
|
| W[a]RY (cautious) + NESS (headland), ignoring the A (abbreviation for answer). | ||
| 6 | ERATO |
Operator conceals erotic inspiration (5)
|
| Hidden answer (. . . conceals) in [op]ERATO[r].
In Greek mythology, the Muse who inspired erotic and lyric poetry. |
||
| 7 | PROGRAMME |
Expert on game reveres Alison Mitchell’s masterful elucidation, primarily, in Test Match Special? (9)
|
| PRO (short for professional = expert), then initial letters (primarily) of G[ame] R[everes] A[lison] M[itchell’s] M[asterful] E[lucidation].
Definition by example: Test Match Special is the BBC’s cricket commentary radio programme, and Alison Mitchell is one of its regular commentators. |
||
| 8 | ABORTS |
Prematurely terminates fake Kazakh’s advance to the top (6)
|
| BORAT’S (Borat is a fake Kazakh character created by the comedian Sacha Baron Cohen), with the A (abbreviation for advance) moved to the beginning (to the top, in a down clue). | ||
| 9 | SLALOM |
American visiting prostitutes returned for obstacle race (6)
|
| A (abbreviation for American), inserted into (visiting) MOLLS (prostitutes) reversed (returning).
A ski race in which the course bends around fixed poles (obstacles). |
||
| 14 | ORANG-UTAN |
Ginger individual Oscar managed stomach pain regularly (5-4)
|
| O (Oscar in the radio alphabet) + RAN (managed = was in control of) + GUT (stomach) + alternate letters (regularly) of [p]A[i]N.
An ape with ginger-coloured hair. |
||
| 16 | RESENTFUL |
High rent fuels hurt (9)
|
| Anagram (high = intoxicated) of RENT FUELS.
Hurt, as an adjective = resentful = upset by someone or something. |
||
| 17 | CAPE FEAR |
Timeless achievement shown in crime film (4,4)
|
| FEA[t] (achievement) without the T (abbreviation for time, hence “timeless”), inserted into CAPER (a crime).
A 1960s psychological thriller, or its 1990s remake. |
||
| 19 | SWEAR IN |
Admit to office son gets tiresome briefly (5,2)
|
| S (abbreviation for son) + WEARIN[g] (tiresome) without the last letter (briefly).
Swear in = ceremonially appoint someone to a public office. |
||
| 20 | VIENNA |
Austrian city repulsed future queen? (6)
|
| ANNE IV (as far as I’m aware the UK has only ever had one reigning Queen Anne, but it’s possible we could have another three in the future), reversed (repulsed). | ||
| 21 | TRUISM |
It’s rum, is rum! (6)
|
| Anagram (rum = strange) of IT’S RUM.
Clue-as-definition (&lit), with the definition being a definition by example. Truism = a statement that is self-evidently true. |
||
| 23 | SPRAT |
Fish found in overturned waterproof sheets (5)
|
| TARPS (short for tarpaulins = waterproofed canvas sheets), reversed (overturned).
A small edible oily fish. |
||
| 24 | RANDY |
Wanting the other currency to be supported by yen (5)
|
| RAND (South African currency) before (above, in a down clue = supported by) Y (abbreviation for yen, the Japanese currency).
“The other”, especially “a bit of the other” = slang for sexual activity; randy = slang for sexually aroused. |
Appreciate the blog’s assistance with the exact parsing of 11a, ‘obi’ in 13a, and how ABORTS works which was beyond my ken. Great puzzle though. Big ticks for VISCERA, the consise PLAYER, and CAROLINE. PROGRAMME in top spot (for the week so far). Definition by example! How clever. Thanks Eccles.
I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Quite challenging too (that much more enjoyable). Thanks Eccles.
Excellent and neat blog Quirister. Clarity index pretty high. Thanks.
My faves today: ROUNDELAY, SCRUMP, VISCERA, ABORTS, VIENNA and TRUSIM.
ROUNDELAY
ROUND: Agree with the blog. I was thinking about ‘year-round’ and ‘all year round’.
SCRUMP
I find that to steal=SCRUMP and (a small) fruit=SCRUMP (in addition to what the blog says). Maybe an intended WP+2 defs.
RING-FENCE
Should the ‘of’ be part of the def?
REGISTERED NURSE
Agree with Quirister’s view.
Excellent as ever from this setter. A joy to solve.
Many thanks to Eccles and to Quirister.
Another super puzzle from Eccles – I agree entirely with above comments.
My favourites were the two great anagrams at 12ac LIBERAL DEMOCRATS and 22ac REGISTERED NURSE plus 4ac SWEET PEA,14dn ORANG-UTAN and 24dn RANDY, all for the well-disguised definitions, 3dn ORDERLIES, for the cheek and 21dn TRUISM for its neatness.
Many thanks to both Eccles and Quirister.
A fizz-bang of a puzzle as is often the case with this setter. Loads of fun and cleverness and a fair degree of deception. SWEET PEA, LIBERAL DEMOCRAT, MONOTONY, CAROLINE, PROGRAMME, ABORTS and TRUISM get my big ticks today. It always feels odd that Winter is the first season of the calendar year – the natural cycle of birth to decline, young to old makes Winter feel like it should come at the end. And, of course, it sort of does both. As for REGISTERED NURSE, extended def seems about right, given the ‘I’ would be somewhat meaningless without the rest but it is definitely the def part of the clue. KVa is rapidly becoming our resident expert in this field (;) ) so with both of you agreeing, that’s pretty much confirmed it! It’s also funny how things come in phases: I seem to have encountered quite a bit of the other in crosswords over recent times.
Thanks Eccles and Quirister
I agree with everyone so far. Thanks to Eccles and Quirister.
Found this a tough challenge – the air was blue by the time I reached the fake Kazakh!
Top clue by a mile was CAROLINE, with PROGRAMME & AGOGO both raising a smile.
Thanks to Eccles and to Quirister for the review.
DNF, as I couldn’t see 17D CAPE FEAR for love nor money. 1D referring to Radio Caroline of particular interest to me as, later this year, I have booked to visit its still broadcasting home, the former trawler Ross Revenge, off West Mersea. Thanks Eccles and Quirister.
[With the various mentions of Radio CAROLINE, I would strongly recommend to anyone who has not seen it, the movie The Boat That Rocked, starring Bill Nighy, for which the station was the influence. Delightful.]
I agree with Petert. Lovely stuff. Thanks, Eccles and Quirister.
Before Crypticsue makes a comment we would like to say
……. what Eileen said.
Very good puzzle, and blog. CAROLINE last one in for me and elicited the same nod of admiration as many other clues.
27a MONOTONY – Mon Oncle‘s lead was Jacques Tati – but he won an Oscar, not a Tony – Nice ‘lift and separate’
Thanks both. A good combination of devices, some too good for me as I neither knew the metal nor the charm in NIOBIUM and simply didn’t know of ROUNDELAY though was pleased to see CAPE FEAR when the clue was evading being solved. I just didn’t read Kazakh as someone from that country, and thought it was someone’s name so ABORTS went in unparsed