Financial Times 17,735 by BASILISK

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A very enjoyable puzzle from Basilisk.

Clever wordplay, especially with the compound words. Basilisk is on top form with this morning’s puzzle. Thank you for the challenge.

I think compound words are the theme here, also denoted by the plus signs in the black squares of the grid.

picture of the completed grid

ACROSS
1/4. Evict man in area sporting a Mohican? (6,8)
NATIVE AMERICAN

(EVICT MAN IN AREA)* (*sporting)

9. Tri-metallic material (6)
CALICO

Cryptic definition

CA (calcium) + LI (lithium) + CO (cobalt), i.e. made up of three metals

10. Pupils exploit master (5,3)
CLASS ACT

CLASS (pupils) + ACT (exploit)

For ACT think heroic act / daring exploit

12. This gas mixed with hydrogen could produce neon, right? (8)
NITROGEN

Cryptic definition

NITROGEN* (*mixed) with H (hydrogen) produces NEON RIGHT

13. Pornographic content, essentially containing sex, makes a comeback (6)
EROTIC

(CORE (content, essentially) containing IT (sex))< (<makes a comeback)

15/16. Cursing is men’s way of speaking (11)
MALEDICTION

A play on words: MALE DICTION might be the way men speak

20/21. Case for party policy disrupted by obvious barrier to spending? (7,4)
POVERTY LINE

P[art]Y (case for) + LINE (policy) disrupted by OVERT (obvious)

25. Increase pressure to stop Universal Credit (6)
UPTICK

P (pressure) to stop (U (universal) + TICK (credit))

26. Some retrospectively recorded if an observation’s done properly (4,4)
BONA FIDE

[record]ED IF AN OB[servation]< (some, <retrospectively)

28. Cover of book pulsing with energy (8)
BATHROBE

B (book) + ATHROB (pulsating) with E (energy)

29. Harsh cuts abruptly lead to economies (6)
SEVERE

SEVER[s] (cuts, abruptly) + E[conomies] (lead to)

30/31. Somebody provided weapon for criminal that robs people of money (3-5,6)
ONE-ARMED BANDIT

ONE (somebody) + ARMED (provided weapon for) + BANDIT (criminal)

‘One-armed bandit’ is the nickname for a coin-operated slot machine with a lever on one side

DOWN
1. Handle Englishman’s return following arrest (8)
NICKNAME

(E (English) + MAN)< (<return) following NICK (arrest)

2. Revealing lie? (8)
TELLTALE

TELL TALE (to lie)

3. State which, out of final pair, is winner (6)
VICTOR

VICTOR[ia] (state, out of final pair)

5/ 14. Attack MI6 headquarters? (11)
MOLESTATION

A play on words: MOLE STATION could be MI6 headquarters

6. 4 can support opportunity (8)
RESTROOM

REST (support) + ROOM (opportunity)

A RESTROOM is an American (i.e. 4 across) can (slang for WC/toilet)

7. Reporter’s pursued virgin (6)
CHASTE

“CHASED” (pursued, “reporter’s”)

8. Become aware of information about forthcoming event (6)
NOTICE

Double definition

11/27. What should be realised when treating ill and bereaved? (11)
DELIVERABLE

(ILL + BEREAVED)* (*treating)

17. Spelling expert corrected errors involving Common Entrance (8)
SORCERER

(ERRORS)* (*corrected) involving CE (Common Entrance)

For ‘spelling’ think magic spells

18. Share of profits stopped six cuts (8)
DIVIDEND

DID END (stopped), VI (six) cuts

19. Passionate old soldier embraces virile chaps (8)
VEHEMENT

VET (old soldier) embraces HE MEN (virile chaps)

22. Village almost below ground has risen up before (6)
PUEBLO

(BELO[w])* (almost, *ground); has UP< (<risen) before

23. Take action about gallery losing it’s last exhibit? (6)
STATUE

SUE (take action) about TAT[e] (gallery, losing its last)

24. What may get shot by gunmen having got there first (6)
CAMERA

RA (gunmen), having CAME (got there) first

25 comments on “Financial Times 17,735 by BASILISK”

  1. Exactly what Oriel said.
    Liked MALEDICTION and ‘4 can’ (RESTROOM).
    Thanks both for a fine puzzle and an equally fine blog.

  2. Thanks Basilisk and Oriel!
    Loved the puzzle and the blog!
    A lot to like. Mentioning a few:
    CALICO, NITROGEN, MALEDICTION, ONE-ARMED BANDIT (COTD) and RESTROOM.

  4. GDU@3: Royal Artillery
    I thought there was more to the wordplay for NOTICE, but I could not figure out anything extra. Thanks for clarifying.
    I do not quite understand the definition for DELIVERABLE, or how the division into DELIVER ABLE adds anything to the clue/solution?

  5. Found this tough and gave up on the last few but enjoyed the challenge.

    Favourites: CALICO, ONE-ARMED BANDIT, MOLESTATION, POVERTY LINE, NICKNAME

    Can’t believe I didn’t spot BONA FIDE

    Thanks Basilix and Oriel

  6. Cineraria@4
    DELIVERABLE
    An objective yet to be delivered/realised. That’s the intended sense here, I think.
    (Receivables and DELIVERABLES are often used in billing. And DELIVERABLES while referring to project goals).

  7. Cineraria @4: I agree with KVa, but there may be a further subtle intention: when treating the ill or bereaved, your objective might be to DELIVER (bring to fruition) ABLE (or ability).

  10. This was a DNF(5,6&10)
    but we really enjoyed the puzzle nonetheless and let out a huge groan when reading the solution to 5 D despite having figured out the second half of the clue. I really liked the brevity of 9A. Thank you to Basilisk and Oriel.

  11. I found this slow going in parts. I may have been tired, but I often found it difficult to identify the type of clue I was facing, and the compound words made it difficult to just find the answer from the crossers. The grid tripped me up for DELIVERABLE. I did identify it as an anagram but, with the grid splitting it in two, I then spent ages trying to work out how the letters fitted into two words (forgetting the clue told me it was one).

    MOLESTATION was my favourite clue.

  12. Thanks for the blog, excellent spot for the plus signs in the grid.
    Very enjoyable tough challenge with clever, neat clues throughout.

  14. Very nice, just the right level of difficulty and challenging enough for my mood at the moment, really liked it, thought the cluing and construction was very clever.
    Couldn’t parse “Rest Room” or “Class Act” and totally missed the plus signs in the grid (facepalm moment).
    Thank you to Basilisk and to Oriel for the blog

  15. A very good crossword but sadly too good for me. I loved 5,14 dn – but only once I’d looked up the answer and Oriels explanation

  16. We can’t agree that this was enjoyable – lots of help required and too many ‘oh, of course’ moments.
    Thamks, though, to Basilisk and Oriel.

  17. A real lateral thinking one here. Fun but a brain smoker. Thank you everyone

  18. I usually don’t enjoy Basilisk’s puzzles but I thought this one was brilliant—just the right level of difficulty for me. Thanks to you and to Oriel for a great blog (as always).

  19. Many thanks to Oriel for the excellent blog and to everyone who has taken the time to solve the puzzle and leave a comment.

  20. So it seems “it’s” in 23 is an error, and to my mind an unforgiveable one. The FT puzzle has shown little sign of having any attention from an editor for some time now (since Colin Inman’s retirement, I think) with clues being effectively repeated (in one recent case as soon as the following day) and all sorts of errors which should have been picked up long before publication.

  21. Just found this website – bookmarked — found Basilisk too hard for my liking but can appreciate the clues once I had answers. Got about 10 answers late last night.

    One question – I’ve not come across SEX = IT before. 13a – could someone help me please? Thanks

  23. …and here. In CrosswordLand ‘it’ can mean SA (Sex Appeal) or just sex(ual intercourse). [Note that IT (upper case) is Information Technology – not sexy at all.]

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