A fun solve with some very nice surfaces. My favourites were 1ac, 8ac, 6dn, and 22dn. Thanks to Picaroon
There are a number of clues with links to politics and UK political figures
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | APLOMB |
A look maintained by Starmer, with British sangfroid (6)
|
| A (directly from surface); plus LO (look [over there!]) inside PM (Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer); plus B (British) | ||
| 5 | RECORD |
Best ever performance from leftist full of goodness (6)
|
| RED=”leftist”, around COR ([my] goodness!) | ||
| 8 | SMASH IT |
Son remains in Cambridge University to succeed (5,2)
|
| S (Son); plus ASH in MIT
ASH=”remains” after burning or cremation MIT=University in Cambridge, Massachusetts |
||
| 9 | POSTDOC |
Computer file appended to mail for researcher (7)
|
| DOC (“Computer file”) appended after POST=”mail”
DOC can be short for “document” in general, or this could be a reference to the .doc file format |
||
| 11 | GENERAL ELECTION |
Dope and beer left in building for event involving parties (7,8)
|
| GEN=information/knowledge=”Dope”; plus ALE=”beer” + L=”left”, both inside ERECTION=”building” | ||
| 12 |
See 18
|
|
| 13 | GOLF COURSE |
Government naturally welcomes learner drivers here (4,6)
|
| definition refers to “drivers” as in golf clubs (or perhaps, golf players hitting drive shots)
G (Government) + OF COURSE=”naturally” around L (learner) |
||
| 17 | OFF-PUTTING |
Discouraging inaccurate activity on 13 (3-7)
|
| OFF PUTTING could also mean that a golfer’s putting is off/inaccurate on a GOLF COURSE (13ac) | ||
| 18, 12 | RESTRAIN |
Check revenue, gutted by tax (8)
|
| R-[evenu]-E emptied out (gutted), plus STRAIN=”tax” | ||
| 20 | TIGHTROPE WALKER |
Hammered pale worker’s failed balancing act (9,6)
|
| TIGHT=drunk=”Hammered”, plus anagram/”failed” of (pale worker)* | ||
| 23 | DERANGE |
Articles from Germany and the UK, say, about craze (7)
|
| DER=definite ‘article’ in German + AN=indefinite ‘article’ in English; plus E.G.=for example=”say” reversed/”about” | ||
| 24 | TWOFOLD |
Double whiskey brought in to Jacob’s dwelling? (7)
|
| W (whiskey, NATO alphabet), inside edited thanks to Valentine in the comments a FOLD is an enclosure for sheep, and a Jacob is a type of sheep |
||
| 25 | GEISHA |
Farage is hanging around charming companion (6)
|
| hidden in [Fara]-GE IS HA-[nging] | ||
| 26 | PARISH |
Helen’s lover speaking drunkenly in priest’s district (6)
|
| PARISH might be a drunken pronunciation of ‘Paris’
Paris=”Helen’s lover” in the myth of the Trojan War |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 2 | PLAINTIFF |
Actor in a suit with no pattern turning up fine suit (9)
|
| definition: “Actor” and “suit” as in starting legal action
PLAIN=”with no pattern”, plus reversal of: F (fine) + FIT=”[to] suit” |
||
| 3 | OTHERS |
Parents mustn’t have married different people (6)
|
| [m]-OTHERS=”Parents”, minus m for “married” | ||
| 4 | BOTTLE OUT |
During binge, sober stars pusillanimously withdraw (6,3)
|
| BOUT=”binge”, around: TT (teetotal, “sober”) + LEO=constellation of “stars” | ||
| 5 | REPEL |
Drive back from Carlisle, perhaps heading north (5)
|
| hidden in [Carlis]-LE PER-[haps]; reversed upwards (heading north) | ||
| 6 | CASH CROP |
Singer Johnny Rotten’s no. 1 covered by one of The Police – a cultivated product (4,4)
|
| CASH=(Singer Johnny Cash) + first letter (no. 1) of R-[otten] inside COP=”one of The Police” | ||
| 7 | RADII |
Bones possibly set, with a different bit at the end? (5)
|
| definition: plural of radius, a bone in the arm
RADI-[O]=”possibly set”, with I instead of O at the end I and O referred to as different ‘bits’ of digital information – 1s and 0s |
||
| 8 | SUGAR-COATED |
TV magnate with fraudulent investing scoffed, given a sweetener (5-6)
|
| SUGAR (Alan Sugar [wiki], “TV magnate”), plus COD=sham=”fraudulent” around/investing ATE=”scoffed” | ||
| 10 | CONJECTURED |
Presumed crook judge ticked off loses head (11)
|
| CON (convict, “crook”) + J (Judge) + [L]-ECTURED=reprimanded=”ticked off” losing its head letter | ||
| 14 | FINGERTIP |
Better to keep good list in a part of the index? (9)
|
| definition: part of the index finger
FINER=”Better” around G (“good”); plus TIP=to tilt or lean=”list” |
||
| 15 | REEF KNOTS |
Queen upset king breaks often shaky, special bonds (4,5)
|
| ER (Elizabeth Regina, “Queen”) reversed/”upset”; plus K (king) inside anagram/”shaky” of (often)*; plus S (special) | ||
| 16 | HUSTINGS |
Regularly shout ‘cheats’ where politicians speechify (8)
|
| regular letters from [s]-H-[o]-U-[t]; plus STINGS=deceives=”cheats” | ||
| 19 | FAVOUR |
Figure holding Virginia up is Grace’s partner (6)
|
| definition refers to the phrase ‘grace-and-favour’ [wiki]
FOUR=numerical “Figure”, around VA (Virginia, US state) reversed “up” |
||
| 21 | GORGE |
Current prince deprived of electronic stuff (5)
|
| G-[e]-ORGE=Prince George of Wales=”Current prince”, with e for “electronic” removed” | ||
| 22 | OPERA |
Endless test about case of police work at the Met (5)
|
| definition refers to the Metropolitan Opera [wiki]
ORA-[L]=”Endless test”, around the outer letters (“case”) of P-[olic]-E |
A misdirection masterclass from Picaroon. So much so that I was looking for chicanery where none existed e.g. TIGHTROPE WALKER
Top ticks for SMASH IT, BOTTLE OUT and Sean Connery playing PARISH
Cheers P&M
Earlyish for once into the post-match dressing room that is fifteen squared, not sweating too heavily on this occasion, a good clean fight with some very skilful moves from the opposition (1a, 25a, 3d, 6d, 14d). Spent an embarrassing age staring at R_E_ K_O_S , sounding the K in my head and getting nowhere. Someone mentioned a rule ‘when you see U think Q’. When I see K I’ll now think N. Thanks Picaroon and manehi
Delightful, with the setter on usual top form. I really liked the linked twosome of GOLF COURSE and OFF-PUTTING. Like manehi, I felt there was a subliminal political thread running throughout. Other favourites were BOTTLE OUT, SMASH IT (nice misdirection), GENERAL ELECTION, TIGHTROPE WALKER, PLAINTIFF, CAS CROP and SUGAR COATED (I presume he’s familiar overseas). Someone on the G site said OTHERS was an old chestnut but I don’t remember seeing it before.
Ta Picaroon & manehi.
I’m on the point of going out, so will just say ‘What AlanC said’.
Many thanks to Picaroon and manehi.
This type of wit and misdirection is why Picaroon is my favourite setter. There were a lot of fun clues in this one – too many to mention, actually. I was thrown by the separation of REST RAIN, but it was a pleasant lightbulb moment when that went in.
Thanks Picaroon & manehi 🙂
Just have to pop in today to say how much I enjoyed this. The misdirection was superb – and caused a grin when the pennies dropped. Great fun, Picaroon. Thank you.
I gave up parsing TWOFOLD because I assumed that it was something biblical!
I’ll agree with Eileen that Alan C has said it all
Many thanks to Picaroon and manehi
Adrian @2 me too with reef knots being my last one. I should have thought of your rule far sooner.
If I made a list of definitions I only ever see used in crosswords, tight=drunk would be in there.
Thanks Picaroon and manehi
I found this harder than usual – two sittings required. Generally pleasing, but I wouldn’t describe a sheepfold as a “dwelling” – to me, a dwelling must at least have a roof!
Yes, another excellent Picaroon, perhaps at the more benign end of his oeuvre (as I felt Qaos was yesterday).
Re RADII at 7D, there are 10 kinds of people – those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
Thanks to both; I’ll get me coat.
Yes manehi and AlanC@3. The political thread occurred to me down here as well. You could hardly miss the clue and the answer to 11 GENERAL ELECTION. Dope and beer left in building for event involving parties Brilliant. Made me laugh.
And there was Boris’s OFF-PUTTING on the GOLF COURSE and BOTTLE OUT on the HUSTINGS. I could go on. Well, that’s the way I saw it, anyway. And if I’m wrong, I still had a great chuckle.
PLAINTIFF was a favourite, the actor in a suit.
Surely we’ve had [m]others before, Alan C @3 … perhaps the archivists will tell us. But yes, pretty smooth, thanks Pickers, and nothing disturbing. Although, like Adrian said @2, reef knots took a bit of a stare. Enjoyable. And thanks manrhi for the blog.
Steppie@11
there are 10 kinds of people – …
🙂 Good one!
This was lovely and I liked so many that I can’t really choose. The golfing combo was good, even though all I know about golf comes from solving cyptics with the help of this blog (ditto cricket…). I also really liked BOTTLE OUT and APLOMB. Coincidentally the latest Crossword blog features Starmer clues, with a brilliant one from Matilda in 2020.
I operated on the assumption that politics was the theme and it helped a bit. Many thanks Picaroon and manehi 😎
As is often the case with Picaroon, it took me a while to make a breakthrough but after that the going was pleasant and steady. Lots of finely constructed and amusing clues. No reason for “pile up” in the centre column?
Thanks Picaroon and manehi
Well this was great. I can’t pretend I got every surface, but the definitions and crossers saw me home, and having reverted here to see what was what, I found myself nodding appreciatively. Picaroon’s really very good at this mischievous but agreeable setting!
Thanks both!
It’s strange how off-putting I find it if I can’t immediately solve the first clue I read. In this case 1ac APLOMB. Which I eventually came back to and saw what a bitty parse it was. A game of two halves as well. Returned after not much initial success, and then a considerable pause, and the clues simply flew in. Mostly though the definitions, I have to say. Some kind of personal brain reset, too. Couldn’t quite parse TWOFOLD, and thought GOLF COURSE rather weak until I read Manehi’s explanation. A rather good clue in retrospect, in fact I thought the whole puzzle was quite excellent…
Reading muffin @10 reminded me that twofold was a total biff … I was muttering Wasn’t that him with just the one coloured coat? Oh well
.
Lots of deliciously clever misdirection, lots of fun.
Thank you Picaroon – and thanks, too, to manehi for explaining TWOFOLD: I know very little about sheep and, like Shirl@7, had presumed it was some biblical figure….
[shirl@7, gif@19 and Wellbeck @20, I assumed Jacob was a shepherd until manehi clarified it’s actually a sheep 🐑. I did wonder why he’d want to live in a fold but then again there are a few odd characters in the OT.
Steppie@11, you’ve really made me smile 🤣]
Adrian @2 and grantinfreo@13. REEF KNOTS were something I learned in my. Brownies (junior Girl Guide) days. Glad to have remembered that.
pdm @22
I was taught “left over right, right over left” by my father when I was quite small. “left over right, left over right” gives a granny knot!
Quite tricky but enjoyable.
Favourite: APLOMB.
New for me: BOTTLE OUT = withdraw.
I was unsure about Jacob’s dwelling = fold in 24ac but guessed it was a Christian/biblical or mythical reference. Ah, never heard of Jacob sheep breed!
Thanks, both.
… and it wasn’t him, it was Joseph, long time since Sunday School (joke)
At the beginning I thought 13 was a cd, viz: Test Centre, but the crossers soon put paid to that. The usual nice misdirections from Picaroon. I liked SMASH IT, TWOFOLD, GENERAL ELECTION, CASH CROP, GOLF COURSE and FINGER TIP.
Thanks Picaroon and manehi.
Really enjoyed this but I do have a quibblette — though, of course, I may be unaware of some usage or a dictionary definition. I don’t see presumed as a synonym for conjectured.
For example, in maths a conjecture is not a presumption. And in law, the presumption of innocence doesn’t seem like a conjecture.
Happy to be enlightened if I’ve got this round my neck.
Ronald @18 expects to always solve the first clue? I’m often halfway through before my first one in. Today APLOMB was last in.
Bit tough in parts with 6 I couldn’t parse but always glad to complete.
Thanks both
24a I’ve heard of Jacob’s Fold from Emmerdale rather than sheep, but I’m sure manehi is right about Picaroon’s intentions. I particularly liked the misdirection of Cambridge in 8a.
Thanks m and P.
muffin@23. ….. makes a knot both tidy and tight.
Who knew those knots would come in handy one day, 60+ years later in a cryptic crossword? A Picaroon no less, but then it does have nautical applications. .l
Lovely stuff…got a bit bogged down with some unknowns…
MIT, Thought the university was in Michigan!, JACOB, GEISHA, COD.
All fair though.
Thanks both…
Another great one from Picaroon. I don’t know how he manages it, but I’m glad he does.
Liked the GOLFing pair and GENERAL ELECTION.
Alistair@28, “Ronald expects…” reminds me of a certain famous message that began: “England expects…” (21-10-1805), but let me otherwise say, I always feel particularly encouraged if I do manage to solve the very first clue I come across😁…
Very enjoyable. GENERAL ELECTION, a cracker, with GOLF COURSE not far behind. That said, this is one of those puzzles where one could nominate almost anything as a favourite. ‘Dwelling’ is tricky: it’s defined as ‘the place where one dwells’ by Chambers which makes no reference to a building. Collins, equally, does not specify a building in British usage, though it does in American. Examples of usage in both Collins and OED all clearly refer to buildings. ‘Dwelling-place’ is possibly the most accurate extension that still uses the word, though it would make the surface less smooth. All that said, I solved and enjoyed the clue.
Thanks Picaroon and manehi
[ronald @33
Nelson originally wanted to fly the message “England confides…” (using “confides” in an old sense of “is confident that”) but it was pointed out to him that there was a flag for “expects”, whereas “confides” would have to be spelled out, taking far more flags.]
Not much to add! Splendid puzzle with some great surfaces and misdirecting definitions.
Picaroon missed a trick with the (beautiful) clue for TWOFOLD: writing ‘into’ instead of ‘in to’ would have required a lift-and-separate to parse it, and thereby avoid the direct inclusion of a word from the clue in the solution – some solvers are sniffy about this. (muffin @10: why should a ‘dwelling’ require a roof? Like ‘habitation’ the word was originally abstract but has required a concrete meaning, and is essentially just a place to live).
Thanks to the Pirate and manehi
Loved it. Took a while, but as it gradually unfolded I was really enjoying myself. Thanks a lot to Picaroon – and to manehi for the blog as well as other contributors for explaining a few things I hadn’t quite understood at the time. In particular, I appreciated the afore-mentioned 17a OFF-PUTTING, the much-discussed 15d REEF KNOT and 14d FINGERTIP (cf Robi@26). Picaroon really is a wonderful setter!
manehi “W (whiskey, NATO alphabet), inside both of: TO (from surface) + FOLD” would give TWOFWOLD, wouldn’t it? What’s with the “both”?
nho Mr. Sugar, would guess most off-islanders haven’t.
A reef knot is what I call a square knot most of the time, but when I was sailing and the wind picked up, reef knots are what we tied to hold the sail in its shortened position — to reef it.
Thanks to Picaroon and manehi.
Picaroon – always a delight. Some clever misdirections. Stumbled around SMASH HIT before realising there was another Cambridge…
Thank you Picaroon for the smiles and manehi for the miles. Enjoy your day.
As a postscript…JACOB’s also held me up as, being a Londoner, JACOBS = Testicles…Jacobs Cream Crackers = Knackers…
Valentine @28: Alan SUGAR is very familiar in the UK as the front man of the TV series ‘The Apprentice’ – an entirely self-made entrepreneur. When the format was exported to the US it was fronted by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named – anything but self-made….
I can only agree with those above who found this a delight. Despite knowing that Jacob is a breed of sheep I couldn’t get to the bottom of TWOFOLD, and SMASH IT held me up for much longer than it should have. All in all, just the sort of puzzle I love: lots of misdirections; and on a first read through I think I’ll never solve more than a handful, but gradually it falls into place. With thanks to Picaroon and manehi.
Thanks to Picaroon and manehi for the blog. We found this a little tough but still very satisfying. Favourites: PLAINTIFF, TWOFOLD and OPERA.
The best clued crossword I’ve done in some time.
Very nice! Pauline@21 etc., the biblical Jacob was a shepherd at least some of the time (Genesis 30:27-43) but I suppose that would make the fold his workplace rather than his dwelling, which was a tent (Genesis 25:27 etc.) The Jacob sheep is apparently named after the piebald sheep that Jacob bred. This information from the Wikipedia articles, I had assumed FOLD was for Jacob as a shepherd and only learned about the sheep from this blog!
Valentine@38, I’d heard of Lord Sugar, I think because of his political statements. This may be a sign that I follow UK politics a bit too much for an off-islander. BOTTLE OUT was the one that was giving me trouble, and GORGE wound up LOI because I didn’t know there’s a Prince George currently!
Thanks to Picaroon and manehi!
BOTTLE OUT was a slightly odd expession. In England we would generally express the sentiment by saying “He bottled it” rather than “out”. “Chickened out”, however, is a similar, more familiar, expression.
Quite fun, but the splitting of a one-word solution at 12/18a grates. It’s a device I’ve only come across in The Grauniad and it grates every time. If there are two lights, there should be two words and they should be clued as such in my opinion. Many will disagree, and so be it. But, to me, the device comes close to cheating. Other than that grumble, an enjoyable solve. Thanks to setter and blogger.
Muffin@46 – I think BOTTLED OUT pre-dates BOTTLED IT by a couple of decades. I’ve not looked it up, but the expression didn’t surprise me at all, and it’s a familiar one from my earlier years (even if I rarely used it myself). It could just be an age thing.
Like everyone, it seems, I really enjoyed this puzzle. The many misdirections and intricate clueing made it a fair challenge but all the more satisfying to solve.
As a Aussie, the only UK GK that was unfamiliar to me was that Jacob is a breed of sheep; it’s mostly merinos here. I just thought it somehow referred to Jacob from the OT and indirectly, it did.
So many likes, including APLOMB, PLAINTIFF, CASH CROP, SMASH IT, GENERAL ELECTION, REEF KNOTS (another old girl guide here), FAVOUR, OPERA.
Thanks to Picaroon and manehi.
I missed matt w@45’s contribution on the Jacob sheep. 🐑 Thanks and apologies for any repetition. Hope it comes up again sometime.
BigNorm @47: I agree about the split, not a fan either. BOTTLED OUT/IT are interchangeable although I would tend to use the former.
Well written, as always from Picaroon, but a bit too much of a write-in. That’s 4 puzzles in a row that have been on the easier end of the spectrum, imho. I’d prefer to see a few harder ones mixed in to make more of an old style Guardian balance.
Just my two cents.
Thanks, Picaroon and manehi – especially for Jacob’s role, which I missed.
Almost entirely enjoyable, especially 8A whose parsing defeated me. As I went to Cambridge and my wife to MIT and we often joke that we both “went to Cambridge”, I really should have gotten there.
However I do have one quibble, and its not specific to Picaroon. I dislike the device of replacing a word with its first letter, unless it’s in everyday usage outside of crosswordland or there is some indication (such as ‘leader of’ or ‘first in’, or as in 6D). Today we had J from judge and S from special, which I do not think are common abbreviations; plus, arguably, S from son, B from British and G from government.
And yes, I realize it’s a common convention in cryptics. I still don’t like it. 6D with its neat integration of the indicator into the surface is infinitely more satisfying to my mind.
Last 1 (or 2) in: 18a/12a. Because I was trying to solve it as 12a/18a with R_I_ = REIN = “Check”, then wondering why _E_T = VENT or VEST wouldn’t parse.
I had all the right half-clues, but not necessarily in the right order. Duh!.
I crashed through quite a few surfaces but got home safely. , Misdirection??My favourite was 2 down – I couldn’t think beyond this courtroom scene:
https://youtu.be/J0kelLEWNNw?si=eLxxDLOAtRFMNX0S
Sorry, I can’t figure out the link-embedding trick that all the cool kids are using. (On Android).
@47 Big Norm. I can accept a one word clue split into two. Otherwise the setter would indicate two words – (4, 4). But I do think the first half of the word should be in the left and the second part on the right. Or from top to bottom. I think someone mentioned this here recently.
Valentine @38 – the ‘both’ doesn’t need to be there, have edited. I think my meaning was something like ‘the combination of the two elements together’, but the clue does not require this.
Very enjoyable. As someone earlier stated I didn’t get much in on the first pass but came back later and it all fell into place. I agree that the split word was confusing. I guessed at Rain from the word Check in the clue, as in Rain Check! That took me down a long rabbit hole, but got there in the end! Many thanks to setter and blogger.
Jacob @ 53
off the top of my head
J = judge is a standard legal abbreviation (my wife was one)
S(pecial) A(ir) S(ervice, B(oat) S(ervice), from crosswordland S(pecial) I(nstruction)s
S = son(s) is a standard abbreviation in genealogy
O(rder) (etc) of the B(ritish) E(mpire), B(ritish) E(mpire) M(edal), B(ritish) B(roadcasting) C(orporation), G(reat) B(ritish) B(ake) O(ff)
HMG(overnment)
Simon S@59
Useful explanation.
I can think of an application of J=justice (after the surname of a judge).
In which context does J stand for ‘judge’?
Thanks both,
A splendid puzzle. 6d was worth the price of admission on its own.
I think ‘bottle’ derives from rhyming slang: ‘bottle and glass’ = ‘arse’ = ‘courage’. So bottle out is to fail for lack of courage. In the phrase ‘bottle it’ it becomes something of a contranym.
@KVA №60. In England Wales and NI -( guardian home jurisdiction) J by itself after a name stands for judge. With other letters (LC)J it will stand for Something (Lord Chief for example) Justice.
I think the simple appellation Justice is an American thing
Matthew Newell@62
J=Judge
Thank you.
[Thanks to Matt w@45 for the info about Jacob and to Ricardo@55 for the link 😎]
Tyngewise @61 – interesting note on ‘bottle’ = courage, thanks.
Revealed RESTRAIN, I’m not sure whether I was stymied by the split, or not. I was sort of halfway there.
A favourite was CASH CROP, but really there were too many to mention. Can only echo the positive comments of others.
Just what I always say about Picaroon’s puzzles. Sheer quality.
What crypticsue@8 said. 🙂 Thanks to Picaroon, manehi and AlanC@3.
1a APLOMB reminded me of my favourite piece of Fractured French. “Voici l’anglais avec son sangfroid habituel” = “Here comes the Englishman with his usual bloody cold.”
Agree with all the praises for this brilliant puzzle, but I just wanted to respond to Shed53@27, I had agreed with you but I looked up Chambers and for ‘presumption’ it gives (among other usages) ‘supposition’, ‘confidence grounded on something not proved’ while ‘conjecture’ is just ‘an opinion formed without proof; a guess’.
So I think it is permissible after all!
Thanks for the blog, I am all in favour of the Guardian having two easier puzzles a week for newer solvers but four in a row ? Surely we need some variety ? I would like to have to scratch my head just once during the week .
Roz @69
See mine @10
I have nothing today.
I’m not looking at answers yet.
Are there any anagrams to “get in”?
Hi Steffen
No straight anagrams at all, which is probably why I found it difficult too. 5d is the easiest, I think.
cellomaniac @67
🙂
I agree with Roz !
Phitonelly @ 52 I do agree with you This week, all the puzzles have been easier, too easy in some cases. We are paper solvers and have a stock of ones we haven’t attempted for some reason or other. That stock is now severely depleted! Had a decree gone out from the new crossword editor?
Did like this one though. Many thanks to Pucaroon and Manehi.
And Roz @ 69, yes, exactly.
And Roz @ 69, yes, exactly. Sorry, skipped to end to write my comment.
Sincam@68 conjecture/presumption yes indeed and anyone following the recent Bayesian sinking will surely agree that most commentators are entirely in agreement with Picaroon on this one.
Didn’t Alan Sugar invent (or make) the Amstrad? Isn’t that enough for lasting international infamy? 😁
A nice puzzle as always. A question about 25A, where is the container indicator?
Rats @80,
“around”. The phrase “Farage is hanging” [is] around charming companion.
Ok thanks
@tassietim №79
alan michael sugar trading
Indeed he did
BigNorm@47: “the splitting of a one-word solution … comes close to cheating”. There’s no such thing as “cheating” in crosswords. There’s an unspoken contract between the setter and the solver that the former will set “fair” clues, or at least try to avoid being “unfair”. These terms have a fluidity that often leads solvers to think they have been, as you put it, “cheated”. But what is unfair about defining an eight letter word and enumerating it as such, but splitting it over two lights? The solver can be confident that each of the four letter words are real words (so for example, RESTRAIN is a possible solution but RESTRICT is not), there is a definition, there is wordplay, what can possibly be unfair about it?
I assume that the follow up from Ricardo@56 is facetious: “I do think the first half of the word should be in the left and the second part on the right. Or from top to bottom.” If John McEnroe had been a crossword setter rather than a tennis player, he might have used his catchphrase in response.
An excellent puzzle, although I agree with some that it was a shame to split one word over 18/12. Especially as « rest » and « rain » could have been clued separately. Thanks to all for the interesting blog.
Roz @ 69. With respect , surely you are joking. I have enjoyed being able to finish a couple of crosswords in the past week or two, but this is in a different league entirely. Yes, the parsing is very clever once it’s explained, but some (eg CONJECTURED, CASH CROP) seem just too contrived to be solvable. I got just one answer (PARISH) before giving up after several hours. So I think there is quite a wide range of degrees of difficulty in Guardian Cryptics.
Understood all word plays except CASH CROP. It never occurred to me that ‘Johnny’ and ‘Rotten’ did not mean the Sex Pistols band member. Clever that. Will be wary in future.