Financial Times 17,911 by NEO

by

A fun puzzle from Neo with a clear theme.

Some brilliant clues, and plenty of enjoyment here. The supernatural theme kept it light. Big thanks to Neo.

picture of the completed grid

ACROSS
1. Staffordshire team needing runs: his big hit was 6 (6)
STOKER

STOKE (Staffordshire team) needing R (runs)

8. Books carried by Prospero perhaps with a 17? (7)
MAGENTA

NT (books, New Testament) carried by MAGE (Prospero perhaps) with A

Prospero is the magician (mage) from Shakespeare’s The Tempest

17 referring to the clue. Fuchsia and magenta are similar shades of the colour pink

9. Indiscreet remark about Irish creature of high standing (7)
GIRAFFE

GAFFE (indiscreet remark) about IR (Irish)

11. The Doris Stokes Radio Band? (6,4)
MEDIUM WAVE

Cryptic definition

Doris Stokes was a renowned British medium (psychic)

12. Waste product atomic on Yorkshire river (4)
UREA

A (atomic) on URE (Yorkshire river)

13. No longer using lift (5)
CLEAN

Double definition

The first in terms of drug use, and for the second: a ‘clean’ is a type of lift in weight lifting

14. Shake-up for Shane, but not something 19s should do (8)
SUNBATHE

(SHANE BUT)* (*shake up for)

19 referring to 19 down’s solution

16/19/25. British spy heavily involved with FM feature: right for drama series? (5,3,7,6)
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

(B (British) SPY HEAVILY with FM FEATURE R (right))* (*involved)

18. Paid less having found religion? (5)
SAVED

Double definition

20. Orgasm’s beginning with a twitch of the ears (4)
OTIC

O[rgasm] (beginning) with TIC (a twitch)

21. Custom to keep the German people in awe (10)
WONDERMENT

WONT (custom) to keep (DER (the, German) + MEN (people))

24. Job description applies pressure to worker without allegiance (7)
PATIENT

P (pressure) applied to (ANT (worker) without TIE (allegiance))

JOB in this case referring to the Biblical character, known for his patience through his suffering

26. Nutwood resident for one in humdrum existence (6)
RUPERT

PER (for one) in RUT (humdrum existence)

Rupert Bear – a popular British cartoon character – lived in the fictional Nutwood

DOWN
1/4/23. Financial product appropriate for 19 25s? (11,7)
STAKEHOLDER PENSION

Cryptic definition

A play on the literal take on ‘stake holder’

19, 25 referring to the clues numbered as such

2. Former England opener coming in promptly (3-4)
ONE-TIME

E[ngland] (opener) coming in ON TIME (promptly)

3. In Paris is friend on Seine? There’s café! (9)
ESTAMINET

In Paris (i.e. in French): (EST (is) + AMI (friend)) on NET (Seine?)

A Seine net is a type of net used to catch fish: the ‘?’ denotes that this is one example

5. Duck as it happens finding tree (5)
OLIVE

O (duck) + LIVE (as it happens)

‘Duck’ is a zero score in cricket

6. Little man, posh character, upset eponymous 19 (7)
DRACULA

(AL (little man, abbreviated man’s name) + U (posh) + CARD (character))< (<upset)

19 referring to 19 down

7. Concerned with cheeky news boss — loaded again? (9)
REFRESHED

RE (concerning) + FRESH (cheeky) + ED (news boss)

10. Provident proceeding to surround diocese (3-6)
FAR-SEEING

FARING (proceeding) to surround SEE (diocese)

13. Legion deserted by 6 and 15? (9)
COUNTLESS

Cryptic definition: If 6 and 15 (from the clue numbers) are COUNTS, then to be deserted by them would make one COUNTLESS

15. For Orlok outer fans must whirr (9)
NOSFERATU

(OUTER FANS)* (*must whirr)

17. Bush found in church in USA if distressed (7)
FUCHSIA

CH (church) in (USA IF)* (*distressed)

21. Complete dump did you say? (5)
WHOLE

“HOLE” (dump, “did you say”)

22. Group from Number 10 in volte-face (5)
NONET

NO (number) + TEN< (10, <in volte-face)

17 comments on “Financial Times 17,911 by NEO”

  1. A great puzzle to get your teeth into! The interconnectedness of the clues seemed daunting at first but it was a witty adventure, after all. STOKER, GIRAFFE and RUPERT were favourites.
    Thanks to Neo and Oriel.

  3. Lovely puzzle referring to one of my favourite TV series.

    GIRAFFE and FAR-SEEING were my favourites too.

    Thanks Neo and Oriel

  4. Personally, I’m ambivalent on themed crosswords; they seem rarely to improve the puzzle, but they often detract from it.
    By my Count, ( sorry for that ), about half of the white squares in this one were interdependent on “Buffy”, a 21-letter anagram derived from a nonsense clue sentence, having the anagram indicator “involved” stuck in the middle of the fodder.
    Obviously, the setter just has to force ” Dracula” in somehow, so….6(down). Rather clunky.
    And so it goes: 11 of the 29 white square sequences taken up with “vampire” clues, of lesser quality than Neo’s other clues here, in my opinion.
    Not to say I did not enjoy it, some good stuff ( though SEINE = NET is beyond me ).
    Fangs for the challenge, Neo, + cheers Oriel.

  5. Having cut my teeth (so to speak) on the great Guardian compilers of old, unlike Boll& above I’m always pleased to see a themed puzzle, especially when it is a good one, as this is. Nice and light, as Oriel says, and expertly assembled.

    One thing Oriel: Dracula and Orlok are both Counts, so we’d be Count-less when deserted by them. Is that what you meant?

    Thanks both.

  6. I find these linked puzzles entertaining too, as someone else who learned when Araucaria was setting (and Bunthorne – who I could never solve).

    TILT Orlak is Nosferatu having never been that much into horror.

    Thank you to Neo and Oriel.

  8. I am no longer amazed when the same word appears in two crosswords, but when my wrong answer for Eccles turns out to be a right answer for Neo (Buffy in this case) it’s a pleasant surprise. A very enjoyable puzzle.

  9. There are two types of themed crossword. One has a ‘ghost theme’ which it’s not necessary to know or discover in order to solve the puzzle. The other is like today’s puzzle where the clues to themed answers refer to each other; either one spots the theme fairly soon in which case solving is an enjoyable challenge or else one is completely baffled and gives up. Today we spotted the theme and enjoyed the challenge.
    But as often with us our favourites were non-themed answers – GIRAFFE, PATIENT and ESTAMINET.
    Thanks, Neo and Oriel.

  10. ‘Twas ever thus with themes.

    But this one isn’t really a problem in that respect, or at least I was hoping it wouldn’t be, as most of it is simple cross- (see what I did there) referencing. I’ll admit that if you can’t crack the long one, then you don’t have VAMPIRE, which is necessary to solve 3 of the other clues, which in turn supply info for 2 more.

    Okay it’s a theme.

    Cheers!

  11. Goujeers@7, thanks for your info on that one.
    Whether it’s “fair” in terms of a reasonable cryptic, I’m not sure.
    I’ve done deep sea fishing for over 60 years, rod-and-line stuff. Never heard of it.
    Still, if it floats your boat, and you knew it, you’re better than me on fishing.

  13. Neo@10 – We have no problem with themed crosswords. This is a gem! Thank you.
    Our slight quibble is with the unlocking clue (ie 16/19/25). The anagram signaller is presumably “involved”. Does it really work that it is in the middle of the words that form the anagram?

  14. I am with EN Boll&@4. I did not see the theme or solve the long one until late in the piece, meaning the puzzle took a long time. Time I do not really have on a weekday.

    Also aligned with ENB&, there were enjoyable moments.

    Thanks Neo and Oriel

  15. Well piratewitch, it — having A anagrammed with B — works, and has worked, for me for as long as I’ve been compiling. I’m glad you liked the puzzle.

    Old Martyn popped in, didn’t he! He’s told us he is aligned with E.N. boll&: as astonishing revelations go, that must be up there with some of the most astonishing ones ever.

    Aligned they are, like Ali G & Ned.

    Goodnight.

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