More geographically based cruciverbal fun. Find it to solve online or download and print at ft.com/crossword, or via the FT smartphone app.
The usual preamble:
A cryptic puzzle themed on one particular place in the world. Its name should be inserted at 1 down/9 across/14 across. Work out the place by solving the * asterisked clues, all undefined. Their solutions have some relevance to the place, such as famous people, locations and culture.
Twigging the thematic country early made this a fun romp for me, with only a few slightly tricky bits of parsing holding me up. Nice way to start 2025 from a blogging perspective.
Thanks, Hamilton!
Definitions are underlined in the clues.
| ACROSS | ||
| 8 | HAULIERS |
Carriers of gold get in place within hours (8)
|
| AU (gold) + LIE (get in place) within HRS (hours) | ||
| 9 | NETHER |
See 1
|
| 11 | DIKE |
* At last, applaud former president (4)
|
| Last letter of applauD + IKE (former president)
An embankment built to prevent flooding, of which there are many in the Netherlands. |
||
| 12 | NARRATIVE |
A couple of crowned heads in resident’s account (9)
|
| A + R + R (a couple of crowned heads, ie kings/queens) in NATIVE (resident) | ||
| 14 | LANDS |
See 1
|
| 15 | ENERGETIC |
Dynamic Frenchman returns to receive cut diamonds (9)
|
| RENE (Frenchman) reversed (returns) + GET (to receive) + IC[e] (diamonds, cut) | ||
| 17 | VINCENT |
* Is Don McLean single? (7)
|
| Straight definition
The Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh signed his paintings with just his first name. The single by Don McLean references his painting Starry Night. |
||
| 20 | EPICENE |
Androgynous saga has point (7)
|
| EPIC (saga) + ENE (a point on the compass) | ||
| 22 | DELFT BLUE |
* Pixie consumed by doubt, empty and disheartened (5,4)
|
| ELF (pixie) ‘consumed by’ D[oub]T with middle letters removed (empty) + BLUE (disheartened)
Pottery from the Dutch city of Delft, known as Delftware, is famous for its particular shade of blue. |
||
| 25 | FOCUS |
* Forces chief beset with endless trouble (5)
|
| F (forces) + OC (chief) + [f]US[s] (trouble, endless)
Dutch prog rock band of the 1970s, most famous for their single Hocus Pocus, which I shall now have as an earworm for the rest of the day. |
||
| 27 | SANDPAPER |
Bernie’s not finally swallowed baby food? That’s rough! (9)
|
| SANDER[s] (US politician Bernie, less the final letter) containing (swallowed) PAP (baby food) | ||
| 28 | REVE |
* Famous fountain’s centre and end-piece (4)
|
| Centre of [t]REV[i] (famous fountain) + first letter (piece) of End
Gerard Reve, 1923-2006, one of the leading post-war Dutch writers. |
||
| 30 | ONE WAY |
Love Wayne madly but it’s not reciprocated (3,3)
|
| O (love) + anagram (madly) of WAYNE | ||
| 31 | MATA HARI |
* Give thanks to mum for recycling hot air (4,4)
|
| TA (thanks) given to MA (mum) + anagram (recycling) of H (hot) AIR
Stage name of Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod, 1876-1917, Dutch exotic dancer executed for being a spy during the First World War. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1/9/14 | THE NETHERLANDS |
* [See Setter Notes] (3,11)
|
| The country to which all asterisked clues refer. | ||
| 2 | JULIAN |
Short month on Scotsman’s calendar (6)
|
| JUL[y] (month, shortened) + IAN (Scotsman) | ||
| 3 | LICENSEE |
Caught! Eileen’s in trouble with landlord (8)
|
| Anagram (in trouble) of C (caught) EILEEN’S | ||
| 4 | ORANGE |
* Rita has the low-down when last goes first (6)
|
| ORA (Rita Ora, the singer) + GEN (low-down) when last [letter] goes first
The colour historically associated with the Netherlands, and the name of the Dutch royal family since 1544 – the House of Orange-Nassau to give them their full title. |
||
| 5 | PENANG |
Margaret’s accommodating granny in Malaysian state (6)
|
| PEG (Margaret) ‘accommodating’ NAN (granny) | ||
| 6 | CHRISTIE |
It contributes to riches made by writer (8)
|
| Anagram (made) of IT + RICHES | ||
| 7/27 | ARNE SLOT |
* Learns to adapt (4,4)
|
| Anagram (adapt) of LEARNS TO
As a supporter of Liverpool FC, this clue made me happy – the Dutchman has been the club’s head coach since the start of this season and he is doing extremely well in the job so far! |
||
| 10 | BREEZE |
Cheeses requested and a piece of cake (6)
|
| Sounds like (requested) BRIES (cheeses) | ||
| 13 | SLAVED |
Worked hard and rescued about fifty (6)
|
| SAVED (rescued) about L (fifty in Roman numerals) | ||
| 16 | CHEESE |
* Mostly show appreciation for directions (6)
|
| CHEE[r] (show appreciation, mostly) + SE (south and east = directions)
The Netherlands produces many famous varieties of cheese, such as Gouda and Edam. |
||
| 18 | NO LONGER |
Working up to something bigger? Not any more (2,6)
|
| ON (working) reversed (up) + LONGER (bigger) | ||
| 19 | TULIPS |
* Half the grass planted next to borders (6)
|
| Half of TU[mp] (grass) + LIPS (borders)
The flowers most associated with the Netherlands, where they have been grown in vast numbers since the 17th century. |
||
| 21 | INFERNAL |
Wretched domestic takes time out to recruit female (8)
|
| IN[t]ERNAL (domestic) substituting the T (time) for F (female) | ||
| 23 | TOP HAT |
Earl checks out of fancy aparthotel; on his head be it! (3,3)
|
| EARL is removed (checks out) from an anagram (fancy) of APARTHOTEL | ||
| 24 | EARWAX |
Problem for the listener, who has an old 78 (6)
|
| Cryptic definition
Early records were phonographic cylinders made of wax. Later disc formats were played at 78rpm but I don’t think these were ever made of wax. However, I may be wrong and the allusion is clear enough anyway. |
||
| 26 | CAVIAR |
Luxury motor whose interior is only half practical (6)
|
| CAR (motor) containing (whose interior) is VIA[ble] (practical, but only half) | ||
| 27 |
See 7
|
|
| 29 | SIX |
* Ovid’s Middle English translation (3)
|
| The middle letters of oVId are the Roman numeral VI, which translates into English as six
Jan Six, 1618-1700, was a wealthy cloth merchant who became a significant cultural figure in the Dutch Golden Age. The artworks he and later generations of his family collected are now housed in the Six Collection in Amsterdam. |
I think the original 78 pressings were in wax – there’s an Andrew Cartmel novel “Written in the Dead Wax” chatting about jazz age recordings.
I came here to know why Six for the Netherlands. But sorry, have spotted some typos. ELF in Delft blue, ARR in narrative.
Thank you to Widdersbel and Hamilton
I’m going to have Focus running through my head too!
Typos fixed, thanks, Shanne!
I parsed 19a TULIPS with a TU[ft]
24d EAR “WAX …11. 1932– U.S. slang. A gramophone record”
LOi 25a with a different earworm – Sylvia – the only other song I know by FOCUS.
The version of Hocus Pocus that Gladys Knight is introducing must be the fast one from 1973, and not the original from 1971.
[17a “Is Don McLean single?” – Twice divorced, now dating Paris Dylan, 48 years his junior. He turns 80 this year.]
FrankieG – I considered tuft but thought tump was a better fit. Either works though. I suspected it might be the case that wax is used as slang in the way you’ve cited, though I’ve not encountered it before. All good!
Many thanks Widdersbel for a great blog. I usually try to solve all the news and world puzzles and learn much from your explanations.
25a – I prefer Sylvia to Hocus Pocus but that’s probably because it stirs up more memories!
28a – I intended the second ‘e’ to be the end of ‘piece’ but I see it works either way
29d – my ‘Six’ was Tom, actor and film maker
Thanks to Shanne & FrankieG also
Thanks for adding the setter’s perspective, Hamilton. I’d forgotten about Tom Six. Wonder if he’s related to Jan? Seems unlikely given the nature of some of his work! Interesting about end-piece – I think your intended version works better.
I’d parsed that E as the end of piecE too, but as either worked, I wasn’t going to quibble.
I love these FT puzzles too and enjoy learning new things.