Good morning everyone.
A grid from Tack today, which on first scan looked to have a Euros football theme, which instantly made my heart sink. I’m with the judge in the famous case when told “Mr Gascoigne is a footballer” replied; “Association or Union”. Well, it’s Union every time surely.
Prior to my inevitable online tar and feathering, I’ll posit the less controversial opinion that this grid was a nice solve at a midfield level of challenge. I’ll give 4d the golden boot as the most artfully constructed clue, with runners up medals for 14d and 25a, because I can’t resist a pun.
Have a great weekend, and don’t forget to cover your vitals in the wall.
Definitions are underlined.
ACROSS
1 Juliet with friend in café cut revolutionary king cake (8)
FLAPJACK
Juliet [J] with friend [PAL] in café cut [CAFE] revolutionary [backwards] king [K]
5 Where one could meet a certain Nick Cave (6)
GROTTO
Double def Cave/ Grotto. Also where Saint Nicholas/Santa Claus meets children at Xmas
9 Singer with passion and musical sensitivity (8)
WHEATEAR
With [W] passion [HEAT] and musical sensitivity [EAR]
10 Harry Maguire leaving United? That’s unreal! (6)
MIRAGE
Anag [“Harry”] MAGUIRE without the U [“leaving united”]
12 End period primarily tallying interrupted minutes during games (8,4)
STOPPAGE TIME
End [STOPPAGE] period [TIME]
15 Drama zealots enthralling floor (5)
AMAZE
Hidden word [“enthralling”] DRAMA ZEALOTS
16 By and large supported by state, grow old (2,7)
ON AVERAGE
Supported [ON] by state [AVER], grow old [AGE]
18 Regularly ladies film new thread about plant (9)
ARTEMISIA
Regularly [even letters of] lAdIeS fIlM nEw ThReAd about [backwards]
19 Dark line dividing kitchen cupboard? (5)
UNLIT
Line [L] dividing [inside] kitchen cupboard [UNIT]
20 Impossible to get freely about in Lebanon when legless (12)
UNOBTAINABLE
Anag [“Freely”] ABOUT IN LEBANON when legless [no “ON”]
24 Gathers fine rugby players (6)
FLOCKS
Fine [F] rugby players [LOCKS]
25 She manipulates what goes on at raves (8)
MASSEUSE
What goes on at raves = MASS E USE
26 Who’s now ultimately shunned arrangement? (2-4)
NO SHOW
Anag [“shunned”] WHOS NOW
27 Flips over heads, accepting unknown is making a comeback (8)
CAPSIZES
Heads [CAPS], accepting [around] unknown [Z] is making a comeback [SI]
DOWN
1 Buff surgeon finally after fellow that’s cute (4)
FAWN
Surgeon finally [N] after fellow [F] that’s cute [AW]
2 Peak by lifting acceleration, power and energy (4)
APEX
By [X] lifting [under] acceleration, power and energy [A P E]
3 Novel setter taken on by another that may spout hot air (9)
JETSTREAM
Anag [“Novel”] SETTER taken on by [inside] another [JAM]
4 First-class politician is entertaining about supporting Switzerland in the Euros? (12)
CHAMPIONSHIP
First-class [A] politician [MP] is [IS] entertaining [around] about [ON] supporting [below] Switzerland [CH]
6 Put up freak in shed every so often (5)
RAISE
Alternate letters [“every so often”] FREAK IN SHED
7 Sadly smoke will rise in square (10)
TRAGICALLY
Smoke [CIGAR] will rise [backwards] in square [TALLY]
8 Busts a gut introducing king to various English voters (10)
OVEREXERTS
Introducing [place inside] king [REX] to various [anag] English [E] VOTERS
11 American waffle brought up three times a day (4,4,4)
YADA YADA YADA
A DAY reversed three times
13 At first Geoffrey and Bungle in Rainbow bar Bob’s wretched child (10)
RAGAMUFFIN
At first Geoffrey and Bungle [G A + MUFF] in Rainbow bar Bob [RAINBOW]
14 Where to enjoy fine dining on the London Eye? Snails, possibly (10)
GASTROPODS
Punnery: passengers are carried in pods on the London Eye big wheel
17 Squares is a sequel out (9)
EQUALISES
Anag [“out”] IS A SEQUEL
21 One can cycle from this city to another (5)
TOKYO
Changing Tokyo = KYOTO
22 Leave unfinished pizza essentially to grill (4)
QUIZ
Leave unfinished [QUIT] pizza essentially [PIZZA]
23 What tethers first two of three exhausted sparrowhawks? (4)
JESS
First two of three [3 down = JE] exhausted Sparrowhawks [SS]
Worth adding that it’s also a pangram. Quite tough in places but ultimately satisfying with some cunning constructions.
Thanks both
In 12a you have STOP (end) + AGE + TIM (primarily tallying interrupted minutes) in PE (games).
4d is missing HIP (in).
NO SHOW
Who’s no(w) –ultimately shunned
WHOSNO* arrangement
&lit.
GASTROPODS
The first part is whimsical (as mentioned in the blog)
Def 2: Snails, possibly
Gosh, what a puzzle! I made it a double-pangram, but I’m not the sharpest tool, on themes, NINJAS, and suchlike.
Wonderfully clued, across the grid, with very skilful surfaces and misdirections.
Hard Tack, but in no way, Tacky.
The best puzzle of the month, so far, by a long chalk.
Big thumbs-up, Tack & Leedsclimber
I liked the whimsical GASTROPODS and the clever &lit STOPPAGE TIME. I hesitated between Tokyo and Kyoto, but had to wait for a crosser.
Fabulous crossword. I found it tough (I even sought out the anagrams first, to give me a toe hold) but absolutely fair and very rewarding. One of those where, when you review it, you can’t imagine what your problem was. Thanks to Tack and Leeds climber, (and respect for you finding it only a “midfield level challenge”)
Thanks both. An enjoyable challenge, though could not fully parse. I must be still missing what gives it a Euros theme.
I had a rough time with this one, and ended up using the reveal button liberally. Favorite was def MASSEUSE, I literally laughed out loud when I got it.
I’m not sure I understand how “legless” in 20a means no “ON”.
Thanks both!
I’d go with Leeds climber mostly, but needed the blog to sort out RAGAMUFFIN… I’ve always wondered why KYOTO n TOKYO are anagrams, or indeed, cycled versions of each other, given Kyoto used to be the capital. Probably a good explanation.. outstanding clue for me was MASS E USE.. closely followed by GASTROPODS…
Thanks Tack n Leedsclimber
Ps clueless american@8 “on” means “leg” in cricket.. leg side is to the right of the wicket when a right-hander is batting ie the direction his back faces.. I’ll stop now..
27a, I had heads = capEs to get the E.
I still have not a clue what a JESS might be. I’m off for a quick search.
Not sure if there’s a theme but what makes my heart sink is the triple yada. Ugh.
Thanks both.
Had NO-SHOW as KVa @3 and CAPSIZE as PeteHA3.
Just a tacky postscript , in UK tax law, a FLAPJACK is NOT a cake. It is classed as a cereal bar.
VERY big difference for VAT purposes.
Now, a question: is a JAFFA CAKE, a cake or a biscuit?
PeteH@10: I think a Jess is a sort of harness that is put on a trained falcon.
Thanks PostMark.
I just had a look at a glossary of falconry terms. There’s enough obscure words to keep any setter busy for weeks. I await with bated breath being well and truly hoodwinked.
Much to my surprise, I finished this, although a couple were guesses.
Undrell@9 – Tokyo and Kyoto are indeed related etymologically. Kyo in both cases means capital. However, the To in Tokyo (with a long O) means east, while the to in Kyoto (with a short o) means city.