Phiday entertainment as usual.
Phi continues to produce good puzzles every week: I thought this one required about the right level of thought, with nothing too obscure. I particularly liked 19a (for all those who are looking forward to a holiday?) and 11a (it’s not an easily identifiable clue type, and might have been done before, but it’s neat).
Phi’s puzzles don’t always have a theme, but this one does, given by 29a CARRY ON. It’s the long-running comic film franchise (1950s – 1970s, with an extra one in the 1990s): the first six films in the series are Carry On Sergeant, Carry On Nurse, Carry On Teacher, Carry On Constable, Carry On Regardless, and Carry On Cruising. It’s fair to say that these films are “of their time”: the gender and racial stereotyping, objectification of women, innuendo etc makes most of them pretty much unbroadcastable now, unless liberally plastered with excuses and warnings for the easily offended. But they did seem very funny at the time . . . those of a certain generation will know exactly what I mean by “Infamy, infamy!”. Thanks Phi for the fun.
Definitions are underlined; BOLD UPPERCASE indicates letters used in the wordplay; square brackets [ ] indicate omitted letters.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | TEACHER |
Tutor longing to get through endless time at school (7)
|
| ACHE (longing), inserted into (to get through) TER[m] (a period of time at school) without the last letter (endless). | ||
| 5 | INFRACT |
Lower court will do for breach (7)
|
| INFRA (Latin-derived word for below = lower, for example in textual cross-references) + CT (abbreviation for court, especially on streetmaps).
Breach, as a verb = infract = to break a rule; better known in the noun form “infraction”. |
||
| 9 | NURSE |
New employment securing right medical worker (5)
|
| N (abbreviation for new) + USE (employment), containing R (abbreviation for right). | ||
| 10 | NEO-GOTHIC |
Elaborate ethic – go on following Pugin? (3-6)
|
| Anagram (elaborate) of ETHIC GO ON.
In the style of Augustus Pugin, 19th-century designer and architect, pioneer of the Gothic Revival style of architecture. |
||
| 11 | DOWN |
Unhappy – this answer is inappropriate? (4)
|
| Inappropriate because this is an across clue, not a down clue. | ||
| 12 | REGARDLESS |
Billowing large dress is inconsiderate (10)
|
| Anagram (billowing) of LARGE DRESS. | ||
| 14 | ESCROW |
Key argument in encryption system (6)
|
| ESC (abbreviation for the Escape key on a computer keyboard) + ROW (argument).
An arrangement in which the key required to unlock encrypted data is held by a third party – so you can get access to it, but only in circumstances when it’s really necessary. |
||
| 16 | CRUISING |
Looking for sex? After some wine, I tell all (8)
|
| CRU (wine from a particular vineyard or group of vineyards) + I + SING (slang for inform on someone = tell all).
Cruising = slang for going around a public place looking for a casual sexual encounter. |
||
| 19 | SYNAPSES |
Society certainly accommodates periods to relax mental connections (8)
|
| S (abbreviation for Society) + YES (certainly! = an indication of agreement), containing NAPS (short periods of sleep or relaxation).
Communication points between nerve cells in the brain. |
||
| 20 | PHYSIO |
Soccer medico finding no source for loud tick after turning round? (6)
|
| [n]OISY (loud) without the first letter (source), then HP (abbreviation for hire purchase = “tick” in slang = buying goods on credit), all reversed (after turning round).
Short for physiotherapist; term often used for someone employed to help footballers or other sportspeople with injuries. |
||
| 22 | CATALOGUER |
One records a journal penned by curate at work (10)
|
| A + LOG (journal), contained in (penned by) an anagram (at work) of CURATE. | ||
| 23 | FROG |
Confusion about river amphibian (4)
|
| FOG (confusion, especially in the phrase “brain fog”) around R (abbreviation for river). | ||
| 26 | LUBRICANT |
Oil excited train club (9)
|
| Anagram (excited) of TRAIN CLUB. | ||
| 27 | VILLA |
Every one of four in Rome returned home there? (5)
|
| ALL (every one of) + IV (4 in Roman numerals, so “four in Rome”), all reversed (returned).
Not quite “in Rome”, because a Roman villa was typically a country house rather than one in the town, but certainly in the Roman Empire. |
||
| 28 | CLEMENT |
Gentle start to life? Stick around (7)
|
| Starting letter of L[ife], with CEMENT (as a verb = stick = fix in place) around it.
More common in the negative form “inclement”, typically applied to nasty weather. |
||
| 29 | CARRY ON |
Uproar about a hint of reduction being applied to working wage (5,2)
|
| CRY (as in “hue and cry” = uproar = shouting), around A + first letter (a hint) of R[eduction], then ON (working, as in “the lights are on”).
As in “to wage a war” = to continue for a period of time. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | TENT DRESS |
Large garment: damage head to toe, covered in hair (4,5)
|
| DENT (damage by blunt force), with the first letter moved to the end (head to toe), contained in TRESS (a lock of hair, more often used in the plural).
The sort of thing suggested by the surface of 12a: a very loose unfitted dress. |
||
| 2 | ARROW |
Element of signage a concern, having been cut up (5)
|
| A, then WORR[y] (concern, as a noun = something to worry about) without the last letter (cut) and reversed (up, in a down clue). | ||
| 3 | HEEL |
Turn, heading off – and what one turns on? (4)
|
| [w]HEEL (as a verb = to turn around on the spot, or to move in a circular path) without its first letter (head).
As in “turn on one’s heel” = the first of these meanings of “wheel”. |
||
| 4 | RUNNER |
Rugby names about to mount support for injured cricketer (6)
|
| RU (abbreviation for Rugby Union) + N N (two N = abbreviation for name, so “names”), then RE (about = on the subject of) reversed (to mount = upwards in a down clue).
As in Law 25 of the Laws of Cricket: if a batter is injured and unable to run (but can still bat), another member of the team can be nominated as a “runner” to run between the wickets when required. Runners are no longer permitted in international cricket, but may be used in domestic games. |
||
| 5 | IDOLATRY |
I work at a venture gathering large amount of unwarranted praise? (8)
|
| I + DO (work at) + A + TRY (venture = attempt), containing L (abbreviation for large). “Amount of” is needed for the surface, but doesn’t belong with “large” and isn’t really needed as part of the definition. | ||
| 6 | FLOODLIGHT |
Illuminate episode in Genesis that’s easy to read (10)
|
| FLOOD (Noah and the ark, from Genesis chapters 6-8) + LIGHT (easy to read). | ||
| 7 | ATHLETICS |
Sports articles covering league responses (9)
|
| A + THE (grammatical articles, indefinite and definite) containing L (abbreviation for league), then TICS (involuntary muscular responses). | ||
| 8 | TACKS |
Fixes test presented orally (5)
|
| Homophone (presented orally) of TAX (as a verb = test, as in “tax one’s patience”).
Tack, as a verb = to fix something using tacks (nails with large flat heads). |
||
| 13 | COMPULSIVE |
Irresistible interaction of couples with vim (10)
|
| Anagram (interaction) of COUPLES + VIM. | ||
| 15 | CONSTABLE |
Police officer’s traffic control not entirely steady (9)
|
| CON[e] (traffic cone, used to indicate a temporary traffic diversion) without the last letter (not entirely), then STABLE (steady). | ||
| 17 | GROSGRAIN |
Silk sarong girl shortened outrageously (9)
|
| Anagram (outrageously) of SARONG GIR[l] without the last letter (shortened).
Fabric or ribbon, typically silk, with the transverse (weft) threads thicker than the lengthwise (warp) threads, creating a ribbed surface. |
||
| 18 | SERGEANT |
Officer, dispatched to collect equipment, runs to the front (8)
|
| SENT (dispatched), containing GEAR (equipment) with the R (runs, in cricket scoring) moved to the front. | ||
| 21 | HECTIC |
Frantic college hankering to retain English after upheaval (6)
|
| C (abbreviation for college) + ITCH (hankering = a longing), containing E (abbreviation for English), all reversed (after upheaval = upwards in a down clue). | ||
| 22 | COLIC |
Firm line taken over one child’s first stomach upset (5)
|
| CO (short for company = firm = commercial organisation) + L (abbreviation for line), before (over, in a down clue) I (one in Roman numerals) + first letter of C[hild]. | ||
| 24 | RALLY |
Associate supporting Republican in mass meeting (5)
|
| ALLY (associate) after (below, in a down clue = supporting) R (abbreviation for Republican). | ||
| 25 | OVER |
Fielder missing 100 deliveries (4)
|
| [c]OVER (a fielding position in cricket) without the C (100 in Roman numerals).
The definition is also from cricket: over = a sequence of 6 balls bowled (deliveries) by the same bowler. |
Great puzzle. Excellent blog.
Thanks Phi and Quirister.
Top faves: CRUISING, FLOODLIGHT and CONSTABLE.
VILLA
Perhaps the setter asks us to find an Italian word for ‘home’.
Not sure.
IDOLATRY
Is it a slightly cryptic/whimsical def? There’s a QM at the end of the clue.
There’s actually a little more to the theme, for anyone inclined to ponder, and a sequel is already with the editor.
Phi’s setting is rather atypical in this one, for me. So a theme was inevitable. The puzzle suffered as a result.
The usual excellent surfaces, but so many blatant definitions are neon-signs for the solutions.
[ Tutor=Teacher/ Unhappy=Down/ Soccer Medico = Physio/ Oil=Lubricant/ Amphibian=Frog/ Police Officer=Constable etc., etc.]
I don’t know what to say, that’s nice, about RUGBY = RU.
Then there’s FRANTIC into HECTIC, so half the solution held in the ( very obvious) definition.
The customary weirdy, GROSGRAIN, 17(d), but even this seems off-key; it’s precisely a ribbed fabric, but of many different types, not just ( or even mainly ) silk.
Phi, inforyou, inforyou, I haven’t got it in for you, but my cap is only doffed, when it’s usually sent skyward.
Still, many thanks, Phi & MsQ
Having missed the theme that’s now obvious there’s not much chance of me rooting out anything deeper. I just hope the sequel includes “frying tonight” somewhere.
Thanks Phi and Quirister.
I enjoyed solving this and even spotted the theme, therefore felt rather smug. But now Phi says there’s more to it I’m feeling once again like the customary nincompoop. I can’t see anything! Thanks to Phi and Quirister.
The NURSE, PHYSIO, COLIC and medics made me wonder about (h)Ealing comedy, but surely not. CRUISING was my favourite.
Thanks both. Like others, felt I was finally on to a Phi theme, but apparently I need to CARRY ON looking, which I won’t choose to do as I already hadn’t recognised all the tiltes. The definition for ESCROW surprised me, as I know it only in the sense of third-party management of money, yet we seem to be looking at ‘escrow encryption’ or ‘key escrow’.
D’oh! I was a great fan of the films, back in the day. I saw several when they first came out. But I totally missed the theme.
Also, I had a session with a physio yesterday, and it still took me ages to get 20ac.
Just to set the sequel up: these are the Carry-On films scored by Bruce Montgomery, who also wrote the much reused Carry-On theme.
Montgomery also wrote detective novels using the pseudonym Edmund Crispin, under which name he also edited a number of Best SF anthologies. I think I read some of them from my local library growing up in the sixties.